Use of Math Improvements


Save As to Word, get MathType Equations

For these instructions, we start with a Duxbury *.dxp file that contains a combination of text and math. How do you create such a file? You can start in braille following other instructions here. Or you can start with a MathType/Word or Scientific Notebook file which you have imported into DBT 11.3.

To follow these instructions, you need to have a copy of Microsoft Word installed, plus a copy of MathType by Wiris. Both of these programs cost money.

From DBT's file menu, select Save As, specify the new name for your file, and choose Word Document as the File type.

Now launch Word. Open the newly created file. Use control-A to select All. From the MathType Menu, choose Publish, then choose Toggle TeX. You should see the entire file change to show text and math equations. You can now print out math equations and text which, depending on how you created your file, might have been in braille a minute or so ago.

If the Toggle TeX option is greyed out, it indicates the process of producing this file has hit a snag. One user reports that saving the Word file, closing Word, and then re-launching Word allows many files to "work". Your mileage may vary. The problem might be caused by an error in the text (such as starting a square root and not ending it), or a program bug in DBT. If you need help, send the source *.dxp file as an e-mail attachment to languages@duxsys.com.


Save As to LaTeX, get Scientific Notebook or Scientific Viewer Equations

For these instructions, we start with a Duxbury *.dxp file that contains a combination of text and math. How do you create such a file? You can start in braille following other instructions here. Or you can start with a .dxp file that you have created by importing a MathType/Word or Scientific Notebook file into DBT 11.3

To follow these instructions, you need to have a copy of Scientific Notebook or Scientific Viewer installed, Scientific Viewer is freeware, Scientific Notebook costs money.

From DBT's file menu, select Save As, specify the new name for your file, and choose LaTeX as the File type.

Now launch Scientfic Notebook or Scientific Viewer. Open the newly created file. You should see the entire file as text and math equations. You can now print out math equations and text which, depending on how you created your file, might have been in braille a minute or so ago.

If you do not get what you expected, it indicates the process of producing this file has hit a snag. This might be caused by an error in the text (such as starting a square root and not ending it), or a program bug in DBT. If you need help, send the source *.dxp file as an e-mail attachment to languages@duxsys.com.


Braille Formatted file containing UEB text/UEB math to Inkprint Math

A braille formatted file is a file containing the ASCII characters used to stand for braille laid out in a file the same way a braille page is laid out. Here is a sample file:

,! quadratic =mula says3 ,if
;;;ax9#b"6bx"6c "7 #j;'1 !n ;;;x "7
("-a_6%b9#b"-#d;ac+./#b;a);'4

Import the file into DBT, using either the English (UEB) - BANA or the English (UEB) - UK formatting DBT Template. Accept the default file type of Braille Formatted File. Once the file is imported, you can press control-T to translate to inkprint.

To produce this file in inkprint, use one of the top two sets of instructions in this group.


Braille Formatted file containing UEB text/Nemeth math to Inkprint Math

A braille formatted file is a file containing the ASCII characters used to stand for braille laid out in a file the same way a braille page is laid out. Here is a sample file:

,! quadratic =mula says3
,if _% ax^2"+bx+c .k #0 _:1 !n
_% x .k ?-a+->b^2"-4ac]/2a# _:4

Our first goal is to add _%_: or _%_: near the top of the file, so it looks like this:

_%_: ,! quadratic =mula says3
,if _% ax^2"+bx+c .k #0 _:1 !n
_% x .k ?-a+->b^2"-4ac]/2a# _:4

These extra 4 characters (shown here at the very beginning of the file) tell DBT to go into math mode, then go back into text mode. This appears to have no effect, but it allows DBT to know you want Nemeth Code braille translated into inkprint. Notice that the braille uses two characters to go into math and two braille characters to go back to text. Your braille file must follow this pattern.

Import the file into DBT, using the English (UEB) - BANA with Nemeth DBT Template. Do not accept the default file type of Braille Formatted File. Instead move down one position to select Formatted Pre-UEB to Print. Once the file is imported, it should be in inkprint.

To produce this file in inkprint, use one of the top two sets of instructions in this group.


Scientific Notebook, Better Formatting

In past versions of DBT, when you imported math files from Scientific Notebook into DBT using some of the DBT Templates set up for braille transcribing, the DBT file had very bad formatting. This has been fixed in DBT 11.3. So the instructions for achieving this improvmeent are easy: import files, and enjoy the better braille format.


No Extra Line Breaks for MathType Objects Not Formatted as In-Line in MathType.

In previous versions of DBT, we inserted blank lines when a MathType object was not marked as in-line. Experience has shown that MathType does not consistently make use of this paramater. The result was that many persons not wanting extra blank lines in their output got them through DBT.

The change we have made is to not put in blank lines in this situation. We hope this will make our users happy.


Added the DBT Template for English (UEB) - BANA with Nemeth

One choice offered braille producers in the United States is to use UEB text with Nemeth Code for math. DBT now supports this option. When you import your file, select the >English (UEB) - BANA with Nemeth DBT Template.

One issue is that some text (such as problem numbers), is not handled correctly. In the inkprint *.dxp file, use the TextWithinMath DBT Style (you can press F8 in the DBT Editor).