ZIP files for SignBank on the web...

[Flavio Medina]

Hello Val! Hello All!!

> I do have one question for you Flavio...in the
> Japanese version of
> FileMaker, do you type directly in Japanese symbols,
> or is it the
> Roman alphabet? If it is Japanese symbols, then my
> question is...how
> does the Japanese version of FileMaker read
> FileMaker databases in
> the Roman alphabet? Because the SignBank version I
> have created at
> this time is written in English and ASL, so I am
> trying to imagine
> how the Japanese version would be able to read it?

As with most of other applications for Windows (and
other OS), you input directly letters (hiragana,
katakana and kanji) in Japanese. Well, directly as in
you type in a normal keyboard (roman alphabet) the
sound/pronounciation you want, and the computer
translates that to hiragana. Then pressing space bar
(or other key, depending on the application) the
computer shows the possible kanjis (and katakana) for
that specific set of hiraganas... It must sound really
complex without knowing Japanese language, sorry...

Anyway, what happens is that Japanese OS and
applications can "process" (read, search, edit, sort
"alphabeticaly", etc.) both Japanese characters (the
three of them) and the Roman characters. So FileMaker
surely can read Databases written in English. Any
incompatibility that might rise would be due to
version differences more than due to the language
itself - if, for example, the Japanese team developed
a version that doesn't recognize the same
structure/funtions of databases created by the English
version. I myself, as a programmer,  find that very
unlikely (but not impossible...) What usually happens
is that Japanese softwares (text editors, email
managers, etc.) support files created by their English
(or Portuguese, as far as I know :) versions, but the
other way round is not true - as many of you already
probably know.

> it may be that we
> will need a programmer like yourself to help us
> create a special
> version of SignBank that types in Japanese script,
> as well as
> Japanese Sign Language...but can read western
> databases too...

Well, I don't think it is the case, but thanks for the
proposal - it's always an honour! ;)

Write more on the next email.

Bye!!

Flavio

_______________________________________________________________________
Yahoo! Encontros
O lugar certo para voc    encontrar aquela pessoa que falta na sua vida.. Cadastre-se hoje mesmo!
http://br.encontros.yahoo.com/
.