Pangolin
Member
From: UK
Registered: 2006-07-23
Posts: 137
I mean the big kanji on the flashcard in the Review section of this site. I presume the font is MS Mincho, could the font used to display these character be changed on a per user basis? A Greasemonkey job perhaps?
It's just that I don't like Mincho because it is a 'printed' style and not a helpful guide for handwritten kanji. I'd like to use an Epson font that I have on my system: 教科 (きょうか), which is a beautifully clear plain brush style that's very similar to my kanji handwriting style. (It's almost exactly the same font as used in RTK1 for the stroke-order diagrams.)
Obviously this could only be a user-defined function, because it's dependent on what fonts you have on your computer. I really have no idea if this is a practical option, but I am asking ^^
よろしくね
Pangolin
Member
From: UK
Registered: 2006-07-23
Posts: 137
Thanks, that works but the side effect is that the font I choose is used for all text on the site (and presumable all web sites) designated with the same style as the flash card (in this case sans serif, it seems). This includes kanji in posts on this forum, which are small enough already, but become unreadable in the font I want to use.
Last edited by Pangolin (2006 September 03, 6:38 pm)
woelpad
Member
From: Chiba
Registered: 2006-11-07
Posts: 425
Kanji.Koohii: Change kanji font does just that. You will however have to edit it to select your own font. The default is HG正楷書体-PRO (HGせいかいしょたい-PRO, a kaisho, i.e. block-style font), which is quite a nice font, *edit* originating from wood block carving (like mincho actually) *edit*.
In Firefox, select Tools -> Options -> Contents and check the list of fonts available for your browser. The above-mentioned font was part of this list on my machine, though it's no guarantee the same holds true on yours, so go check. Choose a font, open a Japanese page (e.g. one from the Japanese Wikipedia) and check if it suits you (size shouldn't matter, you're going to have it five times the normal size).
If the font name of your choice contains kanji or any other non-ASCII value, you will have to transform them to Unicode characters. I use an Eclipse plugin called PropertiesEditor. I create a properties file, type in the font name, change to a normal text editor and presto. If you don't know what Eclipse is or can't make head or tails of this plugin, simply post the font name in this thread and I'll look it up for you.
With that information in hand, click Tools -> Greasemonkey -> Manage User Scripts, select Kanji.Koohii: Change kanji font from the list and push the Edit button. You will be asked to select an editor. If you're on Windows, Wordpad will do just fine. On my system it's located in C:\Program Files\Windows NT\Accessories\wordpad.exe. You can find out for yourself by clicking the Start button -> All Programs -> Accessories and then right-click on Wordpad and select the Properties item (usually the last item). The link location will tell you the exact address.
Now edit the line that reads
var fontFamily = "HG\u6b63\u6977\u66f8\u4f53-PRO";
replacing the string (the thing between quotes, i.e. "HG...") with your (unicoded) font name (leave the quotes as is). A few examples are given in the previous comment lines (all lines starting with // are comments). Save and refresh your browser window. できた？
Last edited by woelpad (2007 January 02, 6:24 pm)
woelpad
Member
From: Chiba
Registered: 2006-11-07
Posts: 425
I should have checked sources first before commenting on fonts. This website lists a few printing styles; I've adapted my comment on HG正楷書体-PRO accordingly.
Hmm, looks like a 教科書 (kyoukasho) font would be more appropriate as a substitute font, problem is to find one for your browser. Any advice?
As for converting kanji to UTF-16, this site might be of help. Enter \u@\u in the pattern field to get it copy-paste ready.
Last edited by woelpad (2007 January 03, 6:09 pm)
woelpad
Member
From: Chiba
Registered: 2006-11-07
Posts: 425
I've created a new version that allows to enter the font name directly in your browser. No more fiddling with text editors or UTF-16 codes, simply click the "my profile" tab and enter your font as is in the Kanji Font edit box in the newly added GreaseMonkey settings section.
Will only affect that account on that computer, so if you have multiple accounts and/or study on different computers, you'll have your work cut out, so to speak. OTOH it also allows to see the kanji under different fonts simultaneously, if you so fancy.
Download from the same spot.
Last edited by woelpad (2007 January 05, 7:26 pm)
colonel32
Member
From: Oxford UK
Registered: 2006-09-03
Posts: 60
Yes sorry, I didn't realise that until after I'd posted.
Thank you very much for making this script, and all the other ones. Sorry I didn't post about it before.
Sadly though I still haven't found a kyoukasho font that actually works with your script, on either windows or mac. The Motoya one I posted does work, but it's useless as you pointed out.
Another one I got hold of had a kanji name which showed up as question marks. I tried opening it up in a font editor and trying all the different variants of the names I could find in the info tables. But none of them worked. I even tried changing the names, but the font editor I was using refused to save anything containing over 6400 glyphs.
The best font I've found yet is a Chinese one (BlauKai on the mac). But it's still not really good enough, lots of the characters are written differently - the grass radical in two parts, the absence of the drop on dog, sometimes different hooking on human legs.
So the quest for the perfect kyoukasho font continues. I don't even mind paying for one that someone recommends, if the online purchasing is readable. Or if someone else can have a go at editing the names so that the script recognises it, that'd be great.
woelpad
Member
From: Chiba
Registered: 2006-11-07
Posts: 425
dilandau23 wrote:
Here I just made a group and put a (as far as I know) complete copy of a Kyokasho font into it. http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Kyokashotai/ It should let you auto join and then you can download it. Sorry its such a quick and dirty solution but maybe it will help some people. Oh, I almost forgot, it will list as HGPKyokasho in your fonts and its True Type.
Are you sure you're not breaking any copyright laws? Don't want to promote any piracy activities, which could get you in dire troubles later on.
colonel32 wrote:
I don't even mind paying for one that someone recommends, if the online purchasing is readable.
JustMyShop offers a package with the aforementioned AR P教科書体M called 年賀状デザイン集2007 for 2100 yen, but only services people in Japan AFAICT. For those outside Japan, persuade a friend or try out some auction site. Another package is 一太郎特選テンプレート＆イラスト集 [学校・教育編] at triple the price. Check that page to see a sample of the font's rendering. (For proof of the font's inclusion in the first package, go here).
colonel32 wrote:
Another one I got hold of had a kanji name which showed up as question marks.
Does it show up as question marks in Firefox's Options -> Contents -> Font pull down list? Or in your system's font resource application (Mac's equivalent for Windows' Control Panel)? If so, registration could have gone awry, due to some peculiarity with the font files. Search the net for answers or copy the font name here.
woelpad
Member
From: Chiba
Registered: 2006-11-07
Posts: 425
woelpad wrote:
The Flash plugin apparently includes a JavaScript extension with a getFontList() function, from which one could build a drop-downbox. No success getting it to work so far.
Got it up and running. Download the latest version, look in My Profile, click the font picker page link and all the fonts on your system should be there. Pick whichever you like. Enjoy.
Now, there is something weird about that font picker page. But what?...
Last edited by woelpad (2007 June 26, 4:51 pm)
