In six-dot Braille, the dash and the underline look the same. Would there be a way to trick the Bookshare software into retaning a certain number of underlines (say four) with a space on either side of them? That is how it is generally done in six-dot Braille. In Computer Braille the underline symbol is quite different (dots 4-5-6) and would not be acceptable. Sandi ----- Original Message ----- From: Valerie Maples To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2011 2:33 AM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Refresher on fill in the blanks Hi, grandma Cindy! I see two potential probelms with that. i was told, but never verified, that underline was not preserved by the tool. The second is that the tool reduces multiple spaces to a single space, so even if it preserved underline formatting, it would only be a single underline, similar to a single underscore, but not enough to convey a fill in the blank, IMHO. Now if the tool could be tweaked to see and retain multiple spaces in underline format, that would be sweet... but may still mess with the Braille readers. A conundrum, for sure! Valerie, who is going back to the tedious task of paragraphing a 125 page book. Grr... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ From: Cindy <popularplace@xxxxxxxxx> To: "bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wed, December 28, 2011 12:00:26 AM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Refresher on fill in the blanks I have used the underline in format and my books haven't been rejected. I leave a couple of spaces and then start the underlinefor several spaces (for however long you think it should be depending on what's supposed to be filled in on it. G.cindy ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Vivian Flores <vivian@xxxxxxxx> To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2011 7:09 PM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Refresher on fill in the blanks Hi Valerie; Here's an idea, since we can use the underline format, can you start the blank with a maybe an * or a hypen , X number of spaces and end with an * or hyphen. Use the underline format from * or hypen to * or hypen. Vivian At 06:25 PM 12/27/2011 -0800, you wrote: Hi, mayrie! No, it is the nature of the beast; they are "smaller" and naturally don't "touch" the adjoining one, unlike the underscores. Between the placement being mid-letter as opposed to underneath it and the natural spaces it looks like a bunch of minus signs. I know that is no help probably, just an explanation of why it doesn't convey a missing word/phrase. Wish I was better at describing things... Valerie Keep up with Nichole's recovery: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/nicholemaples From: Mayrie ReNae <mayrierenae@xxxxxxxxx> To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Tue, December 27, 2011 6:52:01 PM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Refresher on fill in the blanks Hi Valerie, I didn't mean spaces between the hyphens. I meant that a blank to fill in should look like ---- that. Is that any better? Mayrie -------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Valerie Maples Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2011 4:14 PM To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Refresher on fill in the blanks Mayrie; I was afraid you would say that. No, hyphens are located higher and with spaces and would do as much harm as good and be confusing, but if it chokes Braille, I guess we have to defer to that and lose the fewer sighted readers. Ugh! Oh, well, that si why I ask ... Valerie Keep up with Nichole's recovery: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/nicholemaples From: Mayrie ReNae <mayrierenae@xxxxxxxxx> To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Tue, December 27, 2011 5:54:09 PM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Refresher on fill in the blanks Hi Valerie, Underscores choke the braille translator. Will dashes not work for sighted people? Mayrie -------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Valerie Maples Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2011 3:15 PM To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Refresher on fill in the blanks The standard for sighted is underscores, and usually 10, but I think 5 would still give a dighted reader the idea; could that be a workable compromise or are underscores tough in Braille? Thanks for the help; this book will be alot of work, but a great resource! Valerie Keep up with Nichole's recovery: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/nicholemaples From: Mayrie ReNae <mayrierenae@xxxxxxxxx> To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Tue, December 27, 2011 5:11:11 PM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Refresher on fill in the blanks Hi Valerie, Were it me, I would use four hyphens together, surrounded by spaces to indicate the blanks that need to be filled in. Is that what you are asking? Mayrie -------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Valerie Maples Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2011 12:18 PM To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Refresher on fill in the blanks We are working on a bible study guide and I cannot remember the best practices for displaying/conveying fill in the blanks in the study sections. Thanks! Valerie Keep up with Nichole's recovery: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/nicholemaples