LaserCoptic in Unicode

Now get the LaserCoptic fonts in a Unicode-encoded format!	for Windows
	for Macintosh
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LaserCoptic® in Unicode™ is available for both Windows and Macintosh and provides two professional-quality, Unicode-encoded fonts (CopticLSU plain and NagHammadiLSU plain) in TrueType® OpenType® format for typing Coptic (including letters derived from Demotic and the characters for Sahidic, Fayumic, Bohairic, and Old Nubian). The fonts also include full support for nomina sacra overbars, underbars, overdots, and underdots. They also support the Latin character set for English and other western European languages.

LaserCoptic in Unicode includes two kinds of keyboard resource/driver for easy input of the supported languages. The keyboard layout charts provided with the product represent the diacritics with dotted circles like these:

OpenType Input: The first kind of keyboard resource/driver takes advantage of the OpenType layout features built into the fonts. Input order is the letter followed by the diacritic (either overdot, underdot, overline, underline), followed by a second diacritic, if required. As the diacritics are typed they are perfectly positioned automatically.

Typing is simple and logical, with lowercase and uppercase, whether you need a single diacritic

or two diacritics

In these examples the same overline key and underdot key are typed each time. If you type a lowercase alfa followed by the diacritic the font places a lowercase alfa with diacritic in your document. If you type an uppercase alfa followed by the same diacritic key the font places an uppercase letter with a perfectly positioned diacritic in the document. You do not need to learn different keystrokes for lowercase and uppercase diacritics.

It is easy to type nomina sacra, including two-letter nomina sacra. Please see this pop-up window for samples of two-letter nomina sacra with the order of input displayed.

(The above OpenType layout requires specific application support for both Windows and Macintosh.)

Dead Key Input: The second keyboard resource/driver works with any Unicode-compatible application and provides dead key input. Dead key input order is reversed from the OpenType keyboard shown above. Users first type the diacritic key (representing either the overdot, underdot, overline, or combination of diacritics) and nothing appears to happen on screen. The user then types the letter to be modified by the diacritic or combination of diacritics, and the keyboard software inputs the pre-composed, modified letter.

This works for a single diacritic

or for double diacritics

Two distinctive things about Linguist's Software keyboards are they are phonetic, based on the US layout (QWERTY) and they support up to four characters per key instead of the usual two. Complete instructions, including printable keyboard layout charts, are supplied.

Following is detailed information about the Windows and Macintosh products, followed by font samples. Please be sure to read the System Requirements for Windows or Macintosh before ordering.

LaserCoptic in Unicode for Windows

LaserCoptic in Unicode for Windows includes four keyboard layouts that provide four characters per key input (instead of the normal two characters per key) in Windows 10, 8, 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000. The keyboards are phonetic, based on the US keyboard, and allow easy input of all characters and diacritics supported by the fonts.

The first keyboard layout (called the CopticLSU OT layout) takes advantage of the OpenType layout features built into the fonts for the most logical, intuitive input possible. Input order is letter, diacritic, diacritic. The letter with its associated diacritics is built up automatically as you type, with all diacritics perfectly positioned. This keyboard layout requires Microsoft Word 2013, 2010, 2007 or 2003, or InDesign CS4, or OpenOffice.org 3.2 or newer (see System Requirements). (Other components of Microsoft Office, except PowerPoint 2003, are also compatible.) The included keyboard chart shows exactly what keystroke the user must type.

The second keyboard layout (called the CopticLSU Deadkey layout) works with any Unicode-compatible application and uses dead key input to type letters with their associated diacritics. The user first types the dead key (representing the diacritic or diacritic combination) and nothing appears to happen on screen. Then the user types the letter and the pre-composed letter with its diacritic(s) appears in the document.

The third and fourth keyboard layouts are for typing English and other Latin 1 languages supported by the fonts. One keyboard supports the OpenType features built into the font and works only with Word, InDesign, or OpenOffice.org, as a companion to the first keyboard (CopticLSU OT) described above. The other English keyboard uses dead key input, allowing it to work with any Unicode-compatible application. It is a companion layout to the second keyboard (CopticLSU Deadkey) described above. Users do not need to install or use these keyboards, but can continue to use their own national keyboard, if desired, for typing Latin 1 languages.

Users can easily switch between keyboard layouts at any time using a keyboard shortcut. Detailed instructions and printable keyboard layout charts showing all keystrokes are included in the product.

Windows System Requirements:

Operating Systems

Requires, Windows 10, 8, Windows 10, 8, 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, or Windows 2000.

Applications

Any Unicode-compatible application, such as Microsoft Word, is compatible. Adobe® InDesign®, QuarkXPress 7/8, and Microsoft Publisher are compatible.
Older, non-Unicode applications such as QuarkXPress (through version 6.5), PageMaker, WordPerfect (tested only through v 12) are not compatible.
Microsoft Word (or any other component of Office except PowerPoint 2003), InDesign CS4, or OpenOffice.org 3.2 (or newer) is required to use the included CopticLSU OT (OpenType) keyboard layout for the most intuitive input order (letter-diacritic-diacritic). Users of any other Unicode-compatible application must use the CopticLSU Deadkey keyboard layout, which provides deadkey input (diacritic-letter). Both keyboard layouts provide full access to all letters and diacritics in the font; they differ only in input method.
Microsoft PowerPoint 2003 is not compatible with LaserCoptic in Unicode for Windows. All text is changed to the Arial font, whether typed with the keyboard, input using Insert Symbol, or pasted from Word using the Windows clipboard. PowerPoint users should type their text in Word or another Unicode-compatible application, and save the text as a graphic for import into PowerPoint. Users can also use WordArt to create their text. To do this in PowerPoint go to Insert, Picture, WordArt, and type your text, formatting it as desired. Alternatively, users can type directly into PowerPoint using our non-Unicode LaserCoptic fonts. (Earlier versions of PowerPoint have not been tested for compatibility.)

Notes

Windows NT/Me/98/95/3.x are not supported.
Printer: The fonts will print to any Windows printer at the highest quality allowed by your printer.
Documentation: All documentation, including Setup Instructions, a User's Manual, and Keyboard Layout Charts (showing placement of the characters on the keys), is in Adobe Acrobat PDF or Word format, and is installed into the Windows Start menu for easy access. Users may view the PDF documentation on screen or print it, using Acrobat Reader, available free online if you do not already have it.
Documents created with these fonts are compatible with the Macintosh version of LaserCoptic in Unicode. No conversion of documents is necessary when transferring documents to a Macintosh if your applications are fully Unicode-aware, can read each other's files, and compatible fonts are installed on both systems.

LaserCoptic in Unicode for Windows US$ 99.95 Order

(Have you read the System Requirements?)

Do you need to upgrade? Check the current version number and a Release History.

LaserCoptic in Unicode for Macintosh

LaserCoptic in Unicode includes two keyboard layouts. The keyboards are phonetic, based on the US keyboard, and allow easy input of all characters and diacritics supported by the fonts.

The first keyboard layout (called the CopticLSU OT layout) takes advantage of the OpenType layout features built into the fonts for the most logical, intuitive input possible. Input order is letter, diacritic, diacritic. The letter with its associated diacritics is built up automatically as you type, with all diacritics perfectly positioned. This keyboard layout requires the Mellel word processor or InDesign CS5 (see System Requirements). The included keyboard chart shows exactly what keystroke the user must type. To switch back and forth between Coptic and English (or other supported Latin languages) press the CapsLock key.)

The second keyboard layout (called LaserCopticLSU Deadkey) works with any Unicode-compatible application and uses deadkey input to type letters with their associated diacritics. The user first types the dead key (representing the diacritic) then the letter, and the pre-composed letter with diacritic(s) appears in the file. To switch back and forth between Coptic and English (or other supported Latin languages) press the CapsLock key.)

Detailed instructions and a printable keyboard layout chart showing all keystrokes are included in the product.

Macintosh System Requirements:

Operating Systems

Requires Mac OS X 10.4 or higher.

Applications

Any Unicode-compatible application will support the deadkey keyboard. The LaserCopticLS OT keyboard requires Mellel or InDesign CS5.
The only Macintosh applications we are aware of that support Unicode at this time are Microsoft Word 2011/2008/2004, Mellel, InDesign CS, QuarkExpress 7.0 or newer, OpenOffice, Pages, Nisus Writer Express, TextEdit (included with Mac OS X), Oxygen, and BBEdit. We have only tested the fonts in Word 2004, Mellel, Nisus Writer Express and TextEdit. (If you are aware of additional applications please let us know.)
Even applications that claim to be Unicode and OpenType compliant may only support a limited range of Unicode characters or a limited set of OpenType features. Contact Linguist's Software about compatibility questions and about the availability of a non-Unicode version of this product that works in all applications.

Notes

Documents created with these fonts are compatible with the Windows version of LaserCoptic in Unicode. No conversion of documents is necessary when transferring documents to Windows if your applications are fully Unicode-aware and compatible fonts are installed on both systems.

LaserCoptic in Unicode for Macintosh $99.95 Order

Mellel $25 Order ($25 when ordered with this Macintosh product, $38 sold separately.)

(Before you order be sure you have read the System Requirements, above.)

Font Samples

CopticLSU, showing many of the characters and diacritics in the font

CopticLSU, showing many of the characters and diacritics in the font

A sample of Coptic writing using the CopticLSU font

A sample of Coptic writing using the CopticLSU font

NagHammadiLSU, showing many of the characters and diacritics in the font

NagHammadiLSU, showing many of the characters and diacritics in the font

A sample of Coptic writing using the NagHammadiLSU font

A sample of Coptic writing using the NagHammadiLSU font