Doc/lib/libunicodedata.tex

\section{\module{unicodedata} ---
         Unicode Database}

\declaremodule{standard}{unicodedata}
\modulesynopsis{Access the Unicode Database.}
\moduleauthor{Marc-Andre Lemburg}{mal@lemburg.com}
\sectionauthor{Marc-Andre Lemburg}{mal@lemburg.com}


\index{Unicode}
\index{character}
\indexii{Unicode}{database}

This module provides access to the Unicode Character Database which
defines character properties for all Unicode characters. The data in
this database is based on the \file{UnicodeData.txt} file version
3.0.0 which is publically available from \url{ftp://ftp.unicode.org/}.

The module uses the same names and symbols as defined by the
UnicodeData File Format 3.0.0 (see
\url{http://www.unicode.org/Public/UNIDATA/UnicodeData.html}).  It
defines the following functions:

\begin{funcdesc}{lookup}{name}
  Look up character by name.  If a character with the
  given name is found, return the corresponding Unicode
  character.  If not found, \exception{KeyError} is raised.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{name}{unichr\optional{, default}}
  Returns the name assigned to the Unicode character
  \var{unichr} as a string. If no name is defined,
  \var{default} is returned, or, if not given,
  \exception{ValueError} is raised.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{decimal}{unichr\optional{, default}}
  Returns the decimal value assigned to the Unicode character
  \var{unichr} as integer. If no such value is defined,
  \var{default} is returned, or, if not given,
  \exception{ValueError} is raised.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{digit}{unichr\optional{, default}}
  Returns the digit value assigned to the Unicode character
  \var{unichr} as integer. If no such value is defined,
  \var{default} is returned, or, if not given,
  \exception{ValueError} is raised.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{numeric}{unichr\optional{, default}}
  Returns the numeric value assigned to the Unicode character
  \var{unichr} as float. If no such value is defined, \var{default} is
  returned, or, if not given, \exception{ValueError} is raised.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{category}{unichr}
  Returns the general category assigned to the Unicode character
  \var{unichr} as string.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{bidirectional}{unichr}
  Returns the bidirectional category assigned to the Unicode character
  \var{unichr} as string. If no such value is defined, an empty string
  is returned.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{combining}{unichr}
  Returns the canonical combining class assigned to the Unicode
  character \var{unichr} as integer. Returns \code{0} if no combining
  class is defined.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{mirrored}{unichr}
  Returns the mirrored property of assigned to the Unicode character
  \var{unichr} as integer. Returns \code{1} if the character has been
  identified as a ``mirrored'' character in bidirectional text,
  \code{0} otherwise.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{decomposition}{unichr}
  Returns the character decomposition mapping assigned to the Unicode
  character \var{unichr} as string. An empty string is returned in case
  no such mapping is defined.
\end{funcdesc}