(Sorry here is the message again with a proper encoding)
Raghvendra Sharma wrote:
> Let nme describe the exact nature of problem,
> 1. The client requirement is that the symbols should be available
> to the user as such on the button labels and not the names. [...]
> 2. While trying to accomplish that, certain unicode characters
> (θ for theta ) etc, were found to be shown on the web page [...]
> [...]
This is a bloody problem. Probably, you are not doing anything wrong: it is
rather the level of Unicode support in the current systems that is still not
100% OK.
Unfortunately, I can only offer a couple of hacks.
For instance, you can use Cascading Style Sheets to control which font(s) is
used for the buttons. You can do this in three fashions:
1) Change the font for all <input> tags:
<html><head><style type="text/css">
input
{ font-family: "Code2000", "Arial Unicode MS" }
</style></head><body><form>
<input type="button" value="è">
</form></body></html>
2) Define a class of <input> tags, and use it only for the relevant buttons:
<html><head><style type="text/css">
input.MyClass
{ font-family: "Code2000", "Arial Unicode MS" }
</style></head><body><form>
<input type="button" value="è" class="MyClass">
</form></body></html>
2) Embed the CSS specification directly in each relevant <input> tags:
<html><head>
</head><body><form>
<input type="button" value="è"
style="font-family: "Code2000", "Arial Unicode MS">
</form></body></html>
The problem of this is: how can you know in advance which fonts are
installed on the client computers, and which one of these fonts do include
the characters you need.
So, you have to do a research about fonts commonly used on your target
systems, and list all of them in decreasing order of preference.
Of course this research is an ugly way of spending your time and, anyway,
does not give you any warranty that ALL your users will see the symbols.
Another possible approach is a real shame (nearly a blasphemy on this
mailing list!): you could (sorry!) use pictures to label your buttons.
<html><head>
</head><body><form>
<input type="image" src="MyPics/Theta.gif" alt="è"
width="10" height="20">
</form></body></html>
This is the approach sucks but, probably, gives you the best warranty of
success on most clients.
Please notice the "alt" attribute. This is essential to keep the page usable
on non-graphic browsers such as those used by blind people.
HTH
_ Marco
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : Fri Jul 06 2001 - 00:17:18 EDT