[duxuser] Re: Why is resetting margins preferable to using the tab key toindent the first line of aparagraph? Or
- From: "Lloyd G. Rasmussen" <lras@xxxxxxx>
- To: duxuser@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2003 16:33:14 -0500
It has taken me years to get my head around this, and I don't always follow
this advice. It boils down to the question of whether you want your
document filled with layout-based codes such as tabs, hard returns,
indents, center justification, etc., or whether you will use styles, which
can be thought of as macros that consist of a series of opening layout
codes and a series of closing layout codes.
If you are the only user of the document and you will not be referring back
to it five years from now, and you are not going to produce it in more than
one medium (print, large-print, braille, HTML web page, audio, NISO/Daisy),
then you can go ahead and use all the layout codes you desire. This is one
of the "right ways" to produce a properly formatted braille document.
But if your document has any future or may need to get transformed into a
different format, styles are the way to go. A set of <para> styles can:
tell a print program to put in a blank line,
tell a large-print program to tab once without skipping a line,
tell a braille translator to indent two spaces on the first line, and
instruct a Daisy/NISO text-to-speech authoring system to place a pause and
lay down a SMIL event to facilitate local navigation (item by item) in the
audio.
For this to work, every paragraph must be marked as a paragraph; you
complicate your life if some of the paragraphs start with [p] while others
start with [l][tas3l] or [l][>], and others are surrounded by the
[es~para.] and [ee~para.] styles.
Styles applied in MS Word can directly create DBT styles. I have set up a
literary braille template which has different heading styles for h1 through
h5, and this has sometimes been very handy. Styles applied in WP 11 cause
the Docbook XML file which it exports to have various levels of nesting of
the "sections" of the document.
Styles are the future, as well as being useful today.
At 12:45 PM 11/25/03 -0700, you wrote:
>Why is resetting margins preferable to using the tab key to indent the
first line of paragraph? Or George, are you referring to indenting the
whole think, or hanging paragraphs?
>
>
>I see Tabs being used to indent paragraphs, rather than simply adjusting
>margins.
>
>thank you!
>
>BRETT K WINCHESTER PM KD7JN VOLUNTEER & READING SERVICES MANAGER
>brett_winchester@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.icbvi.state.id.us/brochure/RADIO.HTM
>Member IAAIS International Association of Audio Information Services
>IDAHO COMMISSION f/t BLIND & VISUALLY IMPAIRED - ICBVI
>P O BOX 83720, 341 W WASHINGTON, BOISE IDAHO 83720-0012
>208-334-3220 ext 104 +7=voice mail after hours, Fax
208-334-2963
>
>
>>>> <duxuser-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 11/25/03 11:37AM >>>
>Hallelujah, Ann!
>
>I've just ranted to your last message, and as soon as I hit send, got this
one.
>
>My suggestion would be to get a professional trainer in Word, who ideally
has experience of XML and document structuring, to discuss how to use
Styles correctly.
>
>I can promise you that if you can get those who prepare documents on a
regular day to day basis, to style them correctly, more than half of your
own problems regarding conversion to braille will disappear overnight.
>
>Moreover, as I was at pains to point out earlier, the originators of the
documents, whether they be for braille or not, will be far more efficient,
thus saving your employer money. Some of them might even start to enjoy
their jobs better.
>
>I may be making a rod for my own back here, but I will happily talk in
more detail to any employer on this subject, and explain all the benefits
to be derived from proper training. I will also happily talk to any
professional trainer who would like a little more insight into why proper
Styling of documents is so important all round.
>
>Good luck, Ann. Sounds like some daylight is finally emerging over there
is darkest Texas! (Smile)
>
>
>George Bell
>Techno-Vision Systems Ltd
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Foxworth, Ann [mailto:Ann.Foxworth@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
>Sent: 25 November 2003 17:43
>To: duxuser@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: [duxuser] Re: braille standards
>
>No, the BANA document is not what I'm looking for. Our agency wishes to
instruct its employees on proper use of formatting options in our MS-Office
applications in order to create the most braille friendly document for
translating using the Duxbury Braille Translation program.
>
>Ann Foxworth, Computer Braille Specialist Texas Commission for the Blind
4800 N. Lamar BLVD Suite # 130 Austin, TX 78756
>PH: (512) 377-0654
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Francis E. Khan [mailto:fekhan@xxxxxxxxxxx]
>Sent: Tuesday, November 25, 2003 11:22 AM
>To: duxuser@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: [duxuser] Re: braille standards
>
>
>There is a publication prepared under the auspices of the Braille
Authority of North America and titled BANA UEBC Sampler 1 which suggests
standards for unifying the English Braille code. Is that the document to
which you refer?
>
>Francis Khan
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Foxworth, Ann" <Ann.Foxworth@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>To: <duxuser@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Sent: Monday, November 24, 2003 5:59 PM
>Subject: [duxuser] braille standards
>
>
>> Do any of you know of a current publication outlining standards for
>formatting documents to make them "braille-friendly"?
>>
>> Ann Foxworth, Computer Braille Specialist
>> Texas Commission for the Blind
>> 4800 N. Lamar BLVD Suite # 130
>> Austin, TX 78756
>> PH: (512) 377-0654
>> * * *
Braille is the solution to the digital divide.
Lloyd Rasmussen, Senior Staff Engineer
National Library Service f/t Blind and Physically Handicapped
Library of Congress (202) 707-0535 <http://www.loc.gov/nls/>
HOME: <http://lras.home.sprynet.com>
The opinions expressed here are my own and do not necessarily represent
those of NLS.
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