Oracle Database 10g Developer 6i Settings For Arabic Urdu Support Work < 90% REAL >

Use N'...' prefix for NVARCHAR2:

INSERT INTO employees (id, full_name) VALUES (1, N'أحمد محمد');

Set the NLS_LANG environment variable/registry key to match database character set.

Format: NLS_LANG = LANGUAGE_TERRITORY.CHARACTER_SET

For Arabic:

NLS_LANG = ARABIC_EGYPT.AR8MSWIN1256

For Urdu (using Arabic locale):

NLS_LANG = ARABIC_EGYPT.AR8MSWIN1256

Location (Windows Registry):
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ORACLE\KEY_Dev6iHome\NLS_LANG
(or under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Oracle) Use N'

When launching your form, use:

ifrun60.exe module=my_form.fmx NLS_LANG=ARABIC_EGYPT.AL32UTF8

[FORMS60]
NLS_LANG=ARABIC_EGYPT.AR8MSWIN1256
FORMS60_RTL_MODE=YES
FORMS60_FONT=ARIAL
FORMS60_FONT_SIZE=10

If you are setting up a new system, avoid Developer 6i. Use:

For legacy maintenance, the above settings will work for basic Arabic/Urdu display and entry, but expect shaping and reordering issues with complex Urdu text (e.g., Nastaʿlīq style).

Setting up Oracle Database 10g and Oracle Developer 6i to support Arabic/Urdu (Right-to-Left languages) requires aligning the database character set, client environment settings, and Windows regional settings.

Here is a comprehensive guide based on common Oracle community solutions. Oracle Forums 1. Database Level Configuration (Oracle 10g) Set the NLS_LANG environment variable/registry key to match

The database must be created with a character set that supports Arabic/Urdu, such as AR8MSWIN1256 (Unicode). Spiceworks Community Recommended Character Set: AR8MSWIN1256 (Efficient for Arabic) or (Best for bi-lingual English/Urdu support). Check Character Set: nls_database_parameters parameter= 'NLS_CHARACTERSET' Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard Recommendation:

If the database is new, use UTF-8 to allow comprehensive Unicode support. Spiceworks Community 2. Client Side Configuration (Windows 10/11/XP)

The operating system must support Right-to-Left (RTL) languages. Control Panel Regional and Language Options Install Urdu/Arabic language support. Set the system locale to Arabic (Saudi Arabia) Urdu (Pakistan) Restart the computer. Oracle Forums 3. Oracle Developer 6i Settings

For Forms 6i to correctly read and write data, you must update the Windows Registry for the specific Oracle Home. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ORACLE HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432NODE\ORACLE (if 64-bit Windows). under your Forms 6i Home. Change the value to: AMERICAN_AMERICA.AR8MSWIN1256 Note: If you used UTF-8 in the database, use AMERICAN_AMERICA.UTF8 Ensure your Form fields in Forms Builder are set to Right-to-Left (Property Palette > Alignment). Oracle Forums 4. Font Configuration for Reports 6i

If designing reports, choose appropriate fonts to display Urdu/Arabic correctly. Recommended Fonts: Times New Roman Arabic Transparent uifont.ali if necessary to map fonts for PDF output, pointing to C:\Windows\Fonts Oracle Forums Summary Checklist Regional Settings Set Locale to Urdu/Arabic AMERICAN_AMERICA.AR8MSWIN1256 Character Set AR8MSWIN1256 Form Fields Property Palette Alignment: Right-to-Left If you face issues with character data turning into , it is a sign that the in the registry does not match the database character set. Ensure that you are using the correct ORACLE_HOME in the registry if multiple oracle products are installed. Stack Overflow AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more Writing Urdu or Arabic in Oracle Forms 6i For Urdu (using Arabic locale): NLS_LANG = ARABIC_EGYPT

Critical Note: Developer 6i was released before Unicode became standard. It uses ASCII and code pages (character sets). It does not fully support UTF-8 for display in all controls, but you can store and retrieve Arabic/Urdu text if configured correctly.

  • If the DB already exists and is not Unicode, plan a character-set conversion using Data Pump export/import or RMAN/transportable methods; do NOT use ALTER DATABASE CHARACTER SET for non‑trivial conversions.

    • Open regedit and navigate to:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ORACLE\KEY_Dev6iHome0

    Create or modify string value:

    Oracle Developer 6i (Forms & Reports) is legacy software originally designed for single-byte character sets. To correctly handle bi-directional (Bi-Di) languages like Arabic and Urdu—which require multi-byte character storage and specific rendering rules—strict environment configuration is required.

    This document outlines the necessary database character set settings, registry configurations, and form-level properties to ensure data is stored correctly and displayed in the proper right-to-left visual order.