SW-Edit Software from Brazil (Modified by Valerie Sutton)

[Valerie Sutton]

SignWriting List
June 16, 2004

Dear SW List:
For the sake of speeding things up, here is the message which Antonio 
Carlos sent to me last night with instructions on how to use the 
SW-Edit program. I am still planning to create a visual PDF with screen 
captures based on these instructions, but there is no reason for me to 
hold any of you back, waiting for me - so ENJOY!

Val ;-)

Antonio Carlos wrote...

Valerie,

> I have started the first five pages of the SW-Edit Reference Manual, in
> PDF format. I have no choice, because I want to use the program myself,
> and I have to teach myself how to use it...

    Thank you a lot for taking this over! We could not do it ourselves, 
and
having you doing this is a blessing! There is no better manual writer 
than
you :-)

> Please read the document to
> see if it is correct,

    Yes, it is correct.

    The only concept that needs clarification is that of cell. Each 
rectangle
in the document is called a cell. A cell can contain one sign box (the 
set
of SignWriting symbols within it) and other things: any number of text 
boxes
(introduced by the A icon) and any number of pictures (introduced by the
picture icon). Thus, a sign box is a part of a cell.

> and then please give us English
> instruction...just a list of what to do next in English and then I will
> try doing that, and create more of the manual as I go...

    Instead of dragging the symbol from the symbol pane to a cell, you 
can
also double click it. It will appear in the sign box which is selected
(marked green).

> So at the end of the manual I have the sign for HELLO in the center of
> the Sign Box. What I can I now do with it? We look forward to your
> instruction!

    You can move symbols in a cell either with the mouse or with the 
arrow
keys.

    You can select symbols in a cell by clicking on then or by creating a
dashed rectangle over a set of symbols (by clicking the mouse outside a
symbol and moving the pressed mouse to build a dashed rectangle and 
select
the symbols inside).

    You can select signs by selecting all the symbols in its sign box. 
You
can even select many signs by building the dashed rectangle around them.

    After selecting a sign you paste it in another sign box using the 
copy
and paste icons.

    You can copy and paste using CTL-C and CTL-V key combinations.

     You can paste symbols, signs and sets of signs (phrases) in other
programs. They will appear as PNG images in the other programs.

     You can save and open files with the save and open symbols.

     You can print documents using the printer icon. You can preview 
then,
with the preview icon. And zoom in and out of the documents, with the
percentage box.

     You can add imagens and texts to cells with the picture and A icons.

     You can change colors of symbols using the palette icon.

     You can add pages to the document, with the new page icon. And 
remove
pages with the icon that has a red crossed page. The icon with the 
simple
red cross closes the document.

      You can copy, cut and paste selected symbols and signs with the
corresponding icons.

      You can do many things with the pop up menu that appears by 
pressing
the right button.

> Can you translate all of the Portuguese words that are available to
> tell people what the icons mean?
> Then I can explain that in the manual,
> giving people the English names for the icons...without that it is hard
> to use for people who do not know Portuguese.

    Well, you can select the language of the information box that appear 
when
you put the cursor over an icon. To select the language, click on the 
little
"Earth" icon, on the left of the icon bar. At the moment, only English 
and
Portuguese are available. You will have to close SW-Edit and then open 
it
again, for the change to become effective.

    The most complicated operation is with the dictionary. It is 
complicated
because it was not well designed. We will have to change that in a new
version of the program.

    All the best,
Antônio Carlos

----------------

PS. From Val: I then suggested to Antonio carlos that SW-Edit users 
could use SignBank as their dictionary, since you can copy and paste 
signs composed in SW-Edit into the SignBank Editor with no 
problem...Val ;-)