eng-zaf00
This is the technical description of a DBT Translation table. If you want more general information about languages and template choices, please see the list of templates.
Initially, the language table for braille translation is determined by the selected template, and may be changed using the Document / Translation Tables menu. Using those menus does not require use of the table designator. However, to switch to a different translation table partway through a file, one must enter a DBT code and the designator for the table to switch to. For switching secondary languages within a base language table, see the [lng~X] command. For switching from one base language to another, see the [lnb~...] command.
The English/South African (pre-UEB) tables support print-to-braille translation of English-language literary text in contracted or uncontracted English braille according to South African usage prior to the adoption of Unified English Braille (UEB) in South Africa starting in 2004 (which differed in some minor respects from British usage during that same earlier time period). The American Computer Braille Code (CBC) is also supported.
Braille-to-print translation is supported for this language. However, braille-to-print translation may not be perfect, therefore beware that errors can occur. If you find errors or have suggestions, please send both the *.dxb and *.dxp files along with an explanation to: languages@duxsys.com. Please be sure to include sample files!
There are no special requirements and limitations.
No secondary languages are supported.
However, it is possible to switch to any of the available translation tables listed in DBT. (See the [lnb~...] code below.)
Computer Braille Code (CBC), as defined by the Braille Authority of North America, is supported.
In addition, it is possible to switch to any of the available translation tables listed in DBT (see the [lnb~...]code below), many of which do support various technical codes, such as for mathematics or computer notation, or which support “unified” treatment of technical notation as well as literary text in the base language associated with the table.
The following DBT translation codes are available when using the English/South African (pre-UEB) table.Any other translation codes used will be ignored, or indeed may cause unexpected results.If using an alternative translation table, i.e.when switching to another base language table by means of the [lnb~...] code, please refer to the relevant topic and available codes for that table.
[/] may be embedded within letter-groups that would normally be contracted, to prevent the contraction.
[ab] is equivalent to [g2]
[cap-invert]
[cap-normal]
[cb-&]
[cb-de]
[cb-ds]
[cb-ee]
[cb-es]
[cb-ne]
[cb-ns]
[cb-se]
[cb-ss]
[cb-t1]
[cb-t2]
[cb-ue]
[cb-us]
[cb]
[cbi]
[cbn]
[cs-off]
[cs]
[cz] switches to "direct braille," wherein braille is directly represented using the North American ASCII-braille code. (This is sometimes called "no-translate" or "computer grade 0")
[fte~b]
[fte~i]
[fts~b]
[fts~i]
[g1] switches to "grade 1" (uncontracted) braille.
[g2] switches to "grade 2" (contracted) braille.
[in] is equivalent to [g1]
[lnb]
[lnb~...] (for switching to another base [primary] language table)
[tx] resumes normal translation, ending "direct braille."
[txi]
[txn]
The table is designed to work with the following groups of characters:
All ASCII printable characters
Accented letters and punctuation marks typical of French, German, Italian, and Spanish
British pound sign
Japanese yen sign
The above is a general guide only (see "General Notes" section at the beginning of this document).
These tables were derived from the then current English/British Tables in March 1986 at the Institute for the Blind, Worcester, South Africa, with the assistance of Duxbury Systems, Inc. They are presently maintained mainly by Mr. Christo de Klerk with the help of Mr. Jan Bam, and with occasional assistance from Duxbury.
"Code for Computer Braille Notation" (1987), a publication of the Braille Authority of North America (BANA), defines the computer notation code followed.
(Documentation reviewed: July 2010.)