Arabic

There is only one Template for Arabic: Arabic - basic

For the details about the DBT translator used by Arabic: click here.

Contracted Braille

Arabic is usually produced in contracted braille. This means that words are not produced in braille on a one-for-one basis. There are abbreviations or contractions in the text. If you have questions about how braille is produced, please contact a member of the relevant braille authority.

Sometimes, you may want to produce uncontracted braille. This is easy to do with DBT. Before translation into braille, go to the top of the document in DBT, and press Alt-1. When you translate into braille, the braille will be uncontracted

Arabic Translation Systems

There was a widely used system for contracted Arabic braille that was used for years. It was supplanted by the new system organized in Saudi Arabia in October 2002. The DBT Template Arabic - basic uses the newer 2002 system.

DBT can be used to produce braille according to the older system if you prefer. Here are the steps:

• Open a new Document in DBT using the Arabic - basic Template.
• Do not enter any text
• From the Document Menu, choose Translation Table, and select Arabic (pre-2002 rules)
• From the Document Menu, choose Create Template
• Decide if you are going to change the existing Arabic Template or create an additional Template
• In general, you want to select dbt as your Word Style Map

From now on, use the new or modified DBT Template, and you will get the older braille translation system.

Non-Roman Script

Arabic is written in a script other than the Roman alphabet. This may result in problems when importing files into DBT.Your best bet is to import files from Microsoft Word or Open Office that are written in a Unicode font.You can contact support at Duxbury Systems if you have a file which does not import properly into DBT. Please send the file which does not import (the original inkprint file), not a screen shot of DBT.

Duxbury Systems strives to work with users to make sure that our software works with as many file formats as possible. Please contact us if you have any concerns.

Arabic is written in a script that goes from right-to-left.

Duxbury DBT does not yet properly handle scripts that are read from right-to-left for editing purposes. You can open (import) a file, and you can translate into braille. But you cannot edit the inkprint within DBT. We regret this and hope to correct this issue in a later release of DBT.