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07 January 2006

Writing Arabic on Ubuntu

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
To write Arabic on Ubuntu, first make sure that you have Arabic Language Pack (use Synaptic Package Manager to find "language-pack-ar", and "language-pack-ar-base") I also have "ttf-arabeyes" and "libfribidi0" installed here. By the way there is a package called "language-support-ar" that I think it includes all of the above stuff. Then go to System->Preferences->Keyboard and from the "Layouts" tab add the "Arabi/qwerty" layout. Now right click on an empty area in the "Panel" (The bar at the bottom of your screen) and choose "Add to Pannel" and add the "Keyboard Indicator" and here you go.

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50 comments:

  1. I remembered I learned this from your blog a long time ago. Totally forgot how to do it after re-installing Ubuntu. You saved me quite some time.. ;)

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  2. Hi all,
    thank you very much ... i was looking for it for a long time ...thank you!

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  3. Thank you so much for this easy way to change the language, i applied your steps on my Debian box and it works like a charm :).
    Thanks again :)

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  4. thanks v.much,i was searching in google but no-use in Ubuntu forums ,really thanks alot :)

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  5. You're welcome Anonymous, Soosa, and Ala'a

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  6. Thanks very much. You saved some time here.

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  7. شكرت
    Thank you Tarek. I had given up on figuring out how to do this! Very simple intructions to follow.

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  8. thanks a lot

    شكرا كثير الك

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  9. الف شكر يا باشا
    معلومة جميلة
    ممكن تكتب لنا نقرأ ايه عشان الأوبونتو
    الف شكر

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  10. العفو يا ريس
    أي خدمة

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  11. how can i install Ubuntu ?
    because i have Linux lite and i can't write with Arabic characters .. plz help me

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  12. Hussain,

    You can download Ubuntu from here, and burn it on a bootable CD.

    Then you can either run it from the live cd without actually installing it on your harddisk, or you can install it, and the installation process then is straight forward.

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  13. الف شكر

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  14. thanks kteeeeeeeeeeeer ya man

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  15. ثاااااااااااااااانكككككككككك يوووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووو

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  16. وييييييييييييييييييييييلكوم

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  17. Thank you very much brother

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  18. thanx alot this is great

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  19. THANKSSSSSS BIG THANKSSSSSS

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  20. Thanks a million
    I searched a lot about this and nothing useful, except here.
    Now I'm looking for a shortcut for switching between two languages. I don't know if it's already there or I have to configure something.
    Thanks in advance for your help

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  21. @El3wwm, Welcome man

    @Anonymous, Thanks for your comment, unfortunately I am looking for the same option too, you mean keyboard shortcuts like SHIFT+ALT or something, right?

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  22. To add a keyboard shortcut:
    right click on the keyboard indicator=> keyboard preferences=> layouts tab => layout options => expand layout switching => select the combination you like (e.g. ALT+SHIFT).

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  23. hello, well i've installed the arabic layout, i can write in arabic, but the problem is my laptop doesn't have arabic keys on it. Any ideas for a good arabic on-screen keyboard ? thanks alot, keep up the good work.

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  24. شكرا جزيلا!

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  25. very nice...
    ubuntu.. Alhamdulillah.... ;D

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  26. جزاكم الله خيرا يا اخي، هدا اول عربي اكتبه بعد الشرح

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  27. شكرا كثير

    Lovely Linux... :D

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  28. شكرا كثير من ابنتو انا الان اكتب عربي من ابنتو وشكرا جزيلا ياعسل

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  29. الله يحفظك ويجزاك الف خير عننا جميعا

    محدثكم من الابينتو :)

    ولا عزاء للوينوز

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  30. شكرا على مروركم و تعليقاتكم و أرجو أن أكون قد أفدتكم

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  31. Thank you so much :)

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  32. شكرا كثيرا
    أسرع وأفضل خطوات
    أرجو أن أجد الحلول دائما بهذا الشكل

    مع السلامة يا ويندوز

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  33. بارك الله فيك أخي الكريم والرد خير دليل على أنك بينت
    فوفيت وشرحت فأنرت وأوضحت ففتحت علينا فتحا كريما
    بارك الله فيك أخي الكريم وأعزك ورزقك الخير أبدا
    وأنزلك منزلة العلماء والصديقيين والشهداء وحسن أولئك رفيقا

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  34. شكررا جزيﻻ
    اخيرا اكتب عربي !
    الله يحرم يدينك عن النار

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  35. شكرا على دعواتكم ديه و ربنا يوفقكم

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  36. فنان بجد
    تسلم ايدك

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  37. شكرا يا فنان ..
    بس في النسخة الجديدة 10.10 مش لاقي كيبورد انديكتور ... انا اتصرفت بس ملاقتش البانل دي

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  38. جزاك الله ومن والاك كل الخير

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  39. Hi friend really nice post i got my solution, very very thanks

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  40. Salaam Tarek,
    Can you type the numbers in Arabic using the keyboard? I can type in Arabic in Ubuntu, and when I use Libreoffice, I can type the digits in Arabic(like ٢٣٤) too. But when I use gedit and other text editors, I cannot type numbers in Arabic using the keyboard. Is there a way to correct this?
    Thanks,
    Mustafa

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  41. hello
    may i ask you how to download this language -pack-ar
    i am using linux just minutes ago and i totally know nothing about it !
    any help !

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  42. تم بنجاح شكرا لك لا داعي
    لمزيد من الشرح

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