Creating Braille standards (matrices)

A Braille standard is a size-and-spacing specification for a Braille matrix. It includes the diameter of the dots that form the Braille characters, their dot-to-dot and row-to-row distances, and other properties.

A Package Designer installation comes with two Braille matrix files — ECMA Euro.evb and ECMA Euro with Fastening Holes.evb. The matrix files are located in C:\EngViewWork7\Settings\Braille\Matrices.

The surest method to create a Braille matrix is by editing an existing .evb matrix file.

To create a Braille matrix by editing an existing .evb file

In Package Designer, press CTRL+O.

An Open Project dialog box appears.

Click From EngView File.

A File Open dialog box appears.

In Files of type, select EV Base Component.
In Look in, browse to the C:\EngViewWork7\Settings\Braille\Matrices directory, and select the .evb file that you will edit to create a new matrix file.
Click OK.

The matrix's .evb file opens. In the graphical area, you can see the shape of the Braille matrix. See Step 8 to learn more about the parameters that set its length (W) and height (H).

In the tabular area, click the Parameters tab, where you see the parameters that control the attributes of the matrix.

Editing the matrix's main parameters

NOTE: You will see nothing while you are editing the parameters. The dots you define as a result will appear when you begin placing the matrix's .evb file into an .evd project.

In the parameter list, edit the parameters as you need them. Use the following description as guidance:

IMPORTANT: Do not rename the parameters.

PARAMETER	DEFINES
Margin	The distance from the edge of the panel to that of the matrix. NOTE: Normally, this distance is identical for all four directions — top, bottom, left and right — but individual distances can be set for right, top and bottom margins. The respective parameters are RM, TM and BM.
RowsInSymbol	The number of rows that symbol in the matrix will have
DotDiameter	Dot base diameter
MatrixHoleDiameter	The diameter of the matrix dot (same for all the dots)
DotDistX	Horizontal dot-to-dot distance
DotDistY	Vertical dot-to-dot distance
SymbolSpacingX	The horizontal cell-to-cell distance
SymbolSpacingY	The vertical cell-to-cell distance
DotDiameter	The diameter of the matrix dot (same for all the dots)
GridOffsetX	Horizontal distance between the edge of the matrix and the center of the first dot
GridOffsetY	Vertical distance between the matrix edge and the center of the first dot

IMPORTANT: If you want to be able to edit a parameter while you are applying the matrix, make the parameter global. For example, the parameter Margin is set as global for the ECMA Euro matrix. While the matrix is being applied, it appears in the contextual edit bar.

Editing the matrix's size formulas

To view the parameters that affects the matrix's size, right-click in the parameter list area, and then click Show Hidden.

NOTE: All the matrices that come with your installation are rectangular. The formulas that compute their sizes take this shape into account.

IMPORTANT: To program uses the following parameters for resizing the matrix: FDOx, FDOy, AW, AH, numDotsColumns and numDotsRows. The program uses these parameters and the parameters described in Step 7 to visualize the Braille matrix when it is being used. You can draw a different shape of the matrix. This makes necessary the editing the expressions of the respective parameters, but make sure you do not change the names of the parameters.

In the parameter list, edit the parameters as you need them. Use the following description as guidance:

PARAMETER	DEFINES
FDOx	Horizontal distance between the left knife and the center of the leftmost dot
LDOx	Horizontal distance between the right knife and the center of the rightmost dot
FDOy	Vertical distance between the upper knife and the center of the topmost dot
LDOy	Vertical distance between the lower knife and the center of the bottommost dot
numSymbolColumns	Number of symbols in a Braille line
numSymbolRows	Number of Braille lines
AUW	Distance between the centers of the leftmost and rightmost dots in a Braille line
AUH	Distance between the centers of the topmost and bottommost dots
AW	Matrix width
AH	Matrix height
numDotsColumns	Number of dots along the matrix width
numDotsRows	Number of dots along the matrix height

After you have set the matrix parameters, save the matrix with a new name in the matrices directory: C:\EngViewWork7\Settings\Braille\Matrices.

IMPORTANT: If you edit a default matrix (one that has been installed along with your installation) and then save it with its original name, the changes you have made to the matrix will be discarded when you update your installation.