Urdu subtitles (problems with Unicode)

I have a major problem where I have a number of subtitle documents in Word with the text in Urdu. I can save these documents as Unicode txt files and they seem to be okay. However, when I import into Encore the subtitles look different (they still look like some kind of Arabic text but different). I've gone round in circles over this and have run out of ideas!!

Silly question probably, but did you select the same font in Encore as used in Word?

Is written Urdu a right-to-left script?

All work is happening on a PC (worth mentioning) and the font in Word is Times New Roman (!!) but was created by setting Windows XP up to write in Urdu. I have saved this out to a Unicode txt file, and it views ok in Notepad. I did use Times New Roman in Encore as well.

Urdu is a right-to-left script yes.

Apart from a possible right-to-left issue, according to this MS Urdu language Support With Windows XP <http://www.microsoft.com/middleeast/arabicdev/Urdu/winXP.asp> document the supported fonts are Microsoft Sans Serif and Tahoma. Maybe you could try one of those?

Encore doesn't support right-to-left script, sorry- only left-to-right and top-down.

There is a workaround, but it's labor-intensive. Essentially, you have to convert the text to bitmaps. Do a search of this subtitles subforum for 'hebrew' or 'arabic' and you will find the details.

In that case it may be worth to test Lemony Subtitler <http://www.jorgemorones.com/lemony/> to prepare the bitmaps (and the script). The Lemony site says that it has "Full Unicode support. With support for vertical and right-to-left scripts, ligatures, etc."

Lemony sounds like its worth a look. Thanks for that. I'd already pretty musch resigned myself to needing to use bitmaps - it's just a case of automating that as much as possible. Really hoping I don't have to manually create them - there's 4.5 hours of material!!

Thanks for your help with this.