How can one obtain the Hebrew braille tables? Are they provided in a
supplement similar to Arabic, or are they already contained within DBT?
Thanks.
I'd like to be able to produce material in both American and Israeli
Hebrew.
--Daveed--
On Thu, 2 Sep 2004, Joe Sullivan wrote:
September 2, 2004
Dear Members of the Duxnews and Duxuser lists,
As of today, we have released an update to DBT Win, designated DBT Win 10.5, with build date 2004-8-23. It has been an unusually long time, over two years, since the release of 10.4 -- during which our programmers, and others, have been hard at work to make so many improvements it is impossible to list them all. See the text appended to the end of this message, which contains the associated entry in the product history, for a summary list of the features added and problems corrected. (As always, the product history is maintained on our web site at http://www.duxburysystems.com so that you may access this information, and also information about prior updates, at any time.)
The eligibility date for a free update by downloading from the web page is May 1, 2002. That means that all users who purchased version 10.4 new or who paid for an update to that version may update to version 10.5 by download for free. Those who obtained a free update to version 10.4, or who are running earlier versions, are encouraged to purchase an update to this version because, as mentioned, it is a very significant one.
Those who are entitled to a free update by download may, if they prefer, call us to send a CD; as usual a $25 service fee will apply.
For the next few weeks, while we await duplication of the CDs, this new version will be available only by download. During that interval, all orders for physical shipment will be filled with version 10.4 media unless we are specifically requested to hold for 10.5. Obviously customers who receive 10.4 in this way are eligible for free download of version 10.5 immediately.
Unlike previous releases, no password is involved in obtaining the download; you may install and run immediately, even if you are not eligible for a free update, as long as you have a valid license. Instead of the password process, this version requires activation (after a 45-day trial period) in order to continue running. Activation will only succeed for those licenses that are eligible according to the abovementioned criteria.
Note: As with previous releases, installing "over" an earlier DBT Win is not reversible without reinstalling from the older media. Therefore, if you think you may wish to revert to the older version after trying the new one, you may find it more convenient to install 10.5 to a different directory.
Once again, we owe a great deal to the beta testers who helped us through an unusually long and productive beta test cycle. And also once again, many thanks to Techno-Vision for adding so much to the "help" files.
Cordially, Joe Sullivan President, Duxbury Systems, Inc.
--- most recent entry in DBT Win Product History:
Version / Build Date Release Date
10.5 / 2004-8-23 2004-9-2
Enhanced Installation:
-- Install for Current or All users.
-- Install JAWS Scripts/Macros.
-- Install SWIFT.
-- Install Word Braille Template.
User Interface:
-- Cursor Locator - Pressing the shift key will cause an array of concentric circles to show the position of the cursor.
-- Cursor Location retained on translation - When you translate a document into braille, your cursor is now positioned at the beginning of the word in the braille file
-- JAWS Scripts - Scripts have been included as an option for JAWS Screen Reader users.
-- All dialogs have been re-designed to conform the Windows standards. Among other things, this means that users of High Contrast Accessibility Settings can work to those.
-- Unicode - Many Unicode characters can now be displayed in DBT's editor.
-- Improved Coded View - When viewing Codes, they appear very similar to XML/HTML tags.
-- Coded view is now possible when viewing braille on screen.
-- Modify Codes & Styles in Coded View - You may now highlight any code or Style you wish to edit, and press Ctrl + [ or Ctrl + < to edit it.
-- Search & Replace - You can now search for a Style and/or Code in addition to text, and replace it. This can be done on an all or selective basis.
-- Search & Replace functions work exclusively in a highlighted range of text.
-- Both Search & Replace functions will prompt user to check rest of document if starting a mid-point in the document, or a highlighted range.
-- Copy & Paste - This facility works better with other applications.
-- File Name Handling - When importing files, DBT now suggests the default name of the imported file. For example, myfile.doc will become myfile.dxp in text, and myfile.dxb in braille. You may override the name if you wish.
-- Custom icons for .dxp, .dxb and .brf files.
Updates:
-- A "Check for Updates" option as been added to the Help menu. Provided you have Internet access, this will access the Duxbury Systems web site, and check to see if you are eligible for any updates.
Embossing:
-- Emboss (Help Topic) - As well as a "Print" Help topic button, there is now an "Emboss" Help Topic button which will output any selected Help Topic to your selected default braille embosser.
--Emboss selected pages by Braille Page Number or Page Sequence Number. You can also highlight a contiguous selection of text and emboss only the selection.
-- "Sticky Document Information " - Information about how a document is set up, such as Page and Line length, and embosser, is now stored with each file.
-- Support has been added for many more makes and models of braille embosser.
-- Multiple embossers and embosser setups can be installed and selected as required.
-- Enhanced Embosser Setup - Set up your embosser and let DBT control it.
-- Index Printers - USB & Network Support for Version 3 embossers has been added.
File Import:
-- Import Music Braille - Music Braille files can be imported into documents when GOODFEEL� is installed. (This depends upon an update to GOODFEEL 2.8 which we understand is forthcoming.)
-- Scientific Notebook - Various improvements have been made to the Scientific Notebook importer.
-- Word Importer + Text Boxes - Further improvements have been made to the Word Importer. In addition, Word Text Boxes are now imported.
Internationalization:
-- Change Program Language - Support has been added to enable DBT to display its menus in other languages. What is available may be subject to licensing conditions. In addition to English, there are:
Danish
German
Spanish
French
Italian
Norwegian
New Languages:
-- The list of languages for print-braille translation has been extended to include:
Arabic
Danish
English/American Textbook (Distinct Emphasis)
English/British (New) (Experimental)
French/Quebec
Hebrew/American Uncontracted
Hebrew/Israeli Uncontracted
Latvian/Uncontracted
Polish
Romanian/Uncontracted
Turkish/Uncontracted
Folding:
-- A new Fold code will produce a blank line to allow one or two page folds.
Vertical Page Alignment
-- New Codes enable Title pages and such like to be centered vertically on the page.
-- Braille can also be aligned to bottom of page.
Templates:
-- You can now store text in Templates. For example, you could set up a letter heading for yourself to save constantly re-typing your name and address details.
-- If a style named "initial" is defined in your template, then the start codes for this style will be implicitly applied at the start of every document created with this template.
-- Hide unused Templates.
-- Set a Default Template.
-- Associate Template with a Word - DBT Customized Style mapping file.
New DBT & Word Template:
-- A DBT Template and connecting Microsoft Word template have been added to simplify transcription according to BANA standards, using terminology familiar to BANA transcribers. These templates were designed by Susan Christensen, a well-known BANA Transcriber. The principles and templates themselves could readily be adapted for use with other braille standards.
Customized Word - DBT Mapping Files:
-- You may now create custom .mws Mapping Files and link them to selected Templates.
Table of Contents Generator:
-- A bug in the UK Templates which caused page numbers to be one out has been fixed.
Mouse Wheel:
-- Sighted users will find the scroll facility offered by a wheel mouse useful.
