NimPro Preferences

When you click on File, Preferences, you see a list of options in three tabs:

Image Handling

Loading Images from a NIMAS Package can be time consuming. You can choose to wait until this is done. Or you can set NimPro to load files as a background task. Or you can disallow image loading. Click here for more on the use of images in Nimpro.

Image Cache Management

Images from a NIMAS fileset are kept in a separate cache, one cache for each NIMAS ".zip" archive that NimPro reads. (Note: Each time you start over from an original NIMAS .zip file you create a new cache!) You have the option to have NimPro automatically delete image caches over time to reclaim space on your computer. The Preferences allow you to choose not to use automatic image cache clean-up, clean-up after 30 days, or after 90 days.

Word Templates

For export to RTF or to Word files, NimPro makes use of a Word (RTF) template. What template is being used? NimPro comes with two templates: BANA Braille 2008 and BANA Braille 2010 (both produced by Susan Christensen). You can choose either of these, or create your own.

 

Why would someone create a new template?

 

Suppose you have NimPro and one or more DAISY files. And suppose that your objective is to produce both large print and braille. You might be tempted to use MS Word to produce the large print. Word can do a pretty good job with that.

 

If you export a Word file from NimPro using one of the supplied BANA templates, you'll get regular-sized print, with use of colors to indicate certain translation contexts (e.g. Spanish or a print page number). Moreover, the indents and line skips are set to make the formatting look somewhat like a braille document.

 

To change this appearance, you could create a new template, by copying one of the supplied NimPro templates to use as a starting point. By modifying the style definitions, but not the names, you could make your Word documents format as large print, without the braille-style indenting or specialized uses of color. Finally, select that Word template in Preferences.

 

Now you can export from NimPro and you'll get reasonably good large print. You'll also be able to read the Word file directly into DBT and get good braille, as long as you have only changed style definitions but not any of the style names.

Enable E-Mail Support

Checking this box lets NimPro access your e-mail program (at your direction), when you need technical support.

Tactile Graphics

To create "bumpy graphics" using the Trace function you need to load a version of QuickTac on your computer (free from Duxbury Systems). This preference allows you to connect with the QuickTac you have loaded by giving NimPro its location in your file system. Duxbury updates QuickTac from time to time. This feature also allows you to load multiple versions of QuickTac and then to select which version you wish to use.

 

If you attempt to use the image Trace without setting your QuickTac location here, NimPro will give you an error message.

DBT Hyperlink Options

This option selects how Hyperlinks are exported to Duxbury DBT. When you choose an option, the screen shows you what to expect as the output.

 

This preference does not affect MegaDots because it has its own separate controls in its Document Menu, Translation Setup with the prompt World Wide Web link in grade 2.

MegaDots Native File

Select the file extension you prefer to use When NimPro creates a native MegaDots file. The usual choices are .meg or .nmg (where .nmg is usually selected to indicate a read-only file). You determine separately if these files are write protected or not using the checkbox.