Introduction

How to Open the Sharada-Braille-Writer?

Go to the application menu using alt F1, there in the sub menu of universal access menu sharada Braille writer appears, open it by pressing enter.

How to Change the Language?

1. Sharada-Braille-writer opens with the default language English grade 1. Here the user can write with the six keys f,d,s,j,k and l. Keys f2 to f11 are assigned for selecting the languages English grade 2, malayalam grade 1, malayalam grade 2, hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Arabic, Nemeth Braille code for Mathematics, sanskrit and English grade 3 respectively. The inclusion of Nemeth code which is assigned in key f9 is a special feature of SBW.
2. To cycle between default built-in engine languages one can press keys f1 to f11 along with control key. For example control+f5 is assigned for Spanish.
3. F12 is assigned to switch between normal keyboard and Braille keyboard
4. To assign other Liblouis languages to function keys: Go to SBW preference frame using control + P, use right arrow to move to the Liblouis page there one can use the tabs to select different tables to be assigned to function keys 1 to 11 and finally press the apply button.

File

1. To Open a New Tab

   Apart from the writing field the writer can open new pages using control N. The user can use different settings in each page. To cycle between different pages the user can use alt 1, alt 2,alt 3 et

2. To Save a Document

   Press control S use tab to move to the name field here one can use the Braille mode if he/she wants, pressing F1 will bring the English grade 1 language then press the shift tab to get the save button.

3. To Open an Existing File

   Use control O, file list appears, press enter in the desired file , Control + end key will move the cursor to the end of the document.

Edit

1. undo

   SBW provides the special features- Undo and redo. To cancel the immediate previous action one can use the Undo feature using control z.

2. Redo

   To cancel the undo result again, one can use the redo feature using control Y.

3. To Go to Line

   Pressing control i will announce the current line. Here the user can use up and down Arrow or type the number of a particular line to move to that line, finally press the enter in the go push button.

4. To Find

   The user can find a letter or a world in the file using control F, there appears the search window, here the user can type the character or word he wants to find then tab to move to previous or next option , the user can move through the list using numpad 7, to read the entire line of the search result use numpad 9

5. To Find and Replace

   To replace word or character with another, press shift + control+F, type the word to find in the search menu, then use the tab to type the replacing word in the replace menu. Then go through the list in the previous or next option to select the word to be replace, use tab and press the replace push button finally press close button.

Language

1. Liblouis Language:

   171 languages are included in the Liblouis engine in SBW. The user can go through the list of languages and select the ones he wants in the Liblouis language list in the language menu.

2. Built in Language:

   38 languages are included in the built in engine in SBW. The user can go through the list of languages and select the ones he wants in the Liblouis language list in the language menu.

Abbreviation Editor

Abbreviation editor allows the user to create his or her own abbreviations in any language.

To create abbreviations press alt shift m, press enter in the add push button, there appears the new entry window,now type the abbreviation in the language of his choice, press tab to the expansion menu and type the expansion, again tab to press the Add button.

Finally close the window to go to the edit field.

While typing, after writing the abbreviation press key a in the normal keyboard and the abbreviation will be expanded.

Tools

1. To Say Line Number.

   Press Control l to know the number of the current line.

2. Spell Check

   SBW provides spell checker in English language. Shift+plus+7 opens a window,there moving tabs the user can see change,change all and delete options.The next tab provides the suggetion list.

   Using arrow keys user can go through the list.and select the correct word. Once the word is decided, move tab and press the change push button.To use spell checker in Malayalam, The application ‘add spell dict’ must be installed.

3. Audio Converter

   Any text can be converted in to audio format.

   After selecting text go to the tools menu , press enter in the audio converter frame, here the user can use the tab followed by arrow keys to set the speed , pitch, split of time , volume and the language which must be written in the field provided and finally press the convert push button. Here the user can give the file name and save it , it will be kept in the home folder.

4. To Increase Font Size

   Press control + right square bracket (Ctrl +] )

5. To Decrease Font Size

   Press control+ left square bracket ( Ctrl + [ )

Preference

To open preference press Control + p. Here the user the right arrow or left arrow to navigate through the 4 pages called , General Page, Liblouis language page, Built-in language page and keybindings

1. General Page

   1. Default Tab Type

      In the general page the user can use the tab to set the Liblouis or built in as the default engine.

   2. Auto Capitalising

      Using the tab user can check the check boxes of auto capitalisation of the first character of sentence and line.

   3. Line Limiting

      Using the tabs the user can check the auto new line check box in the line limiting panal. He can also set the number of characters in a line by typing it or using the arrow keys. The number of characters in a line by default is 100.

   4. View

      The user can make changes in the view panal using tab, go through the list using arrow keys, set the selection by pressing enter. The default font is rachana regular. The user can go to the themes by using tab , where 13 different combinations of themes are provided for low vision. One can navigate through the list using arrow keys.

   5. One Hand Mode

       

2. Swiching Engine

   Two engines called Liblouis and built-in engine are included in SBW.

   1. Selecting Liblouis Language

      The user can move to the Liblouis page by pressing right arrow twice in preferences.

      Using tabs here, the user can see the languages assigned to the keys f1 to f11. He can assign the language of his choice by using arrow keys in each tab . Ones the selection is completed he can press the apply push button. By default, key F1, F2 and f11 are assigned to English grade 1, English grade 2 and English grade 3 respectively.

3. Selecting Built in Language

   1. Conventional Mode

      By default built in engine is prepared to write exactly like the way in normal scrip. When Combination of consonants comes as a syllable , the required (chandrakkala) symbol comes between the consonants in normal scrip.

      To make it effective in Braille mode, go to the bulit in page in preference pressing right arrow thrice, and tab to check the conventional mode.

   2. Simple Mode

      To avoid contractions in built in engine check the simple mode in built in page in preferences.

4. Difference between Liblouis and Built in Engines

   1. To make a consonant a half one, use dote 3 instead of dote 4 before that consonant.
   2. To write symbols and numbers in built in engine, press semy colen, and type the dotes of the simbol or number.
   3. Key I is used as the list switcher in both Engines. . When the occasions of ambiguity Arises due to the use of The same dotes for letter and punctuation, the list switcher key I can be used To indicate the other. For example, In Malayalam, Dote 235 is used for the letter ഫ And exclamation Mark. Likewise, Dote 345 is used for the vowel sound ആ and the simbol ar. There the list switcher key will be useful To Type the one we want. Again, To write the Hindi word हुा after writing हु dote 345 must be pressed. This key is also used as the disjoined key.
   4. In order to get Malayalam half Consonants In built in engine, Press full stop after That consonants. Previous character can be deleted by pressing the key H.
   5. In the rare occasion of having the same dotes for a letter and a punctuation, letter I in normal keyboard must be pressed before it to specify It as a letter. For example, while writing the name ഹനീഫ, to specify the letter ഫ key I in normal keyboard must be pressed before the letter ഫ. Likewise in HINDI, to write the word खोझ key i must be pressed before the letter.
   6. Malayalam contractions follows the book published by kfb in co-operation with the nivh which is recognized by scert.
   7. When ള is combined with a consonant, dote 4 plus consonant plus ല must be Written. For example, To write പ്ല, dote 4 പ ല must be written.

5. Braille Pattern

   Braille pattern is available in SBW. Braille pattern can be activated by pressing control f11. There after, Braille dotes will appear on screne instead of letters.

6. How to Activate Normal Keybord in SBW

   F12 can be used to switch between normal keyboard and braille keyboard In Sbw.

7. Key Bindings

   Keys F, D, S, J, K and L are used for braille dotes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 respectively in SBW. The key binding page, Which is 4th in the preferences, allows the user to make his own choice of keys to represent the 6 braille dotes. Moving tabs in keybinding page, The user can see the dote and The key assigned to it. There one can press the key he wants to use and press the apply button to bring it into effect. For example, One can press key z for dote 1, When ‘braille dote 1 f’ is read and press apply button.

8. Setting Preferences

   The changes we make in preferences will come in to effect only after the apply push button is pressed.

9. Restoring the Default Preferences

   To cancel all the changes we made in preferences, Press the restore button.

Nemeth Braille Code for Mathematics (India)

1. Numeric Indicator 3,4,5,6
2. , Mathematical Comma 6
3. . Decimal Point 4,6
4. Punctuation indicator 4,5,6
5. + Plus 3,4,6
6. – Minus 3,6
7. × Multiplication cross 4-16
8. . Multiplication Dot 16
9. ÷ Devided by 46-34
10. = Is Equal to – 46, 13
11. > Is greater than – 46-2
12. < Is less than – 5-13
13. ( Opening bracket – 12356
14. ) Closing bracket – 23456
15. [ Opening square bracket – 4-12356
16. ] Closing square bracket – 4-23456
17. { Opening curly bracket – 46-12356
18. } Closing curly bracket – 46-23456
19. ? Question mark – 456-236
20. : Colon – 456-25
21. ! Exclamation mark – 456-235
22. ‘ Single quotation mark – 456-3
23. – Hyphen – 456-36
24. . Full stop – 456-256
25. ” Double quotation mark – 456-356
26. ; Semicolon – 456-23
27. , Comma – 456-2
28. ∕ Division Slash – 456-34
29. / Slash – 34
30. ∠ Acute angle – 1246-246
31. ▬ Rectangle – 1246-256
32. ○ Circle – 1246-14
33. ⊥ is perpenticular to – 1246-1234
34. ∥ is parallel to – 1246-123
35. @ At mark – 4-1
36. ✓Check mark – 4-345
37. ″ Ditto mark – 6-3
38. % Percent – 4-356
39. ∶ Ratio – 5-2
40. ∷ Propotion – 56-23
41. ∵ Since – 4-34
42. ∴ Therefore – 6-16
43. ∝ Variation – 456-123456
44. | Vertical bar – 456
45. ± Plus or Minus – 346-36
46. +- Plus followed by Minus – 346-6-36
47. -+ Minus followed by Plus – 36-6-346
48. ― Horizontal Bar
49. ≥ Is greater than or equal to – 46-2-156
50. ≤ Is less than or equal to – 5-13-156
51. ⋝ Bar over greater than – 156-46-2
52. ⋜ Bar over less than – 156-5-13
53. ≦ Is less or equal to – 5-13-46-13
54. ≧ Is greater than or equal to – 46-2-46-13
55. >< Is greater than followed by less than – 46-2-5-5-13
56. <> Is less than followed by greater than – 5-13-5-46-2
57. >=< Is greater than followed by equals sign followed by less than – 46-2-5-46-13-5-5-13
58. <=> Is less than followed by equals sign followed by greater than – 5-13-5-46-13-5-46-2
59. Superscript 45
60. Subscript 56
61. √ Square Root 345
62. ▱ parallellogram 1246-1245
63. ⏢ Trapezium 1246-1356
64. ◠ Arc upward 1246-1
65. ◡ Arc downward 1246-3
66. ⬠ pentagon 1246-26
67. ⬡ Hexagon regular 1246-235
68. ~ single tilde 4-156
69. ⩳ Equall sign under single tilde 4-156-46-13
70. ≂ Bar under single tilde 4-156-156
71. ∠ Angle acute 1246-246
72. ⦦ Angle obtuse 1246-246-46-135-12456
73. ∟ Right Angle 1246-246-46-1235-12456
74. △ Acute triangle 1246-2345-46-1-12456
75. ⊕ Circle with interior plus sign 1246-14-456-1246-346-12456
76. ⊗ Circle with interior cross sign 1246-14-456-1246-4-16-12456
77. ⊡ Square with interior dot sign1246-256-456-1246-16-12456
78. ￫ Right pointing short 1246-25-25-135
79. ⇄ Reverse arrows 1246-25-25-4-135-1246-6-246-25-25
80. ⇒ Implication 1246-2356-2356-135
81. ° Degree 46-16
82. ′ Prime 3
83. ′ Minute 3
84. ″ Second 3-3
85. ❘such that 1256
86. ❘ Vertical Bar 1256
87. ≯ Is not greator than 34-46-2
88. ≮Is not less than 34-5-13
89. ∦ Is not parallel to 34-1246-123
90. ≟ Question mark over equal sign 5-46-13-126-456-2336-12456
91. ∈ is an element of (Membership) 4-15
92. ∍ Contains the element 4-26
93. ⊂ inclusion sign 456-5-13
94. ⊃ reverse inclusion sign 456-46-2
95. ∩ intersection set 46-146
96. ∪ Union set 46-346
97. ∅ Empty set 456-236
98. {} Empty set 46-12356-46-23456
99. ⊆ Bar under inclusion sign 456-5-13-156
100. ⊇ Bar under reverse inclusion 456-46-2-156
101. α Greek alpha 46-1
102. β Greek beta 46-12
103. γ Greek gamma 46-1245
104. δ Greek delta 46-145
105. ε Greek epsilon 46-15
106. ζ Greek zeta 46-156
107. η Greek eta 46-236
108. θ Greek theta 46-1456
109. ι Greek iota 46-24
110. λ Greek lamda 46-123
111. μ Greek mu 46-134
112. ν Greek nu 46-1345
113. ξ Greek xi 46-1346
114. π Greek pi 46-1234
115. ρ Greek rho 46-1235
116. ς Greek final sigma 46-25
117. σ Greek sigma 46-234
118. τ Greek tau 46-2345
119. υ Greek upsilon 46-136
120. φ Greek phi 46-124
121. χ Greek chi 46-12346
122. ψ Greek psi 46-125
123. ο Greek omega 46-135
124. – Dash 36-36
125. … Ellipsis 3-3-3
126. ∗ Astrisk 4-3456
127. ¶ Paragraph mark 4-6-1234
128. § Section mark single 4-6-234
129. §§ Section mark double 4-6-234
130. ☆ Star 1246-234

The Special Keys in SBW

Let Us see the default keys in SBW. The braille dotes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are represented by the keys F, D, S, J, K and L respectively. To support the 8 braille in future, key Z and fullstop are considered as Dote 7 and dote 8 respectively. Semy colen in normal keyboard must be pressed before writing punctuations in built in engine. Key A is used for expanding the abriviations, Key G for caps lock and Key H for deleting the previous character.

In order to get Malayalam half Consonants In built in engine, Press full stop after That consonants. Previous character can be deleted by pressing the key H. Key I is used as the list switcher in both Engines. . When the occasions of ambiguity Arises due to the use of The same dotes for letter and punctuation, the list switcher key I can be used To indicate the other. For example, In Malayalam, Dote 235 is used for the letter ഫ And exclamation Mark. Likewise, Dote 345 is used for the vowel sound ആ and the simbol ar. There the list switcher key will be useful To Type the one we want. Again, To write the Hindi word हुा after writing हु dote 345 must be pressed. This key is also used as the disjoined key.

By default, The following keys are assigned for These functions.
Space in normal keyboard for spacing. Enter key or the key N for adding new line. Key G for caps lock. Key H for deleting the previous character. Keys G and H together for deleting the previous word. F12 for switching between normal keyboard and braille keyboard. keys F1 to F11 are assigned for different languages. The user can assign any key To the above functions by choosing the key He wants in the key binding page in preferences and pressing the apply push button. To assign the default keys again, He can use the restore button.

1. Common Short Cut Keys in SBW

   1. Control + P. To select all
   2. Control + n open a new tab
   3. Control + p preference
   4. Control + s To save
   5. Control + z undo
   6. Control + y Redo
   7. Control + o open a file
   8. Control + x Cut
   9. Control + v paste
   10. Control + i Go to line
   11. Control + f Find
   12. Control + L say line number
   13. Control + h Find and Replace
   14. Alt +Shift + m Abbreviation editor
   15. Alt + shift+ e Abbreviation expansion
   16. shift + f7 Spell checker
   17. control + left square bracket – decrease font size
   18. control + right square bracket- increase font size
   19. control + w close tab
   20. control + q or Alt+ f4 Close file
   21. g h To delete the word which provides typed
   22. control + f1 to f11 To open Built in engine languages