[sw-l] Creating SWML-S with SignMaker

[Valerie Sutton]

SignWriting List
October 15, 2004

Stephen Slevinski wrote:
> I am making progress with Movement Writer, but it is going to take a
> while.
> Meanwhile, there is still an immediate need to be able to produce
> SignWriting for website.  Glossing has proved inadequate.  Writing
> directly
> is SignWriting is best.  I hope that drag and drop is adequate

Hello Everyone, and Stephen!
THANK YOU once again for all you are doing...wow...

Here are some of my thoughts...

The SignMaker we have right now, on SignBank, is fabulous! I don't want
to lose its simplicity. It needs to remain clean, and easy to use, for
children and for those people who do not know code, and who think
visually, like me. I love the drag and drop...it is more than
adequate...it is just what we need for the web, for beginners, and for
people who cannot type...smile...

And even though we will be able to type in SignWriting with Movement
Writer someday, or with SignWriter DOS right now, we ALWAYS will still
want the drag and drop features of SignMaker...SignMaker should still
exist, even if Movement Writer exists, because different people need
different things...

And not everyone wants to read SWML or html either...So keeping many
programs offered to the public is important...SW-Edit and SignMaker are
two programs that have a different style to them....and the differences
are welcome...

I would like to make a suggestion...Can we give the program you mention
below, a new name?...Like SignMaker-SWML-S (or any name you wish)...and
keep it on a separate web page, either on Oculog.net or SignBank, but
totally separate...? That way the simplified SignMaker will remain
simple, and we can have some stability. I want to invite some new
editors to start working with SignMaker this weekend, and I personally
cannot do tech support for SWML!! Nor do I want to...

Then we can place an SWML button added to the SignMaker page, so that
an Editor who wants to work with SWML or html, can link to the
SignMaker-SWML-S page? That way, we will have two worlds, the simple
and the technical, side by side ;-)

So I am going to leave the SignMaker-SWML-S testing to others, as I am
really overbooked...Then someday, I hope someone will teach me what you
have decided - ha!

And thanks once again, Stephen, for all these options, which are truly
amazing...

Val ;-)

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



Stephen Slevinski wrote:
> Towards that end, I have a working solution that can be used today.
> The
> solution uses SignMaker and SWML-S.
>
> The modified SignMaker is located:
> http://www.oculog.net/signmaker/sm.php
>
> The idea is to make one sign at a time, and then add the sign to a
> list.
> After you have completed the list of signs, you can create SWML-S from
> that
> list.
>
> Once you have the SWML-S, you will be able to create HTML code, graphic
> files, even email.  (These features will be added soon.)
>
> The interface for the modified SignMaker needs to be improved, but it
> is
> working.
>
> Opening the link above you will notice a SWML button on the top right.
> After you have completed your list of signs, clicking this button will
> open
> a new page with the SWML-S.
>
> On the right, notice an edit box with a Load button.  This is only
> useful if
> you understand the build format.  Otherwise, you can ignore it.  In the
> future, this will load signs from the dictionary.
>
> Underneath, you will notice an edit box with the text "sign-1", plus
> four
> buttons: Add, Left, Middle, and Right.  This edit box is for the gloss
> of
> the sign.  The Add button will add the sign to the SignWriting list,
> the
> other buttons will add the sign with lane placement.
>
> Use SignMaker as usual to design a sign.  When the sign is completed,
> change
> the name of the gloss from "sign-1" to a more meaningful name.  Press
> Add
> for writing without lanes.  Or press Left, Middle, or Right to add the
> sign
> to the corresponding lane.
>
> On the left, you will notice that a build string has been added under
> the
> SWML button.  This will display the sign images in the future.  On the
> right, you will notice the gloss title has changed to "sign-2".
>
> Repeat this process until you have completed your list of signs.  Then
> press
> SWML to open a new page with the SWML-S.
>
> Currently, you can only verify the output of the SWML-S.  Soon, you
> will be
> able to generate HTML code you can paste onto any website, create
> individual
> graphic files, even send email.  Eventually, you will be able to edit
> the
> SWML-S with Movement Writer.
>
> For your consideration,
> -Stephen Slevinski
>
>