[XeTeX] arabic

[Ross Moore]

Hello Kamal,

On 22/10/2010, at 12:39 PM, Kamal Abdali wrote:

> On Thu, Oct 21, 2010 at 03:17, Ulrike Fischer <news3 at nililand.de> wrote:
> Am Thu, 21 Oct 2010 00:20:47 -0400 schrieb Kamal Abdali:
> >... 
> > Makeindex reads the idx file for sorting the indices. Probably, it finds the
> > non-Western numerals undecipherable.
> 
> Yes, makeindex needs to understand numbers to be able to build page
> ranges and sort the page numbers. As default it understands the
> standard digits, alphabetic and roman page numbers.
> 
> If you would redefine \thepage to e.g. \renewcommand\thepage{Page
> \arabic{page}} you would run into problems in an english document
> too.
> 
> I would suggest that you try xindy.
>  
> 
> Thanks, Ulrike, for the xindy recommendation. A recent tendency in Urdu publications (which concern me most) is to use Western numerals, so Makeindex will work partially. But in general xindy will be unavoidable.

Well, I don't think it is unavoidable at all.

You can define your own .ist  (index-style) file for use
with  makeindex . 
Then you can ensure that a LaTeX macro reads the page-number
and converts it into the language form that you desire.

Makeindex is extremely flexible, just as is Xindy.
You may need a bit of experience writing the correct LaTeX
macro to use, and have it applied appropriately, just as you'll 
need to gain experience using Xindy, if you go down that path.


> 
> Kamal Abdali


Hope this helps,

	Ross

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ross Moore                                       ross.moore at mq.edu.au 
Mathematics Department                           office: E7A-419      
Macquarie University                             tel: +61 (0)2 9850 8955
Sydney, Australia  2109                          fax: +61 (0)2 9850 8114
------------------------------------------------------------------------