Use NFD Unicode normalization form to fix accented characters in Word

[uhkeller]

When writing accented (combined) characters to a table with body_add_flextable(), combined characters using NFC Unicode normalization are displayed by Word in Arial/Helvetica instead of the font specified in set_flextable_defaults(). For example:

library(flextable)
library(officer)
set_flextable_defaults(font.family = "Cambria")
read_docx() |>
  body_add_flextable(qflextable(data.frame(a = "eé"))) |>
  print(target = "accent_test_bad.docx")

When opening the generated file in MS Word for macOS, the accented "é" is displayed using Helvetica instead of Cambria. On Windows, it's Arial.

In LibreOffice it is displayed correctly.

When typed into RStudio, the "é" is encoded using NFC. However, if it's converted to NFD using stringi::stri_trans_nfd(), the problem disappears and the table looks as intended in both Word and LibreOffice:

library(flextable)
library(officer)
set_flextable_defaults(font.family = "Cambria")
read_docx() |>
  body_add_flextable(qflextable(data.frame(a = stringr::stri_trans_nfd("eé")))) |>
  print(target = "accent_test_good.docx")

It took us several hours to figure out what's going on there. To spare others the trouble, it would be very helpful if the documentation on body_add_flextable() could mention this. Or maybe non-NFD Unicode strings could be converted automatically?

Edit: flextable 0.9.4, Word for Mac 16.78.3, Word for Windows version 2302

[davidgohel]

Hello,

See this thread #383

This can be easily solved by specifying the same font for 'hansi.family' and without using 'stringi' by using set_flextable_defaults(font.family = "Cambria", hansi.family = "Cambria"):

library(flextable)
library(officer)
set_flextable_defaults(font.family = "Cambria", hansi.family = "Cambria")
read_docx() |>
  body_add_flextable(qflextable(data.frame(a = "eé"))) |> 
  print(target = "accent_test_bad.docx") 

I understand it's not easy to guess that hansi.family exists but I prefer to follow advice given in the manual of stringi::stri_trans_nfd()

[...] you will rather not use these functions in typical string processing activities [...]

[uhkeller]

Thanks a lot for pointing this out, and sorry I missed it. Maybe an additional sentence in the help for body_help_flextable() and/or set_flextable_default() would be helpful? Then people wouldn't have to guess.

[davidgohel]

@uhkeller sure, you're right

[davidgohel]

• [ ] highlight the need for a value for hansi.family in set_flextable_default() and maybe body_help_flextable() and other Word related functions

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