# A two-column Arabic newspaper page

> An Arabic daily in locale 'ar': the first column is the right one, headlines span both, and the In brief strip sets three columns right to left.

- HTML version: https://postext.dev/en/cookbook/arabic-newspaper-two-columns
- Recipe Nº 108 · Page & grid · Level 2 (Intermediate) · Outputs: Canvas, PDF
- Genres: Newspapers & newsletters
- Requires postext ≥ 1.15.0, postext-pdf ≥ 1.15.0 · tested with 1.15.0, postext-pdf 1.15.0 on 2026-10-04
- Pages: [١](https://postext.dev/cookbook/arabic-newspaper-two-columns/en/p01.webp?v=4f1ac7e2), [٢](https://postext.dev/cookbook/arabic-newspaper-two-columns/en/p02.webp?v=4f1ac7e2)
- PDF: https://postext.dev/cookbook/arabic-newspaper-two-columns/en/arabic-newspaper-two-columns.pdf?v=4f1ac7e2
- Open in Sandbox: https://postext.dev/en/sandbox#recipe=arabic-newspaper-two-columns&lang=en (.postext: https://postext.dev/cookbook/arabic-newspaper-two-columns/en/arabic-newspaper-two-columns.postext)
- Last updated: 2026-10-04
- Other languages: [es](https://postext.dev/es/cookbook/arabic-newspaper-two-columns.md), [ca](https://postext.dev/ca/cookbook/arabic-newspaper-two-columns.md), [zh](https://postext.dev/zh/cookbook/arabic-newspaper-two-columns.md), [ar](https://postext.dev/ar/cookbook/arabic-newspaper-two-columns.md)

## In short

The front page and an inside page of an Arabic newspaper. The story starts in the right-hand column and carries on in the left one, the way Arabic readers read a page.

## What you'll build

Two pages of *الساحل*, an imaginary daily of an imaginary port city, on a 246 × 328 mm compact. The front page carries the paper's name in Aref Ruqaa at 84 pt, the lead story on the town's new tram under a headline across the page and a map drawn in code, and a strip of three briefs at the foot. Page 2 opens the local section under a blue flag, with four stories and the day's prayer times. Everything reads from the right: the first body column, the briefs, the table's columns, the ears of the nameplate. [The English front page](https://postext.dev/en/cookbook/newspaper-front-page.md) sets the same furniture left to right.

**This recipe answers:**

- Which column comes first on an Arabic page, and how do I set a two-column newspaper?

## The short answer

Two columns, the first one on the right.

```js
// script.js, lines 38–48
// locale 'ar' mirrors the page: the body's first column is the right one, the story runs down
// it and on at the top of the left one, and the column rule sits between them as before.
const layout = { layoutType: 'double', gutterWidth: mm(6),
  columnRule: { enabled: true, color: col('rule'), lineWidth: pt(0.5) } };
// A headline over both columns is a page-span box without a frame: the columns under it start
// level, right then left, and a box with placement="bottom" closes the page the same way.
const banner = { id: 'banner', backgroundEnabled: false, span: 'page',
  padding: { top: pt(0), right: pt(0), bottom: pt(0), left: pt(0) },
  titleStyle: { ...kufi(9, 700, 'sea'), gap: mm(1.2) }, // the kicker, from the fence's title
  marginTop: pt(0), marginBottom: pt(LEAD / 2),
  body: { fontFamily: TEXT, fontSize: pt(13), lineHeight: pt(21), textAlign: 'right' } };
```

## Ingredients

**Teaches**

- [One or two columns](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#layout-types): A single column or two equal columns with their gutter; two columns is the default, so a novel must ask for one.
- [Right-to-left text](https://postext.dev/en/docs/arabic-layout.md#direction-and-the-bidirectional-algorithm): direction sets the base direction of the document: 'auto' (the default) takes it from the script of locale, so 'ar', 'fa' or 'he' run right to left; the bidirectional algorithm (UAX #9) orders the Latin words and numbers inside each line, and the book binds on the right.

**Also uses**

- [Column rule](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#column-rule)
- [Boxes across the page](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#the-callout-container)
- [Columns inside a box](https://postext.dev/en/docs/document-format.md#columns)
- [Floated boxes](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#the-callout-container)
- [Designed openers](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#span-and-advanced-design)
- [Heading styles](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#heading-styles)
- [Heading attributes](https://postext.dev/en/docs/document-format.md#heading-attributes)
- [Text, rules and boxes in page designs](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#headers--footers)
- [Arabic fonts](https://postext.dev/en/docs/arabic-layout.md#fonts)
- [Arabic as the document language](https://postext.dev/en/docs/arabic-layout.md#starting-an-arabic-book)
- [Digits of the generated numbers](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#document-language)
- [Running heads and folios](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#headers--footers)
- [Semantic colour palette](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#color-palette)
- [Callout boxes](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#callout-styles)
- [Paragraph styles](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#paragraph-styles)
- [PDF export](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#generating-pdfs)
- [Paragraphs in the other direction](https://postext.dev/en/docs/arabic-layout.md#document-block-and-inline-direction)
- [Figures exactly here](https://postext.dev/en/docs/document-format.md#block-embed-optional-explicit-inline-placement)
- [Full-width chapter band](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#span-and-advanced-design)
- [Paper colour](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#page)
- [Fonts embedded in the PDF](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#why-a-font-provider)
- [Custom resource types](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#resource-types)
- [Figures and tables as resources](https://postext.dev/en/docs/document-format.md#resources)
- [Books bound on the right](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#binding)
- [Running heads per section](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#heading-styles)

**Config at a glance**

- [`bodyText`](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#body-text), [`calloutStyles`](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#callout-styles), [`captionStyle`](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#caption-style), [`colorPalette`](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#color-palette), [`footer`](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#headers--footers), [`header`](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#headers--footers), [`headingStyles`](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#heading-styles), [`headings`](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#headings), [`layout`](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#layout), [`locale`](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#hyphenation), [`page`](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#page), [`paragraphStyles`](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#paragraph-styles), [`resourceTypes`](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#resource-types), [`tableStyle`](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#table-style)

**APIs**

- [`buildDocument`](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#building-a-document), [`clearMeasurementCache`](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#measurement-cache), [`decompressWoff2`](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#browser-font-provider-fontsource--woff2), [`registerResourceImage`](https://postext.dev/en/docs/architecture.md#api-surface), [`renderPageToCanvas`](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#rendering-a-page-to-a-bitmap), [`renderToPdf`](https://postext.dev/en/docs/configuration.md#generating-pdfs)

**Typefaces**

- Aref Ruqaa (OFL-1.1), Noto Kufi Arabic (OFL-1.1), Noto Naskh Arabic (OFL-1.1)

## Method

### 1 · Two columns, the first on the right

The code is [the short answer](#the-short-answer) above. `layoutType: 'double'` and the column rule are the same settings as in an English paper; `locale: 'ar'` turns the page, so the story fills the right-hand column first and carries on at the head of the left one ([Page order and right binding](/en/docs/arabic-layout#page-order-and-right-binding)). A headline across both columns is a page-span box with no frame, and the columns under it start level. The In brief strip is a page-span box floated to the foot with `:::columns{count=3}` inside, and its columns run right to left too, as does the prayer-times table on page 2: a table set in the document's direction puts its first column on the right.

### 2 · A nameplate between two ears

```js
// script.js, lines 52–68
const ear = (id, side, lines) => lines.map(([key, content, look], i) => text(`${id}-${key}`,
  content, { ...look, align: side }, { ...(i === 0 ? at('container', `top-${side}`, 0, 4)
    : at(`#${id}-${lines[i - 1][0]}`, 'below', 0, 1)), size: { width: mm(48) } }));
const nameplate = { enabled: true, minHeight: mm(46), slot: { elements: [
  text('name', '{titleText}', { fontFamily: NAME, fontSize: pt(84), fontWeight: 700,
    lineHeight: 1.1, color: col('sea'), align: 'center' },
  { ...at('container', 'top', 0, -3), size: { width: 'fill' } }),
  // In the mirrored page, 'right' is the start of the line: issue and date there, price opposite.
  ...ear('start', 'right', [['k', '{attr.issue}', kufi(8, 700, 'sea')],
    ['d', '{publishDate}', kufi(9, 400)]]),
  ...ear('end', 'left', [['k', '{attr.city}', kufi(8, 700, 'sea')],
    ['p', '{attr.price}', kufi(9, 400)]]),
  { kind: 'rule', id: 'thick', thickness: pt(2.5), color: col('ink'),
    placement: { ...at('container', 'top-left', 0, 40), size: { width: 'fill' } } },
  { kind: 'rule', id: 'thin', thickness: pt(0.5), color: col('ink'),
    placement: { ...at('#thick', 'below', 0, 0.8), size: { width: 'fill' } } },
] } };
```

The front page's first-level heading is the paper's name, painted by a heading style. Its design is drawn in the mirrored page, so `top-right` is the start of the line: the issue and the date go there, the city and the price at the other end ([What left, right, start and end mean](/en/docs/arabic-layout#what-left-right-start-and-end-mean)). Ruqʿa is a display hand for a few words at a large size; it has no kashida and the body never uses it.

### 3 · Section flags and folio lines

```js
// script.js, lines 72–86
const flag = { enabled: true, minHeight: mm(13), slot: { elements: [
  { kind: 'rule', id: 'bar', thickness: pt(3), color: col('ink'),
    placement: { ...at('container', 'top-left', 0, 9), size: { width: 'fill' } } },
  text('flag', '{titleText}', { ...kufi(12, 700, 'paper'), align: 'right',
    box: { backgroundColor: col('sea'), padding: { top: mm(1), right: mm(3), bottom: mm(1.4),
      left: mm(3) } } }, at('#bar', 'above')),
] } };
// The folio line keeps its physical sides: the number at the outer corner of each page.
const folio = (parity, edge, x) => ({ kind: 'text', id: `n-${parity}`, parity,
  content: '{pageNumber}  ·  {title}  ·  {publishDate}', ...kufi(8, 600, 'muted'),
  align: edge, placement: at('page', `top-${edge}`, x, 7) });
const header = { elements: [folio('even', 'right', -SIDE), folio('odd', 'left', SIDE),
  { kind: 'rule', id: 'folio-rule', thickness: pt(0.5), color: col('rule'),
    placement: { ...at('page', 'top-left', SIDE, 11.5),
      size: { width: mm(TRIM.width - 2 * SIDE) } } }] };
```

An inside page opens with a first-level heading drawn as a flag on a heavy rule. The folio line is a header, so it keeps its physical sides: page 2, an even page, has its number at the right-hand corner, the outer one in a paper that opens from the right. The front page clears the header in its heading style.

### 4 · A map drawn in code

```js
// script.js, lines 250–280
function routeSvg() { // 222 × 44 mm, 1 unit = 1 mm
  const [W, H] = [222, 44];
  const coast = 'M0 36C30 33 52 40 80 35S128 24 152 28S196 37 222 31V44H0Z';
  // Eighteen stations along a line that leaves the port (east, on the right) for the university.
  const line = 'M210 22C186 17 170 13 150 16S112 25 92 20S56 9 34 12S14 19 10 17';
  const stops = Array.from({ length: 18 }, (_, i) => i / 17);
  const pointAt = (t) => { // the line as three cubic pieces, sampled per piece
    const seg = [[210, 22, 186, 17, 170, 13, 150, 16], [150, 16, 130, 19, 112, 25, 92, 20],
      [92, 20, 72, 15, 56, 9, 34, 12], [34, 12, 22, 14, 14, 19, 10, 17]];
    const k = Math.min(3, Math.floor(t * 4));
    const u = t * 4 - k;
    const [x0, y0, x1, y1, x2, y2, x3, y3] = seg[k];
    const b = (a, c, d, e) => (1 - u) ** 3 * a + 3 * (1 - u) ** 2 * u * c + 3 * (1 - u) * u * u * d
      + u ** 3 * e;
    return [b(x0, x1, x2, x3), b(y0, y1, y2, y3)];
  };
  const rings = stops.map((t, i) => {
    const [x, y] = pointAt(t);
    const big = i === 0 || i === 17 || i === 8;
    return `<circle cx="${x.toFixed(1)}" cy="${y.toFixed(1)}" r="${big ? 2.6 : 1.6}" `
      + `fill="${palette.paper}" stroke="${palette.ink}" stroke-width="${big ? 1 : 0.7}"/>`;
  }).join('');
  let grid = '';
  for (let x = 6; x < W; x += 12) grid += `M${x} 0V${H}`;
  for (let y = 6; y < H; y += 12) grid += `M0 ${y}H${W}`;
  return `<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="${W * 10}" height="${H * 10}" `
    + `viewBox="0 0 ${W} ${H}"><rect width="${W}" height="${H}" fill="${palette.sand}"/>`
    + `<path d="${grid}" stroke="${palette.paper}" stroke-width="0.6"/>`
    + `<path d="${coast}" fill="${palette.sea}" fill-opacity="0.25"/>`
    + `<path d="${line}" fill="none" stroke="${palette.sea}" stroke-width="2.4"/>${rings}</svg>`;
}
```

The tram map is an SVG of paths and circles in the palette's colours, with no text in it: a drawing's words would be set in a system face, so the place names stay in the caption. The picture type has no counter and no label, because newspapers do not number their pictures.

## The whole recipe

One file, composed from the recipe's folder with the sample text and the Cookbook's shared kit inlined; it builds its own page. To run it, put it in a `<script type="module">` on an empty page, or paste it into the JS panel of a new CodePen (as a module). It imports postext from esm.sh, so there is nothing to install or build.

- Source folder: https://github.com/drnachio/postext/tree/main/cookbook/arabic-newspaper-two-columns

### script.js

```js
// ═══ Postext Cookbook · Nº 108 · A two-column Arabic newspaper page ══════════════════
// https://postext.dev/en/cookbook/arabic-newspaper-two-columns
// Code: MIT · Text: original Arabic news copy (CC BY 4.0) · Map: drawn in code
// Fonts: Aref Ruqaa, Noto Kufi Arabic, Noto Naskh Arabic (SIL OFL 1.1) · Needs postext ≥ 1.15.0
import {
  buildDocument, renderPageToCanvas, clearMeasurementCache, registerResourceImage,
} from 'https://esm.sh/postext';
import { renderToPdf, decompressWoff2 } from 'https://esm.sh/postext-pdf';

const LANG = 'en'; // @lang: the language of the frame; the paper is Arabic in both editions
const RECIPE = 'arabic-newspaper-two-columns';

// ─── 1 · Design ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
// #region palette: newsprint, a cold ink and the sea blue of the paper's name
const palette = {
  ink: '#121416', // text and the heavy rules
  sea: '#0f5f7a', // the accent: the nameplate, section flags, kickers, the tram line
  sand: '#e9e2d2', // the In brief strip and the map's land
  rule: '#9b988f', // hairlines: the column rule, the folio line
  muted: '#5b5852', // bylines, captions' credits, the imprint
  paper: '#f8f5ee', // newsprint, and type reversed out of the flags
};
const col = (id) => ({ hex: palette[id], model: 'hex', paletteId: id });
const colorPalette = Object.entries({ ...palette, 'main-color': palette.ink })
  .map(([id, hex]) => ({ id, name: id, value: { hex, model: 'hex' } }));
// #endregion
const [NAME, HEAD, TEXT] = ['Aref Ruqaa', 'Noto Kufi Arabic', 'Noto Naskh Arabic'];
const TRIM = { width: 246, height: 328 }; // mm: a 3 : 4 compact
const SIDE = 12; // mm: newspaper margins, narrow and not mirrored
const LEAD = 16; // pt: the body leading, 1.5 × an 10.7 pt Naskh
const kufi = (size, weight, colour = 'ink') => ({ fontFamily: HEAD, fontSize: pt(size),
  fontWeight: weight, color: col(colour) });
const at = (to, edge, x = 0, y = 0) => ({ anchor: { to, edge }, offset: { x: mm(x), y: mm(y) } });
const text = (id, content, look, placement) => ({ kind: 'text', id, content, overflow: 'wrap',
  ...look, placement });

// #region answer: two columns, the first one on the right
// locale 'ar' mirrors the page: the body's first column is the right one, the story runs down
// it and on at the top of the left one, and the column rule sits between them as before.
const layout = { layoutType: 'double', gutterWidth: mm(6),
  columnRule: { enabled: true, color: col('rule'), lineWidth: pt(0.5) } };
// A headline over both columns is a page-span box without a frame: the columns under it start
// level, right then left, and a box with placement="bottom" closes the page the same way.
const banner = { id: 'banner', backgroundEnabled: false, span: 'page',
  padding: { top: pt(0), right: pt(0), bottom: pt(0), left: pt(0) },
  titleStyle: { ...kufi(9, 700, 'sea'), gap: mm(1.2) }, // the kicker, from the fence's title
  marginTop: pt(0), marginBottom: pt(LEAD / 2),
  body: { fontFamily: TEXT, fontSize: pt(13), lineHeight: pt(21), textAlign: 'right' } };
// #endregion

// #region nameplate: the paper's name in Ruqʿa between two ears
const ear = (id, side, lines) => lines.map(([key, content, look], i) => text(`${id}-${key}`,
  content, { ...look, align: side }, { ...(i === 0 ? at('container', `top-${side}`, 0, 4)
    : at(`#${id}-${lines[i - 1][0]}`, 'below', 0, 1)), size: { width: mm(48) } }));
const nameplate = { enabled: true, minHeight: mm(46), slot: { elements: [
  text('name', '{titleText}', { fontFamily: NAME, fontSize: pt(84), fontWeight: 700,
    lineHeight: 1.1, color: col('sea'), align: 'center' },
  { ...at('container', 'top', 0, -3), size: { width: 'fill' } }),
  // In the mirrored page, 'right' is the start of the line: issue and date there, price opposite.
  ...ear('start', 'right', [['k', '{attr.issue}', kufi(8, 700, 'sea')],
    ['d', '{publishDate}', kufi(9, 400)]]),
  ...ear('end', 'left', [['k', '{attr.city}', kufi(8, 700, 'sea')],
    ['p', '{attr.price}', kufi(9, 400)]]),
  { kind: 'rule', id: 'thick', thickness: pt(2.5), color: col('ink'),
    placement: { ...at('container', 'top-left', 0, 40), size: { width: 'fill' } } },
  { kind: 'rule', id: 'thin', thickness: pt(0.5), color: col('ink'),
    placement: { ...at('#thick', 'below', 0, 0.8), size: { width: 'fill' } } },
] } };
// #endregion

// #region inside: an inside page opens with a section flag; folio lines on the sheet
const flag = { enabled: true, minHeight: mm(13), slot: { elements: [
  { kind: 'rule', id: 'bar', thickness: pt(3), color: col('ink'),
    placement: { ...at('container', 'top-left', 0, 9), size: { width: 'fill' } } },
  text('flag', '{titleText}', { ...kufi(12, 700, 'paper'), align: 'right',
    box: { backgroundColor: col('sea'), padding: { top: mm(1), right: mm(3), bottom: mm(1.4),
      left: mm(3) } } }, at('#bar', 'above')),
] } };
// The folio line keeps its physical sides: the number at the outer corner of each page.
const folio = (parity, edge, x) => ({ kind: 'text', id: `n-${parity}`, parity,
  content: '{pageNumber}  ·  {title}  ·  {publishDate}', ...kufi(8, 600, 'muted'),
  align: edge, placement: at('page', `top-${edge}`, x, 7) });
const header = { elements: [folio('even', 'right', -SIDE), folio('odd', 'left', SIDE),
  { kind: 'rule', id: 'folio-rule', thickness: pt(0.5), color: col('rule'),
    placement: { ...at('page', 'top-left', SIDE, 11.5),
      size: { width: mm(TRIM.width - 2 * SIDE) } } }] };
// #endregion

const config = () => ({ // a factory: the engine caches resolved configs per object
  locale: 'ar', // written out, never LANG (gotcha: arabic-locale-tag): rtl, digits ٠–٩
  colorPalette, resourceTypes, layout,
  page: { width: mm(TRIM.width), height: mm(TRIM.height), dpi: 150,
    backgroundColor: col('paper'), margins: { top: mm(16), bottom: mm(14), left: mm(SIDE),
      right: mm(SIDE) } },
  bodyText: { fontFamily: TEXT, fontSize: pt(10.7), lineHeight: pt(LEAD), color: col('ink'),
    boldColor: col('ink'), italicColor: col('ink'), referenceColor: col('ink'),
    textAlign: 'justify', firstLineIndent: em(1), indentAfterHeading: false },
  headings: { fontFamily: HEAD, fontWeight: 800, color: col('ink'), marginBottom: pt(0),
    levels: [
      // Restated (gotcha: headings-drop-h1-break); 'any': a section opens the next page.
      { level: 1, span: 'page', breakBefore: { enabled: true, parity: 'any' },
        advancedDesign: flag },
      { level: 2, fontSize: pt(12.5), lineHeight: pt(20), marginTop: pt(LEAD / 2) },
      { level: 3, fontSize: pt(11), lineHeight: pt(LEAD), fontWeight: 700, marginTop: pt(LEAD) },
    ] },
  headingStyles: [
    { id: 'front', advancedDesign: nameplate, header: { elements: [] } }, // no folio line
    { id: 'lead', fontSize: pt(31), lineHeight: pt(48), fontWeight: 900, marginBottom: pt(4) },
    { id: 'wide', fontSize: pt(24), lineHeight: pt(38), marginBottom: pt(2) },
  ],
  calloutStyles: [banner,
    { ...banner, id: 'briefs', background: col('sand'), backgroundEnabled: true,
      padding: { top: mm(3), right: mm(4), bottom: mm(3.5), left: mm(4) }, columnGap: mm(6),
      marginTop: pt(LEAD), titleStyle: { ...kufi(10, 800, 'sea'), gap: mm(2) },
      body: { fontFamily: TEXT, fontSize: pt(9.5), lineHeight: pt(14), textAlign: 'right',
        firstLineIndent: pt(0) } }],
  paragraphStyles: [
    { id: 'byline', ...kufi(8, 400, 'muted'), firstLineIndent: pt(0), textAlign: 'right' },
    { id: 'flush', firstLineIndent: pt(0) },
    { id: 'imprint', fontFamily: TEXT, fontSize: pt(8), lineHeight: pt(12), color: col('muted'),
      firstLineIndent: pt(0), textAlign: 'right', marginTop: pt(LEAD) },
    { id: 'imprint-latin', fontFamily: TEXT, fontSize: pt(7.5), lineHeight: pt(10),
      color: col('muted'), firstLineIndent: pt(0), textAlign: 'left' },
  ],
  tableStyle: { rules: 'horizontal', borderColor: col('rule'), borderWidth: pt(0.5),
    headerBackground: col('sea'), headerColor: col('paper'), headerFontFamily: HEAD,
    headerFontSize: pt(9), bodyFontFamily: HEAD, bodyFontSize: pt(11), bodyColor: col('ink'),
    cellPadding: mm(1.4) },
  captionStyle: { fontFamily: TEXT, fontSize: pt(9), color: col('ink'), gap: mm(1.5),
    note: { fontSize: pt(7.5), color: col('muted') } },
  header, footer: { elements: [] },
});

// ─── 2 · Content ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
const markdown = String.raw`---
title: "الساحل"
publishDate: "الخميس ١ أكتوبر ٢٠٢٦"
---

# الساحل {style="front" issue="السنة ٤٢ · العدد ١٤٨٠٩" city="رأس المرجان" price="الثمن: ٣ دراهم"}

:::callout{type="banner" title="النقل"}
## الترام يعود إلى رأس المرجان بعد ستين عامًا {style="lead"}

**ركب أكثر من ٤١ ألف شخص الخط الأول في يومه الأول، والبلدية تَعِد بخط ثانٍ قبل نهاية ٢٠٢٨**

::resource{id="route"}
:::

:::callout{type="briefs" span="page" placement="bottom" title="باختصار"}
:::columns{count=3 breaks="2,3"}
**المكتبة تفتح مساءً.** تمدّد مكتبة البلدية ساعات عملها حتى العاشرة ليلًا من الأحد إلى الخميس، ابتداءً من الأسبوع المقبل، تلبيةً لطلب طلاب الثانوية في موسم الامتحانات.

**موسم السردين.** أعلنت نقابة الصيادين أن موسم السردين سيبدأ في ١٥ أكتوبر، أي قبل موعده المعتاد بأسبوع، بعد أن رصدت القوارب أسرابًا كبيرة قرب الرصيف الشمالي.

**إغلاق شارع البحر.** يُغلق شارع البحر أمام السيارات صباح الجمعة من السابعة حتى الحادية عشرة، لإقامة سباق المدينة السنوي الذي يشارك فيه هذا العام ٢٣٠٠ عدّاء.
:::
:::

:::paragraphs{style="byline"}
كتبت: **سلمى بن عيسى**
:::

:::paragraphs{style="flush"}
عاد الترام إلى شوارع رأس المرجان صباح أمس، بعد ستين عامًا على توقّف آخر عربة كانت تصل الميناء بسوق الخضر. وانطلقت العربة الأولى من محطة الميناء في السادسة تمامًا، وعلى متنها سائقة شابة وعشرات من الركاب الذين انتظروا على الرصيف منذ الفجر.
:::

ويمتد الخط الأول ١٤ كيلومترًا، من الميناء في شرق المدينة إلى الجامعة في غربها، ويمرّ بثماني عشرة محطة، منها محطة ساحة الشهداء في وسط المدينة. وتقطع العربة المسافة كلها في ٣٨ دقيقة، أي في نصف الوقت الذي تستغرقه الحافلة في ساعات الذروة.

وقال رئيس البلدية، كمال الحدّاد، في حفل الافتتاح إن المشروع كلّف ٢٫٣ مليار درهم، وإن البلدية ستنشر حسابات المشروع كاملة قبل نهاية السنة. وأضاف: «وعدنا الناس بأن يكون الترام جاهزًا في الخريف، وها هو الخريف».

### أرقام اليوم الأول

بلغ عدد الركاب في اليوم الأول ٤١٢٠٠ راكب، وهو أكثر من ضعف ما قدّرته الشركة المشغّلة. وكانت العربات تمر كل ست دقائق، ثم كل أربع دقائق بعد الظهر حين ازدحمت محطة الجامعة بالطلاب. ولم يُسجَّل أي عطل، باستثناء توقّف قصير عند محطة السوق بسبب سيارة متوقفة على السكة.

وسعر التذكرة الواحدة ٧ دراهم، والاشتراك الشهري ١٢٠ درهمًا، ونصف ذلك للطلاب والمتقاعدين.

### الخط الثاني

لم ينتظر سكان الأحياء الجنوبية طويلًا قبل أن يسألوا عن نصيبهم. فقد تجمّع نحو مئتي شخص أمام مقر البلدية بعد الظهر، يحملون لافتات تطالب بمدّ الخط إلى حيّ النخيل. وردّ رئيس البلدية بأن الخط الثاني، الذي يصل المحطة المركزية بالأحياء الجنوبية، في مرحلة الدراسة، وأن الأشغال قد تبدأ في ربيع ٢٠٢٧.

# محليات

:::callout{type="banner" title="البحر"}
## الصيادون يعيدون بناء الرصيف القديم بأيديهم {style="wide"}
:::

:::paragraphs{style="byline"}
كتب: **يوسف العمراني**
:::

:::paragraphs{style="flush"}
لم ينتظر صيادو الحي القديم وصول ميزانية البلدية. فمنذ ثلاثة أسابيع، يجتمع كل صباح نحو أربعين منهم عند الرصيف الحجري الذي هدمت العاصفة نصفه في الشتاء الماضي، ويعيدون رصّ الحجارة واحدًا واحدًا، بعد أن يعودوا من البحر.
:::

ويعود الرصيف إلى أوائل القرن الماضي، وكان حتى العاصفة يستقبل نحو ستين قاربًا صغيرًا. ومنذ أن انهار جزؤه الخارجي، صار الصيادون يربطون قواربهم في الميناء التجاري، على بعد ثلاثة كيلومترات، ويدفعون رسومًا يومية لم تكن في حسابهم.

وقال عبد الله الشاوي، أكبر الصيادين سنًّا، وقد تجاوز السبعين: «تعلّمت رصّ الحجر من أبي، وهو تعلّمه من أبيه. الحجارة نفسها ما زالت في الماء، تحتاج فقط إلى من يرفعها». وتتكفّل نقابة الصيادين بالإسمنت والآلات، بينما يتبرع أصحاب الشاحنات بنقل الحجارة الكبيرة من المقلع.

وقد زار مهندس من البلدية الورشة الأسبوع الماضي، وأبدى ملاحظات على عمق الأساس عند الطرف الخارجي. ووعد بأن تموّل البلدية الجزء الذي يحتاج إلى غطّاسين وآلات ثقيلة، على أن يُنجز العمل كله قبل موسم السردين.

### المدرسة البحرية تستقبل طلابها

وعلى بعد خطوات من الرصيف، فتحت المدرسة البحرية أبوابها هذا الأسبوع لأول دفعة من طلابها، وعددهم ٣٦ طالبًا وطالبة، يتعلّمون الملاحة وصيانة المحركات وسلامة القوارب. والمدرسة في مبنى الجمارك القديم، الذي رمّمته البلدية خلال السنتين الماضيتين، واحتفظت بنوافذه الخشبية المطلة على البحر.

وقالت مديرة المدرسة، نجاة القاسمي، إن الإقبال فاق ما توقعته، وإن قائمة الانتظار للسنة المقبلة تضم أكثر من مئة اسم. وأضافت أن ثلث الطلاب من أبناء الصيادين، وأن المدرسة ستأخذهم في رحلات تدريبية مع قوارب الحي القديم، «حتى يتعلّموا من البحر ما لا تعلّمه الكتب».

## سوق الكتب القديمة ينتقل إلى ساحة الجمارك

:::paragraphs{style="byline"}
كتبت: **ليلى المنصوري**
:::

:::paragraphs{style="flush"}
بعد ثلاثين سنة على أرصفة شارع الاستقلال، ينتقل باعة الكتب القديمة يوم السبت المقبل إلى ساحة الجمارك، قرب المدرسة البحرية. وقد خصّصت البلدية للسوق ٤٤ كشكًا خشبيًا بسقوف من القماش، تُؤجَّر بخمسين درهمًا في الشهر.
:::

ولم يكن الانتقال محلّ إجماع. فبعض الباعة يخشون أن يفقدوا زبائنهم من طلاب الثانوية الذين كانوا يمرّون بهم في طريقهم إلى المدرسة، ويقولون إن الساحة بعيدة عن الحافلات. غير أن محطة الترام الجديدة على بعد مئتي متر من الساحة طمأنت أكثرهم.

ويقول إدريس البقالي، الذي يبيع الكتب منذ ١٩٨٤، إنه جمع في بيته أكثر من عشرين ألف كتاب لم يجد لها مكانًا على الرصيف: «لأول مرة سيكون عندي سقف ورفوف. سأعرض الكتب التي خبّأتها سنوات، ومنها طبعات قديمة من بولاق لا يعرف قيمتها إلا القليل».

::resource{id="prayer"}

وتنوي جمعية أصدقاء المكتبة تنظيم قراءة شعرية في الساحة كل سبت مساءً، ابتداءً من الأسبوع الثاني، وتدعو الكتّاب الشباب إلى التسجيل لدى أمانة الجمعية.

## حديقة الكورنيش تسهر حتى منتصف الليل

:::paragraphs{style="byline"}
كتب: **مراد السوسي**
:::

:::paragraphs{style="flush"}
تبقى حديقة الكورنيش مفتوحة حتى منتصف الليل طوال شهر أكتوبر، بعد أن ركّبت البلدية ١٢٠ مصباحًا جديدًا على ممرّاتها وعلى الدرج المؤدي إلى الشاطئ. وكانت الحديقة تُغلق أبوابها مع غروب الشمس منذ أن تعطّلت الإنارة القديمة قبل ثلاث سنوات.
:::

وتقول جمعية سكان الواجهة البحرية إن العائلات كانت تطالب بذلك منذ مدة، لأن حرارة النهار في أوائل الخريف تمنع الأطفال من اللعب قبل المساء. وستُقام في الحديقة كل جمعة أمسية موسيقية يحييها طلاب المعهد البلدي، وتُعرض أفلام قصيرة على جدار المسرح القديم مساء كل ثلاثاء.

وإذا نجحت التجربة، تنوي البلدية أن تجعل الفتح الليلي دائمًا من مايو إلى أكتوبر، على أن تراجع في نهاية الشهر تقارير الحراسة والنظافة، وعدد الزوار الذي ستحصيه بوابات الدخول الجديدة.

:::paragraphs{style="imprint"}
الساحل صحيفة متخيَّلة، ورأس المرجان مدينة متخيَّلة. النص مرخّص برخصة المشاع الإبداعي CC BY 4.0.
:::

:::paragraphs{style="imprint-latin" dir=ltr}
An imaginary daily, written in Arabic for the Postext Cookbook. Set in Aref Ruqaa, Noto Kufi Arabic and Noto Naskh Arabic (SIL OFL).
:::
`; // content.<lang>.md: the same Arabic paper in both

// #region art: the tram route on a stretch of coast, stations as rings
function routeSvg() { // 222 × 44 mm, 1 unit = 1 mm
  const [W, H] = [222, 44];
  const coast = 'M0 36C30 33 52 40 80 35S128 24 152 28S196 37 222 31V44H0Z';
  // Eighteen stations along a line that leaves the port (east, on the right) for the university.
  const line = 'M210 22C186 17 170 13 150 16S112 25 92 20S56 9 34 12S14 19 10 17';
  const stops = Array.from({ length: 18 }, (_, i) => i / 17);
  const pointAt = (t) => { // the line as three cubic pieces, sampled per piece
    const seg = [[210, 22, 186, 17, 170, 13, 150, 16], [150, 16, 130, 19, 112, 25, 92, 20],
      [92, 20, 72, 15, 56, 9, 34, 12], [34, 12, 22, 14, 14, 19, 10, 17]];
    const k = Math.min(3, Math.floor(t * 4));
    const u = t * 4 - k;
    const [x0, y0, x1, y1, x2, y2, x3, y3] = seg[k];
    const b = (a, c, d, e) => (1 - u) ** 3 * a + 3 * (1 - u) ** 2 * u * c + 3 * (1 - u) * u * u * d
      + u ** 3 * e;
    return [b(x0, x1, x2, x3), b(y0, y1, y2, y3)];
  };
  const rings = stops.map((t, i) => {
    const [x, y] = pointAt(t);
    const big = i === 0 || i === 17 || i === 8;
    return `<circle cx="${x.toFixed(1)}" cy="${y.toFixed(1)}" r="${big ? 2.6 : 1.6}" `
      + `fill="${palette.paper}" stroke="${palette.ink}" stroke-width="${big ? 1 : 0.7}"/>`;
  }).join('');
  let grid = '';
  for (let x = 6; x < W; x += 12) grid += `M${x} 0V${H}`;
  for (let y = 6; y < H; y += 12) grid += `M0 ${y}H${W}`;
  return `<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="${W * 10}" height="${H * 10}" `
    + `viewBox="0 0 ${W} ${H}"><rect width="${W}" height="${H}" fill="${palette.sand}"/>`
    + `<path d="${grid}" stroke="${palette.paper}" stroke-width="0.6"/>`
    + `<path d="${coast}" fill="${palette.sea}" fill-opacity="0.25"/>`
    + `<path d="${line}" fill="none" stroke="${palette.sea}" stroke-width="2.4"/>${rings}</svg>`;
}
// #endregion
// Newspapers do not number their pictures: a type with no caption label and no counter.
const unnumbered = (id, name, captionStyle) => ({ id, name, shortLabel: name, captionPrefix: '',
  numberingTemplate: '', resetOn: 'never', counterFormat: 'decimal', captionStyle });
const resourceTypes = [unnumbered('picture', 'صورة'),
  unnumbered('panel', 'جدول', { position: 'above', fontSize: pt(10) })]; // tables titled above
// The prayer times, a table set right to left like the page: its first column is on the right.
const cell = (content, extra = {}) => ({ content, ...extra });
const PRAYERS = [['الفجر', '٥:٤١'], ['الشروق', '٧:٠٦'], ['الظهر', '١٢:٥٢'], ['العصر', '٤:١٧'],
  ['المغرب', '٦:٣٨'], ['العشاء', '٧:٥٤']];
const prayerTable = { headerRowCount: 1, rows: [
  PRAYERS.map(([name]) => cell(name, { isHeader: true, align: 'center' })),
  PRAYERS.map(([, time]) => cell(time, { align: 'center' }))] };
const resources = [{ id: 'prayer', typeId: 'panel', kind: 'table', createdAt: 0, updatedAt: 0,
  table: { model: prayerTable }, placement: { position: 'bottom', span: 'page' },
  caption: '**مواقيت الصلاة** في رأس المرجان، الخميس ١ أكتوبر' },
{ id: 'route', typeId: 'picture', kind: 'svg', createdAt: 0, updatedAt: 0,
  svg: { fileId: 'route.svg', width: 2220, height: 440 }, placement: { position: 'here' },
  caption: '**مسار الخط الأول:** ثماني عشرة محطة بين الميناء شرقًا والجامعة غربًا.',
  note: 'رسم: الساحل',
  altText: t({ en: 'Map: a blue tram line along a stretch of coast, from the port on the right '
    + 'to the university on the left, with eighteen stations marked as rings.',
  es: 'Mapa: una línea de tranvía azul a lo largo de la costa, del puerto a la derecha a la '
    + 'universidad a la izquierda, con dieciocho estaciones marcadas con anillos.' }) }];

// ─── 3 · Fonts ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
const FONTS = { // every face the pages use, loaded before the build (gotcha: fonts-first)
  'Aref Ruqaa': ['700'], // NAME: the nameplate
  'Noto Kufi Arabic': ['400', '600', '700', '800', '900'], // HEAD: headlines, flags, labels
  'Noto Naskh Arabic': ['400', '700'], // TEXT: the stories, captions; bold emphasis
};

// ─── 4 · Build & show ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
await loadFonts(FONTS, markdown);
// Each Arabic face's letters live in a file of their own (gotcha: arabic-fonts-subset).
await loadArabicFonts(FONTS, markdown + JSON.stringify(resources));
await loadSvg('route.svg', routeSvg());
const doc = await buildWithFonts(() => buildDocument({ markdown, resources }, config()), markdown);
showBook(doc, { title: t({ en: 'A two-column Arabic newspaper page',
  es: 'Una página de periódico árabe a dos columnas' }) });
offerPdf(() => renderToPdf(doc, { fontProvider: arabicPdfProvider, resourceBytes: imageBytes }),
  `${RECIPE}.pdf`);

// ─── Kit ── helpers shared by every Cookbook recipe · postext.dev/cookbook ─────

// ─── Kit · core v1 ── the same in every recipe · postext.dev/cookbook ─────────
function mm(value) { return { value, unit: 'mm' }; }
function pt(value) { return { value, unit: 'pt' }; }
function em(value) { return { value, unit: 'em' }; }
/** The sample language's string: t({ en: 'Figure', es: 'Figura' }). */
function t(strings) { return strings[LANG] ?? Object.values(strings)[0]; }
/** A file in this recipe's assets folder, served from the Postext repo by jsDelivr. */
function asset(file) { return `https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/drnachio/postext@main/cookbook/${RECIPE}/assets/${file}`; }

// ─── Kit · fonts v1 ── the same in every recipe · postext.dev/cookbook ────────
// Postext measures text with the faces the browser has loaded, and caches the
// widths, so every face must be ready before the first build. Faces come from
// Fontsource: the same static files the PDF embeds, so screen and PDF agree.

/** faces = { 'Family Name': ['400', '400i', '700'] }. `text` is the sample:
 *  letters beyond Latin-1 (č, ł, ő…) also load the latin-ext files. With
 *  `optional`, a face Fontsource does not ship is skipped instead of failing.
 *  Resolves to the number of faces added. */
async function loadFonts(faces, text = '', { optional = false } = {}) {
  kitStatus('Loading fonts…');
  const ranges = {
    latin: 'U+0000-00FF,U+0131,U+0152-0153,U+02BB-02BC,U+02C6,U+02DA,U+02DC,U+0304,U+0308,U+0329,'
      + 'U+2000-206F,U+20AC,U+2122,U+2191,U+2193,U+2212,U+2215,U+FEFF,U+FFFD',
    'latin-ext': 'U+0100-02BA,U+02BD-02C5,U+02C7-02CC,U+02CE-02D7,U+02DD-02FF,U+0304,U+0308,U+0329,'
      + 'U+1D00-1DBF,U+1E00-1E9F,U+1EF2-1EFF,U+2020,U+20A0-20AB,U+20AD-20C0,U+2113,U+2C60-2C7F,U+A720-A7FF',
  };
  const subsets = /[Ā-˿Ḁ-ỿ]/.test(text) ? ['latin', 'latin-ext'] : ['latin'];
  const jobs = [];
  let added = 0;
  for (const [family, specs] of Object.entries(faces)) {
    const id = fontsourceId(family);
    const meta = optional ? await fontsourceMeta(family) : null;
    for (const spec of new Set(specs)) {
      const weight = parseInt(spec, 10);
      const style = spec.endsWith('i') ? 'italic' : 'normal';
      if (hasFace(family, weight, style)) continue;
      if (optional && !(meta?.weights.includes(weight) && meta.styles.includes(style))) continue;
      for (const subset of subsets) {
        const url = `https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@fontsource/${id}@5/files/${id}-${subset}-${weight}-${style}.woff2`;
        const face = new FontFace(family, `url(${url}) format('woff2')`,
          { weight: String(weight), style, unicodeRange: ranges[subset] });
        jobs.push(face.load().then((ready) => { document.fonts.add(ready); added++; }, () => {
          if (subset === 'latin' && !optional) throw new Error(`Fontsource has no ${family} ${weight} ${style}`);
        }));
      }
    }
  }
  await Promise.all(jobs).catch((error) => { kitFail(error); throw error; });
  return added;
}

/** Runs `build` (a buildDocument or buildBundle call) and checks the faces
 *  the pages use. A regular face missing from FONTS is loaded with a warning;
 *  bold and italic variants are loaded when the family ships them. Then the
 *  measurement caches are cleared and the build runs again. */
async function buildWithFonts(build, text = '') {
  const tried = new Set();
  for (let round = 0; round < 3; round++) {
    kitStatus('Laying out…');
    await new Promise(requestAnimationFrame);          // let the status paint first
    const result = await Promise.resolve().then(build).catch((error) => { kitFail(error); throw error; });
    const wanted = { base: {}, variants: {} };
    for (const { font, base } of [result].flat().flatMap(fontStringsOf)) {
      const { family, weight, style } = parseFont(font);
      const key = `${family}|${weight}|${style}`;
      if (tried.has(key) || hasFace(family, weight, style)) continue;
      tried.add(key);
      (wanted[base ? 'base' : 'variants'][family] ??= []).push(`${weight}${style === 'italic' ? 'i' : ''}`);
    }
    if (Object.keys(wanted.base).length) {
      console.warn(`[cookbook] FONTS does not list ${JSON.stringify(wanted.base)}: loading them.`);
    }
    const added = await loadFonts(wanted.base, text) + await loadFonts(wanted.variants, text, { optional: true });
    if (added === 0) return result;
    clearMeasurementCache();
  }
  throw new Error('The fonts did not settle after three builds.');
}

/** Every font string of the layout. `base` marks a block's own face; its
 *  bold, italic and bold-italic variants are listed whether or not used. */
function fontStringsOf(doc) {
  const found = new Map();
  const walk = (node) => {
    if (!node || typeof node !== 'object') return;
    if (Array.isArray(node)) { node.forEach(walk); return; }
    for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(node)) {
      if (typeof value === 'string' && /fontString$/i.test(key)) {
        found.set(value, found.get(value) || key === 'fontString');
      } else if (value && typeof value === 'object') walk(value);
    }
  };
  walk(doc.pages);
  walk(doc.blocks);
  return [...found].map(([font, base]) => ({ font, base }));
}

/** '700 37.5px Open Sans' / 'italic 400 13px "Source Serif 4"' → { family, weight, style }.
 *  A string with no weight ('95.8px Young Serif', from a design text) is 400. */
function parseFont(font) {
  const m = /^(?:(italic|oblique)\s+)?(?:small-caps\s+)?(?:(\d+|bold|normal)\s+)?[\d.]+px\s+(.+)$/.exec(font.trim());
  if (!m) throw new Error(`Unexpected font string: ${font}`);
  const weight = m[2] === 'bold' ? 700 : !m[2] || m[2] === 'normal' ? 400 : Number(m[2]);
  return { family: m[3].replace(/^["']|["']$/g, ''), weight, style: m[1] ? 'italic' : 'normal' };
}

/** True when a loaded FontFace covers exactly this family, weight and style
 *  (document.fonts.check() is also true for families nobody declared). */
function hasFace(family, weight, style) {
  for (const face of document.fonts) {
    if (face.status !== 'loaded' || face.style !== style) continue;
    if (face.family.replace(/^["']|["']$/g, '') !== family) continue;
    const [low, high = low] = face.weight.split(' ').map(Number);
    if (weight >= low && weight <= high) return true;
  }
  return false;
}

/** Fontsource's id for a family: 'Source Serif 4' → 'source-serif-4'. */
function fontsourceId(family) { return family.toLowerCase().replace(/\s+/g, '-'); }

/** The weights and styles a family ships ({ weights: [400, 700], styles: ['normal', 'italic'] }), or null. */
function fontsourceMeta(family) {
  fontsourceMeta.cache ??= new Map();
  const id = fontsourceId(family);
  if (!fontsourceMeta.cache.has(id)) {
    fontsourceMeta.cache.set(id, fetch(`https://api.fontsource.org/v1/fonts/${id}`)
      .then((res) => (res.ok ? res.json() : null), () => null));
  }
  return fontsourceMeta.cache.get(id);
}

// ─── Kit · viewer v1 ── the same in every recipe · postext.dev/cookbook ───────
/** Shows the pages as facing spreads on a dark desk: the first page is a
 *  recto on its own, then verso | recto pairs, as in a bound book. Pages
 *  are painted when they scroll near the screen. */
function showPages(docs, { title, width = 460 } = {}) {
  const root = viewer(title);
  const pages = [docs].flat().flatMap((doc) =>
    doc.pages.map((page) => ({ doc, page, n: (doc.pageIndexOffset ?? 0) + page.index })));
  const spreads = [];
  let verso = null;
  for (const p of pages) {
    if (p.n % 2 === 1) { if (verso) spreads.push([verso, null]); verso = p; }
    else { spreads.push([verso, p]); verso = null; }
  }
  if (verso) spreads.push([verso, null]);
  const density = Math.min(window.devicePixelRatio || 1, 2);
  showPages.painter?.disconnect();
  const painter = new IntersectionObserver((entries) => {
    for (const { isIntersecting, target } of entries) {
      if (!isIntersecting) continue;
      painter.unobserve(target);
      const { doc, page } = target.postext;
      renderPageToCanvas(page, doc, target, { scale: (width * density) / page.width });
    }
  }, { rootMargin: '800px' });
  showPages.painter = painter;
  root.replaceChildren(...spreads.map((pair) => {
    const spread = document.createElement('div');
    spread.className = 'pt-spread';
    for (const p of pair) {
      const figure = document.createElement('figure');
      if (p) {
        const label = p.page.pageLabel || String(p.n + 1);
        const canvas = document.createElement('canvas');
        canvas.postext = p;
        canvas.style.aspectRatio = `${p.page.width} / ${p.page.height}`;
        canvas.setAttribute('role', 'img');
        canvas.setAttribute('aria-label', `Page ${label}`);
        const folio = document.createElement('figcaption');
        folio.textContent = label;
        figure.append(canvas, folio);
        painter.observe(canvas);
      } else figure.className = 'pt-blank';
      spread.append(figure);
    }
    return spread;
  }));
  kitStatus(`${pages.length} ${pages.length === 1 ? 'page' : 'pages'}`);
  document.documentElement.dataset.postext = 'ready';
  return pages.length;
}

/** The desk, the bar and the error reporting, created once. */
function viewer(title) {
  if (!document.getElementById('pt-kit')) {
    document.head.insertAdjacentHTML('beforeend', `<style id="pt-kit">
      :root { color-scheme: dark; }
      body { margin: 0; background: #0e1014; color: #b9bcc4; font: 13px/1.45 system-ui, sans-serif; }
      #pt-bar { position: sticky; top: 0; z-index: 1; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; align-items: center;
        gap: 6px 16px; padding: 10px 16px; background: rgb(14 16 20 / .92); backdrop-filter: blur(6px);
        border-bottom: 1px solid #23262d; }
      #pt-bar strong { color: #f4f1ea; font-weight: 600; }
      #pt-actions { display: flex; gap: 12px; margin-left: auto; }
      #pt-actions a, #pt-actions button { color: #d8a21a; font: inherit; background: none; border: 0; padding: 0; cursor: pointer; }
      #pages { display: grid; justify-items: center; gap: 48px; padding: 32px 16px 72px; }
      .pt-spread { display: flex; }
      .pt-spread figure { margin: 0; width: min(460px, 44vw); }
      .pt-spread canvas { display: block; width: 100%; background: #fff;
        box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgb(0 0 0 / .5), 0 22px 44px -16px rgb(0 0 0 / .8); }
      .pt-spread figure:first-child canvas { box-shadow: inset -14px 0 14px -14px rgb(0 0 0 / .18), 0 1px 2px rgb(0 0 0 / .5), 0 22px 44px -16px rgb(0 0 0 / .8); }
      .pt-spread figcaption { margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; font: 600 10px/1 system-ui, sans-serif;
        letter-spacing: .18em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #6c7079; }
      .pt-blank { visibility: hidden; }
      @media (max-width: 760px) {
        .pt-spread { flex-direction: column; gap: 32px; }
        .pt-spread figure { width: min(460px, 92vw); }
        .pt-blank { display: none; }
      }
    </style>`);
    document.body.insertAdjacentHTML('afterbegin',
      '<header id="pt-bar"><strong id="pt-title"></strong><span id="pt-status" role="status"></span><span id="pt-actions"></span></header>');
    document.getElementById('pt-title').textContent = document.title || 'Postext';
    addEventListener('error', (event) => kitFail(event.error ?? event.message));
    addEventListener('unhandledrejection', (event) => kitFail(event.reason));
  }
  if (title) document.getElementById('pt-title').textContent = title;
  return document.getElementById('pages')
    ?? document.body.appendChild(Object.assign(document.createElement('main'), { id: 'pages' }));
}

function kitStatus(text) {
  viewer();
  document.getElementById('pt-status').textContent = text;
}

function kitFail(error) {
  document.documentElement.dataset.postext = 'error';
  kitStatus(`Error: ${error?.message ?? error}`);
}

// ─── Kit · pdf v1 ── the same in every recipe that exports a PDF ──────────────
/** postext-pdf embeds TrueType bytes. Fetch the Fontsource file the screen
 *  used, snapping to a weight the family ships and falling back to upright
 *  when it has no italic: the PDF asks for every face a block could use. */
async function fontsourceProvider(family, weight, style) {
  const id = fontsourceId(family);
  const meta = await fontsourceMeta(family);
  const weights = meta?.weights?.length ? meta.weights : [400, 700];
  const w = weights.reduce((a, b) => (Math.abs(b - weight) < Math.abs(a - weight) ? b : a));
  const s = style === 'italic' && meta && !meta.styles.includes('italic') ? 'normal' : style;
  const res = await fetch(`https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@fontsource/${id}@5/files/${id}-latin-${w}-${s}.woff2`);
  if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`Fontsource has no ${family} ${w} ${s} (${res.status})`);
  return decompressWoff2(new Uint8Array(await res.arrayBuffer()));
}

/** A "Build the PDF" button in the bar. Once built: "Open the PDF" (a new
 *  tab, since CodePen's preview frame cannot show PDFs) and a download link. */
function offerPdf(makePdf, filename) {
  viewer();
  const button = Object.assign(document.createElement('button'), { type: 'button', textContent: 'Build the PDF' });
  button.dataset.postextPdf = filename;
  button.addEventListener('click', async () => {
    button.disabled = true;
    button.textContent = 'Building the PDF…';
    try {
      const bytes = await makePdf();
      const url = URL.createObjectURL(new Blob([bytes], { type: 'application/pdf' }));
      const size = `${Math.max(1, Math.round(bytes.length / 1024))} KB`;
      button.replaceWith(
        Object.assign(document.createElement('a'), { href: url, target: '_blank', rel: 'noopener', textContent: 'Open the PDF ↗' }),
        Object.assign(document.createElement('a'), { href: url, download: filename, textContent: `Download ${filename} · ${size}` }));
    } catch (error) {
      button.disabled = false;
      button.textContent = 'Build the PDF';
      kitFail(error);
    }
  });
  document.getElementById('pt-actions').append(button);
}

// ─── Kit · images v1 ── recipes with pictures · postext.dev/cookbook ──────────
/** Registers a photo or PNG for the canvas and keeps its bytes for the PDF.
 *  fetch → ImageBitmap never taints the canvas (a plain cross-origin <img> would). */
async function loadImage(fileId, url) {
  const res = await fetch(url);
  if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`Image not found (${res.status}): ${url}`);
  const bytes = new Uint8Array(await res.arrayBuffer());
  registerResourceImage(fileId, await createImageBitmap(new Blob([bytes])));
  (loadImage.bytes ??= new Map()).set(fileId, bytes);
}

/** Registers SVG markup (drawn in code, or fetched) as a vector image. */
async function loadSvg(fileId, svg) {
  const img = new Image();
  img.src = `data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,${encodeURIComponent(svg)}`;
  await img.decode();
  registerResourceImage(fileId, img);
  (loadImage.bytes ??= new Map()).set(fileId, new TextEncoder().encode(svg));
}

/** renderToPdf({ resourceBytes: imageBytes }) */
function imageBytes(fileId) { return loadImage.bytes?.get(fileId); }

/** renderToHtml({ resourceImageUrl: imageUrl }) */
function imageUrl(fileId) {
  const bytes = imageBytes(fileId);
  if (!bytes) return undefined;
  imageUrl.urls ??= new Map();
  if (!imageUrl.urls.has(fileId)) {
    const type = /\.svg$/i.test(fileId) ? 'image/svg+xml' : /\.png$/i.test(fileId) ? 'image/png' : 'image/jpeg';
    imageUrl.urls.set(fileId, URL.createObjectURL(new Blob([bytes], { type })));
  }
  return imageUrl.urls.get(fileId);
}

// ─── Kit · arabic v1 ── Arabic-script faces · postext.dev/cookbook ───────────
// Fontsource ships an Arabic family as one file per subset and weight: the
// `arabic` file holds the letters, the harakat, the Arabic-Indic digits, the
// Arabic punctuation and the presentation forms; `latin` and `latin-ext`
// hold the rest. loadFonts loads the latin files; this block adds the arabic
// file of every Arabic family, for the canvas and for the PDF, which shapes
// the letters with HarfBuzz from the same bytes.

/** The code points of Fontsource's `arabic` subset, as its stylesheets
 *  declare them (the same unicode-range the browser picks the file by). A
 *  function, not a const: the kit is inlined after the recipe's top-level
 *  awaits, and a const read before its line throws, where a function
 *  declaration is hoisted. */
function arabicRange() {
  return 'U+0600-06FF,U+0750-077F,U+0870-088E,U+0890-0891,U+0897-08E1,U+08E3-08FF,'
    + 'U+200C-200E,U+2010-2011,U+204F,U+2E41,U+FB50-FDFF,U+FE70-FE74,U+FE76-FEFC,U+102E0-102FB,'
    + 'U+10E60-10E7E,U+10EC2-10EC4,U+10EFC-10EFF,U+1EE00-1EEFF';
}

/** Whether code point `cp` is in the arabic file. */
function inArabicRange(cp) {
  inArabicRange.ranges ??= arabicRange().split(',').map((part) => {
    const [lo, hi = lo] = part.slice(2).split('-');
    return [parseInt(lo, 16), parseInt(hi, 16)];
  });
  return inArabicRange.ranges.some(([lo, hi]) => cp >= lo && cp <= hi);
}

/** Whether Fontsource serves `family` with an `arabic` subset. Fails when
 *  the API does not answer: an Arabic face taken for a Latin one would set
 *  its letters in a system face. */
async function isArabicFamily(family) {
  const meta = await fontsourceMeta(family);
  if (!meta) throw new Error(`api.fontsource.org did not describe ${family}: reload to try again`);
  return !!meta.subsets?.includes('arabic');
}

/** The arabic file of a face. */
function arabicFileUrl(family, weight, style) {
  const id = fontsourceId(family);
  return `https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@fontsource/${id}@5/files/${id}-arabic-${weight}-${style}.woff2`;
}

/** faces = { Amiri: ['400', '700'] }, as for loadFonts, after it: the whole
 *  FONTS object may be passed, its families without an arabic subset are
 *  left alone. Adds the arabic file of every listed weight of each Arabic
 *  family (the latin files come from loadFonts) and loads it. `text` is
 *  the sample: fails when it holds an Arabic-script character the arabic
 *  file does not cover. List every weight the pages set in Arabic: a weight
 *  left to buildWithFonts gets the latin file only, and its Arabic letters
 *  fall back to a system face. Resolves to the number of files loaded. */
async function loadArabicFonts(faces, text = '') {
  kitStatus('Loading fonts…');
  let loaded = 0;
  try {
    const outside = [...new Set(text)].filter((ch) => /\p{Script=Arabic}/u.test(ch) && !inArabicRange(ch.codePointAt(0)));
    if (outside.length) throw new Error(`Fontsource's arabic files have no ${outside.slice(0, 12).join(' ')}`);
    for (const [family, specs] of Object.entries(faces)) {
      if (!(await isArabicFamily(family))) continue;
      for (const spec of new Set(specs)) {
        const weight = parseInt(spec, 10);
        const style = spec.endsWith('i') ? 'italic' : 'normal';
        const face = new FontFace(family, `url(${arabicFileUrl(family, weight, style)}) format('woff2')`,
          { weight: String(weight), style, unicodeRange: arabicRange() });
        document.fonts.add(await face.load().catch(() => {
          throw new Error(`Fontsource has no arabic file for ${family} ${weight} ${style}`);
        }));
        loaded++;
      }
    }
  } catch (error) {
    kitFail(error);
    throw error;
  }
  return loaded;
}

/** The PDF font provider for recipes with Arabic faces: a family with an
 *  arabic subset gets its arabic file when its pages set Arabic letters
 *  (`request.codePoints`), then its latin file, and its latin-ext file for
 *  the letters beyond latin (transliteration: ā ḥ ʿ). The arabic file comes
 *  first: it also holds the space and the brackets, so a line of Arabic is
 *  shaped as one run and not cut at every space. Any other family goes to
 *  fontsourceProvider (the "pdf" block). */
async function arabicPdfProvider(family, weight, style, request) {
  if (!(await isArabicFamily(family))) return fontsourceProvider(family, weight, style);
  const meta = await fontsourceMeta(family);
  const weights = meta.weights?.length ? meta.weights : [400, 700];
  const w = weights.reduce((a, b) => (Math.abs(b - weight) < Math.abs(a - weight) ? b : a));
  const s = style === 'italic' && !meta.styles.includes('italic') ? 'normal' : style;
  const wanted = [...(request?.codePoints ?? [])];
  const id = fontsourceId(family);
  const urls = [];
  if (!wanted.length || wanted.some(inArabicRange)) urls.push(arabicFileUrl(family, w, s));
  urls.push(`https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@fontsource/${id}@5/files/${id}-latin-${w}-${s}.woff2`);
  if (meta.subsets.includes('latin-ext') && wanted.some((cp) => /[Ā-˿Ḁ-ỿ]/u.test(String.fromCodePoint(cp)))) {
    urls.push(`https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@fontsource/${id}@5/files/${id}-latin-ext-${w}-${s}.woff2`);
  }
  return Promise.all(urls.map(async (url) => {
    const res = await fetch(url);
    if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`Fontsource file ${url} (${res.status})`);
    return decompressWoff2(new Uint8Array(await res.arrayBuffer()));
  }));
}

// ─── Kit · book v1 ── books bound on either edge · postext.dev/cookbook ──────
// A book bound on the right (Arabic, Hebrew or Persian text, vertical
// Chinese, or page.binding 'right') opens from what a Latin reader calls
// the back: page 1 lies alone on the left of the spine, then [3 | 2].

/** showPages for a book bound on either edge. A right-bound book (the
 *  document says so: doc.binding is 'right' for page.binding 'right', for
 *  text that runs right to left and for vertical text, when the binding is
 *  left to 'auto') lies on the desk as it opens: page 1 alone on the left
 *  of the spine, then [3 | 2], the spine shade on each page's inner edge.
 *  `binding` ('left' | 'right') overrides the document's. */
function showBook(docs, { binding, ...options } = {}) {
  const count = showPages(docs, options);
  const right = (binding ?? [docs].flat()[0]?.binding) === 'right';
  if (!document.getElementById('pt-kit-book')) {
    // The pages keep direction ltr, as in a left-bound book: a canvas takes
    // the direction its element inherits, and under the spread's rtl a run
    // painted for an ltr canvas would end where the engine starts it.
    document.head.insertAdjacentHTML('beforeend', `<style id="pt-kit-book">
      .pt-spread[dir="rtl"] canvas { direction: ltr; }
      .pt-spread[dir="rtl"] figure:first-child canvas { box-shadow: inset 14px 0 14px -14px rgb(0 0 0 / .18),
        0 1px 2px rgb(0 0 0 / .5), 0 22px 44px -16px rgb(0 0 0 / .8); }
    </style>`);
  }
  // Each pair stays [verso, recto] in the page; right to left, the verso
  // sits on the right. Phones stack the pages in reading order either way.
  for (const spread of document.querySelectorAll('#pages > .pt-spread')) spread.dir = right ? 'rtl' : 'ltr';
  document.getElementById('pages').dataset.binding = right ? 'right' : 'left';
  return count;
}

// ─── /Kit ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
```

## Variations

### Three columns in the briefs, four on a wider page

The strip is a box with its own columns, so it can have more than the body's two.

```diff
-:::columns{count=3 breaks="2,3"}
+:::columns{count=4 breaks="2,3,4"}
```

### European digits for a Maghreb paper

```diff
-  locale: 'ar', // written out, never LANG (gotcha: arabic-locale-tag): rtl, digits ٠–٩
+  locale: 'ar-MA', // rtl, digits 0–9
```

## Pitfalls

- **Tag an Arabic book 'ar', not with LANG.** A recipe's editions are en and es, but an Arabic sample is Arabic in both: `locale: LANG` would set it left to right, bind it on the left, number its pages 1 2 3 and caption its figures Figure or Figura. Write the tag yourself: 'ar' (Arabic-Indic digits, the Mashriq convention), a region such as 'ar-EG' or 'ar-SA', or 'ar-MA', 'ar-DZ' or 'ar-TN' for a Maghreb edition with European digits. A Latin page that only quotes Arabic keeps its own locale.
- **Arabic faces need their arabic file, through the arabic block.** Fontsource serves Amiri, Noto Naskh Arabic or Scheherazade New as one file per subset, and the Arabic letters are in the arabic file. loadFonts fetches only latin (and latin-ext), so on screen the Arabic comes from a system face and measures wrong, and fontsourceProvider hands the PDF that latin file, which prints empty boxes. List the arabic kit block, call loadArabicFonts(FONTS, markdown) after loadFonts, with every weight the pages set in Arabic listed in FONTS, and give renderToPdf fontProvider: arabicPdfProvider.
- **Any headings object switches off the H1 page break.** By default an H1 breaks to a recto (always-odd), but passing any headings object resets that default, so chapters run on and span: 'page' does nothing. Restate headings.levels[0].breakBefore: { enabled: true, parity } in every config.
- **:::columns works only inside a box and never splits.** :::columns is ignored outside a callout, and a box that splits never cuts inside a columns group. A breaks attribute counts child blocks, with a nested box as one.
- **Load every face before layout.** Layout measures text with the faces the browser has loaded and caches the widths, so a face that arrives after the first build leaves wrong line breaks and a PDF that no longer matches the screen. Load every weight and style first, and call clearMeasurementCache() before rebuilding when one arrives late.

- The prayer times are typed in Arabic-Indic digits in the table's cells: `locale` changes only the numbers the engine writes, so a Maghreb edition retypes them.

## Credits

- Recipe: Ignacio Ferro ([@drnachio](https://github.com/drnachio))
- Text: Two pages of an imaginary Arabic daily, الساحل, and its city, written in Arabic for the recipe: Postext Cookbook, original
- Type: Aref Ruqaa (OFL-1.1), Noto Kufi Arabic (OFL-1.1), Noto Naskh Arabic (OFL-1.1)
- Code: MIT · Sample content: CC-BY-4.0

## Related

- [Nº 027 · Newspaper front page](https://postext.dev/en/cookbook/newspaper-front-page.md): A local weekly's front page and page 2 in two ruled columns, with page-wide headlines set as boxes and a four-column strip of briefs floated to the foot. · Level 3 (Advanced) · Newspapers & newsletters
- [Nº 105 · An Arabic novel set right to left, bound on the right](https://postext.dev/en/cookbook/arabic-novel-right-bound.md): The opening of an Arabic novel on a 14 × 21 cm page: locale 'ar' sets the text right to left, binds the book on the right and prints ١٢ for its folios. · Level 2 (Intermediate) · Fiction, drama & literary prose
- [Nº 106 · A bilingual Arabic–English report](https://postext.dev/en/cookbook/bilingual-arabic-english-report.md): An Arabic annual report with its English beside it: {dir=ltr} on each English block, :ltr[…] for Latin names in Arabic lines, a table set left to right. · Level 2 (Intermediate) · Reports