CD-ROM Magazin 1995 December/CD_12_95.BIN/share95/accent/accent.txt

Text File | 1995-01-02 | 15KB | 375 lines

             Accent Version 3.0
            The Diacritic Key Translator

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              USER'S MANUAL
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Overview

Accent is a Windows application that enables you to input special
characters that are not normally found on a regular keyboard.
These characters include accented characters, called diacritics,
and other special symbols such as the copyright sign "⌐" or the
trademark sign "«".

Although Windows supports diacritic characters and extended
symbols through the use of foreign keyboards, only one of these
can be installed at a time and keys assigned to the diacritic
characters or extended symbols cannot be used to display the
standard character they normally represent.

In order to display these characters, you must switch back to the
standard keyboard by using the Control Panel International
application and select the US keyboard.  Even when
implemented with macros, this process takes time and is not as
transparent as it could be.

One other drawback is that there is no established standard
among keyboard manufacturers; the key assignment on your
keyboard may differ from what is supported by the Windows
keyboard DLL. In such cases, the label of a key will differ from
the symbol that is displayed. You then have to either change the
key on your keyboard on stick one of those specialized keycap
label on it.

The alternative to using a non standard keyboard is to have an
ANSI character set chart handy to look-up the value of the
special symbol and enter it with the Alt-0 code sequence.

Accent, when installed and set up properly, will allow you to
virtually enter all the special ANSI symbols directly from your
standard keyboard by using a two-key combination. Since Accent
can be customized, it will also allow you to make key
assignments that are consistent with the layout of your keyboard.

The effects of Accent propagate throughout the system and are
available in all Windows applications.

Installation

To run Accent, you need Windows 3.1 or Windows 95. Use the
Program Manager, the File Manager or your preferred Shell to
run the INSTALL program. To do this, use the Run command and type:

            x:INSTALL

where x stands for the drive letter of the Accent diskette.

You can change all the defaults that INSTALL assumes before
committing to installation. In particular, you can select from a list
of default Setups that implement some of Windows keyboard
DLLs. Once this selection is made and Accent installed, you can
use the Setup menu to customize Accent to your liking.

If you have been using Accent Version 1.5 and you want that
Setup, select "Version 1.5 Setup" as the Setup to install.

INSTALL will copy all the required files to the path you have
specified, build the required Setup and start Accent Version 3.0.
If you have set the "Load Accent automatically when starting
Windows" check box on, INSTALL will append the string
"\path\accent.exe" to the "LOAD=" command line of your WIN.INI
file.

Setting up Accent

Hot Key

Switching the translation mode of Accent to ON or OFF is done
through the use of a Hot Key.  The translation mode is reflected
by the Icon, which displays the accented letter "Γ" when ON.

Mode switching occurs as soon as you hit the Hot Key
combination (no macro execution to perform and slow you down)
and is available in all Windows applications.

The Hot Key is a combination of the Ctrl key (the use of Alt and
Shift key is optional) with any key in the range A-Z typed
simultaneously.

You can choose the Hot Key you want from the drop down list
box of the Setup menu. The default Hot Key is Ctrl-T.

If you have defined Accelerator Keys for keyboards, you can set
the Hot Key to none and use the Accelerator Keys to switch
keyboard definitions. In this case, you must make sure that the
Translation mode is always on.

Translation mode

The translation mode check box can be used to switch Accent's
operation. It also sets the mode Accent is in when first started.

Beeps

The Beeps check box will instruct Accent to beep you PC
speaker when the translation mode is switched: two beeps will
sound for OFF mode, and three beeps for ON mode. This is very
handy and allows you to know in which mode Accent is in when
you are working on a full screen document and Accent's Icon is
not visible.

Diacritic Keys

Accent can translate all the diacritic symbols that are found in the
ANSI character set.

In order to do this, you select one of your keyboard keys to act as
a dead key representing the accent you want. You then type this
key followed by the character you want as a diacritic.

The Setup menu has four edit fields per diacritic key. The first
two edit fields, labeled "Char" allow you to enter the shifted and
un-shifted character of the key so that the key will act as a dead
key in both shifted or un-shifted state.

If you have an enhanced keyboard, you can use the next two edit
fields labeled "Alt Char" to specify the accent. In this mode, you
need to press the key labeled Alt-Char on your keyboard (or the
right-hand Alt key) together with the key you dedicated as a dead
key for the accent in order  to display the diacritic. Here also you
can enter the shifted and un-shifted character for the key to act as
a dead key in both states.

The requirement of using shifted and un-shifted keys is optional. If
only one character is specified in either the "Char" or "Alt Char"
entries, then only that character will act as a dead key.

As an example, if you have assigned the key representing the "/"
and "?" as "Char" characters to act as the dead key for the acute
accent , then typing "/" or "?"  followed by the uppercase letter "E"
will give you the "╔" symbol. If you have assigned these
characters in the "Alt Char" entries, then typing the right-hand
Alt key simultaneously with either "/" or "?"  then typing the
uppercase letter "E" will give you "╔".

The symbol of a key assigned as a dead key is still available
however, either by typing the key twice in succession or, if the
character is not an "Alt Char" character, by using the Hot Key to
disable the translation mode of Accent.

The following table shows the diacritic symbols Accent can
generate:

            Characters
      Accent
    1-Acute:    ß  Θ  φ  ≤  ·  ²  ┴  ╔  ═  ╙  ┌  ▌
    2-Grave:    α  Φ  ∞  ≥  ∙  └  ╚  ╠  ╥  ┘
    3-Circumflex:    Γ  Ω  ε  ⌠  √  ┬  ╩  ╬  ╘  █
    4-Umlaut:    Σ  δ  ∩  ÷  ⁿ     ─  ╦  ╧  ╓  ▄
    5-Tilde:    π  ⌡  ├  ╒  ±  ╤
    6-A ring:    σ  ┼
    7-Cedilla:    τ  ╟

Aliases

Accent can also translate special symbols by remapping
standard keyboard keys.

You tell Accent which character you want translated by using the
Aliases table. The table can support 264 entries and is displayed
in groups of 24 entries in two columns. Each entry consist of a
double edit field. You use the first edit field to identify the key you
want to remap, the second edit field tells Accent what symbol to
display.

At the bottom of the Aliases table are two directional push
buttons that allow you to scan the table. Each push of a button
will shift the table 6 entries in the direction of the button. The
button will beep if your are at the beginning or the logical end of
the table. The logical end of the table is defined as the end of
entries you have made, not the 264th entry, but otherwise will
always display the next 6 free entries so you can enter new
data.

As an example, if you need to represent amounts of money in
Japanese yen, you could assign the "$" symbol to be translated
to "Ñ". Whenever you type a "$" with Accent translation enabled,
a "Ñ" will be displayed.

If you need to display the actual dollar sign, toggle Accent
translation mode to OFF with the Hot Key.

One other way of generating special symbols is to assign an
alias to an unused diacritic symbol. Assuming you have setup
Accent to generate umlaut diacritic symbols and that you don't
require all of them, you might use one that is not needed to be
translated to something else.

In the above example, you could have requested the diacritic " "
to have "Ñ" as an alias. This is done by typing the dead key
assigned for the umlaut and then the lowercase letter "y". Accent
will generate the diacritic " " and replace it with the alias "Ñ".

Alternates

If you have an enhanced keyboard, you can use the Alternates
table to generate special symbols.

The Alternates table works with the extended Alt key (the right-
hand Alt key) but otherwise has the same functionality as the
Aliases table. The table can support up to 264 entries and can be
scanned with the two directional buttons at the bottom in exactly
the same way you do with the Aliases table.

For instance, if you decide to set the alternate to the lowercase
letter "c" be the copyright symbol "⌐", then by typing the right-
hand Alt key together with the letter "c" will generate the "⌐"
symbol.

Here also you can redirect unused diacritics to have alternates
as you can with the Aliases table. The only requirement is that
the diacritics be defined in the "Alt Char" entries of the Diacritic
Keys table.

The functionality of the Alt key for Windows operation (menu
selection and accelerators) is still available by using the left-hand
Alt key. The Extended Alt key is captured by Accent when
translation mode is ON, but is otherwise available to Windows.

Num Keypad

Accent normally remaps keys from the main keyboard. You can
use the Num Keypad table to remap keys from the numeric
keypad. The extended Alt key does not apply to the Num Keypad
table since it is reserved to enter the Alt-0 code sequence.

Character Map

The character map displays all available ANSI characters in the
specified output font and color. The scroll bar lets you scan the map.

Use the Drag & Drop capability of Accent to enter symbols in the
various translation edit fields of the Setup window.

The Character Zoom feature, available by clicking the right mouse
button, shows an enlarge view of the character.

OK button

The OK button is used to exit the Setup menu.

Save button

The Save button is used to save your Setup. The Setup is saved
in the WIN.INI file. This is the Setup that will be used the next
time you start Accent.

Keyboard button

You can use the Keyboard button to load one of the pre-defined
keyboards supported by Accent and to save or delete keyboard
definitions. Clicking this button will bring up a dialog box with the
following controls:

    Keyboard list: displays the list of supported keyboards.

    Load Keyboard: sets the Setup to the keyboard selected from the
    Keyboard list.

    Erase Setup: erases the Setup.

    Undo: resets the Setup to the one recorded in the WIN.INI file.
    This button is disabled if the Setup has not been modified.

    Done: ends the Keyboard dialog.

    Add Setup to Keyboard list: use this button if you want to save the
    current Setup under a new name or to one of the existing keyboard
    definitions; in this latter case, the name you give must be
    identical to the one in the Keyboard list but is otherwise case
    insensitive.

    Remove Keyboard form Keyboard list: use this button to delete a
    keyboard definition. You will be prompted to confirm the deletion
    of the definition file.

    Set Keyboard Accelerator: you can attach a keyboard Accelerator
    Key to any keyboard from the Keyboard list. Follow the instructions
    in the dialog box to enter the desired Accelerator. Once an
    Accelerator is defined for a keyboard, that keyboard can be
    enabled by typing in this Accelerator. This is identical to using
    the Load Keyboard button but is much faster and the Accelerator is
    available in all Windows applications.

Help button

The help button will provide on-line help on the use of Accent.

Fonts button

The Fonts button allows you to use color coded fonts to display
input/output characters in the Setup window. You can thus see
exactly what symbols will be displayed when you use these fonts
in your applications.

Test button

The Test button displays the Accent Test window. You can use
this window to enter characters from the keyboard and see how
these are translated by Accent. The Hot Key and Accelerator
keys are enabled when the Test window is active: this allows you
to test the various configurations defined in the Setup.

Distribution

Accent is distributed as SHAREWARE. You may make copies of
the software and give it to whomever you wish as long as you do
not alter it in any way and that you copy all the files, including this
manual.

The program is provided "as is" with no warranty of any kind. It is
your responsibility to decide if this software is suitable for your
use.

Registration

If you use the program on a regular basis, you must register with
pro++ Software. Registration entitles you to receive the latest version
of Accent on disk and grants you a non-exclusive license to use
Accent on one machine. It will also enable pro++ Software to notify
you of future updates and enhancements.

To register, send $25.00 US (S & H included) or equivalent CDN
funds in cheque or money order to:

        pro++ Software
        8045 Saguenay
        Brossard, Qc
        J4X 1N2  CANADA

Please make cheque or money order payable to pro++ Software.
Allow 3 weeks for personal cheque to clear the bank.

CompuServe users can register through the CIS Registration
Database by typing GO SWREG at the menu prompt and
quoting registration id 2307.

You can also register with Public (software) Library with your
MC, Visa, AmEx or Discover card by calling 800-242-4PsL (from
overseas: 713-524-6394) or by FAX to 713-524-6398 or by
CompuServe to 71355,470. Please quote item #10613 for faster
processing. THESE NUMBERS ARE FOR REGISTERING ONLY. pro++ Software
cannot be reached at those numbers.

To contact pro++ Software for information about dealer pricing, volume
discounts, site licensing, the status of shipment of the product,
the latest version number or for technical information, call 514-
465-9306 or write to the above address.

Comments and suggestions are welcome and can be mailed to
the above address or forwarded via Compuserve at 72571,724.

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Copyright ⌐ 1992-1995, pro++ Software.
Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.