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A. |
Introduction | |
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Braille is a code without a one-to-one
relationship
to screen characters. Consequently it is
necessary to translate text if standard braille is desired. ViewPlus'
newest application, the Tiger Formatter, is a text-to-braille translator
and formatter for MS Word and MS Excel. The
features include:
-
Translation of
multiple languages simultaneously
-
Display of original
text along with braille characters
- Maintenance of
your special text formatting & graphics
- Adjustment of character
size and line spacing automatically
The Tiger Formatter is
not an independent executable program. On computers running supported Microsoft Office versions other than 2007, a new menu, Tiger, will appear in Word and Excel after installing the Tiger Software Suite. Clicking on the Tiger menu (or pressing
Alt-G) pulls down the Tiger menu options. On computers running Microsoft Office 2007, the new Tiger menu will appear on the Add-ins ribbon in Word and Excel. Clicking on the Add-ins ribbon and then the Tiger menu (or pressing Alt-X, then G) pulls down the Tiger menu options.
A new command bar consisting
of several command buttons may also be displayed, on the Add-ins ribbon in Office 2007 applications or directly in the main program window in other supported Office versions.
These buttons are Tiger command shortcuts. They duplicate the most common commands
available in the Tiger menu. Use the Toolbars
option from Microsoft's View menu to hide or unhide the Tiger command bar.
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B. |
Operation with MS Word and Excel | |
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To see the Tiger
menu in MS Word, open up the application and choose the Tiger menu (Alt-X, then G in Word 2007, Alt-G in all other supported versions of Word).
Figure 1: Tiger menu options.
It is recommended to set up a Tiger Profile before using
the Tiger Formatter (refer to 'Formatter Settings' later in this section). The
commands in the Tiger menu in MS Word are described below.
Apply Tiger Layout
This command allows
the user to "preview" the translated document before the text is
translated to braille. It applies the user's page size and margin options to the
document and approximates braille text size by increasing font size of text. This simple operation gives the user a good approximation of what the
final braille document could look like and whether any of the formatting
options need to be changed.
Translate Document
This command applies
the user's Tiger Layout and translates the text in the
document into braille. All text is translated except text in any braille font
or any Tiger font. Previously translated parts or anything entered by
hand in a braille font are not translated, nor are the Tiger fonts that emboss
as DotsPlus braille.
Translate Selection
This command translates selected text to braille, except text in any braille font or any Tiger font.
Quick Emboss
This command applies
the user's Tiger Layout, translates the text in the document and sends it to the
printer selected in the active Tiger Profile.
Formatter Settings
This option accesses the user's Tiger Profile information. It opens a dialog
box displaying translation settings, ink option settings and current printer
and paper size selections for the currently selected Tiger Profile. Tiger Profiles may be created, edited, added from another source or removed using this dialog.
Figure 2: Tiger Formatter Settings dialog.
- Tiger Profile box:
- Current Tiger Profile: This
combo box allows the user to choose which Tiger Profile to use when translating
documents. Tiger Profiles store complete sets of Formatter Settings so that
users may easily switch back and forth between commonly used setting
information. Use the Add button at the
bottom of this section to load an existing Tiger profile, the Delete button to
remove the currently loaded Tiger profile or the Save As button to save the
current Formatter Settings under a different Tiger profile name.
- Tiger Layout box: This box allows the user to control all settings for
translation, page setup, ink and printing. The Tiger Layout will be applied
after the user formats or translates the document to Braille.
- Language/Type/Font: Displays
the current selections for Braille translation language, Braille type (grade)
and which font to translate.
- Language Settings button:
Opens a separate dialog that allows the user to change Language/Type/Font
settings.

Figure 3: Language Settings dialog.
- Primary Language group: This group has four combo boxes.
> Language: Shows all languages available and the one currently selected.
> Braille Type: Permits choice of Computer
Braille, non-contracted Braille, and other options for some languages.
> Translatable Font: Permits the user to select the
screen font to be used for primary language translation. Do not choose unless everything in the document is to be translated identically.
> Braille Options: Permits selection of advanced options for Braille output (not available for all languages). Options include: automatic spell checking, indicate case at the beginning of words, do not indicate case inside words, use foreign accented letters, do not use computer braille for internet addresses, keep numbers and spaces at math symbols, disable group numbers, disable maths signs, disable drop-down numbers, disable insertions of grade 1 braille in grade 2 text, disable insertions of 6-dot computer braille, convert to 6-dot computer braille, enable direct copy of text between curly braces and enable name processing for text between square brackets.
> There are also two check
boxes, 'No Capitals' and 'Jumbo Braille.' The first allows the user to
effectively remove capitalization marks from his or her Braille document. The second will produce Jumbo Braille output in the
translated document.
- Secondary Language
group: Has the same four combo boxes and two check
boxes shown in Primary Language option and is activated
by checking 'Translate secondary language.' Used
to select a different screen font to permit portions of the text to be
translated into another type of Braille, or for another language to be
translated into the proper Braille for that language.
- Tertiary Language group: Has the same four combo boxes and two check boxes to permit
a third language or type of Braille to be indicated by a third screen font and is activated by checking 'Translate tertiary
language.'
- TSS User
Interface Language: Allows the user to select
the language in which TSS menus and dialogs appear. All available options
appear in a combo box.
- OK and Cancel buttons: OK will save the selected
parameters and close the dialog box. Cancel will restore the previous
settings and close the dialog box.
Figure 4: Braille and Ink Settings dialog.
- Braille Settings group: Not available in all languages.
This group consists of four checkboxes. The first, Preserve Italics, inserts
emphasis marks for italics into the braille document according to the rules of the
selected language. The second, Preserve Bold, performs the same functionality
for bold original text. The third, Preserve Underline, does the same for
underlining in the original document. The fourth checkbox allows hyphenation of braille text according to the rules of the selected language.
- Ink Settings group: This group consists of two checkboxes
and three combo boxes.
> Overprint Original Text: When checked, will cause the
document, if printed to an ink print capable ViewPlus embosser, to ink print the ASCII
representations of the braille on top of the braille.
Checking the Overprint Original Text option will uncheck and disable the
Interline Original Text option.
> Interline Original
Text: Can be selected only when Overprint Original Text is unchecked. Checking Interline Original Text allows the original text to show in
the document and, if printed to an ink print capable ViewPlus embosser, allows the document to be printed with ink.
> Three
combo boxes are associated with this option. The first allows the ink font to
be selected. Choose any font installed on the computer. The second combo box
allows selection of the ink font size. The third combo box allows the user to
select the ink text position: above the braille, on top of the braille or below
the braille.
- OK and Cancel buttons: OK will save the selected parameters and close the dialog
box. Cancel will restore the previous settings and close the dialog box.
-
Current Document Paper Size, Current Printer and Printer Paper Size: Displays
the current selections for printing and page setup options.
-
Document Settings button: Opens a separate dialog that
allows the user to change document and print settings.
Figure 5: Document Settings dialog.
- Printer Setup group: Allows the user to select the
printer to use from a combo box. Once the printer is selected, the user may
access the printer properties for the printer using the Printer Properties
button.
- Page Setup group: Allows the user to select the desired
paper size from a combo box or to set a custom size. A set of radio buttons
within the Page Setup group allows the user to choose the page orientation.
- Margin group: Allows the user to set the desired page
margins for this Tiger profile.
- Format group: This section offers six check boxes for
formatting options.
> Translate
headers and/or footers: When checked, headers and footers will be translated.
> Remove Headers: When checked, this will delete
headers.
> Remove Footers: When checked, this will
delete footers.
> Show original page numbers: This will insert the
original page numbers in the header of translated pages, but will remove the
existing headers if any. If a translated page has contents that come from
two original pages, a line will be inserted in between to serve as a separator,
and an original page number will be inserted to the right of that line.
> Print odd page numbers only: When checked, page
numbers are removed from the footers of even numbered pages. To use this
feature, page numbers must be in the footer of the original document and the
translate headers and/or footers option in the Format group on the Formatter
Settings screen must also be checked.
> Braille document saved as new: When checked, the
Formatter renames the translated document with _BRL following the original name
of the file. By default this box is checked. When unchecked, the file
is not renamed when the document is translated.
> Simplify document: When checked, the document will be simplified
according to the document simplification settings each time a translation
process is performed.
> Document Simplification Settings button: Opens a
separate dialog that allows the user to change document simplification
settings.

Figure 6: Document Simplification Settings dialog.
- Text Format group: Allows the user to select options
regarding text formatting.
- Font resized to braille size: Resizes the text to Braille font size when any
Formatter operation is performed. This option is checked by default.
- Translate Body Text Only: Active only when the Formatter is in Text Only translation mode (selected
directly from the Tiger menu) and is not checked by default.
- De-columnize: When checked, takes text out of columns when the Formatter is
run.
- Paragraph Format:
Traditional Braille translation will format the paragraph to a left alignment.
If the original paragraph format should be kept during formatting or
translation, select any of the check boxes below.
- Keep center paragraph alignment.
- Keep right paragraph alignment.
- Keep paragraph first line indent value: Keeps indentation.
- Use new first line indentation of (from left margin): Changes
indentation of the first line of a paragraph to a certain number of characters.
- List Format: When
the automatic list function is used in MS Word, certain care must be taken when
translating to braille.
- Keep Original List indentation: When checked, original list indentation
settings are used.
- Use first line indent character of: Changes indentation to a number of
characters for the first indent on the list.
- Use additional list increment of: Changes indentation to a number of
characters for the second through ninth lines of a list.
- OK and Cancel
buttons: OK will save the selected parameters and close the dialog box. Cancel
will restore the previous settings and close the dialog box.
- OK and Cancel buttons: OK will save the selected parameters and close the dialog
box. Cancel will restore the previous settings and close the dialog box.
NOTE: Clicking Cancel will restore the previous settings not only to this
dialog but also to any deeper dialogs. Click Cancel only if all previous
settings on this and deeper dialogs should be restored.
- OK and Cancel buttons: OK will
save the selected parameters and close the dialog box. Cancel will restore the
previous settings and close the dialog box. NOTE: Clicking Cancel will restore the previous settings not only to
this dialog but also to any deeper dialogs. Click Cancel only if all previous
settings on this and deeper dialogs should be restored.
Translation Mode
This option allows the user to select the translation mode.
-
Text and All Graphics: Selecting this will cause the Formatter to translate
all text found in the document, including text in text boxes or autoshapes,
when it is run. Please note that text that is part of a picture, such as a
bitmap or jpeg image, will not be translated because it is a picture of text,
not actual text.
-
Text Only: Selecting this option will cause the Formatter to translate
only the text in the document that is text and not part of a drawing object
when the Formatter is run. All graphics in the document will be removed,
leaving only text.
Display Mode
This option allows the user to select the display mode.
- Show Braille Dots:
Choosing this will allow the translated document to show the dot patterns
for the Braille translation.
- Show ASCII: Choosing this will show the ASCII representations of the dot
patterns in the translated document. The display mode can be changed at any
time to view the Braille dots or ASCII of a translated document.
Reload Original Document
This option loads the original document in the current window. NOTE: The original
document must be saved before formatting or translation in order to use this
feature.
Help
This option allows the user
to access support resources. The pull down menu includes three options.
- Online Help: Launches
an html file in the user's default web browser with links to support
resources online.
- About: Pops up a
dialog with information about the ViewPlus Formatter, including the
version number currently installed.
- Check for Updates: Checks to see if an update for TSS is available. If
so, two buttons are available on the update progress screen; download and
cancel. Download will download and install the software update. Cancel will
close the update box without downloading or installing anything. The user must
be connected to the internet to use this feature.
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C. |
Special Features in MS Excel | |
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Operation of the Tiger Formatter in MS Excel differs somewhat from
operation in MS Word. In Excel, the Quick Emboss option is not available.
Because of the nature of Excel spreadsheets, the Translation Mode selection is
unnecessary and does not show in the Tiger menu. Also absent from the Tiger
menu in Excel is the Reload Original Document option. This option is
unnecessary in Excel because the original sheet in the spreadsheet is not
changed when the Formatter is run.
The Formatter Settings screen differs in Excel. Some options available in
Word are not available in Excel. Those options that are not available for Excel
are greyed out.
In Excel there are also two extra items in the Tiger menu, 'Refresh Ink
Sheet' and 'Print'. More information on these items appears later in this
section.
Excel spreadsheets will translate and be formatted as they are in MS
Word. The cells will automatically expand to fit the larger braille
font. When using the Chart Wizard function
to create a chart, selecting the option to place the chart on a new worksheet
is recommended. Charts that are part of the original data sheet cannot be
translated. That means the chart will be found on a different tab and the
Formatter will be able to translate the fonts in the chart.
Once an Excel worksheet has
been formatted, a copy of the original sheet will be saved, and there
will be two new sheets labeled Braille Sheet and Ink Sheet. If the workbook also contains a chart, the original chart
will be saved plus there will be a sheet labeled Chart Braille and Chart Ink. The ink sheets may be used for printing interline.
Refresh Ink Sheet
- Will reformat the Ink Sheet so that the column width
of the Ink Sheet is adjusted to that of the corresponding Braille Sheet.
- If the Ink Sheet is a Chart Sheet, will adjust the
width and height of each Chart element so that they have the same dimension as
those in the Braille Chart Sheet.
- Will perform reformatting whenever the Braille
Sheet's format is changed and this menu item is clicked (or the corresponding
button on the new command bar is clicked).
Therefore, if the user sees a need to adjust the column width (or Chart
dimensions) in the Braille Sheet after the translation, he/she can do so with a
simple click, the Ink Sheet is also reformatted accordingly.
Print
This option opens a customized printer dialog for printing Braille Sheets. Options available on this dialog are explained below.

Figure 7: Tiger Excel printer dialog.
- Printer: List of ViewPlus embossers installed on the computer.
- Print to File
Checkbox: Check this box to print the file to a Tiger Designer file and preview it there before printing to a ViewPlus embosser.
- Print What: Specify what to print.
- Active sheets -
Will print all the selected sheets in the current window.
- Selection - Will
print all the selections in all the selected sheets. (NOTE: If there are selections in multiple
pages, only the selected area for the active sheet will be used, even the selected areas are different in other selected sheets. For example, if sheet 1 has A5 to D5
selected, sheet 2 has A10 to C10 selected, and sheet1 is the active sheet but
both sheets are selected to be printed, then on sheet2, the selected area will
automatically be changed to A5 to D5). If there are multiple selections in one sheet, each selection will be
printed on a separate sheet.
- Entire workbook
- All the sheets (ordinary sheets and chart sheets) will be printed.
- Print Mode
- Emboss - Emboss
Braille text only.
- Ink - When
emboss is checked, will print ink between lines of Braille dots (not applicable
here).
- 2 in 1 - Will
print a Braille page, followed by an Ink page. The final result is that both the ink and the braille will be printed inside a
cell (or on a chart).
NOTE: If an ink-attached printer is selected,
all three
checkboxes will be enabled; otherwise, only Emboss is enabled. The user should set the paper size on the braille sheet and the ink
sheet will automatically be set for the same size paper.
- Copies: Select the number of copies to print.
NOTE: When printed in 2 in 1 mode, both the Braille Sheet
and the Ink Sheet need to be sent, and they must have the same page break
settings to allow the ink at the correct, desired position. Currently, only the
Braille Sheet's setting is used, it is necessary to edit the page break settings on
the Braille Sheet.
More detailed tips on using the Tiger Formatter can be
found in the ViewPlus Tutorials, which are on the ViewPlus web site
(www.viewplus.com).
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