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How to enable Arabic in MacBook Pro?

H

haquae

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 16, 2009
2
0
Dubai
Hi guys,

I bought a MacBook Pro:apple: from USA and it only displays western scripts. I cannot display Arabic files and other languages. How can I enable Arabic script? i need to use it with Microsoft Office, messenger, subtitles (.srt), etc... Please help :confused:


Thanks
 
I'll assume you purchased it brand new? The very first setup you go through I thought asked you about region codes and language choices. That is the only time I've seen an option. Could reinstall OSX to try it, or easier and less hassle maybe to call Apple support.

Good Luck
 
I only have experience enabling Japanese and not Arabic but I assume the settings are the same...

System Preferences > International > Input Menu

After you reach the Input Menu you should see a list of available languages...and from there you'll be able to select how you enable the second language on the keyboard.

Hope this helps...
 
System Preferences->International->Languages

From there, you should be able to select languages that you want. The problem is that some installations will only install the default language (English/Spanish in the US), so you would need to reinstall the OS, then when you get the option to "Customize" select the other languages you want to be able to use.

TEG
 
You can add Arabic script support using the input menu (international preference pane) and that will allow you to type Arabic on the keyboard.

Office supports Unicode, so you can type Arabic in it (as well as TextEdit and any other application that supports Unicode).

In terms of Arabic menus, I have no idea about that option.
 
Don't forget to chose the Arabic PC version which is way easier to use.

In addition, you would be able to type Arabic in MS Office 2008 but the letters would be separated and strange looking as if you were viewing Arabic websites on an iPhone :eek:

Please PM me if you need any further help :)
 
mhnajjar said:
Don't forget to chose the Arabic PC version which is way easier to use.

In addition, you would be able to type Arabic in MS Office 2008 but the letters would be separated and strange looking as if you were viewing Arabic websites on an iPhone :eek:

Please PM me if you need any further help :)
Click to expand...

D'oh! TextEdit works :p

So looks like MS Office is out (unless you get the Windows version under virtualization).

Pages, and other unicode enabled apps that support right-to-left languages properly would work. You should try some of the other editors if it is less of hassle than running in Office in Parallels or VMWare.
 
MysticMage said:
I could never get Arabic to run on my Mac :confused:
Click to expand...

Any language that you select from the International preference pane can be used in the documents of an application if that app supports Unicode. If the app also supports right-to-left languages, then you can do that too.
 
iShater said:
D'oh! TextEdit works :p

So looks like MS Office is out (unless you get the Windows version under virtualization).

Pages, and other unicode enabled apps that support right-to-left languages properly would work. You should try some of the other editors if it is less of hassle than running in Office in Parallels or VMWare.
Click to expand...

It it strange that Arabic works everywhere except MS Office!!!

It even works on NeoOffice which is another version of OpenOffice (FREEEEE)

I do not get it how the MS messenger supports Arabic while their Office doesn't :confused:

At the end, Apple does NOT support Arabic in general and that is shown on all the entire Apple products line unlike MS, but yet they screwed MS Office for Mac maybe to prevent people from buying Macs :D.
 
mhnajjar said:
At the end, Apple does NOT support Arabic in general and that is shown on all the entire Apple products line unlike MS, but yet they screwed MS Office for Mac maybe to prevent people from buying Macs :D.
Click to expand...

oh yeah, that's Microsoft's ultimate goal here :cool:
 
mhnajjar said:
At the end, Apple does NOT support Arabic in general and that is shown on all the entire Apple products line unlike MS, but yet they screwed MS Office for Mac maybe to prevent people from buying Macs :D.
Click to expand...

You can type Arabic in Apple products and it works fine, or do you mean the total conversion? Finder, Mail, iChat, etc. support it fine.
 
I have Arabic enabled and it works with everything except Photoshop. I think you actually haveto have the Arabic version to be able to use Arabic on it. (I use Pages and it works perfectly, most of the time.)
 
iShater said:
You are probably looking for the full Arabic conversion like Arabic Windows where the menus and dialog boxes, etc. are in Arabic yeah?
Click to expand...

I would also like to see "marhaba" (welcome in Arabic) when I buy a new Mac :eek:
 
SaudiMac said:
I would also like to see "marhaba" (welcome in Arabic) when I buy a new Mac :eek:
Click to expand...

I don't want to see "marhaba" but "ahlan wa sahlan" ;)

We can keep dreaming, but it would happen sometime after 2010 if Apple reaches big Arab corporates :D
 
Nabooly said:
Isnt apple (mac specifically) extremely popular in the ME?
Click to expand...

with a crappy distributor, no Arabic on the iPods (promised since 2006) and the lack of "real" Apple presence (since we dont have an online apple store I have to fax my iphone dev form, oh and their fax line is either busy or non responsive). I am surprised Apple is popular here ;)

Apple in the middle east should be an interesting topic to discuss (not in this MBP topic, let's rename it :rolleyes: )
 
Make sure Show input menu in menu bar is activated. Most mac software like iwork had no issue on this manner but not for 3rd party. Have to figure out.

كيف حالك؟
 
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