[XeTeX] Malayalam typesetting using XeLaTeX

[NMPOST7]

Dear All,

Earlier, I was using Latex on Linux and I used the Malayalam package from
Sarovar to typeset my documents in Malayalam. The processing was running the
code file (extenion *.mm) through a pre-processor mal (with a font option)

I could use this on my Mac and hence I need to use Linux (Ubuntu Perfect
Pangolin) for Malayalam and my Mac for all the rest!!

I have, finally, managed to get Malayalam working on my Mac(Mountain Lion
10.5.8) using XeLaTeX. The issue in question is character rendering. Here are
the details before I proceed.

System: Mac Mountain Lion 10.5.8
Editor: TeXShop 2.47
Engine : xelatex
Fonts used:

    Rachana (my favourite) uses old script
    Meera
    AnjaliOldLipi


Problems:

-> Rachana: the numerals (arabic) are NOT rendered. Only boxes appear. This
includes page numbers. The punctuation marks, too, are not rendered. Only boxes
appear.

-> Meera and AnjaliOldLipi: numbers are rendered but ligatures are terrible.

-> cannot use \textbf{} with Malayalam script inside


Example: (file is attached)

Code: Select all  •  Open in writeLaTeX
    \listfiles
    \documentclass[a4paper,12pt]{article}
    \usepackage[margin=1in]{geometry}
    \usepackage{fontspec}
    \defaultfontfeatures{Ligatures=TeX}     %[Mapping=tex-text]
    \usepackage{polyglossia}
    \setdefaultlanguage{malayalam}
    \setotherlanguage{english}
    \newfontfamily\malayalamfont[Script=Malayalam]{Rachana}
    \newfontfamily\englishfont{Times}
    \begin{document}
    \lefthyphenmin=2
    \righthyphenmin=2
    %\thispagestyle{empty}
    \setmainfont[Script=Malayalam]{Rachana}
    %
    \setlength{\baselineskip}{1.25\baselineskip}\addtolength{\parskip}{10pt}
    %\textenglish{1,2,3.}
    മലയാളം  ൽ ൾ ർ  3 .
    \end{document}

    \textbf{
പ്രാരംഭഃ}
    \begin{verse}
    \noindent
    \hfill{\textenglish{0}}
    \end{verse}
    \end{document}


The workaround is cumbersome.

Code: Select all  •  Open in writeLaTeX
    \textenglish{3}


The same applies to punctuation marks. if the punctuation marks are inserted
using the above command, the rendering is fine.

The final problem. dashes are inserted when a word is broken at the end of the
line and these dashes appear as boxes!!!


Final point: is there a possibility to generate the Malayalam numerals?
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_numerals scroll down and you will see the
table with the numbers)

Best regards
Suren
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