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Persian (Farsi) Support for Silverlight 2.0

By , 21 Oct 2008
 

Introduction

This project includes a library which you can use to convert Persian raw text to a formatted Persian string that can be showed correctly in Silverlight 2.0. The latest version of the source code of this project is available here.

Background

As everybody knows, Silverlight 2.0 does not have support for right to left languages. Therefore, the first issue that every developer who desires to write applications in RTL languages should deal with is, to find a way to solve this problem. I am aware that a similar project is running to support Arabic and Hebrew languages in Silverlight. The name of this project is "Silverlight 2.0 Hebrew & Arabic Language Support", and it is available in Codeplex too. However, my project is not as professional as their project, it might be useful. You can add your comments here in CodeProject or here.

Code

The PersianCharacter class is used in defining a Persian Character Map.

internal class PersianCharacter
{
    public PersianCharacter(string characterName, bool noLastAppend, int
             startChar, int middleRightSideBoundedChar, int 
         middleLeftSideBoundedChar, int middleTwoSideBoundedChar, int 
         endingBoundedChar, int endingChar)
    {
        CharacterName = characterName;
        NoLastAppend = noLastAppend;
        StartChar = startChar;
        MiddleRightSideBoundedChar = middleRightSideBoundedChar;
        MiddleLeftSideBoundedChar = middleLeftSideBoundedChar;
        MiddleTwoSideBoundedChar = middleTwoSideBoundedChar;
        EndingBoundedChar = endingBoundedChar;
        EndingChar = endingChar;
    }
    private string _CharacterName = "";
    public string CharacterName
    {
        get
        {
            return _CharacterName;
        }
        set
        {
            _CharacterName = value;
        }
    }
    private bool _NoLastAppend = false;
    public bool NoLastAppend
    {
        get
        {
            return _NoLastAppend;
        }
        set
        {
            _NoLastAppend = value;
        }
    }

    private int _StartChar = 0;
    public int StartChar
    {
        get
        {
            return _StartChar;
        }
        set
        {
            _StartChar = value;
        }
    }

    private int _MiddleRightSideBoundedChar = 0;
    public int MiddleRightSideBoundedChar
    {
        get
        {
            return _MiddleRightSideBoundedChar;
        }
        set
        {
            _MiddleRightSideBoundedChar = value;
        }
    }

    private int _MiddleLeftSideBoundedChar = 0;
    public int MiddleLeftSideBoundedChar
    {
        get
        {
            return _MiddleLeftSideBoundedChar;
        }
        set
        {
            _MiddleLeftSideBoundedChar = value;
        }
    }

    private int _MiddleTwoSideBoundedChar = 0;
    public int MiddleTwoSideBoundedChar
    {
        get
        {
            return _MiddleTwoSideBoundedChar;
        }
        set
        {
            _MiddleTwoSideBoundedChar = value;
        }
    }

    private int _EndingBoundedChar = 0;
    public int EndingBoundedChar
    {
        get
        {
            return _EndingBoundedChar;
        }
        set
        {
            _EndingBoundedChar = value;
        }
    }

    private int _EndingChar = 0;
    public int EndingChar
    {
        get
        {
            return _EndingChar;
        }
        set
        {
            _EndingChar = value;
        }
    }
}

The PersianMaker class doed the process of formatting a Persian string. It has five methods which I will discuss briefly.

First, I define all Persian characters and add them to the CharacterMap list. There are about 40 characters, even though the actual Persian character count is less than 40. There are some Arabic characters which are used now in Persian writing. After populating the Character Map with the objects of the PersianCharacter class, it is ready to be used. Thanks to LINQ for supporting LINQ to Objects because it reduces the number of loops.

The first method IsPersianCharacter is for checking whether a specified character belongs to the Persian Character Map or not. This will be done by querying the CharacterMap list.

There is another method IsNoLastAppendCharacter which checks if the specified character is a Persian character to which no character can be append to the end, such as Je(ژ) or Re (ر). The ReverseString method will accept a string, and then return it as reverse. We need this method because we should reverse the string to be presented correctly in Silverlight because of the lack of right to left support.

ToPersianString is the heart of the PersianMaker class because it accepts a raw (unformated) text and produces a string that can be presented correctly in Silverlight content. This method iterates the text, character by character, to concatenate Persian characters correctly.

The ToPersian method first seperates words by space, and then passed them to the ToPersianString. Then it concatenates words, and returns the final string that can be presented in Silverlight 2.0 content correctly.

public class PersianMaker
{
    // Persian character map
    private List<PersianCharacter> CharacterMap;

    public PersianMaker()
    {
        CharacterMap = new List<PersianCharacter>();

#region ABaKolah آ
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("ABaKolah", true, 
                         0x622, 0x622, 0xfe82, 0xfe81, 0xfe82, 0xfe81));
# endregion

#region Alef ا
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Alef", true, 0x627, 
                         0x627, 0xfe8e, 0xfe8d, 0xfe8e, 0xfe8d));
# endregion

#region AlefWithHamzeAbove أ
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("AlefWithHamzeAbove", 
                         true, 0x623, 0x623, 0xfe84, 0xfe83, 0xfe84, 0xfe83));
# endregion

#region AlefWithHamzeBelow إ
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("AlefWithHamzeBelow", 
                         true, 0x625, 0x625, 0xfe88, 0xfe87, 0xfe88, 0xfe87));
# endregion

#region Hamze ء
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Hamze", true, 
                         0x621, 0x621, 0xfe80, 0xfe80, 0xfe80, 0xfe7f));
# endregion

#region Be ب
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Be", false, 
                         0x628, 0x628, 0xfe90, 0xfe91, 0xfe92, 0xfe8f));
# endregion

#region Pe پ
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Pe", false, 
                         0x67e, 0x67e, 0xfb57, 0xfb58, 0xfb59, 0xfb56));
# endregion

#region Te ت
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Te", false, 
                         0x62a, 0x62a, 0xfe96, 0xfe97, 0xfe98, 0xfe95));
# endregion

#region Theh ث
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Theh", false, 
                         0x62b, 0x62b, 0xfe9a, 0xfe9b, 0xfe9c, 0xfe99));
# endregion

#region Jeem ج
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Jeem", false, 
                         0x62c, 0x62c, 0xfe9e, 0xfe9f, 0xfea0, 0xfe9d));
# endregion

#region Che چ
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Che", false, 
                         0x686, 0x686, 0xfb7b, 0xfb7c, 0xfb7d, 0xfb7a));
# endregion

#region Hah ح
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Hah", false, 
                         0x62d, 0x62d, 0xfea2, 0xfea3, 0xfea4, 0xfea1));
# endregion

#region Kheh خ
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Kheh", false, 
                         0x62e, 0x62e, 0xfea6, 0xfea7, 0xfea8, 0xfea5));
# endregion

#region Dal د
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Dal", true, 
                         0x62f, 0x62f, 0xfeaa, 0xfea9, 0xfeaa, 0xfea9));
# endregion

#region Zal ذ
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Zal", true, 
                         0x630, 0x630, 0xfeac, 0xfeab, 0xfeac, 0xfeab));
# endregion

#region Re ر
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Re", true, 0x631, 
                         0x631, 0xfeae, 0xfead, 0xfeae, 0xfead));
# endregion

#region Ze ز
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Ze", true, 
                         0x632, 0x632, 0xfeb0, 0xfeaf, 0xfeb0, 0xfeaf));
# endregion

#region Je ژ
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Je", true, 
                         0x698, 0x698, 0xfb8b, 0xfb8a, 0xfb8b, 0xfb8a));
# endregion

#region Seen س
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Seen", false, 
                         0x633, 0x633, 0xfeb2, 0xfeb3, 0xfeb4, 0xfeb1));
# endregion

#region Sheen ش
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Sheen", false, 
                         0x634, 0x634, 0xfeb6, 0xfeb7, 0xfeb8, 0xfeb5));
# endregion

#region Sad ص
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Sad", false, 
                         0x635, 0x635, 0xfeba, 0xfebb, 0xfebc, 0xfeb9));
# endregion

#region Zad ض
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Zad", false, 
                         0x636, 0x636, 0xfebe, 0xfebf, 0xfec0, 0xfebd));
# endregion

#region Ta ط
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Ta", false, 
                         0x637, 0x637, 0xfec2, 0xfec3, 0xfec4, 0xfec1));
# endregion

#region Za ظ
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Za", false, 
                         0x638, 0x638, 0xfec6, 0xfec7, 0xfec8, 0xfec5));
# endregion

#region Ein ع
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Ein", false, 
                         0x639, 0xfeca, 0xfeca, 0xfecb, 0xfecc, 0xfec9));
# endregion

#region Ghein غ
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Ghein", false, 
                         0x63a, 0x63a, 0xfece, 0xfecf, 0xfed0, 0xfecd));
# endregion

#region Fe ف
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Fe", false, 
                         0x641, 0x641, 0xfed2, 0xfed3, 0xfed4, 0xfed1));
# endregion

#region Ghaf ق
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Ghaf", false, 
                         0x642, 0x642, 0xfed6, 0xfed7, 0xfed8, 0xfed5));
# endregion

#region kaf ک
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("kaf", false, 
                         0x6a9, 0x6a9, 0xfeda, 0xfedb, 0xfedc, 0xfed9));
# endregion

#region Gaf گ
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Gaf", false, 
                         0x6af, 0x6af, 0xfb93, 0xfb94, 0xfb95, 0xfb92));
# endregion

#region Lam ل
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Lam", false, 
                         0x644, 0x644, 0xfede, 0xfedf, 0xfee0, 0xfedd));
# endregion

#region Meem م
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Meem", false, 
                         0x645, 0x645, 0xfee2, 0xfee3, 0xfee4, 0xfee1));
# endregion

#region Noon ن
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Noon", false, 
                         0x646, 0x646, 0xfee6, 0xfee7, 0xfee8, 0xfee5));
# endregion

#region Vav و
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Vav", true, 0x648, 
                         0x648, 0xfeee, 0xfeed, 0xfeee, 0xfeed));
# endregion

#region VavBaHamze ؤ
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("VavBaHamze", true, 
                         0x624, 0x624, 0xfe86, 0xfe85, 0xfe86, 0xfe85));
# endregion

#region Heh ه
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Heh", false, 
                         0x647, 0x647, 0xfeea, 0xfeeb, 0xfeec, 0xfee9));
# endregion

#region TehMarbuta ة
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("TehMarbuta", 
                         true, 0x629, 0x629, 0xfe94, 0xfe93, 0xfe93, 0xfe93));
# endregion

#region Ye ی
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("Ye", false, 
                         0x6cc, 0x6cc, 0xfef0, 0xfef3, 0xfef4, 0xfeef));
# endregion

#region ArabicYe ي
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("ArabicYe", false, 
                         0x64a, 0x64a, 0xfef2, 0xfef3, 0xfef4, 0xfef1));
# endregion

#region YeBaHamze ئ
        CharacterMap.Add(new PersianCharacter("YeBaHamze", false, 
                         0x626, 0x626, 0xfe8a, 0xfe8b, 0xfe8c, 0xfe89));
# endregion 

    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Check whether the character belongs to the Persian character list or not.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="ch"></param>
    /// <returns>true if the character belongs to the
    /// Persian character list; otherwise, false.</returns>
    private bool IsPersianCharacter(char ch)
    {
        bool result = false;
        var query = from cm in CharacterMap
        where cm.StartChar == ch ||
        cm.MiddleRightSideBoundedChar == ch ||
        cm.MiddleLeftSideBoundedChar == ch ||
        cm.MiddleTwoSideBoundedChar == ch ||
        cm.EndingBoundedChar == ch ||
        cm.EndingChar == ch
        select cm.CharacterName;

        if (query.Count() > 0)
        {
            result = true;
        }
        return result;
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Check whether the character is from NoLastAppend group or not.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="ch"></param>
    /// <returns>true if the character is from NoLastAppend group;
    /// otherwise, false.</returns>
    private bool IsNoLastAppendCharacter(char ch)
    {
        bool result = false;
        var query = from cm in CharacterMap
        where (cm.StartChar == ch ||
        cm.MiddleRightSideBoundedChar == ch ||
        cm.MiddleLeftSideBoundedChar == ch ||
        cm.MiddleTwoSideBoundedChar == ch ||
        cm.EndingBoundedChar == ch ||
        cm.EndingChar == ch) & cm.NoLastAppend == true
        select cm.NoLastAppend;
        if (query.Count() > 0)
        {
            result = true;
        }
        return result;
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Generates a correct Persian text to be presented
    /// in the silverlight context.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="text"></param>
    /// <returns>Persian correct format of the text</returns>
    private string ToPersianString(string text)
    {
        int i = 0;
        string str2 = "";
        while (i < text.Length)
        {
            ECharPossition possition= ECharPossition.StartingChar;
            // get current letter
            if (IsPersianCharacter(Convert.ToChar(text.Substring(i, 1))))
            {
                if (i == 0)// This is the first chraracter of the string
                {
                    possition = ECharPossition.StartingChar;
                }
                else if (i == (text.Length - 1))
                // This is the last character of the string
                {
                    // get letter before
                    if (IsPersianCharacter(Convert.ToChar(text.Substring(i - 1, 1))))
                    {
                        if (IsNoLastAppendCharacter(
                             Convert.ToChar(text.Substring(i - 1, 1))))
                        {
                            possition = ECharPossition.EndingChar;
                        }
                        else
                        {
                            possition = ECharPossition.EndingBoundedChar;
                        }
                    }
                    else
                    {
                        possition = ECharPossition.EndingBoundedChar;
                    }
                }
                else // the current character is neither first nor last
                {
                    // get letter before
                    if (IsPersianCharacter(
                           Convert.ToChar(text.Substring(i - 1, 1))))
                    {
                        if (IsNoLastAppendCharacter(
                              Convert.ToChar(text.Substring(i - 1, 1))))
                        {
                            // get current letter
                            if (IsPersianCharacter(
                                 Convert.ToChar(text.Substring(i, 1))))
                            {
                                if (!IsNoLastAppendCharacter(
                                      Convert.ToChar(text.Substring(i, 1))))
                                {
                                    possition = 
                                      ECharPossition.MiddleLeftSideBoundedChar;
                                }
                                else
                                {
                                    possition = ECharPossition.StartingChar;
                                }
                            }
                            else
                            {
                                possition = ECharPossition.StartingChar;
                            }
                        }
                        else
                        {
                            possition = ECharPossition.MiddleTwoSidesBoundedChar;
                        }
                    }
                    else
                    {
                        possition = ECharPossition.StartingChar;
                    }
                }

                // get current letter
                char currentChar = Convert.ToChar(text.Substring(i, 1));
                var query = from cm in CharacterMap
                where cm.StartChar == currentChar ||
                cm.MiddleRightSideBoundedChar == currentChar ||
                cm.MiddleLeftSideBoundedChar == currentChar ||
                cm.MiddleTwoSideBoundedChar == currentChar ||
                cm.EndingBoundedChar == currentChar ||
                cm.EndingChar == currentChar
                select cm;
    
                //Retreive the character set of the current letter
                PersianCharacter pch = query.First();
                if (pch != null)
                {
                    switch (possition)
                    {
                        case ECharPossition.StartingChar:
                            str2 = str2 + 
                              Convert.ToChar(pch.MiddleTwoSideBoundedChar).ToString();
                            break;
                        case ECharPossition.MiddleRightSideBoundedChar: ;
                            str2 = str2 + 
                              Convert.ToChar(pch.EndingBoundedChar).ToString();
                            break;
                        case ECharPossition.MiddleLeftSideBoundedChar:
                            str2 = str2 + 
                              Convert.ToChar(pch.MiddleTwoSideBoundedChar).ToString();
                            break;
                        case ECharPossition.MiddleTwoSidesBoundedChar:
                            str2 = str2 + 
                              Convert.ToChar(pch.EndingBoundedChar).ToString();
                            break;
                        case ECharPossition.EndingBoundedChar:
                            str2 = str2 + 
                              Convert.ToChar(pch.MiddleLeftSideBoundedChar).ToString();
                            break;
                        case ECharPossition.EndingChar:
                            str2 = str2 + Convert.ToChar(pch.EndingChar).ToString();
                            break;
                        default:
                            break;
                    }
                }
            }
            else
            {
                // The character does not belong to the CharMap
                str2 = str2 + text.Substring(i, 1);
            }
            i++;
        }
        return this.ReverseString(str2);
    }

    public string ToPersian(string text)
    {
        string str = "";
        string[] strArray0 = text.Split('\n');
        for (int j = strArray0.Length - 1; j >= 0; j--)
        {
            string[] strArray1 = strArray0[j].Split(new char[] { ' ' });
            int upperBound = strArray1.GetUpperBound(0);
            for (int i = 0; i <= upperBound; i++)
            {
                str = this.ToPersianString(strArray1[i]) + " " + str;
            }
            str = "\n" + str;
        }
        str.Trim();
        return str;
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Reverse the specified string to become right to left.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="str"></param>
    /// <returns></returns>
    private string ReverseString(string str)
    {
        string str2 = "";
        for (int i = str.Length - 1; i >= 0; i--)
        {
            if (IsPersianCharacter(Convert.ToChar(str.Substring(i, 1))))
            {
                str2 = str2 + str.Substring(i, 1);
            }
            else
            {
                str2 = str.Substring(i, 1) + str2;
            }
        }
        return str2;
    }

    private enum ECharPossition
    {
        StartingChar,
        MiddleRightSideBoundedChar,
        MiddleLeftSideBoundedChar,
        MiddleTwoSidesBoundedChar,
        EndingBoundedChar,
        EndingChar
    }

}

Using the code

The source code of this project is available here.

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Microsoft Public License (Ms-PL)

About the Author

 Ali Daneshmandi
Software Developer DAN
Iran (Islamic Republic Of) Iran (Islamic Republic Of)
Member
XAML Designer & Developer | Passionate about UX | Founder of www.PortraitPad.com
 
Follow me on Twitter at: @daneshmandi
My website: www.daneshmandi.com

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First Prev Next
QuestionRight To Left Text Editor with highlightingmemberDirkster991 Apr '13 - 5:44 
Hi Ali,
 
I have seen your article on Silverlight here on Codeplex and was wondering if you could support me in writing an article on RTL for text editors in WPF. I have already created an AvalonEdit version here:
 
https://edi.codeplex.com/wikipage?title=AvalonEdit%20with%20support%20for%20Arabic%20%28PRE%20Alpha%20version%29&referringTitle=Pre-Alpha%20features
 
Would you be able to review and test it for me? My problem is that I do not have an Arabic/Persian background but I'd like to develop software that could be used by everyone on this planet Smile | :) So, please let me know what you think about it - maybe we can do an article on it together? There is not enough information on that subject - so much is for sure Smile | :)
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GeneralSilverlight 4.0 beta has added BiDi support.memberAli Daneshmandi3 Mar '10 - 0:51 
Please be aware that Silverlight 4.0 has added BiDi support which means it now supports right to left languages such as Persian therefore you do not need this project anymore to be able to create Persian supported Silverlight apps
Ali Daneshmandi
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GeneralProblemsmembermasoudoskuie23 Apr '09 - 9:42 
Hello Dear Ali,
I have downloaded your file but I soon found out that if I want to send a long string to a text box the first list is located on the last line for example :
 
Correct :
سلام من پسر ایرانی هستم
شما که هستید
شما علی هستید
 
Incorrect :
شما علی هستید
شما که هستید
سلام من پسر ایرانی هستم
 
Another problems is associate with YeArabic, Yearabic must be attached to next letter but in some cases it does not attached to next letter.
 
axis_evil
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GeneralRe: ProblemsmemberAli Daneshmandi24 Apr '09 - 0:48 
Thanks for your feedback.
You are right. The first problem is a known issue. For the second problem could you please give me a an example. Moreover, do you know the Ascii number of the Ye Arabic you mentioned?
I am too busy these days and I don't have the time to fix it and update the article. These days with the availability of the Silverlight 3.0 and some great feaures such as element to element binding we can add new functionalities to the existing library. Furthermore, the source code is freely available on http://www.codeplex.com/PersianSilverlight[^] which you can download and dig into the code but I promise to find a way to solve these problems as soon as I can.
 
Ali Daneshmandi
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GeneralThank youmemberhasanhd30 Dec '08 - 12:49 
Thank you for this usefull code.
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Last Visit: 31 Dec '99 - 18:00     Last Update: 23 May '13 - 11:53Refresh1

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About Article
This is an article on how to support Persian language in Microsoft Silverlight 2.0.
Type Article
Licence Ms-PL
First Posted 21 Oct 2008
Views 12,946
Downloads 177
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