Talchu
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Alt+Arrow direction in Hebrew/Arabic

Editing text in Hebrew/Arabic is very uncomfortable in OS (RTL languages):

Pressing Alt+Arrow to jump a word, moves in the wrong direction (e.g. Alt+Right Arrow should move to the previous word, not to the next, as it does now)

Surprisingly, Alt+Shift+Arrow works fine.

 

Does anyone know if there's any solution for this issue?

I've reported this as a bug to Apple, through Mail & Safari's feedback.

 

I'm using OSX 10.6.8 on a Mac Mini

Thanks

Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Feb 16, 2012 7:30 AM

by Tom Gewecke,Solvedanswer
Tom Gewecke Tom Gewecke
Level 9 (79,474 points)
A:

Talchu wrote:

 

it just doesn't work right on OS, opposed to Windows.

 


 

OS X can do RTL correctly, as TextEdit demonstrates.  Unfortunately some of the app programmers don't seem to care that much about such scripts.  If you want a good laugh, check out the RTL cursor behavior in Pages or iBooks Author.

 

Mellel is another app that does do things correctly.  OpenOffice is not bad but fails your particular test.  Word for Mac doesn't even pretend to support RTL.

Posted on Feb 17, 2012 3:38 PM

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Talchu

Q: Alt+Arrow direction in Hebrew/Arabic

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  • by Tom Gewecke,Helpful

    Tom Gewecke Tom Gewecke Feb 16, 2012 8:59 AM in response to Talchu
    Level 9 (79,474 points)
    Feb 16, 2012 8:59 AM in response to Talchu

    I don't think there is any way for the user to change that behavior, which is the same in 10.7 by the way.  TextEdit does work correctly.

  • by fane_j,

    fane_j fane_j Feb 16, 2012 5:18 PM in response to Talchu
    Level 4 (3,677 points)
    Feb 16, 2012 5:18 PM in response to Talchu

    Talchu wrote:

     

    Does anyone know if there's any solution for this issue?

    I've reported this as a bug to Apple

    It's a bug, and I don't know of any good work-around. Moreover, FWIW, I don't think Apple will ever fix it for SL. I mean, they just released the preview version of ML -- if they still have anyone working on squashing SL bugs, it's probably the kitchen maid.

     

    Btw, it's OT, but there's no Alt key on a Mac keyboard. You're talking about the Option or ⌥ key. It is also labelled "alt" for convenience when working with such emulators or virtual machines. See

     

    <http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2514>

     

    In Windows, I used to...On a Mac, I can...
    […][…]
    Use these keys as shortcuts:Use these keys as alternatives:
    […][…]
    Alt key⌥ Option key

  • by Talchu,

    Talchu Talchu Feb 17, 2012 3:05 PM in response to fane_j
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 17, 2012 3:05 PM in response to fane_j

    If that's the case, I find it very strange; text editing is a fundamental feature any operating system should support, and it just doesn't work right on OS, opposed to Windows.

     

    So, you're saying I'll have to get used to it?
    I think of some Facebook act, or petition. Maybe many voices can make a [small] difference.

     

    Tom, thanks for showing me that TextEdit works beautifully with Hebrew text.

     

    Tal

  • by fane_j,Helpful

    fane_j fane_j Feb 17, 2012 3:18 PM in response to Talchu
    Level 4 (3,677 points)
    Feb 17, 2012 3:18 PM in response to Talchu

    Talchu wrote:

     

    it just doesn't work right on OS, opposed to Windows.

    I suppose you mean "Mac OS X, opposed to Windows".

     

    All OSs have bugs. All software has bugs. Years ago, the figure quoted was an average of one error per 300 lines of code -- I don't know what they say nowadays. I should expect it to be higher.

    you're saying I'll have to get used to it?

    Yep. If Tom Gewecke is right -- and he usually is -- the bug is still there in Lion, so upgrading won't do you any good.

    I think of some Facebook act, or petition.

    Go right ahead. But don't hold your breath.

  • by Tom Gewecke,Solvedanswer

    Tom Gewecke Tom Gewecke Feb 17, 2012 3:38 PM in response to Talchu
    Level 9 (79,474 points)
    Feb 17, 2012 3:38 PM in response to Talchu

    Talchu wrote:

     

    it just doesn't work right on OS, opposed to Windows.

     


     

    OS X can do RTL correctly, as TextEdit demonstrates.  Unfortunately some of the app programmers don't seem to care that much about such scripts.  If you want a good laugh, check out the RTL cursor behavior in Pages or iBooks Author.

     

    Mellel is another app that does do things correctly.  OpenOffice is not bad but fails your particular test.  Word for Mac doesn't even pretend to support RTL.

  • by Talchu,

    Talchu Talchu Feb 18, 2012 12:39 PM in response to Tom Gewecke
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 18, 2012 12:39 PM in response to Tom Gewecke

    Thanks again, Tom. I already found out about Mellel, while browsing your website.
    I guess you're right, if TextEdit performs well, that's an Application issue (Mail, Safari, NeoOffice, etc.).

    Now that you pinpointed the problem, I recalled that Safari on Windows also hasthe Alt/Option + Arrow illness.

     

    Today I had another heroic thought: I could just volunteer and help OpenOffice/NeoOffice solving this and other problems with Hebrew.

     

    Thanks for helping out guys. I'll start harrasing the application executives

  • by fane_j,

    fane_j fane_j Feb 18, 2012 2:22 PM in response to Talchu
    Level 4 (3,677 points)
    Feb 18, 2012 2:22 PM in response to Talchu

    Talchu wrote:

     

    also hasthe Alt/Option + Arrow illness.

    Note that it's not just that particular key shortcut that's a problem with RTL languages in Mail and other apps. If you go to this listing

     

    <http://guides.macrumors.com/Keyboard_shortcuts#Text_Shortcuts>

     

    and test them, you'll find that quite few don't work, or don't work as expected.