Trailing-Edge
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PDP-10 Archives
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decuslib20-02
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decus/20-0071/eyes.hlp
There are 2 other files named eyes.hlp in the archive. Click here to see a list.
EYES
EYES is a nonsharable program which runs in 1K of core, designed
to run on the DECsystem-10. The program can input ASCII files
and convert them to braille. This is done by creating an LPT
file consisting of blanks and periods in the appropriate
positions to construct the braille cells for each character in
each line. This file can then be queued to a specially prepared
printer (see below). The program can convert any type of ASCII
file including source and data files, LST files, HLP files and
log files, and can be run in either timesharing or batch mode.
Operating Instruction
To call the EYES program, issue the monitor command:
.R EYES If EYES resides on device SYS:, or
.RUN EYES Iif EYES resides on your disk area.
EYES will then request the name of the file to be brailled.
Give it the file information in the following form:
dev:file.ext[ppn]
When dev: is the device on which the file is residing and can be
omitted if the device is DSK:, and [ppn] is the
project-programmer number of the file and may be omitted if it
is the user's own.
Then EYES asks whether or not the file is a data file, to which
the user should respond "Y" for yes or "N" for no. If the user
responds with "N" then all blanks in the file will be ignored.
If the response is "Y" then the blanks will be treated as any
other character, producing an empty cell. Thus, unless the file
is a data file where the spacing within the file is essential,
the spaces should be deleted (e.g. a response of "N") to
conserve disk storage.
After the conversion is complete, EYES will ask the user if
there are more files he wishes to convert to which he should
respond "Y" if more conversion is desired or "N" to exit.
--1--
Because of the nature of braille code, the program requires
quite a large amount of disk blocks to create the braille file
for relatively large source files, programs should be segmented
into subprogram files and stored on a device other than DSK:
whenever possible to give EYES more room to create its file.
Also a conversion file should be queued to a printer immediately
following conversion for the same reason. The LPT file which is
created by EYES has an extension of LPT, but a random filename
chosen by the monitor. To eliminate this potential problem in
distinguishing between files, the RENAME command can be used
prior to queueing, for example:
.RENAME PROG1.LPT=*.LPT
EYES ignores all tabs, thus, PIP should be used to replace any
tabs with multiple blanks with the "N" switch prior to a
conversion for any files in which spaces are significant if the
file originally contains any tabs. Since one line in a file may
take a number of braille lines, over printing is not supported.
EYES has a braille cell for all 128 7-bit ASCII characters.
This is done according to the following scheme:
-The alphabetic characters A-Z have the standard braille coding.
All lower case letters are treated as upper case.
-The digits 0-9 correspond to the letters A-Z but are all
lowered 1 row within the cell which is standard for other
braille converters.
The control characters, line feed, vertical tab and form feed
have their standard functions and nulls, carriage returns and
tabs are ignored. Escape is echoed as a dollar sign and all
other control characters are printed in arrow format, requiring
two cells.
Blanks (when significant) are represented by empty cells.
--2--
The remainder of the special characters are assigned a unique
code which the user must become familiar with. Any duplications
of codes will be distinguished by the context in which they are
used. The special characters and the positions of the dots
within the cells are:
Exclamation Point --1-2-5-6 !
Double Quote --5-6 "
Number Sign --3-4-5-6 #
Dollar Sign --1-3-4-5 $
Percent Sign --1-2-4-5-6 %
Ampersand --1-2-3-4-6 &
Single Quote --6 '
Open Parenthesis --1-2-6 (
Close Parenthesis --3-4-5 )
Asterik --1-6 *
Plus Sign --3-4-6 +
Comma --3 ,
Minus Sign (Dash) --3-6 -
Period --4-6 .
Slash --3-4 /
Colon --4-5-6 :
Semicolon --4-5 ;
Less than sign --2-4-6 <
Equal sign --1-5-6 =
Greater than sign --4 >
Question Mark --1-2-3-4-5-6 ?
At sign --5 @
Left Bracket --1-2-3-4-5 [
Vertical Bar --1-6 !
Right Bracket --2-3-4-5-6 ]
Not sign --2-3-4-5 -
Delete --6
Backslash --1-6 \
Left arrow (under score)--2-3-4-6 _
Prime --6 '
Up arrow --1-4-5-6 ^
When the braille file is printed, the paper must be turned over
in order to read the raised dots. To raise the dots, the line
printer must be specially equipped. A piece of elastic must be
streched over the hammers between the hammers and the paper.
The best results are produced by using 3/4" -1" wide piece of
garter elastic. If no brackets are mounted on the printer to
install this elastic band, they can easily be fashioned from
paper clips or the like. The printer should be set at 8
lines/inch and the thinnest paper possible should be used.
--3--