microsoft

[Keola Donaghy]

Aloha Mia, I did write up a set of instructions for users to customize the
character map in Word, but didn't have time to create a custom toolbar.
One problem is that our users need to type in Hawaiian within applications
other than Word - we need a system-wide keyboard. There is a utility for
creating custom keyboards on Microsoft's site, I just need to find the
time to look at it. We currently have a program that was developed for us
and we redistribute it freely on our website (along with the fonts), but
again, we're simply trying to avoid making users download, install and
configure software. It does work across most Windows apps. We've been
doing that for too many years. It save us a lot of trouble if we could
simply get MS to work with us like Apple did.

Keola


Indigenous Languages and Technology <ILAT at LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU> writes:
>For Athapascan, I made a toolbar. I did have to create the underlying
>fonts,
>but since you already have them, you merely need to code the characters.
>This is approximately how you do it:
>
>
>First, in Microsoft Word, you code shortcut key sequences for each of your
>special characters. Be wary of the embedded sequences; there are a lot of
>them in Word. I ended up using 3-key sequences, just to stay out of the
>way
>of the keyboarders. Then, still in Microsoft Word, you create a new
>template. This is an option under the document menu. Then, in that
>template,
>you record the key sequences as macros, and give them names that
>correspond
>to the characters (to keep from losing your mind).
>
>Finally, you create a custom toolbar (Tools/Customize/Toolbars/New).
>Search
>for "create a custom toolbar" in Microsoft Word Help, and follow the
>instructions. For each toolbar entry, you can make a little graphic that
>shows the character.
>
>Save the template under some useful name. Ours is Athapascan.dot. You
>might
>use Hawaiian.dot. You can share the template. You just have to be wary of
>security settings that will restrict macro execution. This can be a pain,
>but I'm sure you can work it out. This way, you are not dependent on
>waiting
>for someone else to make a keyboard for you. You can display the toolbar
>just like the other toolbars in the Word window.
>
>I can send it to you if you want to see it.



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Keola Donaghy
Assistant Professor of Hawaiian Studies
Ka Haka 'Ula O Ke'elikolani             keola at leoki.uhh.hawaii.edu
University of Hawai'i at Hilo           http://www2.hawaii.edu/~donaghy/
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