This document contains information needed to run the command line user interface contained in the package. Note that this software doesn't target end users directly, but rather developers of user interfaces or braille systems. The functionality in the user interface does not demonstrate the full capability of the package.
To run the user interface, download and extract the latest release. If you do not have Java installed on your machine, you have to download and install that as well.
On the command line, navigate to the extracted folder and type: java -jar brailleUtils-ui-1.1.0.jar. Press enter.
This will bring up a list of applications (or features):
These are explained in detail below. To start one of them, append their name as the first argument, for example: java -jar brailleUtils-ui-1.1.0.jar emboss
Send a PEF-file to an embosser for embossing.
One argument is required, and can be one of the following:
Upon the first run, the application will ask the user for the required setup:
The file will be sent directly to the embosser on subsequent runs. To change settings, use either -setup or -clear.
Setup will ask all the user to verify all settings.
Clear will delete the current settings. The next time the application is started, it runs as on the first run.
The device is the address where the embosser can be contacted. In most cases this should be intuitive. If your device does not show up, make sure that the embosser is turned on.
Note that the same embosser model may communicate differently depending on firmware or hardware version. Make sure that the embosser version is correct.
Some embossers require that a table is chosen by the user for the purpose of communication. Make sure that the table chosen in the user interface matches the value expected by the embosser.
Verify that the paper in the embosser matches the value in the user interface. Some embossers uses rolls of paper. In this case, select a paper size that matches the intended paper size once cut.
Convert a text braille file into a PEF-file.
Two arguments are required path to input file and path to output file.
The input file should be a "braille ready" text file, i.e. broken in rows an pages (using the form feed character), and using one unique character to represent each braille pattern.
Optional arguments include:
The options identifier, date, author, title and language all involve setting the meta data of the resulting file. It will not affect the contents of the file in any way.
Choose a table to use when converting. Note that, if a character is encountered in the file that isn't in the selected table, an error will occur. The default mode is to attempt to detect. If this fail, choose between the tables suggested in the detector failure message.
Set the duplex property of the resulting file.
Convert a PEF-file document into a text braille file.
Two arguments are required path to input file and path to output file.
Optional arguments include:
Output a range of pages.
Set the table (character mapping) to use.
Set the line break style. Most braille applications use DOS line breaks.
Set the action to use if an eight dot pattern is encountered and the current table does not support eight dot:
Set the replacement character to use if an eight dot pattern is encountered and fallback is set to "replace".
Validate a PEF-file.
One argument is required: path to input file
Optional arguments include:
Set the validation mode:
Split a PEF file into several files, one file per volume.
The purpose is to facilitating the use of PEF files with braille editors that do not support multi volume files.
Two arguments are required: path to input file and path to output folder.
Merge several PEF files into one.
The purpose is to facilitating the use of PEF-files with braille editors that do not support multi volume files.
Three arguments are required: path to input folder, path to output file and identifier.
Optional arguments include:
Set the sorting method to use when ordering files in the input folder.
Generate a random PEF-file for testing purposes.
One argument is required: path to output file
Optional arguments include:
Set the number of volumes to generate.
Set the number of pages in each volume.
Set to true to include 8-dot patterns.
Set the maximum numbers of rows on a page.
Set the maximum number of characters on a row.
Set the duplex property.
Plugins can be added by creating a directory called plugins in the software folder and placing the plugin (.jar) in that folder.