[duxuser] Re: Reading and Preparing .brf files
- From: "George Bell" <george@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <duxuser@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 12 May 2012 12:17:12 +0100
This is a very good Question, Bill.
One has to take a step back, to the original file. If it was a
Duxbury file for example, it could contain a variety of what we call
"File Header Information", such as the paper size used, Table of
Contents, and the make and model of embosser. This is obviously for
the benefit of anyone using Duxbury, especially with different sizes
of paper, different formats, etc..
The same often applies with other translation software, and is
specific to that software.
So the concept behind a .BRF file is to save the file in such a way
that all this other information which is software specific, is
removed, and only the braille text remains.
I can only like this to perhaps saving say a Word file as plain text.
Anything which is Word specific is removed, and all you are left with
is just the plain text.
George.
-----Original Message-----
From: duxuser-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:duxuser-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bill Scherer
Sent: 11 May 2012 19:00
To: duxuser@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [duxuser] Re: Reading and Preparing .brf files
Maybe this is a dumb question? If .BRF files are essentially text
files what purporse do they serve?
Bill
----- Original Message -----
From: "Catherine Thomas" <braille@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <duxuser@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, May 11, 2012 11:37 AM
Subject: [duxuser] Reading and Preparing .brf files
>
>
> A simple solution to many of the proble,s with .brf files is to open
the
> file first in a word processor such as WordPerfect or MSWord. You
can look
> at the file to determine: 1. How many characters per line? 2. How
many
> lines per page? 3. Are there form-feeds to help separate the pages?
4. Are
> there hard returns at the end of each line? 5. Are there excess
spaces at
> the beginnings of lines which might cause a person to try to emboss
the
> file without enough characters per line? When you have looked at the
file,
> close it. If you find that you will need to make changes, you can
make
> them in the word processor provided that you save the file as a
plain text
> file which is what .brf files are to begin with--just simple text
files.
> Don't save the file in Word or WordPerfect. Saving it this way adds
coding
> which the embosser cannot interpret. Also, always remember that a
.brf
> file should never be translated by Duxbury--only embossed.
>
> After you have determined all these features, you can properly set
your
> embosser. Try embossing a sample page, preferably not page one. If
page 7
> for example comes out correctly, you know that you can proceed.
>
> Those who read .brf files on a 40-cell braille display should not
> encounter many problems. As to the 18-, 20-, and 32-cell notetakers,
I've
> been told that all of these units have a way of allowing a person to
read
> across the two halves of a line without changing the vertical layout
of
> the page but this setting is not the default. Each user will have to
learn
> how the particular notetaker accomplishes this. Notetakers are also
often
> set to ignore hard returns, blank spaces etc. which gives a .brf
file its
> planned layout. If lines and spaces are suppressed or compressed,
this is
> often the problem. All of the screen-readers have ways of
decompressing
> and unsuppressing. Again, users have to learn how each product and
device
> actually works.
>
> I know I'll live to regret this, but if anyone has questions about
a
> particular .brf file they can write to me off-list and I'll do my
best to
> straighten out whatever mess they happen to be in.
>
> If any sighted reader of .brf files needs to know whcich keyboard
key
> stands for which braille dot combination, I'll be glad to send them
the
> list. Duxbury used to distribute this as a .txt file they called
> asciibraille. Maybe it's time to start doing that again.
>
> To those preparing .brf files, I cannot over-emphasize that .brf
files
> contain ONLY ordinary computer characters, spaces, line-feeds and
> form-feeds. No escape codes or other codes should be present.
>
> I hope this is helpful to somebody. I know it's heresy to some but
I love
> .brf files. I work with them all the time in preparing books for
> web-braille via Optical Braille Recognition.
> Catherine
>
>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
--------
> -Catherine Thomas
> braille@xxxxxxxxx /
>
>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
---------
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