GNU bug report logs - #55256
27.1; Unicode noncharacters may change writing direction

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Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: frederik.fouvry <at> acrolinx.com
To: bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org
Subject: 27.1; Unicode noncharacters may change writing direction
Date: Wed, 04 May 2022 09:06:37 +0200

M-x set-input-method RET
ucs RET
jufdd0$1 RET

If you type C-a and then step through the characters with the right
arrow, the direction is reversed. It seems like the entry of $ followed
by something else is triggering it, but that may just be an
impression/side effect.

I suspect that the reason is that most Unicode noncharacters
(https://www.unicode.org/faq/private_use.html#nonchar1) are in an Arabic
block (https://www.unicode.org/faq/private_use.html#nonchar4b) and that
the cause is an incorrect generalisation of the properties of the
characters in this block.

In GNU Emacs 27.1 (build 1, x86_64-pc-linux-gnu, GTK+ Version 3.24.20, cairo version 1.16.0)
 of 2020-09-19 built on lgw01-amd64-021
Windowing system distributor 'The X.Org Foundation', version 11.0.12013000
System Description: Ubuntu 20.04.4 LTS

Recent messages:
Char: �‎ (64976, #o176720, #xfdd0, file ...) point=4361 of 7190 (61%) column=23
Mark set [2 times]
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Message #8 received at 55256 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: frederik.fouvry <at> acrolinx.com
To: 55256 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Writing direction
Date: Wed, 04 May 2022 09:20:05 +0200

I forgot to add:

The Unicode noncharacters should not cause a change in writing
direction, since they are not Arabic characters, but a set of characters
for internal use only (no exchange between different parties).

Message #11 received at 55256 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: frederik.fouvry <at> acrolinx.com
Cc: 55256 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#55256: 27.1;
 Unicode noncharacters may change writing direction
Date: Wed, 04 May 2022 11:17:38 +0300

> Date: Wed, 04 May 2022 09:06:37 +0200
> From: frederik.fouvry--- via "Bug reports for GNU Emacs,
>  the Swiss army knife of text editors" <bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org>
> 
> 
> M-x set-input-method RET
> ucs RET
> jufdd0$1 RET
> 
> If you type C-a and then step through the characters with the right
> arrow, the direction is reversed. It seems like the entry of $ followed
> by something else is triggering it, but that may just be an
> impression/side effect.
> 
> I suspect that the reason is that most Unicode noncharacters
> (https://www.unicode.org/faq/private_use.html#nonchar1) are in an Arabic
> block (https://www.unicode.org/faq/private_use.html#nonchar4b) and that
> the cause is an incorrect generalisation of the properties of the
> characters in this block.

Correct.  We failed to be in sync with the Unicode Standard in this
regard.  Should be fixed now on the master branch.

Thanks.

Message #14 received at 55256 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: frederik.fouvry <at> acrolinx.com
Cc: 55256 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#55256: Writing direction
Date: Wed, 04 May 2022 11:24:04 +0300

> Date: Wed, 04 May 2022 09:20:05 +0200
> From: frederik.fouvry--- via "Bug reports for GNU Emacs,
>  the Swiss army knife of text editors" <bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org>
> 
> 
> I forgot to add:
> 
> The Unicode noncharacters should not cause a change in writing
> direction, since they are not Arabic characters, but a set of characters
> for internal use only (no exchange between different parties).

That is not entirely true, because Unicode assigns default Bidi Class
properties to some unassigned codepoints, and Emacs obeys that.  So an
unassigned codepoint (which is AFAIU what "noncharacter" stands for in
your terminology) for which Unicode says that its Bidi Class should
be, for example, AL, _will_ cause change of text directionality.

If you use those unassigned codepoints for private use, you will have
to override the default properties by manually modifying the relevant
Emacs char-tables at run time.

Message #17 received at 55256 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Frederik Fouvry <frederik.fouvry <at> acrolinx.com>
To: 55256 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#55256: Writing direction
Date: Wed, 4 May 2022 11:02:50 +0200

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

On Wed, 4 May 2022 at 10:23, Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org> wrote:

> > Date: Wed, 04 May 2022 09:20:05 +0200
> > From: frederik.fouvry--- via "Bug reports for GNU Emacs,
> >  the Swiss army knife of text editors" <bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org>
> >
> >
> > I forgot to add:
> >
> > The Unicode noncharacters should not cause a change in writing
> > direction, since they are not Arabic characters, but a set of characters
> > for internal use only (no exchange between different parties).
>
> That is not entirely true, because Unicode assigns default Bidi Class
> properties to some unassigned codepoints, and Emacs obeys that.  So an
> unassigned codepoint (which is AFAIU what "noncharacter" stands for in
> your terminology) for which Unicode says that its Bidi Class should
> be, for example, AL, _will_ cause change of text directionality.
>
> If you use those unassigned codepoints for private use, you will have
> to override the default properties by manually modifying the relevant
> Emacs char-tables at run time.
>

That sounds fair enough. I admit that my statement was generalising too
much.

The odd name "noncharacter" is Unicode terminology, not mine (see e.g. Spec
v14, Ch. 2, p.30).
<https://www.facebook.com/Acrolinx-127089923970436/>

[Message part 2 (text/html, inline)]

Message #22 received at 55256 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: Frederik Fouvry <frederik.fouvry <at> acrolinx.com>
Cc: 55256 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#55256: 27.1; Unicode noncharacters may change writing
 direction
Date: Thu, 02 Jun 2022 15:09:15 +0200

Frederik Fouvry <frederik.fouvry <at> acrolinx.com> writes:

>  If you use those unassigned codepoints for private use, you will have
>  to override the default properties by manually modifying the relevant
>  Emacs char-tables at run time.
>
> That sounds fair enough. I admit that my statement was generalising too much.

Eli fixed some bits here, and the rest is up to the users of these
unassigned codepoints, if I understand correctly, so I'm closing this
bug report.

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
   bloggy blog: http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no

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