Using Fadas and other characters

The previous version of TextaParent.ie was not able to send fadas or the Euro € sign, or other 'non-standard' characters. We have further developed the new TextaParent.ie so that it does send the exact characters that you type/paste. It will also greatly reduce the amount of 'weird symbols' that can occur when non-standard characters are used. Tá muid an-bhródúil go bhfuil scoileanna in ann teachtaireachtaí trí mheain na gaeilge a sheoladh tríd TextaParent faoi láthair.

The new TextaParent.ie enables you to send two classes of message - standard (ordinary), and non-standard (for fadas / non-standard symbols)

Texts with only 'standard' characters:

  • These texts allow up to 160 characters or less and cost 1 text unit
  • These will be the most common texts you will send
Texts with 'non-standard' characters:
  • These are texts which contain a fada, or a €, or any other non-standard character
  • These texts allow up to 70 characters or less and cost 1 text unit
  • Removing the € or á, in order to contain only standard characters is possible (and the limit goes back up to 160)

In summary, it's your choice whether to use a standard (160 character) or non-standard (70 character) message. Also, remember that you can go over either limit of 160/70 characters, but this tips you into your second 'Text Unit' per message. The new TextaParent also shows a warning just under the message-typing area, so people can revise and for example replace € with EU or if they want to ensure they use 'standard characters' and thus benefit from the maximum 160 characters.

Tips:

  • Type your message using the keyboard, to ensure standard characters throughout
  • Watch out for the 70-character warning (under the text-entry space), and replace any fadas / € / non standard " or ' with ones from your keyboard in order to resolve unwanted characters.

 



Some background technical notes:

Character Sets:

  • 'Standard' Character Set: This character set has a palette of 128 ascii values, 0 to 127 - is 7-bit, and allows 160 characters
  • 'Non-Standard' Character Set: This character set has a palette of 256 ascii values, 0 to 255 - is 16-bit, and allows 70 characters
  • Each character set is exclusive; ie once you type/paste a non-standard character, the system jumps to 16-bit, 70 characters
  • These limitations are imposed by international standards and telephony protocols - not by TextaParent


Idiosyncrasies:

  • The standard character set actually includes é - as this letter is sometimes used in english. Therefore you can usually include a é in the standard character set.
  • Various non-standard apostrophes and speech marks will tip a text message into being a 'non-standard message'. These can be hard to spot, and usually occur when pasted from other sources (eg from Microsoft Word). These will not occur when characters are typed using the keyboard. So for example " and ' are indeed standard characters - but “” and “ ” are non-standard, as I pasted these in from Microsoft Word.