[duxnews] DBT 11.3 is Now Available!

  • From: "Anne Ronco" <anne@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "Anne Ronco" <anne@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Mon, 13 Jul 2015 13:37:35 -0400

Dear Duxnews and Duxuser listers,


Our next major version, DBT 11.3 (build date 2015-7-08), has been released.
DBT 11.3 is now shipping and available on the Web for download.

Those with existing licenses can use Help/Check for Updates (Alt-H-U) to
download DBT 11.3 and check if their licenses are within the eligibility
period for receiving DBT 11.3 as a free update. Those with licenses outside
of the eligibility period can run DBT 11.3 as a time-limited trial for up to
45 days.
DBT 11.3 can also be downloaded from our main web site home page:
www.duxburysystems.com <http://www.duxburysystems.com/>

--------------------------------------------------------


100% New Features


Amid hundreds of changes and no small number of improvements, the latest DBT
presents three absolutely new features for our users:

* Save to MS Word! Under Save As, provided only that you have a copy
of Microsoft Word on your computer, you can now save a print file from DBT
as a Word file.
* TactileView Support! DBT now integrates with TactileView tactile
graphics software. TactileView is a full-featured tactile graphics program
<http://www.tactileview.com/> that can be operated by any user, blind or
sighted.
* Pre-UEB Braille Formatted File Importer! This new braille file
importer converts older raw braille files into UEB files (English language
only, without math).

_____




Primary Focuses of Improvement:


* Braille translation using UEB (Unified English Braille)
* Math import, Math print-to-braille, and Math braille-to-print
* DBT Templates
* File Importation
* User Interface
* Accessibility and JAWS Script Files
* Activation Process
* Braille Embossers
* New Languages and Language Improvements: There are four new
languages: Biblical original language studies, Chuvash, Javanese and Shona.
Dozens of language translations have been improved. See the end of this web
page for the details.

_____




UEB (Unified English Braille)


* Typeform indicators in UEB more closely follow user expectations.
* Hard spaces around underlining commands, which are not appropriate
for UEB, have been eliminated.
* The TSBVI "Clusters" learning series for UEB has been added to DBT's
partial-contraction menu for English/UEB.
* Guide text for UEB templates now uses UEB dots (6,36) instead of
(36,36).
* The oe ligature within French as a secondary language (within
[lng~fra] ... [lng] codes) is now supported.
* Unicode U+2033 (double prime/inch symbol) is now supported.
* Using the inherently subscripted and superscripted Unicode digits
(e.g. U+2083 "subscript 3") to form multi-digit, but otherwise simple,
numeric subscripts and superscripts now works properly. (Normal math
encoding must still be used for more complex expressions.)
* Capitalized passages are no longer extended beyond the end of a
sentence or punctuated phrase when only a single capital letter (such as
"I'm" or "A") follows and is more naturally capitalized separately.




Math Improvements


* When you Save As to Word, you can display DBT math equations in Word
using MathType.
* When you Save As to LaTeX, you can display DBT math equations in
Word using Scientific Notebook or Scientific Viewer.
* You can import braille formatted files in UEB text with UEB math,
translate them into inkprint, and then produce them in inkprint using
Scientific Notebook or MathType.
* You can import braille formatted files in UEB text with Nemeth math,
translate them into inkprint, and then produce them in inkprint using
Scientific Notebook or MathType. (You must follow our specific instructions
to do this.)
* You can now easily produce Nemeth math within UEB braille with
appropriate indicators (see Template Improvements).
* For the languages of India, Laos, and Thailand there are two
templates, a basic template that handles UEB math, and a "with Nemeth"
template that handles Nemeth math.
* Material from from Scientific Notebook no longer loses its
formatting when imported.
* DBT no longer inserts line breaks for MathType objects not entered
as in-line in MathType.




DBT Template Improvements


* For easier recognition, we have renamed a number of templates.
Instead of English (Unified), the names are now English (UEB). All English
language templates not using UEB braille are marked pre-UEB.
* We created a new template for Nemeth code math within UEB, called
English (UEB) - BANA with Nemeth.
* We include a new UEB Template for Australia: English (UEB) -
Australian Formatting.
* We include a new UEB Template for New Zealand: English (UEB) - New
Zealand (including Maori)
* We upgraded the English (UEB) - UK Formatting template with many
additional styles.
* We modified several templates to better import files from Scientific
Notebook.
* We updated most basic DBT templates so they can use the UEB math
translator for math.




File Open (Import)


* Former problems with paragraph numbering when importing files from
Word and Open Office have been resolved.
* DBT's .docx importer now recognizes style names in files created
with non-English editions of Word.
* Many aspects of file import are now unified so that there is more
consistency across the many different file import paths. This should lead to
better file imports for everyone.
* As an example, smart quote handling is now the same for all import
paths.
* The stripping of unneeded Zero Width Joiner characters (U+200D) now
works with all import paths, including XML.




User Interface Improvements


* Substantial work has been done to improve the Translated Line
display.
* For a new installation, DBT offers an appropriate recommended
template for more locations around the world, easing the set-up process.
* The Activation Process is now localizable. It is already available
in French. Russian and some other languages are in progress.
* We have expanded the Hyperlink Import Screen and renamed it Import
Options. These options affect all the import types, not just the Word
importer.
* An important issue with UEB Math is control of spaces around signs
of comparison. These spaces are placed for the lower grades and not placed
for the upper grades. There is now a checkbox in the Import Options to
control this behavior.
* There is a new Global Import Option checkbox that allows removing
spaces around dashes. This is important in Australian formats. (The default
is off.)
* Import options allow the user to specify the code page for a text
file being imported. This may be most useful to users in Central Europe.




Accessibility and JAWS Script Files


* We have revised the information layout and navigation of the
Activation Process to make it much more accessible to blind users.
* There are further improvements in the embossing of help pages.
* Previously, when you pressed Control+H in a DBT document to turn
highlighting on or off, JAWS did not say if it was now on or off. JAWS now
reports the highlighting state, whether changed via Control+H or the Edit
menu.
* Previously, when navigating through a document with highlighting on,
JAWS would read two items, the item the cursor landed on and the item it
left. That is no longer done. Now JAWS reads one item and tells you if it is
being selected or unselected.
* If the JAWS version is 14 or above, the speaking is customized for
DBT as it is when not selecting. For example, when selecting or unselecting
a line in a braille document, JAWS speaks the print back-translation of that
line. When selecting or unselecting a DBT code, JAWS speaks the code instead
of the left bracket, the individual characters, and then right bracket. When
selecting or unselecting a braille character, JAWS speaks it as a braille
cell rather than as an ASCII character.
* Previously, when moving word by word in a braille document, JAWS
would try to pronounce the word as ASCII; now it spells the word as braille
cells. It also does that when selecting or unselecting a braille word.
* Previously, JAWS would beep to indicate a line that was skipped
because of styles or codes. It no longer beeps. Instead, you can choose to
have these line skips announced. The Alt+I toggle used to let you choose
whether to have JAWS announce style changes. Now the Alt+I toggle allows for
a choice of whether to announce style changes and whether to announce
skipped lines (a total of four choices).
* When using a braille device, it is now possible to have JAWS remain
silent when you move up or down line by line. Press Alt+U to tell JAWS not
to use the translated line for moving up and down.
* There is better support for using commands from the keyboard of your
braille device, such as the JAWS commands for BrailleNextLine and
BraillePriorLine (which will braille the indicated line without speech, even
if you have the Alt+U toggle set for speaking the translated line when using
the computer keyboard).




Improvements to the Activation Process


* We have redesigned the activation wizard interface to interact more
naturally with screen readers. There are major improvements to screen
layout, information organization, screen navigation, and text voicing.
* The activation process has been localized for additional languages
beyond English.
* The activation process responses have been fine-tuned to keep the
user on the correct path and avoid some common operator errors.
* If an internet activation attempt cannot connect, the recovery
process saves vital information so that the option to activate by email can
succeed.
* Activation diagnostics now detect some common user problems like
activation folders that lack write access and unusual cases like
inconsistent license information. In general, diagnostics provide more
information than before to help identify user problems.
* The process to register for user group emails is now current with
Canadian anti-spam regulations.




Braille Embossers


* DBT now supports integration of Tactile View graphics with the
Index, and Tiger lines of braille embossers.
* DBT now supports the Nippon Telesoft Gemini Super2 embosser.
* It now supports the Enabling Phoenix Gold embosser.
* DBT has improved support for the Enabling BraillePlace embosser.
* The issue of controlling "ET Speaks" from DBT is now resolved.
* DBT supports A3 portrait paper (49x41) for the Index-D V.4 embosser
and the Index Braille Box.
* Certain Braillo models have a multiple copy feature (to facilitate
display on the Braillo of the number of copies embossed). DBT now supports
this feature.
* In Embosser Setup, the default embosser output has been changed from
Port to Printer, which is now the more common case.

_____




New Languages and Translation Improvements


* Duxbury is making strides to turn braille emphasis into the markup
for inkprint emphasis in braille-to-print translation. This feature is
described in the table below as "Respecting emphasis in braille-to-print."
It means a student can write a paper in braille on a refreshable braille
device, convert to inkprint in Duxbury, and export to Word with all the
emphasis of the original braille showing up in the Word file.
* The new version of DBT presents the Biblical Original Languages
table to meet the needs of blind biblical scholars.


Afrikaans: Respecting emphasis in braille-to-print.
Albanian: Adding Arabic and Greek script in print-to-braille, Respecting
emphasis in braille-to-print.
Azeri: New table for braille-to-print translation. Table includes respecting
emphasis in braille-to-print.
Biblical original language studies,
<http://www.duxburysystems.com/lan_biblical_scholar.htm> This table
combines Biblical Hebrew, Biblical Greek, and Syriac on a UEB table.
Bosnian: Added Arabic script in print-to-braille. Respecting emphasis in
braille-to-print.
Catalan: In print-to-braille, each upper case letter now gets its own dot 46
indicator. Respecting emphasis in braille-to-print.
Chuvash is a minority language in Russia. Respecting emphasis in
braille-to-print.
Croatian: Corrections made for sequences of all caps, and strip emphasis
codes in print-to-braille. Respecting emphasis in braille-to-print.
Dutch: Certain math symbols (such as plus), are now preceded by either a
space or a dot 5, but not both. Respecting emphasis in braille-to-print.
Estonian: Strip emphasis codes in print-to-braille. Respecting emphasis in
braille-to-print.
Updated Filipino and Tagalog based on user reports. Letter sign now
supported. Some print-to-braille improvements, and extensive
braille-to-print improvements.
Finnish: Strip emphasis codes in print-to-braille. Respecting emphasis in
braille-to-print.
German: Fixes in braille-to-print translation to improve the handling of
some braille contractions.
Greek: Respecting emphasis in braille-to-print.
Hebrew/Israeli: Now supports four scripts: Hebrew, Roman, Arabic, and
Russian. We have added a simple math data entry system devised by ALEH
(translation variation DBT code required).
Indonesian: Added Arabic script in print-to-braille and respecting emphasis
in braille-to-print.
IPA: A brand new braille-to-print table. (Only comment changes in
print-to-braille.)
The Irish Gaelic print-to-braille table has been updated for initial
implementation of the new Updated Irish Braille (UIB) Code, specifically to
implement non-use of specific contractions when bridging the basic word
boundaries in certain compound words.
Italian: Fixed the handling of the period character.
Japanese: Fixed braille-to-print for 12 strings, and 1 string for
print-to-braille.
Javanese: New Language! Uncontracted Indonesian plus uncontracted Arabic.
Korean: Now handles one contraction that was not previously supported.
Luxembourgish: Fixed handling of all caps and respecting emphasis in
braille-to-print.
Macedonian: Added Arabic script in print-to-braille. Respecting emphasis in
braille-to-print.
Malay: Adding Arabic script in print-to-braille, and respecting emphasis in
braille-to-print.
Maltese: The braille translation tables have been updated per further
revised specifications received from a Maltese source. Also respecting
emphasis in braille-to-print.
Mongolian: Now uses UEB for punctuation and math; respecting emphasis in
braille-to-print. Also handles Unicode characters U+04AF and U+20EA
correctly.
Montenegrin: Added Arabic script in print-to-braille. Respecting emphasis in
braille-to-print.
Norwegian: Several contractions fixed in both print-to-braille and
braille-to-print translators. Respecting emphasis in braille-to-print.
Polish: Fixed several characters, and respects emphasis in braille-to-print.
Romanian: Fixed 2 characters in braille-to-print. Respecting emphasis in
braille-to-print.
Russian: Respecting emphasis in braille-to-print.
Serbian: Added Arabic script in print-to-braille. Respecting emphasis in
braille-to-print.
Slovakian: Respecting emphasis in braille-to-print. Slovakian emphasis
character is dots 46, not dots 456.
Slovenian: Added Arabic script in print-to-braille. Respecting emphasis in
braille-to-print.
Shona: African language combining uncontracted UEB and uncontracted Arabic.
Somali: Added Arabic script in print-to-braille.
Turkish: Added Arabic script in print-to-braille.
Turkmen: Respecting emphasis in braille-to-print. Fixed open double quotes
on print-to-braille.
Updated Urdu based on user reports (fixed 1 print-to-braille error and three
braille-to-print errors).
Uzbec: Respecting emphasis in braille-to-print. Fixed open double quotes in
print-to-braille.
Welsh: Updated to conform to Welsh Braille Code changes intended to make
Welsh Braille Code more consistent with UEB.

----------------------------------------------

Regards to all,

Joe Sullivan
President, Duxbury Systems, Inc.








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