The "initial" Style

When you create a custom DBT Template, you may wish your template to perform in a certain way. You can use a special Style called the "initial" style to dictate how the template is to behave.

This feature is probably easiest to explain by example.

Suppose you wish to create a template whereby any file you import will be translated into Grade 1 braille. However, in all other respects, you wish the template to work in exactly the same way as the "English (BANA Pre-UEB) - Literary Format" template. Then you would base your custom template on this one.

  • From the File menu, Open a new document and select "English (BANA Pre-UEB) - Literary Format".
  • Open the Document menu and select Add Style. At "New Style Name" enter "initial".
  • This template actually already has an "initial" style. For this exercise, do not be concerned about whether the style already exists. Leave "Choose Style for basis" on "(No Style)".
  • Click on OK.

Image shows a section of the Document: Add Style dialog

  • A dialog comes up called "Edit Style Codes".
  • In the "Beginning Codes" text box of this dialog, enter these 2 codes to produce Grade 1 braille: [tx][g1]. As the dialog instructions show, to enter the brackets for each code, press Ctrl + [. The cursor is automatically placed for you to enter the code. Do this for each of the 2 codes. Do not enter anything into "Ending Codes".

image shows the Edit Style Codes dialog

  • Click on the OK button, which returns you to your blank document.
  • Open the Document Menu again, and select "Create Template".
  • In the "Create New Template" text box, type an appropriate name, e.g., "Grade 1 - Standard Literary", and click the OK button.

Image shows a section of the Document: Create Template doalog

  • Now go to the File menu and close the document without any further editing.

When you now Import or create a New file, you will find that the custom template you created is listed among the template choices (in alphabetical order).

Image shows the Import File dialog with the "Grade 1 - Standard Literary" Template name in the Template list.

Image shows the File: New dialog with the "Grade 1 - Standard Literary" Template name in the Template list.

However, when you Translate your document, you will find that the Braille document is in Grade 1 braille.


Example 2, the "initial" style in a Standard Duxbury Template

The example above does not illustrate the full potential of the "initial" style. A good example of this potential can be seen in the template "English (British Pre-UEB) - no caps in literary", where the initial style contains a whole series of codes:

[svant3][svdac~1][svles1:1:0][caplv1][svcbh~"]

 

So just what do these codes mean?

[svant3] sets the running header on both pages if used.

[svdac~1] determines the decimal separator to use for numbers.

[svles1:1:0] dictates how to set the formats for reference page numbers.

[caplv1] suppresses capital letters in the literary braille only (they remain allowed in technical notation).

[svcbh~"] defines the hyphen character to use (i.e., dot 5) when in computer braille.

 

If the first example had started from this template, and chosen the existing "initial" style as a basis, then by adding the [tx] and [g1] codes as above, any imported or new document would be translated into Grade 1 braille in addition to formatting using these "initial" directions.