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What Was New About MegaDots 2.4: Key Changes

What Was New in MegaDots 2.3

MegaDots 2.3, MegaDots 2.4, and MegaDots 2.5 have Windows Installation Programs

The following text describes common features for MegaDots 2.3, MegaDots 2.4, and MegaDots 2.5. Where they differ (such as the installation directory), the situation of MegaDots 2.5 is given.

MegaDots 2.5 Documentation

MegaDots 2.5 Documentation in html is now installed onto your hard drive in the directory c:\mega25\docs. Anytime you need any information, you can press Control-escape Programs, Duxbury, MegaDots 2.5 Documentation.

The entire User Manual, entire Reference Manual, and the entire Interface Guide are available as Word Files from the html Menu. You can use the Word copies to print out in your choice of fonts.

The entire User Manual, entire Reference Manual, and the entire Interface Guide are available as the top three choices when you press F11 within the MegaDots editor. You can produce these in braille very easily from within MegaDots.

MegaDots contains Embossit

Embossit uses the machinery of DBT to emboss braille ready files. You can call Embossit from Start Menu, Programs, Duxbury. Or you can emboss using Embossit from within MegaDots. Since Embossit knows how to drive Tiger embossers, how to drive USB ports, and how to locate Windows devices, this greatly enhances MegaDot's ability to keep up with modern embossing systems. Embossit also comes with documentation on how to deal with Embossing problems. For information on using Embossit, see Chapter 5.

MegaDots contains MegaPrn

MegaPrn is a program that can take output designed for output and re-direct it to a Windows device. MegaPrn can be used for either braille or inkprint output. Again, this gives you the ability to output to USB and other devices without needing an MS-DOS driver for your USB port.

MegaDots contains MegaMath and Beginner Braille

MegaDots 2.5 always comes with these features built in. You can read about them in the menu of documentation.

MegaDots 2.5 comes with chemistry symbols built into MegaMath.

Using Nemeth translation, the long dash (----) and right arrow symbols and plural abbreviations like "VCRs" now translate properly into braille.

Some items are easier to find in the Math items list, such as the Long division sign.

MegaDots has new fixes for British Braille

MegaDots' British translation of words has been modified to conform with new 2004 British rules. For example, the (ness) contraction is now allowed in "lioness."

MegaDots now supports the new British rules for Italics.

MegaDots supports the rules for a caps passage, including the use of contractions for "to," "by," and "into" within a caps passage.

Access to the DOS Command Line

Previous version of MegaDots have documented going to the command line by pressing Alt-F10 inside of MegaDots. While this still works, it is not the best approach (though very handy when you are in MegaDots).

You can get into the command line by clicking on the Comamnd Line for MegaDots item in the Programs, Duxbury Group. If you do this, you will notice that the DOS window is full sized. This is appropriate for sighted persons. Blind persons using a speech program such as JAWS or Window-Eyes need to use the "window" sized screen. If the smaller screen is needed, right click on the icon, select properties, screen, and then click on the Window button (instead of full size).

New Style Sheets LIT-NLS

We have become aware of some differences between literary braille as mandated by BANA and NLS. These differences are largely reflected in the style sheets LITERARY.SS and INFORMAL.SS. We are adding a new style sheet LIT-NLS.SS.

The LITERARY style sheet has been modified to conform to changes in the regulations. Preliminary pages in literary documents now more closely resemble preliminary pages in textbooks. Page numbers are Arabic, not Roman. They are preceded by a letter "p." This change for preliminary pages has also been made in the LIT-NLS style sheet. The LIT-NLS style sheet is like LITERARY except that it formats multi-level poetry and outlines as in Textbook Format.

Other Changes