[Blindtlk] [duxnews] DBT 11.3 is Now Available!

Tue Jul 14 02:30:19 UTC 2015

Dear Duxnews and Duxuser listers,

Our next major version, DBT 11.3 (build date 2015-7-08), has been released.
DBT 11.3 is now shipping and available on the Web for download.

Those with existing licenses can use Help/Check for Updates (Alt-H-U) 
to download DBT 11.3 and check if their licenses are within the 
eligibility period for receiving DBT 11.3 as a free update. Those 
with licenses outside of the eligibility period can run DBT 11.3 as a 
time-limited trial for up to 45 days.
DBT 11.3 can also be downloaded from our main web site home page:
  <http://www.duxburysystems.com/>www.duxburysystems.com

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100% New Features

Amid hundreds of changes and no small number of improvements, the 
latest DBT presents three absolutely new features for our users:
    * Save to MS Word! Under Save As, provided only that you have a 
copy of Microsoft Word on your computer, you can now save a print 
file from DBT as a Word file.
    * TactileView Support! DBT now integrates with TactileView 
tactile graphics software. <http://www.tactileview.com/>TactileView 
is a full-featured tactile graphics program that can be operated by 
any user, blind or sighted.
    * Pre-UEB Braille Formatted File Importer! This new braille file 
importer converts older raw braille files into UEB files (English 
language only, without math).

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Primary Focuses of Improvement:

    * Braille translation using UEB (Unified English Braille)
    * Math import, Math print-to-braille, and Math braille-to-print
    * DBT Templates
    * File Importation
    * User Interface
    * Accessibility and JAWS Script Files
    * Activation Process
    * Braille Embossers
    * New Languages and Language Improvements: There are four new 
languages: Biblical original language studies, Chuvash, Javanese and 
Shona. Dozens of language translations have been improved. See the 
end of this web page for the details.

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UEB (Unified English Braille)

    * Typeform indicators in UEB more closely follow user expectations.
    * Hard spaces around underlining commands, which are not 
appropriate for UEB, have been eliminated.
    * The TSBVI "Clusters" learning series for UEB has been added to 
DBT's partial-contraction menu for English/UEB.
    * Guide text for UEB templates now uses UEB dots (6,36) instead 
of (36,36).
    * The oe ligature within French as a secondary language (within 
[lng~fra] ... [lng] codes) is now supported.
    * Unicode U+2033 (double prime/inch symbol) is now supported.
    * Using the inherently subscripted and superscripted Unicode 
digits (e.g. U+2083 "subscript 3") to form multi-digit, but otherwise 
simple, numeric subscripts and superscripts now works properly. 
(Normal math encoding must still be used for more complex expressions.)
    * Capitalized passages are no longer extended beyond the end of a 
sentence or punctuated phrase when only a single capital letter (such 
as "I'm" or "A") follows and is more naturally capitalized separately.

Math Improvements

    * When you Save As to Word, you can display DBT math equations in 
Word using MathType.
    * When you Save As to LaTeX, you can display DBT math equations 
in Word using Scientific Notebook or Scientific Viewer.
    * You can import braille formatted files in UEB text with UEB 
math, translate them into inkprint, and then produce them in inkprint 
using Scientific Notebook or MathType.
    * You can import braille formatted files in UEB text with Nemeth 
math, translate them into inkprint, and then produce them in inkprint 
using Scientific Notebook or MathType. (You must follow our specific 
instructions to do this.)
    * You can now easily produce Nemeth math within UEB braille with 
appropriate indicators (see Template Improvements).
    * For the languages of India, Laos, and Thailand there are two 
templates, a basic template that handles UEB math, and a "with 
Nemeth" template that handles Nemeth math.
    * Material from from Scientific Notebook no longer loses its 
formatting when imported.
    * DBT no longer inserts line breaks for MathType objects not 
entered as in-line in MathType.

DBT Template Improvements

    * For easier recognition, we have renamed a number of templates. 
Instead of English (Unified), the names are now English (UEB). All 
English language templates not using UEB braille are marked pre-UEB.
    * We created a new template for Nemeth code math within UEB, 
called English (UEB) - BANA with Nemeth.
    * We include a new UEB Template for Australia: English (UEB) - 
Australian Formatting.
    * We include a new UEB Template for New Zealand: English (UEB) - 
New Zealand (including Maori)
    * We upgraded the English (UEB) - UK Formatting template with 
many additional styles.
    * We modified several templates to better import files from 
Scientific Notebook.
    * We updated most basic DBT templates so they can use the UEB 
math translator for math.

File Open (Import)

    * Former problems with paragraph numbering when importing files 
from Word and Open Office have been resolved.
    * DBT's .docx importer now recognizes style names in files 
created with non-English editions of Word.
    * Many aspects of file import are now unified so that there is 
more consistency across the many different file import paths. This 
should lead to better file imports for everyone.
    * As an example, smart quote handling is now the same for all 
import paths.
    * The stripping of unneeded Zero Width Joiner characters (U+200D) 
now works with all import paths, including XML.

User Interface Improvements

    * Substantial work has been done to improve the Translated Line display.
    * For a new installation, DBT offers an appropriate recommended 
template for more locations around the world, easing the set-up process.
    * The Activation Process is now localizable. It is already 
available in French. Russian and some other languages are in progress.
    * We have expanded the Hyperlink Import Screen and renamed it 
Import Options. These options affect all the import types, not just 
the Word importer.
    * An important issue with UEB Math is control of spaces around 
signs of comparison. These spaces are placed for the lower grades and 
not placed for the upper grades. There is now a checkbox in the 
Import Options to control this behavior.
    * There is a new Global Import Option checkbox that allows 
removing spaces around dashes. This is important in Australian 
formats. (The default is off.)
    * Import options allow the user to specify the code page for a 
text file being imported. This may be most useful to users in Central Europe.

Accessibility and JAWS Script Files

    * We have revised the information layout and navigation of the 
Activation Process to make it much more accessible to blind users.
    * There are further improvements in the embossing of help pages.
    * Previously, when you pressed Control+H in a DBT document to 
turn highlighting on or off, JAWS did not say if it was now on or 
off. JAWS now reports the highlighting state, whether changed via 
Control+H or the Edit menu.
    * Previously, when navigating through a document with 
highlighting on, JAWS would read two items, the item the cursor 
landed on and the item it left. That is no longer done. Now JAWS 
reads one item and tells you if it is being selected or unselected.
    * If the JAWS version is 14 or above, the speaking is customized 
for DBT as it is when not selecting. For example, when selecting or 
unselecting a line in a braille document, JAWS speaks the print 
back-translation of that line. When selecting or unselecting a DBT 
code, JAWS speaks the code instead of the left bracket, the 
individual characters, and then right bracket. When selecting or 
unselecting a braille character, JAWS speaks it as a braille cell 
rather than as an ASCII character.
    * Previously, when moving word by word in a braille document, 
JAWS would try to pronounce the word as ASCII; now it spells the word 
as braille cells. It also does that when selecting or unselecting a 
braille word.
    * Previously, JAWS would beep to indicate a line that was skipped 
because of styles or codes. It no longer beeps. Instead, you can 
choose to have these line skips announced. The Alt+I toggle used to 
let you choose whether to have JAWS announce style changes. Now the 
Alt+I toggle allows for a choice of whether to announce style changes 
and whether to announce skipped lines (a total of four choices).
    * When using a braille device, it is now possible to have JAWS 
remain silent when you move up or down line by line. Press Alt+U to 
tell JAWS not to use the translated line for moving up and down.
    * There is better support for using commands from the keyboard of 
your braille device, such as the JAWS commands for BrailleNextLine 
and BraillePriorLine (which will braille the indicated line without 
speech, even if you have the Alt+U toggle set for speaking the 
translated line when using the computer keyboard).

Improvements to the Activation Process

    * We have redesigned the activation wizard interface to interact 
more naturally with screen readers. There are major improvements to 
screen layout, information organization, screen navigation, and text voicing.
    * The activation process has been localized for additional 
languages beyond English.
    * The activation process responses have been fine-tuned to keep 
the user on the correct path and avoid some common operator errors.
    * If an internet activation attempt cannot connect, the recovery 
process saves vital information so that the option to activate by 
email can succeed.
    * Activation diagnostics now detect some common user problems 
like activation folders that lack write access and unusual cases like 
inconsistent license information. In general, diagnostics provide 
more information than before to help identify user problems.
    * The process to register for user group emails is now current 
with Canadian anti-spam regulations.

Braille Embossers

    * DBT now supports integration of Tactile View graphics with the 
Index, and Tiger lines of braille embossers.
    * DBT now supports the Nippon Telesoft Gemini Super2 embosser.
    * It now supports the Enabling Phoenix Gold embosser.
    * DBT has improved support for the Enabling BraillePlace embosser.
    * The issue of controlling "ET Speaks" from DBT is now resolved.
    * DBT supports A3 portrait paper (49x41) for the Index-D V.4 
embosser and the Index Braille Box.
    * Certain Braillo models have a multiple copy feature (to 
facilitate display on the Braillo of the number of copies embossed). 
DBT now supports this feature.
    * In Embosser Setup, the default embosser output has been changed 
from Port to Printer, which is now the more common case.

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New Languages and Translation Improvements

    * Duxbury is making strides to turn braille emphasis into the 
markup for inkprint emphasis in braille-to-print translation. This 
feature is described in the table below as "Respecting emphasis in 
braille-to-print." It means a student can write a paper in braille on 
a refreshable braille device, convert to inkprint in Duxbury, and 
export to Word with all the emphasis of the original braille showing 
up in the Word file.
    * The new version of DBT presents the Biblical Original Languages 
table to meet the needs of blind biblical scholars.

Afrikaans: Respecting emphasis in braille-to-print.
Albanian: Adding Arabic and Greek script in print-to-braille, 
Respecting emphasis in braille-to-print.
Azeri: New table for braille-to-print translation. Table includes 
respecting emphasis in braille-to-print.
<http://www.duxburysystems.com/lan_biblical_scholar.htm>Biblical 
original language studies, This table combines Biblical Hebrew, 
Biblical Greek, and Syriac on a UEB table.
Bosnian: Added Arabic script in print-to-braille. Respecting emphasis 
in braille-to-print.
Catalan: In print-to-braille, each upper case letter now gets its own 
dot 46 indicator. Respecting emphasis in braille-to-print.
Chuvash is a minority language in Russia. Respecting emphasis in 
braille-to-print.
Croatian: Corrections made for sequences of all caps, and strip 
emphasis codes in print-to-braille. Respecting emphasis in braille-to-print.
Dutch: Certain math symbols (such as plus), are now preceded by 
either a space or a dot 5, but not both. Respecting emphasis in 
braille-to-print.
Estonian: Strip emphasis codes in print-to-braille. Respecting 
emphasis in braille-to-print.
Updated Filipino and Tagalog based on user reports. Letter sign now 
supported. Some print-to-braille improvements, and extensive 
braille-to-print improvements.
Finnish: Strip emphasis codes in print-to-braille. Respecting 
emphasis in braille-to-print.
German: Fixes in braille-to-print translation to improve the handling 
of some braille contractions.
Greek: Respecting emphasis in braille-to-print.
Hebrew/Israeli: Now supports four scripts: Hebrew, Roman, Arabic, and 
Russian. We have added a simple math data entry system devised by 
ALEH (translation variation DBT code required).
Indonesian: Added Arabic script in print-to-braille and respecting 
emphasis in braille-to-print.
IPA: A brand new braille-to-print table. (Only comment changes in 
print-to-braille.)
The Irish Gaelic print-to-braille table has been updated for initial 
implementation of the new Updated Irish Braille (UIB) Code, 
specifically to implement non-use of specific contractions when 
bridging the basic word boundaries in certain compound words.
Italian: Fixed the handling of the period character.
Japanese: Fixed braille-to-print for 12 strings, and 1 string for 
print-to-braille.
Javanese: New Language! Uncontracted Indonesian plus uncontracted Arabic.
Korean: Now handles one contraction that was not previously supported.
Luxembourgish: Fixed handling of all caps and respecting emphasis in 
braille-to-print.
Macedonian: Added Arabic script in print-to-braille. Respecting 
emphasis in braille-to-print.
Malay: Adding Arabic script in print-to-braille, and respecting 
emphasis in braille-to-print.
Maltese: The braille translation tables have been updated per further 
revised specifications received from a Maltese source. Also 
respecting emphasis in braille-to-print.
Mongolian: Now uses UEB for punctuation and math; respecting emphasis 
in braille-to-print. Also handles Unicode characters U+04AF and 
U+20EA correctly.
Montenegrin: Added Arabic script in print-to-braille. Respecting 
emphasis in braille-to-print.
Norwegian: Several contractions fixed in both print-to-braille and 
braille-to-print translators. Respecting emphasis in braille-to-print.
Polish: Fixed several characters, and respects emphasis in braille-to-print.
Romanian: Fixed 2 characters in braille-to-print. Respecting emphasis 
in braille-to-print.
Russian: Respecting emphasis in braille-to-print.
Serbian: Added Arabic script in print-to-braille. Respecting emphasis 
in braille-to-print.
Slovakian: Respecting emphasis in braille-to-print. Slovakian 
emphasis character is dots 46, not dots 456.
Slovenian: Added Arabic script in print-to-braille. Respecting 
emphasis in braille-to-print.
Shona: African language combining uncontracted UEB and uncontracted Arabic.
Somali: Added Arabic script in print-to-braille.
Turkish: Added Arabic script in print-to-braille.
Turkmen: Respecting emphasis in braille-to-print. Fixed open double 
quotes on print-to-braille.
Updated Urdu based on user reports (fixed 1 print-to-braille error 
and three braille-to-print errors).
Uzbec: Respecting emphasis in braille-to-print. Fixed open double 
quotes in print-to-braille.
Welsh: Updated to conform to Welsh Braille Code changes intended to 
make Welsh Braille Code more consistent with UEB.

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Regards to all,

Joe Sullivan
President, Duxbury Systems, Inc.