Coptic Fonts Standard
This is a project for the standardization of Coptic Fonts so as to create
a unified Character Code. In other words to construct a unified system for
placement of letters, djinkims, abbreviations, overlines, underlines,
punctuation marks etc. on the keyboard.
[
More on the Coptic Alphabet
]
-
 The main problem rose from the lack of a unified keyboard mapping due to different
goals on making keyboard mappings, some had the intention of using it in
ecclesiastical purposes, others to write manuscripts, others to scan
manuscripts.
- Moving a document from a font to
another font requires enormous effort in working with macros etc.
- Incapability of reading and destruction of documents sometimes is
inevitable
- A typist has to learn a new
keystroke system with every new font he installs. No professional typists in the
field.
- To preserve a document one has to
make it a picture file (*.jpeg) which is impractical for production scale
and handling.
- Lack of distribution of Coptic
software, and fonts render thinking about Coptic as a PC hostile font.
- Problems developing advanced applications using such technologies such
as XML, saving text to databases.
- Lack of communication among font makers, and lack of observation of
each font. Lack of unity results in
more separation, leading to disastrous font development.
 After many months of labor, a Standard has been
decided on and a sample Coptic Font has been produced.
Using the Coptic Standard Font Standard
arrangement, one can type all Coptic Letters (including letters in Achmimic
Dialect) in almost a totally pronunciation based system that facilitates
both typing & education. Also, all types of djinkims Bohairic, Sahidic,
Achmimmic could be written. Arabic numerals, simple mathematical marks &
modern punctuations are present. Ecclesiastical common abbreviations are
present on Alt keys.
We ask new
Coptic font creators to cooperate by using this standard in order to unify &
standardize Coptic fonts.
The CS Coptic Fonts are freely available for download. You are also
free to share these fonts with your anyone provided you distribute
the package as a whole and not just the fonts.
Files in download package:
- 7 CS Coptic Fonts using same keyboard layout [
preview of fonts included ]
- Microsoft Word Templates for typing in Coptic [ screenshot ].
- PDF file explaining in detail the CS Font Project includes
justification for key placement, help for new font creators.
 Download
for Windows
or
Download
for Mac/Linux/Other OSs
Additional Software A friend of this site
has created a Coptic Editor for windows that can be used to easily type and
edit in Coptic.
Microsoft Visual
Keyboard lets you see the keyboard for the language you've switched to on
your screen so that you can either click the keys on your screen or see the
correct keys to press to enter text. This can be downloaded for free from
Microsoft if you have MS Office:
Converting Documents
From Older Fonts
We have set up an online program to convert your existing documents
in any Coptic font to the Coptic Standard Font.
 Convert
The Remenkimi group
(Coptic Community) on the Internet, of about 130 members, has undertaken
this project of Coptic Font Code Standardization. The project was led by the
following persons:
Show your support for this project by promoting the CS
Fonts, this will allow all Coptic texts to finally be transformed into a set
of interchangeable fonts that allow easier publishing, reading, editing, and
sharing. If you would like to help in this project by converting existing Coptic
fonts to the Coptic Font Standard please do contact us at either address
above.
Sometimes a picture speaks a thousand words, so we've created
images for supporting the CS Fonts. Right-click on the image below that
you'd like to use to save it. After saving the image, simply upload the
image to your own Web site and use it with the following link:
Here's an example of the HTML format for linking to the CS Fonts:
<a href="http://www.copticchurch.net/coptic_fonts/">
<img src="powered_by_coptic_fonts.jpg">
</a>
powered_by_coptic_fonts_s.jpg
powered_by_coptic_fonts.jpg |
