ANSI vs. Uincode

[yingchen50]

Does anyone know how to convert a PM6.5 file into Unicode file. I believe PM 6.5 is an ANSI based program.

YX

 

[BionicJohn]

Hi, yingchen50,

PM Western (and older versions of Windows) can only see the first 256 glyphs of a font. There are Asian versions which can use double byte fonts, e.g. PM6.5Japanese.

The long term answer is to move to an application which can use multi-byte fonts - in other words, InDesign on WinXP.

There is a workaround by using a font mapping utility to create a modified/new font in which all the characters you require are moved and listed as first 256 characters.

Have a look at this page - Reorganize the characters in fonts - which has such a utility available without charge.

http://www.tramontana.co.hu/ventura/software/software.html

(Scroll to the bottom of the page)

I have never used it myself, but I do know people who have used it successfully.

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[yingchen50]

Thanks for the tips on the font issue. I run a small English and Chinese publishing business. In the past I have always run into a problem with single byte and double byte font issue. Now most of the Chinese software are moving toward Unicode based programs, which put me in a cross road--moving up to InDesign or moving into Windows Publisher. I have not tried either of the programs. People told me that in InDesign, one can not type in text in Chinese or English directly. The text has to be created in Word and then imported to ID. Has anyone had any successful experience in using Publisher to create a bilingual texted book? Is there a try-out version of ID out there on the Internet? --yx

 

[BionicJohn]

People told me that in InDesign, one can not type in text in Chinese or English directly. The text has to be created in Word and then imported to ID

I would image that if both laguages read left to write, then with the correct fonts and language/regional setup, there's no problem.

I have done some work in the past with both English and Chinese on the same page, and there no problem.

Importing prepared text is certainly easier than typing it.

I suggest you enquire further in the InDesign forum, either here at TT or at AdobeForums' InDesign Win. I'm still a novice with InDesign.

Is there a try-out version of ID out there on the Internet?

Yes. It's at

http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/product.jsp?product=31&platform=Windows

(94Mb)



Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.