*Guide* - view other languages on the G1

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superxnova

Member
Feb 9, 2009
13
0
first of all i would like to thank this forum and it's members, you have been a great source of G1 info for me, and i want to give something back :cool:.

this is a guide for installing fonts which will enable you to get rid of the annoying while boxes when you try reading something in a foreign language such as:
web pages
contacts
pretty much everything else

note that it does not alter your current English font, so no worries about font size not fitting buttons, etc.
this, of course, requires root access.

I haven't been able to find a comprehensive and full guide, so i made one:

1) download the DeJaVu fonts from here, they are freely licensed (so no worry about copyrights).
2) copy 'DejaVuSans.ttf' to your sdcard and rename it exactly 'DroidSansFallback.ttf'
3) start terminal emulator and type exactly (watch the Case) the following commands, followed by enter:
Code:
su (then wait for the superuser screen and press yes)
mount -o rw,remount -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock3 /system
chmod 4755 /system/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf
dd if=/sdcard/DroidSansFallback.ttf of=/system/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf
reboot

your phone will now reboot, and vualla! you have your native language displayed! no more white boxes! Ha Ha Ha!! :)

note: if the dejavu fonts don't support your language, just find a font that does, and follow exactly the same procedure.

hope this helps someone, because I sure needed it...
cheers! :cool:

note: you might want to make this a sticky
 

h4ng0ver

Senior Member
Jan 6, 2009
82
18
Hi there
Thank you so much for the guide
Will this font work for Vietnamese?
Thanks
 

h4ng0ver

Senior Member
Jan 6, 2009
82
18
first of all i would like to thank this forum and it's members, you have been a great source of G1 info for me, and i want to give something back :cool:.

this is a guide for installing fonts which will enable you to get rid of the annoying while boxes when you try reading something in a foreign language such as:
web pages
contacts
pretty much everything else

note that it does not alter your current English font, so no worries about font size not fitting buttons, etc.
this, of course, requires root access.

I haven't been able to find a comprehensive and full guide, so i made one:

1) download the DeJaVu fonts from here, they are freely licensed (so no worry about copyrights).
2) copy 'DejaVuSans.ttf' to your sdcard and rename it exactly 'DroidSansFallback.ttf'
3) start terminal emulator and type exactly (watch the Case) the following commands, followed by enter:
Code:
su (then wait for the superuser screen and press yes)
mount -o rw,remount -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock3 /system
chmod 4755 /system/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf
dd if=/sdcard/DroidSansFallback.ttf of=/system/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf
reboot

your phone will now reboot, and vualla! you have your native language displayed! no more white boxes! Ha Ha Ha!! :)

note: if the dejavu fonts don't support your language, just find a font that does, and follow exactly the same procedure.

hope this helps someone, because I sure needed it...
cheers! :cool:

note: you might want to make this a sticky

It works great for me(Vietnamese fonts).
Thanks a bunch
 

aacshar

New member
Dec 17, 2008
4
0
Huawei P30
wont open dd cant file

i paste the DroidSansFallback.ttf on sd root, and have problem on the last sentence

dd if=/sdcard/DroidSansFallback.ttf of=/system/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf
its says the file cant find

any help thanks

root access on G1 jesus frekes Dev1 Rc33
 

yochaigal

Senior Member
Nov 29, 2008
115
3
Boston
Why can't JF put this in his releases, as a default font? I know that future android releases support locales, etc.... but why can't JF replace his release with this one so we don't have to redo this every time?

Thanks
 

Pikkuhannu

Senior Member
Jul 30, 2008
147
4
Something went wrong, now "su" wont work, only flash black, then denied or something???
What now???
Trying to flash again, don`t want to wipe...:(

E: Reflash and works again...
But no help my fonts :(
 
Last edited:

eladkatz

Senior Member
Jan 3, 2009
81
0
I second the motion, JesusFreke - what do you say?

yochaigal said:
Why can't JF put this in his releases, as a default font? I know that future android releases support locales, etc.... but why can't JF replace his release with this one so we don't have to redo this every time?
why not?
 

a1t

Senior Member
Nov 9, 2008
130
3
Denver
Success

This works great thank you!

Edit - Now that this is working, we must ask how can we undo these changes? - Thanks!
 

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superxnova

Member
Feb 9, 2009
13
0
you need to get hold of the original file, either by someone sending it to you, or by getting it out of an image.

these instructions just copy a file over an existing file, so use the same instructions again for the original font file.

JesusFreke: It would aid us all not native English speakers if you added this to your ROM. this is after all a feature. thanks :)
 
Last edited:

nathan.tran

Member
Apr 25, 2009
12
0
Thank you for your instruction. It's exactly what I need.

But my question is DejaVu Sans font comprises of 4 style: regular, italic, bold, bold-italic. The font has 4 files:

DejaVuSans.ttf
DejaVuSans-Oblique.ttf
DejaVuSans-Bold.ttf
DejaVuSans-BoldOblique.ttf

Why your instruction only use DejaVuSans.ttf file ? What if text in web page has italic, bold or bold-italic, how will it be displayed ?

Nathan Tran
 

eladkatz

Senior Member
Jan 3, 2009
81
0
1.5 gmail LTR

Hi, in the new version of JF 1.5 i tried it and the LTR isn't working on gmail application
just an FYI
 

colonel

Senior Member
Dec 15, 2005
584
39
london
first of all i would like to thank this forum and it's members, you have been a great source of G1 info for me, and i want to give something back :cool:.

..........................
hope this helps someone, because I sure needed it...
cheers! :cool:

note: you might want to make this a sticky

cheers m8. brilliant (works fine on my HTC magic 1.5)
 
Last edited:

BolecDST

Senior Member
May 4, 2009
294
38
Dublin
Just one question. So if I install someone's rom that doesn't have polish locale in it, all I have to do is to -dd this font file and I will have polish language in my phone? Or is it just for web browsing? Thanks in advance for any reply.
 

g1lovermas

New member
Jul 28, 2009
1
0
URGENT Pleeeeease

thank u for yr post but i'm sorry I dont understsnd the 3rd step...

3) start terminal emulator and type exactly (watch the Case) the following commands, followed by enter:

Code:

How to do ( start terminal emulator )???
And where i should type the code ????


NEED V.V. URGENT REPLAY

Thank u in dvance
 

thihaz

Senior Member
Sep 3, 2009
380
26
singapore
thank u for yr post but i'm sorry I dont understsnd the 3rd step...

3) start terminal emulator and type exactly (watch the Case) the following commands, followed by enter:

Code:

How to do ( start terminal emulator )???
And where i should type the code ????


NEED V.V. URGENT REPLAY

Thank u in dvance


Terminal means command prompt in Windows.

1. go to command prompt (window + R , type cmd , press enter)

2. cd to your androidsdk/tools/ (cd C:\AndroidSDK\tools\)

3. type this without quotes 'adb shell'

4. copy and paste this in command prompt
mount -o rw,remount -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock3 /system

5. copy and paste this in command prompt
chmod 4755 /system/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf

before you do this
dd if=/sdcard/DroidSansFallback.ttf of=/system/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf

unmount OR turn off your sdcard

and then copy and paste this
dd if=/sdcard/DroidSansFallback.ttf of=/system/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf

6. reboot
That's all.

I have installed HTC ROM following this guide
http://www.karrderized.com/romguide/
so i think mine is already rooted. So when I type 'su', no problem for me.

Thanks to the person who posted this awesome tricks.

Cheers,
thihaz