1. Main Headings & Chapter Titles.
All main headings and chapter titles should be centered and should have a blank line after the heading. Centering the text is done by including the text between $hds[space] and $hde[space]. This command will automatically put a line after the heading. The most recommended places for usage are in the beginning of the chapter and major section of the book etc.
example:
$hds[space]Mathematics 117[HRt]
Chapter 1$hde[Space]
The concept of headings is quite complicated. There are no set rules to use the various heading levels in Braille. It is left to the judgment of the Transcriber to decide on it. The minor headings are indented 5 spaces. This is the most used heading style inside a document. All the minor headings inside a chapter should be formatted using this style.
example:
[HRt]
[4 spaces]Section 1.1[HRt]
Most of the other headings can be formatted by leaving a blank space before it and leaving the heading left aligned without any spaces.
2. Body Text:
The main body of the document is formatted using the bodytext style. Body text starts in cell 3, so we need two spaces in front of each new paragraph in the section. The two space indentation holds true for paragraphs starting with numbers also. If document is a list, it should be left-aligned, hence no spaces before them. But to signify the difference between the list and the main body of the text, necessary blank lines should be inserted.
3. Transcriber's Notes:
The Transcriber's Note should start at cell 7, and if it runs into second line it should be from cell 5. This is done by using the $ind command. The correct usage is shown in the example. There is no Tnote, Tn or any other prefix for the notes. It should start with [comma][apostrophe] and should end with [comma][apostrophe]. After the Transcriber's note is complete you need to reset the indentation by using $ind0[space] in the beginning of the next paragraph/format/text.
example:
$ind5[space][space][space]$cz[space],'$tx[space]
This tables formatted for Braille.
The columns are ..... $cz[space],'$tx[space][HRt]
$ind0[space]Section 2.2[HRt] etc..
4. Indentation:
The command we learned in the previous section $ind[space] has many more uses than just in Transcriber's notes. We can use it in formatting multiple choice questions in exams, actual indented print material etc.
example:
1. What is the city that is known as the Emerald City?
$ind2[space]a. Seattle
b. Salt Lake City
c. Phoenix
d. Las Vegas
$ind0[space]2. What is the capital of Iraq? etc....
5. Page Numbering (Print & Braille):
We use text-book style to convert all the material into Braille. The standards set for translation require the print page indicator, print page number and Braille page number. Duxbury does this numbering by following the dollar codes that will tell it where each print page starts. The command is $leaf-[space]45. This will create a line across the page with the page number at the end of the line and put the print-page number also. Use of the command has the necessity that you follow the print page indication very accurately. If you forget to indicate the next print page all the Braille pages will be numbered with the previous print page, like a.45, b.45, c.45, etc until it sees the next $leaf- X command. The other advantage of using this command is that you don't have to worry about the print page indicator breaks, or print page indicator running into two pages. The Duxbury translator will not put the print page indicator if it happens to be the beginning of a new Braille page.
example:
$leaf-[space]45[HRt]
6. Page Breaks:
The information when translated into Braille shouldn't confuse the user. The page breaks should be used to signify the difference in sections and documents. For example, in an exam the instructions for the exam and the actual exam questions should start on separate pages. You cannot continue the exam questions right after the instructions. You don't have to worry about how many blank lines you should insert to go to a new page. As soon as you done with one section, if you want to force a new page you can type the command $pg[space]. This will stop the current page and start the following text on a new page beginning.
7. Tables:
Tables are one of the most difficult aspects of translation. The judgment of the Transcriber is very essential to convey the meaning across in the most accurate way to the Braille user. The table should be separated from the other text by lines. The lines in Braille can be generated by using a line of x's, g's, 7's or l's. The difference between these lines is just the dots that are generated by each letter. Usually the beginning of a box is denoted by a line of 7's and the end of the box is generated by a line of g's. Line of l's is like a thick line in the print, and can be used if needed to signify the difference in the tables.
8. Other miscellaneous notes:
There are many other common mistakes that have to be corrected by the Transcriber before using the Translation. The backslash / can be left as it is, if it is in the middle of a word, like he/she or then/now. But it cannot be left alone if it is all by itself, like - - - / -. When it is all by itself we should go convert it as $cz[space]_/$tx[space]. This is true for any other symbols, like -, = etc. If they are in the middle of the text, we don't have to worry about it.
example:
"This is a compliment to him/her"
"This is supposed $cz _/$tx not supposed to be like this."
Other minor things that shouldn't be ignored are including a text indicator before a roman numeral etc. These things we hav to incorporate by referring to the nemeth code book more often.
The following Macros are WordPerfect 5.1 Macros and are designed to insert Duxbury formatting commands into a text file. This is not meant to imply that Duxbury is the only software package capable of converting text to Braille effectively.
Macros : Please assign a meaningful Macro key for each function as you create these macros.
Inserts Braille page numbers
DISPLAY(Off!)
Type("$leaf- ")
Transcribers Note
DISPLAY(Off!)
Type("$ind5 $cz ,'$tx $cz ,'$tx ")
GETSTRING(Note; "Enter the note here:")
PosWordPrevious PosWordPrevious Type (Note)
PosWordNext PosWordNext
Type("$ind1 ")
HardReturn
Heading Centered
DISPLAY(Off!)
PosScreenLeft
Type("$hds ")
PosLineEnd
HardReturn
Type("$hde "
Remove Hard Returns
SAVESTATE PERSISTALL
AutoCodePlacement(OFF!) WP51CursorMovement(ON!) VARERRCHK
(OFF!)
PosDocTop
ASSIGN(Res; "n")
LABEL(Search)
SearchString("") SearchNext(Regular!)
ASSIGN(
//*** Conversion warning ***
//*** Name modifed to avoid conflict with command name
Next_;
//*** Conversion warning ***
//*** Use ?RightCode for codes; ?RightChar for text
?RightChar)
ASSIGN(Set; CTON(
//*** Conversion warning ***
//*** Name modifed to avoid conflict with command name
Next_) DIV 256)
ASSIGN(Num; CTON(
//*** Conversion warning ***
//*** Name modifed to avoid conflict with command name
Next_) %256)
PosCharNext
ASSIGN(Next3;
//*** Conversion warning ***
//*** Use ?RightCode for codes; ?RightChar for text
?RightChar)
ASSIGN(Set3; CTON(Next3) DIV 256)
ASSIGN(Num3; CTON(Next3) %256)
PosCharPrevious
PosWordPrevious
ASSIGN(Next2;
//*** Conversion warning ***
//*** Use ?RightCode for codes; ?RightChar for text
?RightChar)
ASSIGN(Set2; CTON(Next2) DIV 256)
ASSIGN(Num2; CTON(Next2) %256)
PosWordNext
IF(Num=32)
IF(Num3=32)
PosLineEnd PosCharNext PosLineUp BlockOn(CharMode!) Pos
CharNext
PosWordNext r
CHAR(Res2; "Delete? Y)es N)o M)inus:") ASSIGN(Res2; NTO
C(Res2) )
SWITCH(Res2)
CASEOF "y": CALL(DELETE)
CASEOF "Y": CALL(DELETE)
CASEOF "M": CALL(MINUS)
CASEOF "m": CALL(MINUS)
CASEOF "q": CALL(ENDING)
CASEOF "Q": CALL(ENDING)
CASEOF "n": CALL(NO)
CASEOF "N": CALL(NO)
ENDSWITCH
ENDIF
ENDIF
IF(Num2<>35)
IF(Num>96)
IF(Set=0)
SWITCH(Res)
CASEOF "a": GO(BRANCH)
ENDSWITCH
Type("[-> ") BlockOn(CharMode!) PosCharPrevious PosCharPrevious
PosCharPrevious PosCharPrevious PosCharPrevious
CHAR(Res; "Replace [Return] with [Spc]? Y)es, N)o, A)ll
Q)uit:") ASSIGN(Res; NTOC(Res) )
BlockOff DeleteCharNext DeleteCharNext DeleteCharNext
DeleteCharNext
LABEL(BRANCH)
SWITCH(Res)
CASEOF "y": CALL(YES)
CASEOF "Y": CALL(YES)
CASEOF "a": CALL(YES)
CASEOF "A": CALL(YES)
CASEOF "q": CALL(ENDING
//*** Conversion problem ***
//*** Label already referenced with different keystrokes
//
)
CASEOF "Q": CALL(ENDING
//*** Conversion problem ***
//*** Label already referenced with different keystrokes
//
)
ENDSWITCH
ENDIF
ENDIF
ENDIF
GO(Search)
LABEL(YES)
DeleteCharPrevious Type(" ")
RETURN
LABEL(ENDING
//*** Conversion problem ***
//*** Ambiguous keystrokes leading to label
PosScreenUp
QUIT
LABEL(DELETE)
BlockOff PosLineEnd PosCharNext PosLineUp DeleteWord
DeleteCharPrevious Type(" ")
RETURN
LABEL(MINUS)
PosCharPrevious
CALL(DELETE)
RETURN
//*** Conversion problem ***
//*** Control transfer with pending token
//{Block}{Right}{Word Right}{Left}
LABEL(NO)
BlockOff
RETURN
Search for extra spaces and change to 1 space
SAVESTATE PERSISTALL
AutoCodePlacement(OFF!) WP51CursorMovement(ON!) VARERRCHK
(OFF!)
DISPLAY(OFF!) ReplaceConfirm(No!) SearchString(" ")
ReplaceString(" ") ReplaceForward(Regular!)
PosDocTop ReplaceConfirm(No!) SearchString(" ") ReplaceS
tring(" ")
ReplaceForward(Regular!) PosDocTop