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Unicode support?
In one of my web sites, I've chosen to use unicode characters instead of images, for obvious benefits. Both Opera Mobile 10.0 and Internet Explorer for Windows Mobile 6.2 fails to show the unicode characters, either when set in HTML, CSS or in Javascript.Thus, some questions:
1. Does Opera Mobile 10 itself support unicode? I've read several other forum posts on this topic, but never got a clear answer.
2. If so, does it depend on the device's OS, installed fonts, or any chips? (Seeing how Internet Explorer doesn't show the unicode characters, it might be OS or device related.)
3. Is the fall-back sans-serif font in Opera Mobile (which is named 'Arial' in opera.ini, but Segoe in opera:config) equipped with unicode characters? (I've requested 'MS Mincho', 'Arial Unicode MS', sans-serif. I can imagine a mobile device lacking MS Mincho, but I sort-of hoped Windows Mobile would sport a unicode font.)
4. If the problem is my choice of fonts, how can I improve that?
The fly assumes the bear cares about its antics...
28. May 2010, 21:27:45 (edited)
I found that the problem is what fonts get pre-installed with the OS: no unicode; I installed the fonts I mentioned and restarted, and now the desired chars do show up - obviously I can't expect my site visitors to do the same.
Thus, to answer my own questions:
1. Yes, Opera Mobile supports unicode and displays unicode characters.
2. Yes, the OS should sport one of the requested unicode fonts.
3. No, Segoe, the only font installed on a regular MS Windows Mobile, does not contain unicode characters. And no, Arial is not pre-installed, not even the unicode version. And no, the font installed by Opera itself ('Ahem') seems to contain no unicode characters.
4. Yes, the problem is my font choice. Lucida Sans Unicode (370KB) weighs a lot less than either MS Mincho (8MB) or Arial Sans Unicode (22MB), and does include the characters I need, but this font also isn't installed on Windows Mobile by default.
I guess @font-face will have to come to the rescue. Now to find a free-to-embed unicode font.
Thus, to answer my own questions:
1. Yes, Opera Mobile supports unicode and displays unicode characters.
2. Yes, the OS should sport one of the requested unicode fonts.
3. No, Segoe, the only font installed on a regular MS Windows Mobile, does not contain unicode characters. And no, Arial is not pre-installed, not even the unicode version. And no, the font installed by Opera itself ('Ahem') seems to contain no unicode characters.
4. Yes, the problem is my font choice. Lucida Sans Unicode (370KB) weighs a lot less than either MS Mincho (8MB) or Arial Sans Unicode (22MB), and does include the characters I need, but this font also isn't installed on Windows Mobile by default.
I guess @font-face will have to come to the rescue. Now to find a free-to-embed unicode font.
The fly assumes the bear cares about its antics...
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