Unicode Fonts on Droid X
rsreeni
Newbie

Hi,

 

I am very disappointed that Droid X doesnt support Unicode fonts completely. I want android to support Indian Unicode fonts and it is just not there. I saw some other replies from support persons that unicode support is there but some typefaces are not supported.  It doesnt help us. 

 

There are solutions that are suggested by various websites that provide the solution that simply copying additional .ttf fonts into /system/fonts/ directory provides the support. The issue is we don't have access to that directory. 

 

I don't want to root the phone. But is there a way you guys can provide in one of the updates access for us to the /system/fonts directory ? Or atleast provide us a way to install additional fonts into that directory thru myverizon app or something similar to that?

 

This is a big deal for me. I have had the phone for almost an year and the missing font support is a big issue for me. This would really help and if you look around will definitely make a lot of people happy. 

 

thx,

 

-Sreeni

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Ann154
Community Leader
Community Leader
You could try an alternate keyboard from the Market. Some support a great number of additional languages and they could include the one you'll looking for.

I'm most definitely NOT a VZW employee. If a post answered your question, please mark it as the answer.

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Wildman
Legend

Try creating a font folder on SD Card at /sd card/fonts/ and drop the font data file into the folder and reboot and see if it sees it under the options list..

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rsreeni
Newbie

I haven't tried the /sdcard/fonts. I will try that. 

 

All the times I have had this phone, I have had the problem that if I Power-off-and-On it manually ( by Power+Home), it will get stuck with an exclamation mark. I used to press the Search button and it used to bring up the Boot menu and I was able to boot just fine.

 

But I updated to the latest version last night. When I tried Power-on-and-off, it gets stuck with the same 'exclamation mark'  but now even pressing the 'search' button doesnt work. I have tried rebooting it, taking the battery out and reinstalling it, taking the battery and restarting it without the sdcard and nothing works.

 

I think my phone is bricked. One last attempt is let the battery drain and let it restart by powering it up. I am trying that now. If not I think its bricked :smileysad:(

 

-SR

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curtterp
Specialist - Level 1

The factory directory has changed in Gingerbread. Instead of pressing the Search button, you now need to press Volume up/down at the same time to get to the screen. Then use the Volume up/down to navigate. and camera button to select.

 

Also, I had found these directions for a different board that I am a member of. The directions talk about Hebrew Fonts, but if you have Indian fonts, the directions would be the same.

 

https://sites.google.com/a/bardavid.com/android-g1/Home/adding-hebrew-fonts

 

Hope this helps

 

 

 

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rsreeni
Newbie

I tried the volume buttons also in vain. But luckily as I predicted when I let the phone reboot automatically by draining the battery and power it by connecting it to the charger, it rebooted fine,whew!!! Its not Bricked!!! :smileyhappy:). I am still waiting for it to get charged up completely before messing with it. 

 

I will try your option & link & get back to you. 

 

Thanks for the suggestion,

 

-SR

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rsreeni
Newbie


I briefly skimmed thru the directions in the links you have provided, but I don't think it will work for me. This may work for G1. 

 

The issue is the 'su' command.  Droid X doesnt allow accessing it as superuser. Nor does it allow mouting the /system/fonts directory in read-write.

 

Thats exactly why I requested the directory either be rw or provide a way to add fonts to it.

 

   

But I will try once again the instructions;

 

-SR

 

 
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curtterp
Specialist - Level 1

I made a mistake in my previous post in this thread...... I said that the camera button to select, when it is the power button to select the item in the menu.

 

Sorry for the confusion.

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rsreeni
Newbie

That worked. The volume Up and down + power button worked for getting it to reboot. But I couldn't get to install the fonts though.. :smileysad:

 

Thanks,

-SR 

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Wildman
Legend

Just realized the the fonts are located in the system/font area of device which means if you need them to see them on the sd card they need to be in the sd card/system/ fonts directory.... Try placing the font files in that folder and reboot I think they should detect them.



Update: Tried on my device and it does not work so no need to try this option....

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rsreeni
Newbie

Nope didnt work. Is there any special permissions need to be set?

 

 

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Wildman
Legend

No I do not see permissions being the issue with the items stored on sd card.... The limits is that the buildprop file identifies only the files located in the root directory which mean they can not be accessed by any app or user without the correct access rights....

At this point I do not see any tricks around this so I think you just wont be able to do this...

I searched the forums and it seem to be the conclusion that has been drawn...

Sorry hate to be barer of bad news..

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rsreeni
Newbie

I agree !! It was not the permissions on the SD Card I  was talking about.. it was on the /system/fonts directory itself which seem to be the place from which the fonts are loaded..

 

Actually you are not the bad news bearer! You have only confirmed/reiterated my understandings with which I  started this thread.

 

So, given that,  I am not sure if either Verizon or Google would consider providing some way for us to create a custom fonts library which can be loaded during system init process. Thats exactly what I was hoping either of them would consider/provide.  

With ever expanding customer base & the phones being used all over the world, support for fonts would be a vital issue and I am not sure why both Google and Android based phone manufactureres keep ignoring this issue.  I guess if it doesn't prevent people from buying their phones and it doesnt hit their cash registers, they probably don't care.

 

This is an important issue for me. I have one full year of contract time left for me with this to live with. Unless one of the upcoming updates provides this. 

 

This thing really bugs me and if only I had an option, I would gladly switch back to iPhone. For now I just have to live with this for another year.

 

Or I will have to take the rooting option.

 

Disappointed,

 

-Sreeni

 

:smileysad:

 

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Wildman
Legend
I feel your pain but you may be looking at thing wrong, I believe the issue may be with the manufacturer than the service pervider because they make the devices and integrate the software. Have you looked to see if any of the other devices have the support you want, each device is unique in the software design.. The device is nice but you may find other options with another device.
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idforstupidsite

No. I haven't. But with the contract locking me in until 2012 July, I don't pretty much have a choice. Other than spending more money and get another one. But if you look at the amount of people wanting to install unicode fonts, I would think Google might give a **bleep**.  But consistantly they are proving otherwise. 

 

I was an iPhone user and was  feeling that they were too controlling and restrictive. But I hate to say this if at all I am looking at an alternate phone now, its NOT going to be android based.  Mostly I will go back to iPhone.  I just have to live with the restrictions on iTunes. :smileyhappy:

 

Thanks,

 

-Sreeni

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rsreeni
Newbie

Tried that there was a tamil keyboard app available tried. These work just within the app. I dont want that. I want Android to recognize Indic language across the board ( like my iPhone used to ). 

 

Thanks,

 

-SR

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