Sinhala Phonetic Typing: Tender
Photo by Sharyn Morrow
Basically, I need a Sinhala phonetic keyboard for word processing, blogging and commenting. Not for me specifically but for the people. And by the people I mean Amma, who is on my case. I’m OK with the Unicode for the sole reason that it exists and works pretty widely (and getting wider). I’m not OK with Wijesekera cause it makea no sense. So, this is basically a tender for a phonetic Sinhala keyboard. I have a pretty specific proposal, though you can come up with something new if you want. There is currently a WordPress plugin for writing in Tamil and 8 Indian languages (Indian Language Writer). I want that adapted to also work in the WordPress posting page. From there you can copy the Unicode text into Word or whatever and it’ll render, but I want the main word processor to be online. The process is pretty straightforward (replacing Tamil unicodes with the Sinhala numbers) but I don’t know Sinhala and the process is slow for me. Anyways, if anyone can do this software project just send me a quote at indi@indi.ca. Let’s say 20,000 floor and negotiate up from there, depending on experience.
Anyways, download that code and have a look, if anyone is interested. Let’s say it’s licensed under a GPL or CC or whatever so anyone can use it or build on it. The plugin I’d like to build on, but I think you can literally swap out values in the Tamil thing (so T = ‘tuh’ or whatever). It would be cool to have and I can get some cash for it.
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First we have to solve the Sinhala character allocation table problem
The SLSI 1134 is incorrect
Then We have to develop the IME
Without a proper allocation table nothing will move
See
http://www.akuru.org
Donald Gaminitillake
Please don’t make this a debate on the allocation table.
I just want a specific software solution for the accepted Unicode. There are no larger intentions, I just want it so my mother can type phonetic Sinhala in Unicode.
There are many Sinhala packages that provide phonetic keyboards ideal for users who do not want to take the hassle of learning Wijesekera keyboard. I know Thibus had this option. (Is Thibus still there?) Others too might have it certainly because offering anther key board layout option is not a difficult task for a font developer.
I want something web-based and something I can deploy for Sinhala bloggers within a production environment. Also want Sinhala commenting on blogs.
Indi
I am not pulling any debate into your site you were the person who wanted a qwerty solution for Sinhala
I too talk of the same subject. Unicode Sinhala is incomplete (SLSI 1134 equals unicode SInhala) product the text is not compatible like the English German Korean etc etc
For any developer to produce any IME for Sinhala to work across any platform in the internet there should be a basic allocation table in the SLSI 1134
IF you do not understand that it is a very sad state of affairs.
We have to start from the BASIC.
Donald Gaminitillake
Indi I thought that you knew ABC of software.
With present Sinhala unicode equal to SLSI 1134 — if you can develop a “QWERTY” solution for all of us to read Sinhala the sun will rise from the west.
Unless you change the SLSI 1134 or do it with a different allocation table and the IME should be compatible to all operating systems.
I will give you 14 days to show some results
Donald
Indi, your intention is great. This is just a thought to consider. I think this one will be very helpful if you want something like a for ayanna and so on. similar to ekottu layout. This is not Wiesekera keyboard:
Kaputa to unicode converter already exists. Just give it a try:
http://www.ucsc.cmb.ac.lk/ltrl/services/feconverter/?maps=s_k-u.xml
Garp Sinhala is also a good option for those who find Wijesekera layout difficult
http://garpuniphonic.ourprofile.us/
Here’s another online keyboard :
http://www.ucsc.cmb.ac.lk/ltrl/services/keyboard/
More converters for other types,
http://www.ucsc.cmb.ac.lk/ltrl/services/feconverter/
P.S > But I can assure you that if you put 7 days (14 days maximum) to get used to Wijesekera layout after that it’s just a piece of cake. Why? Because Sinhala has too many characters, more than you can phonetically place on English keyboard. In the long run and when it comes to more complex use Wijesekera layout is the best. That’s why almost all the people who actually use computers for daily writing in Sinhala chose wijesekera layout :-)
Oh finally your site is back. I wanted to add these two SinGlish transliterated links as well
http://www.ucsc.cmb.ac.lk/ltrl/services/feconverter/t1.html
http://www.ucsc.cmb.ac.lk/ltrl/services/feconverter/t2.html
Simply type Sinhala in English(Mama yanawa etc) and it will give you Unicode Sinhala. :-)
see this image at
Akuru
This is what I get when I type “kumana” “Dumriyak” using
UCSC
Is this Sinhala???
Donald Gaminitillake
dude, please obsess on your own site. Don’t hijack every Sinhala related thread.
Until the problem is solved and understood by you all I will haunt all the sinhala language related sites
I will show the errors. You all will have to Accept the error
Lets correct it for the betterment of the country.
If you have a better solution than mine why not go ahead and correct the Error. So that we all can use Sinhala correctly across all platforms.
Donald Gaminitillake
Colombo
Donald – you are really irritating.
Indi asks ‘Which bus should I take to Ratmalana’?
Donald says ‘Dont take any busses to Ratmalana because they all breakdown in the midway’ but unfortunately never says how anybody can reach Ratmalana.
My opinion is even a bus that may breakdown is better than no buses at all.
Indi, I was trying map Tamil characters to Sinhala using this Indian Language Converter. (which i assume, works quite closely to Indian Language Writer) But couldn’t get some characters working. Will download this and give it a go.
Not exactly what you are looking for, but mapped (phonetic) Indian Language Converter for Sinhala and made a dirty and very basic wp plugin. Thought this might help.
Sinhala character table seems to be quite different from Tamil. Feels more closer to Sanskrit. Need feed back from all :)
The quasi-transliterated keyboard drive I developed for GNU/Linux platform has been around for few years now. See the keyboard.png file on this page for how it is used:
http://www.linux.lk/~anuradha/sinhala/screenshots/0.1-0.2/
I have the solution you require.
It uses transliterated Sinhala, that creates Sinhala/Pali script
Please write to me details, because I cannot understand what you want me to download.
Thanks.
David