noor 0.8

A python Quran viewer

Overview

Noor is a program written in Python for viewing quran. You can specify translation files; If specified the translation of each aya is shown after it. These are the interfaces that come with noor:

Interface	Description
noorgtk	Uses PyGtk library
noorhtmls	Outputs quran in html files in the output directory
noorcgi	Can be used as a CGI script in web servers
noortxt	Outputs a sura to a text file

New Features

• added sura hook for executing a command when a sura is shown

When a new sura is shown the hook is run (see the adding sura hooks section of the README.txt file). These hooks can be used to play sura recitation, for instance (see contrib/playsura script).

Getting Started

noorgtk

For using the GTK interface you need to install Python and PyGTK (they are installed by default in some linux distributions like Ubuntu). You can start it by running noorgtk.py script either from the command line or by double clicking it in the extracted folder. That is, no installation is necessary.

But if you like, you can run python setup.py install to install Noor. After that you’ll be able to run noorgtk.py in the terminal from any location.

noorhtmls

The noorhtmls interface can be used to output quran in html files in a directory. All you should do is to run:

noorhtmls.py output_folder

The index.html file will contain the list of suras and 001.html through 114.html files will contain the suras. Note that the configuration specified in the ~/.noor file is considered when generating the pages.

noorcgi

Installing the CGI script, noorcgi.py, is like installing any other CGI script. You probably have to copy it to the cgi-bin directory of your web server. But before that you should either install noor as described in the noorgtk section or change the line in noorcgi.py file which looks like:

# Add noor to the python path if its not installed:
sys.path.append('/noor/extracted/folder/')

to point to the folder in which you’ve extracted noor. Note that if you want to use the CGI interface you no longer need to install PyGTK.

Noorgtk Tutorial

After starting noorgtk as described above, you’ll be asked to select a sura to view. (Use gtk.ask_sura_at_start config or give a command line argument to skip that).

Now you see the sura you’ve chosen. Use up and down keys to move the text. Press a key; you’ll be asked to enter an aya number. After pressing enter you’ll be moved to that aya.

Now press c. A dialog pops up in which you can select a sura.

Press s this time; Noor will ask you to insert a sura number to go to. Also J (that is capital j) moves you to the start of a juz.

Now press C-M-n or C-j (whichever you’re most comfortable with). Noor will show the next sura. Likewise C-M-p or C-k can be used for previous sura.

Some commands need an integer argument, such as goto aya, goto the page before aya, goto sura and goto juz. If you type a number before using these commands, that number will be assumed to be the argument and Noor won’t ask the number in a dialog.

Note that many of Noor commands can be done in more than one way and have more than one key-binding. See the noorgtk keys and try its commands.

Adding Translations

You can edit the ~/.noor file:

[common]
translation = /path/to/translation/file

The translation file can be in two formats. It can be either a zip file in the same format as Zekr translation files which can be obtained from http://siahe.com/zekr/resources.html or it can be a utf-8 text file with translation of each aya in one line.

Changing Font

You can change the GTK or html fonts in ~/.noor file:

[gtk]
font = nazli 19
translation_font = irannastaliq size:14 fgcolor:#001100 fgcolor:#DDDDFF

[html]
font = nazli 6 fgcolor:554444
translation_font = homa 4 fgcolor:444455

A font has face, size, fgcolor and bgcolor attributes. These attributes can be set using attr:value format where attr is attribute name. The old format still works; that is myfont 16 is the same as myfont size:16 and also the same as face:myfont size:16.

I recommend KacstQurn font for Quran text and IranNastaliq for farsi translation.

Adding Sura Hooks

Sura hooks are specified in ~/.noor file and are run when a new sura is shown in noorgtk. The first argument of a hook is sura number. You can use noor’s sura hook to start playing quran recitation when noorgtk shows a sura. Hook can be specified like:

[gtk]
sura_hook = myprogram

See contrib/playsura hook as an example.

Noorgtk Keys

These keys can be used in the GTK interface. Note that C- stands for control key, M- for alt key, S- for shift key and C-M for control and alt key pressed together. For instance C-n means pressing n key while holding the control key.

Action	Keys
move down	down, j, C-n, n
move up	up, k, C-p, p
next page	page-down, space, C-v
previous page	page-up, S-space, M-v
sura start	home, C-a
sura end	end, C-e
next sura	C-M-n, C-j
choose sura	c
previous sura	C-M-p, C-k
append digit to number	digits; [0-9]
clear number	escape, C-g
goto n-th aya	a, return, M-g
goto the page before n-th aya	b, S-return, M-G
goto n-th sura	s, C-return, C-M-g, s
goto n-th juz start	J, C-M-return, C-M-G
about	r
quit	q

Note n here means the number typed so far. Actually by pressing digits you prefix commands. For instance pressing 2 followed by 1 and followed by C-M-return, you tell noor to go to the start of the 21st juz.

If no prefix is typed for prefixed commands, noor will ask it in a dialog.

Configuration File

You can specify configuration options in ~/.noor file. Here is the list of all options with a short description for some of them:

[common]
# the translation file
translation = /path/to/translation.file

# should noor use arabic aya numbers
arabic_numbers = 1

# some fonts do not handle superscript alef correctly; you can
# replace them with fatha
replace_superscript_alef_with_fatha = 1

[gtk]
# the font to use
font = my font name 18 bgcolor:pink
translation_font = my font name 14
fgcolor = black
bgcolor = white
# should noor ask which sura to show if no argument is given
ask_sura_at_start = 1
# if you want to run a program when a sura is shown
#sura_hook = myprogram

[html]
# the font to use
font = my font name 5
translation_font = my font name 4 fgcolor:444455
fgcolor = black
bgcolor = #DDDDFF

[cgi]
# the url noorcgi.py is mapped to in the server
url = noorcgi.py

Note that “html” section of config file is applied to both noorcgi and noorhtmls interfaces.