# S inhalata

## Version1.0 with Sinhala2Office V2.0

User Guide
Table of Contents

Sinhalata... 1

Version1.0 with Sinhala2Office V2.0. 1

Overview... 3

Software License.. 3

1. Evaluation license. 3

2. Full license. 3

Registration Process. 4

Registration Process. 4

Application Main Window... 15

Main Menu. 18

Toolbar 22

Formatted Text Pane. 27

Input Text Pane. 33

Suggest Characters Pane. 43

Application Functionality. 55

Clear Content 57

Save Content 67

Export Content 77

Refresh. 86

Copy Content 97

Paste Content 114

Windows Character Map. 125

Options Dialog. 134

Active Character Map. 157

Configure Font Character Map. 167

Configure Font Character Map Window. 177

Sinhala2Office 2.0.. 314

Options…. 326

Applications 339

Sinhala/ English Typing Selector 351

Font Map. 363

Font Sizes 371

Submit Words 379

Appendix.. 388

#
Overview

This software was developed to simplify typing Sinhala documents (or any other Language document with multiple keyboard layouts.). Since some of the languages are not supported by large-scale software vendors, it is find difficult for the users to type a document in their own language. To overcome this, different font designers have come up with their own ideas resulting different keyboard layouts for different characters, making things more difficult. Currently in Sinhala there are many fonts with different keyboard layouts. This software enables users to remember only one key combination for one language regardless of the different keyboard layouts they have, allowing to concentrate more on the content rather than how to type the content.

Sinhalata 1.0 comes with a system tray tool: Sinhala2Office2.0, which simplify working with Sinhala MS Office documents.

# Software License

This software comes with 2 license categories.

License Category | Price
Evaluation license. | Free
Full license. | Rs. 3000/= or US$33

Based on the licensing category available functionality may differ. (By default the applications ships with 4 ready made Character Maps, but fully functional in the registered version only.)

### 1. Evaluation license.

Users are allowed to use the application as long as they wish without buying license from the Author. Evaluation version will have all the character-maps as in the registered version. But the evaluation version does not allow users to view/ create or modify character maps.

### 2. Full license.

This is the complete version of the Sinhalata V1.0 and Sinhala2Office V2.0 with full support to view/ create and customize characters and Character Maps and to save content.

When it is necessary to buy ready-made Character Maps than spending time to create own Character Maps, Author will provide additional Character Maps for an extra payment of Rs. 500/= (US$6) per Character Map.

# Registration Process

1. Install the evaluation version of the software.
2. Run “Sinhalata” application.
3. Go to “Help” menu and click on Register Menu item.

This will show the following window.

1. Click on “Email” button to start writing an email with the default email client application.

2. Click on “Copy” button to copy the content to the clipboard so that you can paste the content manually to an email body.

Finally include your details (Name, NIC Number (National Identity Card Number) and Contact Telephone), and send a license request to mailto:contact.sinhalata@gmail.com. After confirming your payment details, we will send your Product Key by email or SMS.

# Application Main Window

### Main Menu

Main menu bar contains the quick navigate buttons to invoke most frequently used functions. The button icons conform to the Windows standards so that users can easily identify the functionality involved with buttons.

### Toolbar

Toolbar contains the quick access buttons to enhance the usability.

###

### Formatted Text Pane

This is where the formatted text appears when the user type text in the Input Text Pane. The character representations in the Formatted Text Pane get changed according to the Font Character Map selected. The text in the Formatted Text Pane gets copied to the Clipboard when the Copy Content action is performed. The focus should be set to Formatted Text Pane to paste what is in the Clipboard. Users can modify the content in the Formatted Text Pane by typing in it, so that the changes will be reflected in the Input Text Pane.

### Input Text Pane

###

This is where the user type native language sound in English. Whatever entered here is formatted and reflected in Formatted Text Pane. If there is no Character Mapping is available for a selected key (or key combination), the entered key (or key combination) will be directly shown in the Formatted Text Pane, giving unexpected results.

NOTE: The system treats “&” as a special character. When two characters are separated by using “&” , the separation considered a join.

Please see the appendix for more information on Sinhala Character Maps.

###

### Suggest Characters Pane

###

When the user enters keystrokes in the Input Text Pane, all possible characters to the last typed key (or key combination) is displayed in the Suggest Characters Pane. This feature can be disabled by un-checking the “Auto Suggest” check box, causing to hide the Suggest Characters Pane Results. Then the Result area will be shown only when the focus is set to the Search Text box.

###

To find Characters enter text in the Search Text Box. The Result will be displayed in the Results area.

When a character is selected from the Results Area, the relevant Font symbol is displayed in the “Font Symbol” Text box. To choose a character from the Results area to Input Text Pane double click on the Results area character.

###

###

# Application Functionality

### Clear Content

Accessibility:

Tool icon or Menu

This button will clear the content in both the Formatted Text Pane and Input Text Pane. It’s recommended to use this button when you need to start a new document.

###

### Save Content

Accessibility:

Tool icon or Menu

This button will save the content in the Input Text Pane. This should be done when a longer document is prepared to avoid loosing data in case of a power failure. In such a situation the application will load the last saved document at the start.

### Export Content

Accessibility:

Tool icon or Menu

This button will show the Export dialog for the user to choose the file name and path to export the content in the Input Text Pane. There are 3 formats to choose from (*.doc, *.jpg, *.bmp).

### Refresh

Accessibility:

Menu

This will reload the Font Character Map and reformat the content appear in the Formatted Text Pane.

###

### Copy Content

Accessibility:

Tool icon , Menu or Shortcut Key CTRL + C

This will copy the content in the Formatted Text Pane to the Clipboard so that it can be pasted in any other place. Please note that this will not copy the Font information. Therefore it is necessary to change the font manually. For an example, to copy the content to a MS Word Document,

1. First copy the content to Clipboard.

2. Open MS Word Application.

3. Paste the content to the appropriate location.

4. Select the pasted text.

5. Change the font to match the font name of the Sinhalata Character Map Font Name.

### Paste Content

Accessibility:

Tool icon , Menu or Shortcut Key CTRL + V

This will paste the content in the Clipboard to the focused Text Pane (i.e.: When the Cursor is in the Input Text Pane content will be pasted there and in Formatted Text Pane otherwise.).

### Windows Character Map

Accessibility:

Tool icon , Menu

This will open the standard Windows Character Map to help the user to find font characters.

### Options Dialog

Accessibility:

Menu

This will open the Options dialog to setup Auto Recovery and other options. Windows Character Map to help the user to find font characters.

Available Options:

Auto Recovery

Enable Auto Recovery : Select the check box to enable auto recovery on. This will cause to save

the content automatically in every “Saving Interval” minutes.

( Recommended On )

Saving Interval : Set this interval to set the Auto Saving interval. (Recommended 5 mins)

On Start

Apply Last Settings : Select this to load the last settings when the application is loaded every

time.

Apply Default Settings : Select this to load default settings when the application is loaded every

time.

###

### Active Character Map

Accessibility:

Tool icon

This can be used to change the Active Character Map. Changing the Active Character Map causes to change the font of the Formatted Text Pane to the selected Character Map font.

###

###

### Configure Font Character Map

Accessibility:

Tool icon , Menu

This will open the Font Character Map, so that users can customize existing Font Character Map or create new Font Character Maps.

### Configure Font Character Map Window.

This window has a separate toolbar.

Active Character Map

####

#### Creating New Character Map

Accessibility:

Toolbar

Starts creating a new Character Map with default settings for Sinhala Character Map.

Steps:

1. Click on .
2. Enter the new Character Map Name in the following dialog appears

Hint: It’s a very good practice to name the Character Map to reflect the Font Name going to be used.

3. Click ok button
4. Change other settings as required.

The interface provided for creating/ customizing Character Maps provides some useful functionality to save time, although it seems too complex in the beginning.

There are 2 properties of a Character Map

1. Character Map Font

This should be changed to the desired Font for the character map. Usually Character Map name aligns with the Character Map Font name.

Example:

The Font of the Character Map “Ranasuru-PC” is “Ranasuru-PC”.

The Font of the Character Map “Kaputadotcom” is “Kaputadotcom”.

2. Character Map Layout

Every Character Map should have a Layout. The layout defines the Character Combination a native character is represented. Man purpose of having a layout is to be able to share the same character combination within the Character Maps of the same language (i.e.: All Character Maps of one language should have one Font Layout.).

Row Heading and Column Heading of the Character Map Area are to simplify creating of new logical charcater maps. The Row heading should have the key combinations while the Column Heading holds the basic representation of a Character.

#### Setting-up the Character Map Layout

The Layout will save information of the Row Heading and the Column Heading only. Therefore that is what should be changed to create/ update a Character Map Layout. The Layout will be automatically saved when the “Auto Save” check box is selected in the “Layout Settings” section.

Row Heading( First Column): Always contains the base character.

Column Heading: Contains the other formats the Character can have.

As the first step creating a new layout, complete the Row Heading with all the possible character combinations. In this Row first Column will have the base Character.

Combinations

Example:

( “Kaputadotcom” Character Map)

When consider the Character “ga” ( ) in Sinhala, it will be a base character. All other representations of the character “ga” is called Character Combinations.

After creating the Row Heading, entire map can be generated automatically when all the base characters are defined in the Map.

To Create all the Character Combinations after defining the Base Characters, choose option “Create All”, or to create combinations for the focused Row only, select option “Create Only for the Selected Row” option. Finally click on Create Button ().

When click the right mouse button following popup menu is available.

Copy Content

Copies the content of the selected cell to memory.

Paste Content : Pastes the content copied to the memory.

Copy Pattern: Copies only the pattern of the cell character.

Paste Pattern: Pastes the copied pattern to the selected cell.

Clear Cell: Clears the content of the selected cell.

Clear Column: Clears the content of the Column starting from the cell below the selected.

Clear Row: Clears the content of the Row starting from the cell right to the selected column.

Clear Content to Bottom, Right:

Clear the Content to the bottom, right of the selected cell.

Insert Cell After:

Inserts a cell After the selected cell.

Insert Row Below

Inserts a Row below the selected cell row.

Delete Cell: Deletes the content in the selected cell and moves the cell contents to left.

Delete Row: Deletes the content in the selected row and moes the cell content to up.

#### Save Character Map

Accessibility:

Toolbar

Saves the current Character Map. When the Layout is changed (Row Heading or Column Heading), “Auto Save” option in Layout Settings section should be selected to save the changes to the Layout. When the layout is changed for one Character Map, it will affect the other Character Maps using the same Layout.

#### Export To HTML

Accessibility:

Toolbar

Exports the Active Character Map to an HTML document. This might help users to study the character coding offline.

#### Copy Character Map

Accessibility:

Toolbar

Copies the Active Character Map to a different Character Map. This is useful when it is needed to create a Character Map for a font, which is having the same Keyboard Layout. In such cases only thing should be done is, changing the font after copying.

Hint: It’s a very good practice to name the Character Map to reflect the Font Name going to be used.

This UI can be used to make new Character Maps as well as to customize existing Character Maps in many different ways. So it is left to users to discover the power of this interface.

# Sinhala2Office 2.0

( This will only describe what is not described under Sinhalata1.0 section)

This is a portable version of Sinhalata1.0 which will simplify working with Microsoft Office Applications ( MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint) and MSN Live Messenger. This tool will directly communicate with mentioned applications and update the active document.

The installer will create a shortcut in the startup folder, which will cause to run Sinhala2Office every time the computer is started. The tool will remain in the System Tray () which will gives the following menu options when right clicked. To activate the tool click the left mouse button on the icon.

System Tray Icon:

### Options…

Accessibility:

System tray menu, Options… menu item: Opens the Options window.

On Start

Apply last Settings: will start Sinhala2Office with the last saved settings.

Apply default Settings: will start Sinhala2Office with default settings.

Default English Font

Allows to select the font for English typing.

### Applications

Accessibility:

Toolbar:

to communicate with MS Word Document

to communicate with MS Excel Worksheet

to communicate with MS PowerPoint Presentation

to chat with MSN Live Messenger

To transfer text the relevant Application should be running and focused and the perticular icon should be selected. To use with MSN Live Messenger Chat, there should be an opened chat window.

### Sinhala/ English Typing Selector

Accessibility:

Toolbar: /

- Type in Sinhala

- Type in English

Click on these icons to toggle Sinhala/ English typing. This enables to type English words in the middle of a Sinhala document with no hassle.

### Font Map

Accessibility:

Toolbar:

Click on this icon to display/ change the active Font Map.

### Font Sizes

Accessibility:

Toolbar:

Click on this icon to display/ change the Font Size.

### Submit Words

Accessibility:

Toolbar:

When this option is selected it will cause to send each word (ending with space) typed in the Input Text Area. Otherwise enter key should be pressed to update the text in the selected Application.

# Appendix

##### kaputadotcom_FontMap.htm

##### Character Seperater for Special Cases: &

When typing with Sinhalata using Kaputadotcom Character Map following can be seen. The application cannot identify what exactly the user wants. In such cases user has to use “&” character to separate character codes.

Incorrect

Brahma daNdhaya

Correct

Brahma daN&dhaya

(Susantha Soysa 2007/08)