{"id":263,"date":"2015-09-17T15:35:41","date_gmt":"2015-09-17T15:35:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/software.sil.org\/lateef\/?page_id=263"},"modified":"2025-08-11T15:31:10","modified_gmt":"2025-08-11T15:31:10","slug":"features","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/software.sil.org\/lateef\/features\/","title":{"rendered":"Font Features"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lateef is an OpenType-enabled font family that supports the Arabic script. It includes a number of optional features that provide alternative rendering that might be preferable for use in some contexts. The sections below enumerate the details of these features. Whether these features are available to users will depend on both the application and the rendering technology being used. Some applications let the user control certain features such as Character Variants to turn on the rendering of variant characters. However, at this point, most applications do not make use of those features so another solution is needed to show the variant characters. For applications that do not make use of the OpenType Character Variants, you can now download fonts customized with the variant glyphs you choose. Read this document, visit TypeTuner Web<\/a>, then choose the variants and download your font.<\/p>\n

See Using Font Features<\/a>. Although that page is not targeted at Arabic script support, it does provide a comprehensive list of applications that make full use of the OpenType font technology.<\/p>\n

See also Arabic Fonts \u2014 Application Support<\/a>. It provides a fairly comprehensive list of applications that make full use of the OpenType font technology.<\/p>\n

This page uses web fonts (WOFF) to demonstrate font features and should display correctly in all modern browsers. For a more concise example of how to use Lateef as a web font see Lateef-webfont-example.html<\/em> in the font package web folder.<\/p>\n

If this document is not displaying correctly a PDF version is also provided in the documentation\/pdf folder of the release package.<\/em><\/p>\n

Complete feature list<\/h2>\n

Language system tags<\/h3>\n

Affects: U+062F, U+0630, U+0688..U+068F, U+0690, U+06EE, U+0759, U+075A, U+08AE, U+0645, U+0765, U+0766, U+08A7, U+06BE, U+0626, U+060C, U+061B, U+06F4, U+06F5, U+06F6, U+06F7, U+0650, U+064F, U+064C, U+0657<\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the UI needed to access the language-specific behavior is not yet present in many applications.<\/p>\n

    \n
  • LibreOffice supports language-specific behavior for Kashmiri (Kashmir), Kurdish (Central), Kyrgyz (China), Malay (Arabic), Sindhi (Arabic), and Urdu (Pakistan). There is not yet support for the Rohingya or Wolof languages.<\/li>\n
  • Microsoft Word 2019 and 2021 support language-specific behavior for Kashmiri (Arabic), Kurdish (Central), Sindhi (Arabic), and Urdu (Pakistan). Support for Kurdish (Central) has to be specifically installed. There is not yet support for the Kyrgyz, Malay, Rohingya, or Wolof languages.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Some Harfbuzz-based apps, e.g., XeTeX, can access language-specific behavior. In the past, it was not always possible to override language-specific behavior in cases where the language-specific variants were undesirable but, starting with version 4.300, the font supports this possibility.<\/p>\n

    Kashmiri, Kurdish (Northern), Rohingya, Sindhi, Urdu<\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Language<\/th>\nMeem<\/th>\nHeh Doachashmee (06BE)<\/th>\n4<\/th>\n6<\/th>\n7<\/th>\n0650\/064E<\/th>\n064C<\/th>\n0652<\/th>\nFeature Setting<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    default<\/td>\nم ممم<\/span><\/td>\nھ ھھھ<\/span><\/td>\n۴<\/span><\/td>\n۶<\/span><\/td>\n۷<\/span><\/td>\nبِّ<\/span><\/td>\nبٌ<\/span><\/td>\nبْ<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Kashmiri<\/td>\nم ممم<\/span><\/td>\nھ ھھھ<\/span><\/td>\n۴<\/span><\/td>\n۶<\/span><\/td>\n۷<\/span><\/td>\nبِّ<\/span><\/td>\nبٌ<\/span><\/td>\nبْ<\/span><\/td>\nlang='ur'<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Kurdish<\/br>(Northern)<\/td>\nم ممم<\/span><\/td>\nھ ھھھ<\/span><\/td>\n۴<\/span><\/td>\n۶<\/span><\/td>\n۷<\/span><\/td>\nبِّ<\/span><\/td>\nبٌ<\/span><\/td>\nبْ<\/span><\/td>\nlang='ku'<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Rohingya<\/td>\nم ممم<\/span><\/td>\nھ ھھھ<\/span><\/td>\n۴<\/span><\/td>\n۶<\/span><\/td>\n۷<\/span><\/td>\nبِّ<\/span><\/td>\nبٌ<\/span><\/td>\nبْ<\/span><\/td>\nlang='rhg'<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Sindhi<\/td>\nم ممم<\/span><\/td>\nھ ھھھ<\/span><\/td>\n۴<\/span><\/td>\n۶<\/span><\/td>\n۷<\/span><\/td>\nبِّ<\/span><\/td>\nبٌ<\/span><\/td>\nبْ<\/span><\/td>\nlang='sd'<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Urdu<\/td>\nم ممم<\/span><\/td>\nھ ھھھ<\/span><\/td>\n۴<\/span><\/td>\n۶<\/span><\/td>\n۷<\/span><\/td>\nبِّ<\/span><\/td>\nبٌ<\/span><\/td>\nبْ<\/span><\/td>\nlang='ur'<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Kyrgyz, Malay, and Wolof<\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Language<\/th>\nDal<\/th>\n0626<\/th>\n0674<\/th>\n0650\/064E<\/th>\n064F<\/th>\n0657<\/th>\nFeature Setting<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    Default<\/td>\n د<\/span><\/td>\nئ ئئئ<\/span><\/td>\nاٴ<\/span><\/td>\nبِّ<\/span><\/td>\nبُ<\/span><\/td>\nبٗ<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Kyrgyz<\/td>\n د<\/span><\/td>\nئ ئئئ<\/span><\/td>\nاٴ<\/span><\/td>\nبِّ<\/span><\/td>\nبُ<\/span><\/td>\nبٗ<\/span><\/td>\nlang='ky'<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Malay<\/td>\n د<\/span><\/td>\nئ ئئئ<\/span><\/td>\nاٴ<\/span><\/td>\nبِّ<\/span><\/td>\nبُ<\/span><\/td>\nبٗ<\/span><\/td>\nlang='ms'<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Wolof<\/td>\n د<\/span><\/td>\nئ ئئئ<\/span><\/td>\nاٴ<\/span><\/td>\nبِّ<\/span><\/td>\nبُ<\/span><\/td>\nبٗ<\/span><\/td>\nlang='wo'<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Character variants<\/h3>\n

    There are some character shape differences in different languages which use the Arabic script. These can be accessed by using OpenType Character Variants, or through the language support mentioned above.<\/p>\n

    Meem<\/h4>\n

    Affects: U+0645, U+0765, U+0766, U+08A7<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Feature<\/th>\nSample<\/th>\nFeature setting<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    Standard<\/td>\n \u0645 \u0645\u0645\u0645 \u0765 \u0765\u0765\u0765 \u0766 \u0766\u0766\u0766 \u08a7 \u08a7\u08a7\u08a7 <\/span><\/td>\ncv44=0<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Sindhi-style<\/td>\n \u0645 \u0645\u0645\u0645 \u0765 \u0765\u0765\u0765 \u0766 \u0766\u0766\u0766 \u08a7 \u08a7\u08a7\u08a7 <\/span><\/td>\ncv44=1<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Long-tail<\/td>\n \u0645 \u0645\u0645\u0645 \u0765 \u0765\u0765\u0765 \u0766 \u0766\u0766\u0766 \u08a7 \u08a7\u08a7\u08a7 <\/span><\/td>\ncv44=2<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Heh<\/h4>\n

    Affects: U+0647 (This feature is not recommended for use. The features available for Heh Doachashmee are preferred.)<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Feature<\/th>\nSample<\/th>\nFeature setting<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    Standard<\/td>\n \u0647 \u0647\u0647\u0647 <\/span><\/td>\ncv48=0<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Kurdish-style<\/td>\n \u0647 \u0647\u0647\u0647 <\/span><\/td>\ncv48=3<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Sindhi-style<\/td>\n \u0647 \u0647\u0647\u0647 <\/span><\/td>\ncv48=1<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Urdu-style<\/td>\n \u0647 \u0647\u0647\u0647 <\/span><\/td>\ncv48=2<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Heh Doachashmee<\/h4>\n

    Affects: U+06BE<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Feature<\/th>\nSample<\/th>\nFeature setting<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    Standard<\/td>\nھ ھھھ<\/span><\/td>\ncv49=0<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Knotted<\/td>\nھ ھھھ<\/span><\/td>\ncv49=1<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Bowtie<\/td>\nھ ھھھ<\/span><\/td>\ncv49=2<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Kurdish-style<\/td>\nھ ھھھ<\/span><\/td>\ncv49=3<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Kyrgyz OE<\/h4>\n

    Affects: U+06C5<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Feature<\/th>\nSample<\/th>\nFeature setting<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    Loop<\/td>\n\u06c5<\/span><\/td>\ncv51=0<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Bar<\/td>\n\u06c5<\/span><\/td>\ncv51=1<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Yeh Hamza<\/h4>\n

    Affects: U+0626<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Feature<\/th>\nSample<\/th>\nFeature setting<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    Standard<\/td>\n\u0626 \u200d\u0626<\/span><\/td>\ncv54=0<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Right hamza<\/td>\n\u0626 \u200d\u0626<\/span><\/td>\ncv54=1<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Mid hamza<\/td>\n\u0626 \u200d\u0626<\/span><\/td>\ncv54=2<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Shadda+kasra placement<\/h4>\n

    Affects: U+064D, U+0650 with U+0651<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Feature<\/th>\nSample<\/th>\nFeature setting<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    Default<\/td>\n \u0628\u0651\u0650 \u25cc\u0651\u0650 \u0628\u0651\u064d \u25cc\u0651\u064d <\/span><\/td>\ncv62=0<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Lowered<\/td>\n \u0628\u0651\u0650 \u25cc\u0651\u0650 \u0628\u0651\u064d \u25cc\u0651\u064d <\/span><\/td>\ncv62=1<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Raised<\/td>\n \u0628\u0651\u0650 \u25cc\u0651\u0650 \u0628\u0651\u064d \u25cc\u0651\u064d <\/span><\/td>\ncv62=2<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Damma<\/h4>\n

    Affects: U+064F<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Feature<\/th>\nSample<\/th>\nFeature setting<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    Default<\/td>\n \u0628\u064f \u25cc\u064f<\/span><\/td>\ncv70=0<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Filled<\/td>\n\u0628\u064f \u25cc\u064f<\/span><\/td>\ncv70=1<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Short<\/td>\n\u0628\u064f \u25cc\u064f<\/span><\/td>\ncv70=2<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Crossed<\/td>\n\u0628\u064f \u25cc\u064f<\/span><\/td>\ncv70=3<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Dammatan<\/h4>\n

    Affects: U+064C<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Feature<\/th>\nSample<\/th>\nFeature setting<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    Standard<\/td>\n\u0628\u064c \u25cc\u064c<\/span><\/td>\ncv72=0<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Six-nine<\/td>\n\u0628\u064c \u25cc\u064c<\/span><\/td>\ncv72=1<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Two-nine<\/td>\n\u0628\u064c \u25cc\u064c<\/span><\/td>\ncv72=2<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Inverted Damma<\/h4>\n

    Affects: U+0657<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Feature<\/th>\nSample<\/th>\nFeature setting<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    Default<\/td>\n\u0628\u0657 \u25cc\u0657<\/span><\/td>\ncv74=0<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Hollow<\/td>\n\u0628\u0657 \u25cc\u0657<\/span><\/td>\ncv74=1<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Filled<\/td>\n\u0628\u0657 \u25cc\u0657<\/span><\/td>\ncv74=2<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Superscript Alef<\/h4>\n

    Affects: U+0670 on all yeh, sad and seen-like characters
    \nU+0620, U+0626, U+0633, U+0634, U+0635, U+0636, U+063D, U+063E, U+063F, U+0649, U+064A, U+0678, U+069A, U+069B, U+069C, U+069D, U+069E, U+06CC, U+06CD, U+06CE, U+06D0, U+06D1, U+06FA, U+06FB, U+075C, U+076D, U+0770, U+077D, U+077E, U+0775, U+0776, U+0777, U+08A8, U+08A9, U+08AF, U+08BA<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Feature<\/th>\nSample<\/th>\nFeature setting<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    Default<\/td>\nؠٰ ؠٰؠٰ ئٰ ئٰئٰ سٰ سٰسٰ شٰ شٰشٰ صٰ صٰصٰ ضٰ ضٰضٰ ؽٰ ؽٰؽٰ ؾٰ ؾٰؾٰ ؿٰ ؿٰؿٰ ىٰ ىٰىٰ يٰ يٰيٰ ٸٰ ٸٰٸٰ ښٰ ښٰښٰ ڛٰ ڛٰڛٰ ڜٰ ڜٰڜٰ ڝٰ ڝٰڝٰ ڞٰ ڞٰڞٰ یٰ یٰیٰ ۍٰ بۍٰ ێٰ ێٰێٰ ېٰ ېٰېٰ ۑٰ ۑٰۑٰ ۺٰ ۺٰۺٰ ۻٰ ۻٰۻٰ ݜٰ ݜٰݜٰ ݭٰ ݭٰݭٰ ݰٰ ݰٰݰٰ ݽٰ ݽٰݽٰ ݾٰ ݾٰݾٰ ݵٰ ݵٰݵٰ ݶٰ ݶٰݶٰ ݷٰ ݷٰݷٰ ࢨٰ ࢨٰࢨٰ ࢩٰ ࢩٰࢩٰ ࢯٰ ࢯٰࢯٰ ࢺٰ ࢺٰࢺٰ<\/span><\/td>\ncv76=0<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Large<\/td>\nؠٰ ؠٰؠٰ ئٰ ئٰئٰ سٰ سٰسٰ شٰ شٰشٰ صٰ صٰصٰ ضٰ ضٰضٰ ؽٰ ؽٰؽٰ ؾٰ ؾٰؾٰ ؿٰ ؿٰؿٰ ىٰ ىٰىٰ يٰ يٰيٰ ٸٰ ٸٰٸٰ ښٰ ښٰښٰ ڛٰ ڛٰڛٰ ڜٰ ڜٰڜٰ ڝٰ ڝٰڝٰ ڞٰ ڞٰڞٰ یٰ یٰیٰ ۍٰ بۍٰ ێٰ ێٰێٰ ېٰ ېٰېٰ ۑٰ ۑٰۑٰ ۺٰ ۺٰۺٰ ۻٰ ۻٰۻٰ ݜٰ ݜٰݜٰ ݭٰ ݭٰݭٰ ݰٰ ݰٰݰٰ ݽٰ ݽٰݽٰ ݾٰ ݾٰݾٰ ݵٰ ݵٰݵٰ ݶٰ ݶٰݶٰ ݷٰ ݷٰݷٰ ࢨٰ ࢨٰࢨٰ ࢩٰ ࢩٰࢩٰ ࢯٰ ࢯٰࢯٰ ࢺٰ ࢺٰࢺٰ<\/span><\/td>\ncv76=1<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Small<\/td>\nؠٰ ؠٰؠٰ ئٰ ئٰئٰ سٰ سٰسٰ شٰ شٰشٰ صٰ صٰصٰ ضٰ ضٰضٰ ؽٰ ؽٰؽٰ ؾٰ ؾٰؾٰ ؿٰ ؿٰؿٰ ىٰ ىٰىٰ يٰ يٰيٰ ٸٰ ٸٰٸٰ ښٰ ښٰښٰ ڛٰ ڛٰڛٰ ڜٰ ڜٰڜٰ ڝٰ ڝٰڝٰ ڞٰ ڞٰڞٰ یٰ یٰیٰ ۍٰ بۍٰ ێٰ ێٰێٰ ېٰ ېٰېٰ ۑٰ ۑٰۑٰ ۺٰ ۺٰۺٰ ۻٰ ۻٰۻٰ ݜٰ ݜٰݜٰ ݭٰ ݭٰݭٰ ݰٰ ݰٰݰٰ ݽٰ ݽٰݽٰ ݾٰ ݾٰݾٰ ݵٰ ݵٰݵٰ ݶٰ ݶٰݶٰ ݷٰ ݷٰݷٰ ࢨٰ ࢨٰࢨٰ ࢩٰ ࢩٰࢩٰ ࢯٰ ࢯٰࢯٰ ࢺٰ ࢺٰࢺٰ<\/span><\/td>\ncv76=2<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Sukun<\/h4>\n

    Affects: U+0652<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Feature<\/th>\nSample<\/th>\nFeature setting<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    Closed<\/td>\n\u0628\u0652 \u25cc\u0652<\/span><\/td>\ncv78=0<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Open down<\/td>\n\u0628\u0652 \u25cc\u0652<\/span><\/td>\ncv78=1<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Open left<\/td>\n\u0628\u0652 \u25cc\u0652<\/span><\/td>\ncv78=2<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Closed<\/td>\n\u0628\u0652 \u25cc\u0652<\/span><\/td>\ncv78=3<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    End of ayah<\/h4>\n

    Affects: U+06DD<\/span><\/p>\n

    These alternates are also available using the Stylistic Alternates (salt) feature, but at this time we know of no OpenType-based applications that can access these.<\/p>\n

    Firefox allows you to use U+06DD followed by the digits and proper rendering occurs. Some applications require the following:<\/p>\n