[duxuser] Re: From MS Word to Duxbury.
- From: Blind Persons' Association <bpaindia@xxxxxxxx>
- To: duxuser@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 16 Jun 2004 13:38:28 +0530
Hello everybody,
Thank you for the lively discussion. I have tried to compile the instructions
afresh based on the discussion. I am pasting it below for review. Note that
some of it may not seem relevant to the list.
I do not stille understand the formatting differences between heading1 and
heading2 styles in dbt. Both seem centred. I understand that they are required
to make sure that they are not stranded at the bottom of a page. They are also
necessary for generating table of contents. Would you please specify their
attributes?
I also cannot insert or delete codes. When I am using f6 to find and replace h1
with h2 or the like, the "text not found" error message appears. What may be
wrong?
With best regards,
Amiyo.
MS Word To Braille
These instructions are compiled for our volunteers who are using Microsoft Word
for typing text which we later convert into braille. Microsoft Word has a host
of features which our braille translation software programme cannot recognise.
Many varieties of print are not available in braille system at all. If
something special in the typescript is found missing, it can be edited at the
time of proofreading.
In most cases text typed in Normal style with default font of MS Word is enough
for braille translation. It keeps the file size substantially small too. Extra
formatting and style attributes add to the size of a file in terms of bytes and
use up extra disc space. The minimum typing requirements we need are mentioned
below for convenience:
1. Normal style: Always write in Normal style in Microsoft Word. If it is not
already active, select it from Format Menu, Style submenu. Keyboard users can
press ctrl+shift+n to activate the Normal style at a single keystroke.
2. Two enters for a paragraph: When you start a new paragraph, press the enter
key twice that each paragraph is separated by a distinct line. These
instructions are typed using this format. Please do not press the enter key
while inside a paragraph.
3. Left alignment: Do not apply extra alignment command. In Normal style of MS
Word all text is Left-aligned and this is enough for braille. In case you want
to reformat a paragraph already written, place the cursor in the desired
paragraph and press ctrl+shift+n or apply Normal style.
4. Apply heading style: If a heading is required, write the heading text in a
separate line and press the enter key twice to make it separate. Then apply
Heading1 or Heading2 or Heading3 style as required by the hierarchy of heading
levels. The top heading of this set of instructions had been written using this
guideline.
If a heading is written in all caps, you must also capitalise the entire text
of the heading.
5. No style for characters: Do not apply Bold, Italic or Underline style. For
any such text just type it in Normal style as in this set of instructions. For
italicising or underlining text, follow the instructions in section 11. Only
the Normal style in MS Word is properly formatted during the process of braille
translation.
6. Asterisk for footnote: Do not apply Superscript or Subscript style. When a
reference number is required for a footnote, simply put an asterisk (*) before
the number. Do not forget to insert a blank space before the asterisk as in the
following example:
The term 'Proto-Indo-European' indicates the language reconstructed on the
basis of cognate words found in the Indo-European languages. *1 The term Arya
appears in several Indo-European languages but not in most of them.
7. Three dots for ellipses: When ellipses or a series of dots are required,
only put three fullstop signs preceded and followed by blank spaces on both
sides. Note the following example:
Towards the end of the eighteenth century when William Jones discovered that
... Aryans lived in an area either in central Asia or eastern Europe.
If, however, an open quotation mark is there immediately before the series of
dots, or if a close quotation mark or a question mark or a fullstop is there
immediately after it, the blank space is not required between that punctuation
mark and the dots. For example,
"... We do not need pity, ... We must be treated as equals ...."--Louis Braille.
Note that in some versions of MS Word when you put three consecutive fullstop
signs, they are automatically converted into a special symbol which is not
recognised during braille translation process. To avoid this problem, first put
a fullstop sign, then a blank space, then another fullstop sign, then another
extra blank space, then put the third and last fullstop sign followed by a
space. Now delete the two extra blank spaces in the series of three fullstop
signs.
8. No extra space: In print we often use extra spaces for clarity. We sometimes
put a space before a fullstop or a colon sign. In braille text extra spaces are
not applied before a punctuation mark like fullstop, comma or colon. Do not
leave a blank space after opening quotation mark or opening brackets.
Similarly, do not leave a blank space before closing quotation mark or closing
brackets either.
9. Two hyphens for a dash: Carefully note hyphens and dashes as they have
distinct identity in braille. When a hyphen is required, say for instance,
inside a compound word like reporter-in-chief, put a single hyphen. When a
hyphen or a dash sign implies a longer punctuation, say as in Kolkata--700017,
put two hyphens without space on either side of two hyphens.
Note that in some versions of MS Word when you put two hyphens in succession,
they are automatically converted into a special symbol which is not recognised
during braille translation. To avoid this, first insert a hyphen, then a blank
space and then again insert another hyphen. Then delete the extra blank space
between the two hyphens.
10. Quotation marks: For double quotation marks (both opening and closing) use
("), that is, the key to the right of semicolon pressed together with the shift
key. Note the sample:
"... A thousand odds and ends of knowledge come crashing about my head like
hailstones, ..."--Helen Keller
For opening and closing single quotation marks use ('), that is, the key to the
right of semicolon on the computer keyboard. Note the same quotation below:
'... A thousand odds and ends of knowledge come crashing about my head like
hailstones, ...'--Helen Keller
Sometimes printed text may contain quotation displayed in bold letters. If it
is in a separate paragraph, it should be written in plain text in a separate
paragraph. But if it is placed inside a paragraph, it should be written within
a pair of double quotation marks.
Note that the single quotation mark is also used as apostrophe sign, as in
Blind Persons' Association. Our braille translation software programme
identifies when this sign is used as an apostrophe sign.
11. Brackets: Do not use curly brackets or braces { ... } because it is not
recognised in our braille translation software. Also avoid angle brackets < ...
> for the same reason. Only use simple brackets like ( ... ) and [ ... ] as
necessary.
The rule of the thumb in braille writing is that we always use ( ... ) for all
kinds of brackets unless [ ... ] is absolutely necessary. These two types of
brackets are used mainly when they represent different things. When brackets
within brackets are required, the outer bracket is represented by ( ... ) and
the inner bracket is represented by [ ... ], e.g.
We use Window 98 (second edition [with typical installation]) on our pc.
12. Italicising and Underlining: Italics and underlines are represented by the
same symbol in braille. The underscore sign (_) in MS Word is translated as the
underline or italic symbol in our braille translation software. Insert an
underscore by pressing shift + - on the keyboard. When less than three words
are italicised or underlined, put an underscore before each of the words. When
more than three words are italicised or underlined, insert two underscore signs
before the first word and a single underscore sign before the last word of the
italicised or underlined text. Notice the following examples:
_Macbeth, _Julius _Caesar, _Love's _Labour's _Lost, __A Midsummer Night's _Dream
13. Special characters: Sometimes é is used in some non-English words as in
café, resumé etc. Braille has a special symbol for it too. Just put this
special character when it is necessary. To insert this character, switch on the
numlock of the numpad first. Then hold down the alt key and press 0233 without
releasing the alt key.
14. Small letters: When a character is supposed to represent a single letter in
braille, it is preceded by a special letter sign. The symbol combination &+ in
MS Word is converted into the braille letter sign. In such cases the ampersand
sign (&) and a plus sign (+) should precede the abbreviation. In some cases
each character of a word may be presented as a separate character to emphasise
a certain idea, as the word water is spelt as w-a-t-e-r in Helen Keller's
autobiography. In this case each character should be preceded by the letter
sign. Notice the instances:
&+w-&+a-&+t-&+e-&+r
"... to make the first ten letters of the alphabet (&+a-&+j), the top two rows
of dots are used; ."
At times we find Roman numerals in lowercase. In such cases insert &+ before
the Roman numeral, e.g. &+I, &+ii, &+iii and so on. If the Roman numerals are
in uppercase, you need not put the &+ code. For example, I, II, III etc are all
right.
15. List: For list of items apply the List style. It is recognised in braille.
If the list contains special symbols like bullets, insert the asterisk sign in
place of the bullet. For example:
Instructions summarised
Normal style: Always use the Normal style.
Two enters for a paragraph: Always hit the enter key twice to separate a
paragraph.
Left alignment: Always use Left alignment for a paragraph except a heading.
16. Picture reference: Print text may contain pictures and figures. Use a
separate paragraph to type in the picture caption and start the paragraph with
some text like "Photo caption" or "Picture reference". If it is a figure with a
number, create a separate paragraph and write the Figure number. Put the
paragraphs in a pair of parentheses. Notice the following examples:
(Picture reference: Louis Braille.)
(Figure 1)
N.B. It is also recommended that the MS Word file may please be sent as an
email attachment to us or as a file saved in a floppy disc. Do not copy the
written text and paste it into the body of an email message. It will convert
all text into HTML format.
The instructions may not apply to all versions of MS Word. The material thus
typed may not look polished in print, but rest assured, this will make braille
rendering easy. You can also find better techniques. For comments and
suggestions please call us at 2437-7206 or send us an email at bpaindia@xxxxxxxx
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