Pillow Fails Rendering Urdu Text for Different Fonts

Question

I am trying to generate image for some Urdu text using Pillow. Using the same code to generate normal English works like a charm but when I do the same with Urdu text things just does not go as smooth.

Following is the code and result when done with English:

from PIL import Image, ImageFont, ImageDraw

from matplotlib import pyplot as plt
import numpy as np
from bidi.algorithm import get_display

text_string = u'Hello how are you doing?'

img = Image.new('RGB', (720, 480))
draw = ImageDraw.Draw(img)

draw.text((25,40), text_string, fill='white')

img.save('pil_text_font.png')

And the resultant image:

Following is the code and result when done with Urdu:

from PIL import Image, ImageFont, ImageDraw

from matplotlib import pyplot as plt
import numpy as np
from bidi.algorithm import get_display

text_string = u'نیدرلینڈز کی ملکہ پاکستان آ رہی ہیں'

img = Image.new('RGB', (720, 480))
draw = ImageDraw.Draw(img)
font = ImageFont.truetype('../UrduFontsDirectory' + data.iloc[14]['Path'], 25)

draw.text((25,40), text_string, fill='white', font=font)

img.save('pil_text_font.png')

And the resultant image:

Also I tried using Arabic Reshaper which resolved the alignment on rendering issue but yet some characters never get rendered:

from PIL import Image, ImageFont, ImageDraw

from matplotlib import pyplot as plt
import numpy as np
from bidi.algorithm import get_display
from arabic_reshaper import reshape

text_string = u'نیدرلینڈز کی ملکہ پاکستان آ رہی ہیں'
text_string = get_display(reshape(text_string))

img = Image.new('RGB', (720, 480))
draw = ImageDraw.Draw(img)
font = ImageFont.truetype('../UrduFontsDirectory' + data.iloc[14]['Path'], 25)

draw.text((25,40), text_string, fill='white', font=font)

img.save('pil_text_font.png')

And the resultant iamge:

Answer 1

On further R&D found out that this is still an issue specifically for Urdu and no solution has been worked out for it yet: As per described here.

However, I was able to find a work around for this using the good old .NET. For someone who might face similar problem may use following to generate Urdu text images (all of the fonts supported):

//Create the font using your font file    
var modernFont = new PrivateFontCollection();
modernFont.AddFontFile("NafeesNaskh.ttf");//Load font from the font file

var font= new Font(modernFont.Families[0], 12);//The second argument is the font size

//first, create a dummy bitmap just to get a graphics object
Image img = new Bitmap(1, 1);
Graphics drawing = Graphics.FromImage(img);

//free up the dummy image and old graphics object
img.Dispose();
drawing.Dispose();

//create a new image of the right size
img = new Bitmap(500, 40);

drawing = Graphics.FromImage(img);

//paint the background
drawing.Clear(Color.Black);

//create a brush for the text
Brush textBrush = new SolidBrush(Color.White);

drawing.DrawString("نیدرلینڈز کی ملکہ پاکستان آ رہی ہیں", font, textBrush, new Rectangle(0, 0, img.Width, img.Height), new StringFormat { Alignment = StringAlignment.Center, LineAlignment = StringAlignment.Center });
drawing.Save();

textBrush.Dispose();
drawing.Dispose();
string path = "./" + Id[i] + "_" + font.Name + ".jpg";
img.Save(path);

Also here is the resultant image:

Also it provides many more features like getting the image size for the text a given font and font size and also centering your content.

Image img = new Bitmap(1, 1);
Graphics drawing = Graphics.FromImage(img);
//Size of image for current text, font and font size
SizeF textSize = drawing.MeasureString("نیدرلینڈز کی ملکہ پاکستان آ رہی ہیں", font);
img.Dispose();
drawing.Dispose();

Also in the above example the center aligning code is as follows:

 drawing.DrawString("نیدرلینڈز کی ملکہ پاکستان آ رہی ہیں", font, textBrush, new Rectangle(0, 0, img.Width, img.Height), new StringFormat { Alignment = StringAlignment.Center, LineAlignment = StringAlignment.Center });

You can modify to have the text aligned to left, right, top or bottom as per your requirement.

Also for further details do refer to the documentation here.