Hebrew Text problem

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Norabella
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Post by Norabella » Sun May 21, 2017 1:44 pm

Greetings:

I am writing Hebrew text in a text box on an otherwise blank area of the page. I am using the Arial Hebrew font, and have changed both the justification and the alignment to "right". I made a spelling error on one word in the middle of the text, and I am unable to highlight that letter in order to correct it. The cursor does not seem to have any relation to the letters. When positioning the cursor in front of letter I wish to correct, it types some other place entirely. Is Hebrew supported? How do I get back to places within the text box?

Thank you!


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N Grossingink
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Post by N Grossingink » Sun May 21, 2017 2:00 pm

Try reducing the View percentage to a smaller size. Or, change the font to regular Roman Arial, make the correction using the proper keystroke for the Hebrew character, then back to Hebrew Arial.

N.
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Norabella
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Post by Norabella » Sun May 21, 2017 2:51 pm

Greetings:

I don't have a font called "Roman Arial", but I tried in both "Arial" and "Arial Unicode MS" with the same results: I am unable highlight the letter that needs to be corrected.

In terms of "view" did you mean to make the whole page smaller? That's the only option I seem to have, other than changing the font save of the text itself.

I should have stated that I am on OS Sierra 10.12.4, using Finale 2014.5.

Thanks again!

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miker
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Post by miker » Sun May 21, 2017 3:01 pm

Norabella,

Can you give me a few more details, please?

Are you on a computer localized for Hebrew? Did you switch your keyboard input to Hebrew? Are you fluent, or are you selecting letters from the keyboard viewer?
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Norabella
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Post by Norabella » Sun May 21, 2017 4:03 pm

Hi - I'm not fluent, but knowledgable enough. I know what I'm writing. The problem is that I accidentally used a מ instead of a ם at the end of a word, and can't get back to the letter to correct it. I'm in New York, and I use the keyboard toggle to go back and forth between English and Hebrew. I have the same problem in MS Word (Office for Mac 2008), and less so in Apple applications Pages and Text Edit. But pretty much across the board, when I have to go back into the text to correct spelling errors, it's a problem.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Perhaps I have to get some additional software....?

Thanks,

Norabella

Norabella
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Post by Norabella » Sun May 21, 2017 4:08 pm

So - just to be clear, I have no problem entering the original text. It goes in the right direction, I can put the vowels in, etc. The problem is always when after the fact I see a mistake. Then, I am unable to correct. The cursor seems to have no relation to where something I type is going to appear in the text box. And, I am likewise unable to highlight the specific letter which I am trying to correct.

BuonTempi
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Post by BuonTempi » Sun May 21, 2017 4:10 pm

Norabella wrote:I use the keyboard toggle to go back and forth between English and Hebrew. I have the same problem in MS Word (Office for Mac 2008), and less so in Apple applications Pages and Text Edit. But pretty much across the board, when I have to go back into the text to correct spelling errors, it's a problem.
That would seem to be an OS-wide issue, rather than a particularly Finale one. What version of OS X are you on?

So, it's an issue of getting the cursor in the right place in order to delete the character? Are you still in "Hebrew-mode" when you try?

Norabella
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Post by Norabella » Sun May 21, 2017 4:29 pm

I'm on OS Sierra 10.12.4. Yes, and yes, to your questions. Even though I'm still in a Hebrew keyboard, with a Hebrew font, with the text going right to left, I can't correct a specific letter. (Sometimes I can using trial and error, but that's a very long process.) The cursor will go to the right place, but then if I type something it will show up someplace other than where the cursor is. And I am unable to highlight the letter in order to correct it.

But one thing that I am going to try, now that I'm thinking about it, is using the Hebrew keyboard and not the QUERTY Hebrew keyboard. Maybe that will make a difference...

Norabella
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Post by Norabella » Sun May 21, 2017 4:32 pm

Nope.

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N Grossingink
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Post by N Grossingink » Sun May 21, 2017 4:51 pm

You could try copying the contents of the text box into a text editor, making the correction, then copying back into Finale.

N.
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miker
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Post by miker » Sun May 21, 2017 4:57 pm

I'm playing with it, and you are absolutely right; it's a nightmare. You can try counting taps on the arrow key as compared to the letters in the opposite direction, but I can't give you any more guidance.

I rarely have to write more than a line in Hebrew, or a couple of words in a title. When I do, I use the Shalom Old Style font, which is a pretty old font. You might not even be able to find it, anymore. The advantage (to me, at least) is that the letters are mapped to the closest English equivalent where possible, rather than the Hebrew QWERTY. (aleph=a, bet=b, etc.) Also, the direction remains left-to-right. So, I type in the text backwards in English, and then change the font. Sounds awkward, but it works, and I've been doing it for about 25 years. And it's easy to correct.

I've sent you a private message.
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Peter Thomsen
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Post by Peter Thomsen » Sun May 21, 2017 5:03 pm

Norabella wrote:So - just to be clear, I have no problem entering the original text. It goes in the right direction, I can put the vowels in, etc. The problem is always when after the fact I see a mistake. Then, I am unable to correct. The cursor seems to have no relation to where something I type is going to appear in the text box. And, I am likewise unable to highlight the specific letter which I am trying to correct.
From your description it sounds like you are trying to edit the text block in Page View.

However, we do not know which steps you've already tried.
Hence we can not rule out things.

Instead of editing the text block in Page View, you could also try the window Edit Text:

Exit the text block, but stay in the Text Tool.
A handle appears on each text block.
Drag-select the handle on the text block you want to edit, and go to
Text menu > Edit Text…

You get to the window Edit Text where you can edit the text.

* Have you tried that?
Mac OS X 12.6.9 (Monterey), Finale user since 1996

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miker
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Post by miker » Sun May 21, 2017 5:11 pm

Peter,
That doesn't help. I think I've figured out a way to do it, although it is a bit involved. You have to start at one end, and move the cursor with the arrow keys, while counting letters FROM THE OTHER END. I find it easiest to start from the left and use the right arrow key, until I get where I want. Then, you can use the forward or backward delete keys, in reverse, of course!

"Arabians learn Arabian, with the speed of summer lightning,
And the Hebrews learn it backwards, which is absolutely fright'ning."
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Norabella
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Post by Norabella » Sun May 21, 2017 5:44 pm

Hi Peter and Mike:

So the Edit Text box doesn't work either.

Counting is also difficult, because of the spaces, vowels, etc. I have done that actually in the past when there are only a few letters or words, but this has too many words, and I can't even reliably line the cursor up with the beginning of the line.

Why on earth won't the cursor line up? It does seem to be an OS problem, but supposedly all these softwares now support Hebrew ???

Sigh,

Norabella

Norabella
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Joined: Mon May 08, 2017 8:33 pm
Finale Version: 2014d
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Post by Norabella » Sun May 21, 2017 5:51 pm

Hi -
So - yes, I'm in page view. I did just take Peter's suggestion to edit the text in another program and then paste it back - that seems to have worked! I am to correct it in Pages. So is it still an OS problem, do you think?

Norabella

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