Mega CD-ROM 1/megacd_rom_1.zip/megacd_rom_1/HANDICAP/DOTS20C.ZIP/MANUAL.FMT

Text File | 1987-10-01 | 22KB | 776 lines

                            Demo Dots Manual

                        Produced and distributed
                                   by
                       Raised Dot Computing, Inc.
                           408 S. Baldwin St.
                           Madison, WI 53703

                   Business Telephone: [phone]
                   Technical Support: [phone]


                          Licensing Agreement

     Raised Dot Computing, Inc. agrees to grant you a non-exclusive
license to use the enclosed Demo Dots program. This program and
documentation are copyrighted and to be used by you solely for the
purposes of reviewing the function of the Hot Dots program. You may not
copy or reproduce any part of the program or documentation. The receipt
and use of this program imply acceptance of the terms of this agreement.


                              Introduction

     Hot Dots is a collection of programs that allows a user to convert
print text to grade 2 braille and use a variety of brailling devices.
You can also translate grade 2 braille to print. These functions enable
users to handle documents in either braille or print form depending on
the desire of the user or the nature of the application.

     Hot Dots also includes a global search and replace feature to
change text or braille and a formatting feature to switch between
braille and print page layouts. These features offer an easy-to-use
bridge between print and braille.

     This manual describes how to use the various parts of Hot Dots
through the DOTS menu.


    Minimum System Configuration

  This software runs on an IBM PC, PC/XT or 100% compatible system with
at least 128K of memory and one floppy disk drive. You must use MS-DOS
or PC-DOS version 2.0 or later.

  Braille hardcopy output can be generated on a Cranmer, LED-120, MBOSS,
Ohtsuki, Thiel, VersaPoint, Romeo, or Personal Brailler. Braille Dipner
Dots output can be produced on an appropriate daisy-wheel printer.

  Speech output is supported for the Synphonix, Votrax, or Echo GP
speech synthesizers.




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                    Before starting up - Configuring

  You inform DOTS and the PC of the devices you have before you enter
DOTS. If you're using a screen access program, the speech device is
already configured. You can get output going from DOTS to the screen by
running the SPEAK program. SPEAK operates with synthesizers external to
the PC or with the Artic Technologies Synphonix synthesizer plugged
inside the PC.

  If you have a Synphonix, to load the access software, type:
SONIX <cr>

  To load the text to speech software, type:
TTS <cr>

  To load SPEAK and enable speech with DOTS, type:
SPEAK SONIX <cr>

  These programs remain inside the PC until you reboot and don't have to
be loaded until then.

  To use an external device, you first plug it into a serial port on
your PC (either COM1 or COM2). You inform the system the device is
present by using the MODE command. As an example, the Votrax Type-N-Talk
can be set up in COM1 at 9600 baud by using the command:
MODE COM1:96,n,8,2 <cr>

  After this, you can load SPEAK. Type either "SPEAK COM1" to use the
first port for speech or "SPEAK COM2" to use the second port.

  Now you're set to interface your brailler. You only have to configure
your brailler if it attaches to a your serial port. Again, plug it into
the port and enter the "MODE COM1: ..." or "MODE COM2: ..." command.



                                 SPEAK

  SPEAK is a program designed to provide an interface to a speech
synthesizer or Versabraille while using Hot Dots. It sends all text on
the screen to either an internal speech synthesizer or to the COM ports.
It has some screen review and spelling functions although not designed
to provide the full functionality of available screen review programs.

  SPEAK come up speaking all text sent to the screen (technically, all
text sent through BIOS). There are several modes of operation. These are
accessed by executing a shift-PrtSc (the key to the right of the right
shift key). It is the same key sequence used to print the screen. SPEAK
says, "in SPEAK" when the key is pressed. Pressing the key again leaves
SPEAK. The following commands are available in SPEAK mode:

F1 - Spell mode; spells text sent on screen.
F2 - Turn off Spell mode.
F3 - Speak mode; speaks any text sent on screen. SPEAK starts in this
mode.

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F4 - Turn off Speak mode.
F5 - Spell cursor mode; spells word beneath the cursor as it moves. This
mode may be useful when moving through a document.
F6 - Turn off spell cursor mode.
F7 - Speak cursor mode. speaks word beneath the cursor as it moves to a
new word.
F8 - Turn off speak cursor mode.
Esc - Cancels pending speech (Symphonix only).
Ctrl O - Speaks the contents of the screen.
Ctrl K - Speaks word at the cursor position.
TAB or Ctrl I - Speaks line at cursor position.

  The following commands control the SPEAK command mode cursor. This
cursor is turned on when entering SPEAK command mode. The original
cursor is restored when leaving SPEAK mode.

up arrow - Move cursor up one line
down arrow - Move cursor down one line
left arrow - Move cursor left one character
right arrow - Move cursor right one character

  Programs other than Hot Dots may not work or partially work with
SPEAK. Programs that bypass BIOS when reading the keyboard do not allow
you to enter SPEAK when the program is running. Programs that bypass
BIOS when writing to the screen will not speak unless you enter SPEAK to
review the screen. Hot Dots programs never fall into either of these
catagories.





























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                               Running DOTS

  You are now ready to enter DOTS to replace characters, translate print
and braille, format text, and print a file. DOTS is menu driven with two
menus, the main menu and printer menu. You select what you want to do by
typing a number. If you don't know the options, type a carriage return
and a list will be displayed (and spoken if you're using SPEAK). Here is
an example of entering DOTS, running through the menus and exiting.

A> DOTS <cr>
Main Menu
Enter a number: <cr>

Enter one of the following options:
1) Global search and replace
2) Print to Braille translator
3) Braille to Print translator
4) Formatter
5) Output to printer
6) Quit
Enter a number: 5 <cr>

Printer Menu
Enter a number: <cr>

Printer menu - enter one of the following options:
1) Output to Cranmer Brailler
2) Output to LED120
3) Output in Dipner Dots
4) Output to MBOSS
5) Output to Theil
6) Output to VersaPoint
7) Output to Ohtsuki
8) Return to Main Menu
Enter a number: 8<cr>

Main Menu
Enter a number: 6 <cr>
A>

  If, at any time after you have made a menu selection, you want to stop
that function, press Ctrl-Break and the program will be interrupted. You
will be returned to the previous prompt.


    File names

  All Hot Dots programs use standard DOS file names. Some of the program
functions distinguish between braille and text file or between formatted
or unformatted files. Use the extensions ".txt" for print text, ".brl"
for braille, ".fmt" for formatted print and ".bfm" for formatted
braille. These extensions will help you to keep track of your data and
help Hot Dots to properly format your text for print or braille.


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                        Global search and replace

  The global search and replace program replaces every occurence of the
search text with the replacement text. This function can be used to fill
in names on form letters, strip spaces or carriage returns from files,
or change formatting commands imbedded in files.

  Enter option 1 to invoke global search and replace. When prompted,
type the name of the source file. You are then prompted to name a file
to receive the changed text. If you name an existing file, it will be
overwritten. You are then prompted to either use rules from your disk or
create your own. Examples:

A> dots <cr>
Main menu
Enter a number:1 <cr>

Global search and replace.

Input file: thisfile <cr>
Output file: thatfile <cr>
Load rule file from disk? y <cr>
Name of rules file: rulefile.rul <cr>
A>

    Creating a rules file

  The rules files give the search and replace rules to be applied. This
file may be written while running global search and replace, retrieved
from a file created during a previous run, or created using an editor.
To create a rules file answer the input and output file prompts. The
dialogue then goes as follows:

Load rule file from disk? n
Enter a blank rule to end rule.
From: xxx<cr>
To: John Smith<cr>
From:<cr>
Save this rule file to disk? (Y/N) y
Rule file name: jsmith.rul

  This dialogue creates a rule table that changes all occurences of
"xxx" in the document to "John Smith" and saves the table in the file,
"jsmith.rul". The rule can be applied to other files by answering "y" to
the "Load rule file" question and using the "jsmith.rul" file. Notice
that a blank rule is created by pressing <cr> at the From: prompt. <cr>
is the symbol used to end all from and to strings.

  Global search and replace works by applying a rule repeatedly to the
text until it fails. This is useful for doing things like eliminating
multiple spaces in a file (use " " to " " to change two spaces to one,
three spaces to two spaces to one space, etc.). This feature can cause
unexpected behavior. The rule changing "the" to "the magical" turns the
word "the" into "the magical", into "the magical magical", and so on.
All rules are checked for problems of this type and an error message is

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printed. Transformations like "the" to "the magical" can be handled in a
two rule sequence like "the" to "rule #1" and "rule #1" to "the
magical". Rules are applied in the sequence entered, so this
transformation only works if the "the" to "rule #1" is entered first.

    Control characters in rules

  Control characters cannot be entered directly into a rule (<cr> is a
good example of a control character that has an undesired side effect).
Notice that the <cr> symbol is the delimiter in a from or to string. If
you are trying to replace occurences of <cr> in your text, you would
find it impossible to specify <cr> in a rule. The same is true of many
other control characters. You need to preceed any control character with
a Ctrl-V to indicate that the following single character is to be
recognized "verbatim" by global but not acted upon. To enter <cr> in a
string, type Ctrl-V Ctrl-M <cr>. Use the control character rather than
entering <cr> so you avoid further confusion. Continue to use <cr> as
the delimiter. If you wish to enter successive control characters, a
Ctrl-V must preceed each.

  You can also enter control characters or any other character by
replacing it with the tilde (~) character followed by the control
character's ASCII value in hexadecimal. For instance, a <cr> is entered
into a rule as ~0D. The tilde character itself must be entered as ~7E to
be replaced.


    Editing a rules file

  There is no method of changing rules once entered. The suggested
method of changing rules or creating rule files is with an editor. Rules
are in a readable ASCII form. The "From:" and "To:" parts of a rule
appear on a single line ended by a carriage return/line feed. The
"From:" part appears first, separated from the "To:" part by a vertical
bar (|). Any rules entered in this form works.


    Warning:

  It is possible to crash or hang the program by entering a rule that
does not fit the above description. No checking is done to see if the
"To:" part contains the "From:" part. Such a rule hangs the system,
requiring a control-alt-del to restart.












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                     Print and Braille Translation


    Print to braille

  You can translate from print to braille using option 2 from the main
menu. You will be prompted to enter the name of your text file, then the
name you want to give to your braille file. Here is an example:

A> DOTS <cr>
Main menu
Enter a number: 2 <cr>

Print to braille translator
Input file: manual.txt
Output file: manual.brl

Translating ...

Main menu
Enter a number: 6 <cr>
A>

  If you enter the name of a file that does not exist, you get the
message, "Could not find input file. Exiting ..." followed by the
message, "Hit any key to continue ...". You will be back at the main
menu after hitting any key. Reenter the braille translator and try
another name or leave DOTS (using option 6) to search for your file.


   Braille to print

  Translating braille to print is done using option 3 on the main menu
in DOTS. The process is similar to the one used for the print to braille
translator. Here is an example:

A> DOTS <cr>
Main menu
Enter a number: 3 <cr>

Braille to Print translator
Input file: manual.brl
Output file: manual.txt

Translating ...

Main menu
Enter a number: 6 <cr>
A>






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    Translator on-off commands

  There are situations where the you do not want to translate certain
parts of a file being processed by the translator. For instance, you
have Nemeth Code expressions in the text. You do not want these
interpreted as ASCII and translated twice. You can turn the translator
off for passages that you do not want translated by "quoting" them with
character strings. The method of turning the translator off is to enter
an @- (at sign, hyphen). To turn the translator back on, use @l (at
sign, lowercase l). This at sign command is left in the text and easily
marks untranslated passages. For instance:

  This gets translated @- but this doesn't @l

  You need to use global search and replace after translating to remove
the asterisk markers from your text if necessary. This translator on-off
control works with both the print to braille and braille to print
translators.


    Format commands

  The braille translator does not translate format indicators and
commands for the formatter. They are recognized as format indicators and
commands and passed unaltered to the formatter, where they are
interpreted. Format indicators are of the form <space>, dollar, letter,
<space>. Format commands are in the form <space>, dollar, dollar, and
then the command.




























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                               Formatting

  Converting a file from print to braille usually shortens it. This
means that lines that once were eighty characters long might now be
sixty or seventy characters long. A document that was well laid out for
print may be a little ragged after being translated to braille. Also
braille translated to print looks ragged when printed. The Formatter
smooths the ragged edges of a document and puts it in a reasonable form
for printing or embossing.

  The formatter works by putting as many words as possible on a line,
moving any words that exceed the right margin to the next line. It ends
a line prematurely when it encounters a carriage return <cr> and start
the next line indented. Thus, you may use a <cr> to end a paragraph.
There are many more formatting symbols.

  You may already have <cr>s in your document. If so, you may want to
remove them using global search and replace and inserting the paragraph
symbol ( $p ) at the start of every paragraph.


    Format indicators

  Format indicators are used to provide basic formatting for a page.
These indicators are $l (begin new line), $p (begin new paragraph),
and $f (begin new form or page). Each of the indicators is four
characters: <space>, dollar, letter, <space>.

  The $l is used to begin a new line. You can use a carriage return
instead, but $l is preferred. The $p is used to start a new paragraph.
It ends the current line and starts the next line indented. The $f is
used to start a new page.


    Format commands

  Format commands provide more advanced formatting features like tabs,
margins and page numbers. All formatting commands start with <space>,
dollar, dollar and are terminated by a <space>.

  Here is a list of the available commands:

$$a# - advance to line #
$$c - center the following text; use a format indicator after your
centered text to turn centering off. The centering command can only
occur after a new line or new page command.
$$d - reset everything to the default (no tabs, no margins, single
spaced, double space and indent 5 spaces at each paragraph)
$$f# - set form length to # lines.
$$h - set the next line to be a centered heading
$$i# - indent # spaces at the beginning of each paragraph
$$l# - set the number of lines advanced at # after carriage return
$$ml# - set the left margin to # characters after absolute beginning
$$ml* - set the left margin to the current cursor position


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$$mr# - set right margin to # characters from maximum carriage width
$$np - number pages in print and in braille format
$$n# - set the next page number to #
$$p# - move to the #th character position on the line
$$p+# - skip # spaces on the line
$$p-# - go back # spaces on the line
$$r - shift the current line to the right margin
$$s# - set # of lines to skip between paragraphs to #b
$$tc - clear all tab stops
$$t# - set a tab at the #th absolute character position
$$t* - set a tab stop at the current position
$$ - advance to the next tab stop
$$w# - set maximum carriage width to # characters


  In order to properly format for braille or print text, you must
distinguish between the two by using the appropriate filename extension.
If you use the ".brl" extension on braille files, the formatter will
format for braille and put the ".bfm" extension on the output file. If
you do not use this extension, the formatter will use the default for
print text.

  The formatter asks two questions. The first question is about the
carriage width. The carriage width is the number of characters that fit
on a line for the device you use to print. In general, inkprint printers
have carriage widths of 72-80. Braille embossers have widths of 38-42.
The second question is about form length. The form length gives how many
lines of text fit on a page. Inkprint printer work well at about 55-60
lines per page for most printers. Braillers work well with about 25
lines per page. If you type <cr> (no answer) for these questions, the
formatter will use a carriage width of 80 and a form length of 55,
assuming that print output is desired. The braille embosser options have
a default of carriage width 40 and form length 25. Here are a few examples.

A> dots <cr>
Main menu
Enter a number: 4 <cr>

What is the carriage width? 40
 <cr>What is the form width? 25 <cr>

Text formatter
Input file: myfile.brl <cr>
Output file: myfile.bfm <cr>

Formatting ...

Since the formatter is designed to allow you to control the way the text
is laid out, you can create paragraphs, columns and pages in a way that
allows you to print the file in either braille or print without
modification to the file.




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                                 Printing

  DOTS supports a variety of brailler embossers accessed through the
printer menu, option 5 from the main menu. At the printer menu, you can
get a listing of options by entering <cr>. The chances are good that you
can run any printer not listed using the THIEL option. Here's an example
of printing to a Cranmer brailler:

A> DOTS <cr>
Main Menu
Enter a number: 5 <cr>

Printer Menu
Enter a number: (Hit ENTER for the menu)

Printer menu - enter one of the following options:
1) Output to Cranmer Brailler
2) Output to LED120
3) Output in Dipner Dots
4) Output to MBOSS
5) Output to Theil
6) Output to VersaPoint
7) Output to Ohtsuki
8) Return to Main Menu
Enter a number: 1 <cr>

What is the form length? 25
Input file: text.bfm

Printing ...

Printer menu Enter a number: 8 <cr>

Main menu
Enter a number: 6 <cr>
A>


    Dipner Dots


  Braille can be produced on some inkprint printers using a technique
known as Dipner Dots. To produce Dipner Dots, you must have a daisy
wheel printer. Dot matrix printers do not work. The daisy wheel printer
must have several characteristics. The printer must be able to hit
fairly hard with its hammer. To obtain correct spacing of braille dots,
you must be able to set horizontal pitch so that characters are 1/5"
(one-fifth inch) apart, and vertical pitch to 8 lines per inch. In
addition, your printer must recognize the "one-half line feed" code of
"escape" followed by capital U. The Dipner Dots method cannot be
guaranteed on any printer which does not meet these specifications.

  The Dipner Dot method uses a single character, such as a period or
center dot, to emboss dots into lightweight paper backed by a soft

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roller. Although you do not produce Library of Congress quality dots,
the dots are readable. This is not recommended for schools or
transcriber groups. But it may be just the ticket for a blind
professional in an office setting.


















































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