[UEB Formats Guidelines] Line drawing
Phippen, Stephen
Stephen.Phippen at rnib.org.uk
Tue Nov 27 10:15:46 EST 2007
To: UEB Format Group
From: Stephen Phippen
Date: 27 November 2007
I have now drafted something on line drawing for the UEB format
guidelines: This is section LD at the end in the attached draft. I could
easily add some more examples with different scenarios, though there's a
danger of getting too long. When reading the examples in print with this
plain text draft you need to use a fixed width font such as courier to
keep the alignment. I have noted this in the draft as follows:
"[Note that in this draft, print line drawing has been simulated using
ordinary characters, such as hyphen, vertical bar, oblique stroke and
backward obliques stroke, and alignment has been achieved using ordinary
spaces. To view these examples with their correct alignment a fixed
spaced font should be used (such as Courier). The braille equivalents
are shown with normal braille ascii encoding.]"
I was going to include one or two examples of horizontal lines in
tables, but on reading the relevant paragraph (T.3.5) I was a little
surprised (I had probably forgotton) that is said that every column
heading has to have a horizontal line beneath it. Is that right? If we
have a column heading over two or more sub headings, do we want both the
main column heading and then the lower subheadings to all separately
have horizontal lines beneath? This could take up valuable space.
Please let me know if you have any comments on this (or on any of the
other sections).
Thanks,
Stephen
-----Original Message-----
From: uebformats-bounces at nbp.org [mailto:uebformats-bounces at nbp.org] On
Behalf Of Phippen, Stephen
Sent: 05 November 2007 10:59
To: UEB Formats Guidelines
Subject: RE: [UEB Formats Guidelines] Format differences
To: UEB Format Group
From: Stephen Phippen
Date: 5 November 2007
Replying to Debbie's question: I made some notes for myself on the line
drawing section when I first mentioned this, but haven't had time since
to do some proper writing. But I should be able to do this soon now, so
we can include this topic in the format guidelines draft.
Regards,
Stephen
-----Original Message-----
From: uebformats-bounces at nbp.org [mailto:uebformats-bounces at nbp.org] On
Behalf Of Debbie Gillespie
Sent: 02 November 2007 19:42
To: 'UEB Formats Guidelines'
Subject: RE: [UEB Formats Guidelines] Format differences
Hello Stephen and all:
Did you ever draft a document with regards to the information below?
Begin excerpt from original message:
On another matter, at a recent UEB maths meeting the subject of line
drawing was discussed in relation to technical diagrams (in particular,
chemical structural formulae), and then more widely to other areas. UEB
has a (rather impressive, I think) mechanism for using braille cells to
draw out simple diagrams in an unambiguous way, and this is the
technique that would be used. However, because it is a general
technique, not limited to any particular subject, it was thought that
the method should be documented in our format document. So we will need
to add an extra section for this. I will try and draft this with some
examples.
Stephen
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-------------- next part --------------
UEB Guidelines on Braille Format
Latest updated sections:
LD. Line drawing: completely new section
----------
UEB Guidelines on Braille Format
Contents
Introduction
TP. Title page
PN. Page numbering
C. Table of contents
PI. Page information line
PP. Print page indication
H. Headings
P. Paragraphs
TY. Typeface
L. Lists and outlines
B. Boxes
PO. Poetry
N. Notes
T. Tables
LD. Line drawing
----------
Introduction
This document has been written as part of the Unified English Braille Project, and gives guidance on a number of main areas of braille format.
In its current form, the document does not attempt to go into great detail for this extensive subject. Instead, the strategy has been to set down some general principles for each topic, then to give specific guidance written for UEB which exemplifies those principles. In addition, reference is given, where possible, to major references on braille format: here, alternative approaches may be found, as well as more comprehensive guidance on these and other topics. It is not intended that use of such alternative established approaches be excluded for use with UEB.
The main references are:
Braille Formats: Principles of Print to Braille Transcription: 1997, published by BANA
British Braille, Section 9: 2004, published by BAUK
RNIB Braillists' Manual: 1998, published by RNIB.
----------
TP. Title page
General Principles
Each volume of a braille book should normally have a title page which is the first page in the book, containing key information about the publication, i.e.:
title of work
author
original publisher
original publication date
original ISBN number
braille publisher/producer
braille publication/production date
total number of braille volumes
number of current volume
The information should be presented in a way that is distinctive to the touch so that the specific information of interest can be accessed quickly.
Additional runover title pages may be necessary in order to contain the required information; the most important information should be placed on the first title page.
* * *
References:
Braille Formats: Rule 2, 2
Braillists' Manual: Section 3
----------
PN. Page numbering
General Principles
Each page in a braille volume should be given a braille page number. The numbering sequence should normally begin afresh for each braille volume (if more than one) in a work, but alternatively may form a continuous sequence for the whole work.
It is generally recommended that each braille page also carry a print page number indicating the page of the original copy from which the transcription was made. However, this may not be possible, or may be inappropriate, when the transcription is made from electronic files without reference to a particular print version.
Braille and print page numbering should be placed on the page for easy reference, i.e. at the left or right-hand ends of a "page information line" which is on the first or last line of the braille page.
* * *
PN.1. Print Page Numbering
PN.1.1. The current print page number must be placed to end at the right margin on the last line of the braille page with no fewer than three blank cells left between the running head and the page number.
PN.1.2. If a new print page begins within a braille page, end the braille text with the last word shown on the preceding print page. Follow copy regarding hyphenation when a word is divided between pages.
PN.1.3. Place the new print page number at the right margin on the next braille line preceded by the page change indicator, a line of unspaced dots 36, starting at the left margin. No space must be left between this indicator and the first symbol of the print page number.
Lettered continuation pages
PN.1.4. When material on a print page cannot be contained on a single braille page, repeat the current print page number at the right margin on the last line of each succeeding braile page. The number must be preceded by the unspaced letter a for the first continued page, the letter b for the second, etc., leaving at least three cells between the end of the running head and the lettered page number.
Combined print page numbers
PN.1.5. Material printed across facing pages as if it were on a single page must be brailled as if it were on a single page. The combined print page numbers, e.g. 6-7, must be placed to end at the right margin. If lettered continuation pages are required, they must also carry the combined print page numbers, e.g., a6-7, b6-7, etc.
PN.1.6. If one or more print pages contain only headings of the book title, part, unit, or chapter, these headings must be placed on one braille page and followed on the same page by the text they precede. The page number of the first of these pages must be combined with that of the page on which text appears, e.g., 15-17.
PN.1.7. Whenever blank pages, unnumbered pages, or full pages of print material that is to be omitted from the braille edition are included in the print page number count, the page number of the first of these pages must be combined with that of the page on which narrative text reappears, e.g., 25-29. When lettered continuation pages are required, these pages must carry only the number of the page on which text appears, e.g., a29, b29.
PN.1.8. Pages numbered with letter/number or number/number combinations. Such pagination is widely used in computer software manuals, sections of a classroom text, e.g. pages IV49 6-13, 6-14. If lettered continuation pages are required in such instances, the letters a, b c, etc. must precede the entire page designation. Example: aIV49, bIV49; a78S, b78S; 6-12, a6-12, b6-12, etc.
Note: The same format must be used for text page numbers and for page numbers in a table of contents.
Page tab indexes
PN.1.9. Page tabs, locator keys, quick references, etc., which serve no other purpose than to provide a quick visual reference to sections of the text, must be omitted in braille.
PN.2. Braille Page Numbering
PN.2.1. Braille page numbers should be shown on all pages in the braille edition at the left margin on the last line of a braille page with at least three blank cells left between the end of the page number and the beginning of the text in the page information line.
Preliminary page numbering
PN.2.2. All pages at the beginning of a volume generated by the transcriber, such as braille title page, special symbols page, braille table of contents should be prefixed by an unspaced letter t.
PN.2.3. The title page of each braille volume should be numbered as t1, and followed by any other consecutively numbered transcriber generated pages.
Preliminary Text Pages
PN.2.4. All pages of text in the braille edition including preface, forword, introduction etc.) should carry consecutive braille page numbers starting with arabic one in the first volume as well as in each subsequent volume.
* * *
References:
Braille Formats: Rule 1, 14
Braillists' Manual: Section 5
British Braille: 9.1.4, 9.1.5
----------
C. Table of contents
General Principles
A contents table in braille may refer to either print page numbers or braille page numbers (or both).
Each braille volume in a transcription containing headed sections should normally have a contents table containing entries for those sections, and giving braille page numbers.
If there is a contents in the original print, the first volume in the transcription should include a similar contents for the whole work, giving print page numbers.
Each entry in a contents should start on a separate line with runovers clearly distinguished to allow easy access. Print or braille page numbers should be separated from the text of the entry, e.g. aligned in a column on the right of the line.
Contents tables should be placed near the begining of a volume, so as to be easily located by the reader.
* * *
C.1. A complete table of contents showing volume divisions, if possible, and print page numbers should appear in volume 1.
C.2. The volume number should be a level 2 heading above the volume contents.
C.3. Subsequent information will be in the form of a nested list.
C.4. Each braille volume should also contain a table of contents of material found in that volume listing both print and braille page numbers. If format constraints do not allow room for both print and braille page numbers, either one should be chosen for the entire text to provide consistency. The table of contents should be considered transcriber-generated page(s) and numbered with the prefix t before the braille page number.
C.5. Braille page numbers should succeed chapter information in the left column and the print page numbers in the right column (at the right margin).
C.6. One space should be left between the column of print page numbers and the column of braille page numbers, with the numbers left aligned in the columns.
C.7. At least one space should be left between the chapter entry and the braille page number column.
* * *
References:
Braille Formats: Rule 2, 7
Braillists' Manual: Section 7
British Braille: 9.2.1
----------
PI. Page information line
General Principles
Each braille page should generally carry a page information line indicating the the print page number, braille page number, and title or current section name.
This should appear as the first or last line on the page, so as to be easily located by the reader.
* * *
PI.1. The title of a book should appear on the title page only. It should not be repeated as a running head. Only significant navigational information such as section and chapter numbers or titles, author's name in a text with more than one contributor, guide words, -letters or -numbers, should appear in the page information line.
PI.2. The last line on the braille page should be reserved for the page information line.
* * *
References:
Braille Formats: Rule 1, 12
Braillists' Manual: Section 9
British Braille: 9.1.4
------------
PP. Print page indication
General Principles
Print page turns should generally be indicated at the relevant points within the text, and the current print page number should be indicated on the page information line,
* * *
PP.1. Print page indication should be considered standard practice, so distinctions should not be made between material intended for work and/or study on the one hand and recreational material on the other.
PP.2. The print page indicator (PPI) shall consist of a line of dots 36 starting in the left margin and should be unspaced from the new print page number placed to end at the right hand margin.
PP.3. When a print page change co-incides with the beginning of a new braille page, the print page indicator should appear on the first line of the braille page.
* * *
References:
Braille Formats: Rule 1, 13
Braillists' Manual: Section 8
British Braille: 9.1.5
------------
H. Headings
General Principles
In general, the different types of headings used in a document or other work should be distinguished in braille. However, the particular styles of heading used in the document being transcribed, e.g. as regards alignment, spacing, emphasis, etc., need not be followed.
The headings used in braille are normally taken from a scheme setting out a hierarchy of styles to be used for the different levels. Depending on the scheme, the styles may include the use of section endmarkers or other braille formatting devices used to distinguish the different levels of sections in the document.
It is important that the headings used within a particular scheme work well together, e.g. are easily distinguishable from each other, and work well within the text, e.g. are easy to find.
In a particular transcription, it is generally not necessary to use the levels of braille heading available in a scheme in strict sequence, though the order of precedence of an established scheme should normally be followed. Where there are options, the choice of headings should be made with consideration of how well they work in the particular context of the document, e.g. their frequency, and the nature of the surrounding material.
A heading should be followed on the same braille page by at least one braille line of text.
A section endmarker should be preceded on the same braille page by at least one braille line of text.
* * *
Level 1: centred, preceded and followed by a blank line, with a minimum of three blank cells before and after each line of the heading
Level 2: centred, preceded but not followed by a blank line, with a minimum of six blank cells before and after each line of the heading
Level 3: blocked in cell 5, preceded but not followed by a blank line
Level 4: blocked in cell 3, preceded but not followed by a blank line
H.1. Print shows various levels of headings. In braille only four levels of headings are recognized. Assignments of these levels should be based on the overall hierarchy established by the print text, with Level 1 headings for the main section of the text and Level 4 headings for the most minor subsection.
H.2. When five or more levels of headings are required, any level of braille heading may be assigned more than once provided that the headings within the same level are distinguished by some other means such as capitalization, terminology (e.g. Unit, Part, Chapter, Section), typeface.
H.3. When Level 2, 3 and/or 4 headings follow one another without intervening text, the blank lines between the headings should be omitted.
H.4. When a Level 2, 3 or 4 heading precedes material that normally has a blank line before it, such as a list or outline, the blank line should be omitted.
H.5. When a heading occurs at the top of a braille page or following a print page turn, the blank line preceding the heading should be retained.
H.6. A heading should be followed on the same braille page by at least one braille line of text.
H.7. Print capitalization should be followed for headings.
H.8. The typeface should be indicated only when distinction or emphasis is required within a heading or when a heading must be distinguished from another heading of the same level.
* * *
References:
Braille Formats: Rule 4
Braillists' Manual: Section 12
British Braille: 9.1.6
----------
P. Paragraphs
General Principles
The start of each new paragraph should be clearly indicated in braille, e.g. by starting a new line and indenting the first word, or by leaving a blank line between paragraphs. The particular style of the print is not specially followed except in special circumstances; normally braille will follow a standard style independent of the print.
* * *
P.1. Two blank cells should be left at the beginning of a new braille line to indicate the start of a paragraph, regardless of print format. Runover lines should be blocked in cell 1. [3/1]
P.2. Where print uses blocked paragraphing throughout, the print format should be indicated in a transcriber's note.
P.3. Ignore changes to print type size, typeface or capitalization when used to embellish the beginning of a paragraph, such as at the start of a chapter.
P.4. The change of typeface should be indicated for text at the beginning of a paragraph which has been distinguished from the following material, e.g. for the purpose of identifying the subject.
* * *
References:
Braille Formats: Rule 1, 2
Braillists' Manual: Section 14
British Braille: 9.5
----------
TY. Typeface (typeforms)
General Principles
The particular typeface used as a normal or base font in a print work is not normally indicated in braille.
Excessive changes of typeface in braille can be disruptive to the braille reader (more so than to a print reader), so restraint should normally be exercised, focussing on cases where the change of typeface indicates a distinction, such as emphasis, which is not otherwise clear by some other means in the braille, such as by format.
In particular, it is not necessary to indicate bold or italics generally used on headings if the braille format used is sufficient to show that the text forms a heading.
However, it is recognised that in automatic transcription it may not be possible to be selective in the way described above; though even in this case it should be possible to exclude headings from the application of typeface indication in the braille.
In some circumstances a braille reader may require detailed knowledge of how a print book has been presented; in such cases a more strict adherence to changes of typeface may be necessary in the braille transcription than that described above for general transcription.
It should also be noted that in the transcription of mathematics and other special notation the indication of different typefaces is usually essential to the meaning, and should be followed in braille.
* * *
TY.1. Guidelines to determine when a print change in typeface should be indicated in braille:
TY.1.1. Headings: A change of typeface should be indicated only when distinction or emphasis is required within a heading or when a heading must be distinguished from another heading of the same level.
TY.1.2. Enclosed text: A change of typeface for text which is set off by enclosure symbols (such as parentheses or quotation marks) should be indicated only when required for emphasis or distinction.
TY.1.3. Entry words or headwords: A change of typeface for entry words (such as in glossaries, dictionaries, indexes) is not required to distinguish them from the rest of the entry. If the typeface of some entry words is different from the others, that typeface should be retained.
TY.1.4. A distinct format: The change of typeface is not required for a passage of text (such as poetry, list, dialogue, note, correspondence, caption) which is distinguished from adjoining text by its braille format, unless required for emphasis or distinction.
TY.1.5. Blank lines: The change of typeface should be indicated for a passage of text which is set off by blank lines in braille and does not have a distinct format as in TY.1.4 above.
TY.1.6. Indented margins: The change of typeface should be indicated for a passage of text which is set off by indented margins in print and does not have a distinct format as in TY.1.4 above.
TY.1.7. A change of typeface should be indicated in all other instances.
TY.2. When a change of typeface is to be indicated for a passage extending over more than one text element, each text element should start with the typeform indicator and close with the terminator.
* * *
References:
Braille Formats: Rule 3
Braillists' Manual: Section 0.7.3
British Braille: 5.5.3-5
----------
L. Lists and outlines
General Principles
There may not be a clear distinction between listed items and ordinary paragraphs, but in general, items in a list are usually short, are presented in a distinct way in print (e.g. indented or preceded by bullet marks), and may have different levels, to form sublists, etc.
Such listed items should normally be presented in braille in a way which is distinct from ordinary paragraphs, e.g. by the indention of their starts or runovers. List items of different levels should also be distinguishable (e.g. by different indentation), so that their rank is clear to the reader. The scheme used for indentation should be designed so that entry starts of different levels will not be confused with runovers.
The retention or omission of bullets or other marks at the beginning of list items will depend on the formatting conventions being used in a transcription; but omission is only made viable by a scheme where the format makes the distinction from ordinary paragraphs clear.
Where there is no clear separation between list items and ordinary paragraphs in the original print, there is no need to force one in the braille, and ordinary paragraph format can be used.
* * *
L.1. A blank line should be left before and after an outline to separate it from surrounding text.
L.2. Single-level outlines (simple lists, hanging paragraphs): Each item should begin in cell 1 with runovers in cell 3. [1/3]
L.3. Multi-level outlines (nested lists): Each main entry should begin in cell 1 with runovers in cell 5. Each sub-entry should begin in cell 3 with runovers in cell 7. Each subsequent sub-entry should be indented an additional 2 cells with the runovers indented an additional 4 cells. [1/5, 3/7, 5/9, 7/11, etc.]
L.4. Attention marks (such as bullets, diamonds, hollow dots) should be retained in braille. If one occurs for which there is no UEB equivalent, a transcriber-defined symbol should be used.
L.5. When an entire document is presented in outline form and the numbering system clearly identifies the different levels, paragraph format should be used. [3/1]
[Or do you want:]
L.5. When an entire document is present in outline form and the numbering system clearly identifies the different levels, single-level outline format should be used. [1/3]
* * *
References:
Braille Formats: Rule 7, 3
Braillists' Manual: Sections 0.8 and 14
British Braille: 9.1.7
----------
B. Boxes
General Principles
Boxed material in print may either be specially distinguished as such in the braille transcription, or be integrated with the normal text, e.g. under a heading. Editorial judgement should be made as to the best approach to be used in particular cases.
Where boxed material is to be explicitly presented as such in braille, it is generally impractical (except in special cases) to mimic the presentation of the original, e.g. its arrangement on the page; instead, the normal flow of the text is interrupted at an appropriate point, the boxed text is inserted, then the normal flow of text resumed.
The method used to distinguish boxed material should be tactually clear, and should make the distinction between entering, and exiting, boxed material clear to the reader.
* * *
B.1. Horizontal box lines should be indicated in braille and should extend across the whole width of the braille page.
B.2. An opening box line should be followed on the same braille page by at least the first braille line of boxed text. Similarly a closing box line should be preceded on the same braille page by at least the last braille line of boxed text.
B.3. If space permits, side-by-side boxes should be presented as in print when they are approximately of equal length. Otherwise, they should be presented one below the other.
B.4. One blank cell should be left before and after the vertical shared box line when boxes are presented side-by-side.
B.5. When boxes one below the other share a box line, the horizontal shared box line should be used.
* * *
References:
Braille Formats: Rule 6, 3
Braillists' Manual: Sections 13.6
----------
PO. Poetry
General Principles
Poetry should generally be set out in braille on a line-for-line basis, with runovers clearly distinguished from normal line starts by indentation. The start of new stanzas should also be made clear, either by indentation or by the presence of a blank line.
However, there are circumstances where an alternative method may be preferred (e.g. for compactness), in which each stanza is set out as a continuous block or paragraph, with poetry line ends being indicated by "line signs" within the block.
* * *
PO.1. Each line of verse begins at the margin. If a line is too long to fit into a braille line the runover should start in cell 3 of the next braille line.
PO.2. When a poem contains regular levels of indentation, each line begins indented 2 cells to the right of the beginning of the previous indentation, with runovers 2 cells to the right of the deepest indentation.
PO.3. The beginning of a new stanza is indicated by a blank line.
PO.4. When a stanza, other than one that is preceded by a title or a heading, begins at the top of a print page that starts within a braille page, a blank line should be left after the PPT.
PO.5. Unless there is space at the bottom of a braille page for the title and one braille line of poetry the poem must begin on a new braille page.
PO.6. A Number in a poem with numbered stanzas is a heading and should be consistently treated as such throughout the poem.
Irregular poetry
PO.7. When the text shows a wide space between words printed on the same line three blank cells must be used to indicate this spacing in braille.
PO.8. When the print poem shows an unusual shape or spatial arrangement with no regular pattern of indention, each line should be started in cell 1 with runovers in cell 3; a transcriber's note should be inserted describing the shape or indicating that the unusual spatial arrangement is not reproduced. If the shape of the poem can be represented graphically, it is permissible to do so.
Notes in poetry
PO.9. Generally notes in poetry should be placed at the end of the stanza in which they occur- in paragraph format beginning four cells to the right of the deepest level of indention of the poem. If there are no clear division between stanzas, the notes can be placed in a note section at the end of the poem.
* * *
References:
Braille Formats: Rule 10
Braillists' Manual: Section 32
British Braille: 9.7
----------
N. Notes
General Principles
Where note references occur within normal text these should generally be included in the braille in the same position.
The text of the notes should be placed so as to be easily located by the reader, but not so as to be too intrusive as would unnecessarily disrupt the reading of the main text. Possibilities include: within the text at the point of reference; at the end of paragraphs; at the end of chapters; at the end of braille volumes; in a separate section for the whole transcription.
The method used should ensure that the text of notes can be uniquely married with the corresponding note reference by the braille reader. For example, if reference markers used in the original are not unique (e.g. where the same reference mark or number is used on different pages or in different chapters), these cases will need to be distinguished in the braille where the text of the note is separated from the corresponding note reference. For example, chapter headings can be included in note sections at the end of braille volumes where notes are numbered from 1 for each chapter.
Individual notes transcribed in separate sections should each start on a new line, with any runovers distinguished by their indentation, so that the reader can quickly navigate between them.
* * *
N.1. As a general principle notes occurring near the relevant text, i.e. in the margin, at the bottom of the page, or on facing pages) should likewise be placed close to the text in braille.
N.2. Print reference marks should be represented by their equivalent UEB symbols.
N.3. Notes which appear at the end of a book should preferably be split so that notes relevant to a specific braille volume will appear at the end of that volume.
N.4. Notes which appear at the end of a chapter or article in print should also be placed at the end of the chapter or article in braille, but they should be clearly indicated in the table of contents.
N.5. Footnotes should be placed at the end of the paragraph in which the reference mark occurs, irrespective of whether the relevant paragraph contains a print page indicator or not. The point of reference is the print page on which the note indicator is located.
N.6. The note should begin in cell 7 with runovers in cell 5, and the reference mark should be repeated at the beginning of the note.
N.7. Unreferenced marginal notes which explain or specifically expand on text they accompany should follow the braille line to which they refer and should be written in cell 7 with runovers in cell 5. Altered type-face should be indicated when it constitutes a reference mark.
N.8. Endnotes should be written in list format, i.e. with reference numbers against the margin and runovers in cell 3.
N.9. Indicate within a transcriber’s note when transcriber-gathered footnotes are placed at the end of the text section or volume. Begin the notes section on a new page under the heading "Notes". The notes should be kept in the volume in which they appear. These notes pages should be numbered with braille page numbers following consecutively the braille page numbering within the volume. The footnote reference symbol used in the print should be retained in the braille.
N.10. Endnotes should be listed in the table of contents.
N.11. Notes on facing pages in print should be on facing pages in braille. Other note positions would be allowed (and even preferred) under certain circumstances; e.g.,
place notes to plays on the facing page
insert a marginal note at the end of a paragraph when it doesn't refer to a specific word or phrase
gather notes at the end of the volume (or even in a separate volume) when there are a lot of notes and having immediate access to them is not necessary to using the material
* * *
References:
Braille Formats: Rule 12
Braillists' Manual: Section 21
British Braille: 9.4
----------
T. Tables
General Principles
Tables are often problemmatic in braille due to the space restrictions on a braille page.
Two main transcription methods are used: tabular format, in which the information is presented in columns as in the original; and paragraph format, in which the information is presented in a readable form as a series of paragraphs, each row generally being treated as a separate paragraph, with punctuation inserted to separate the items in the row.
When using tabular format attention should be given to ensure that columns are properly spaced from one another, so as to be well-defined tactually, and that long gaps between columns which the reader needs to track across are filled with "lead lines", to aid this navigation. Where possible, a tabular format table should not be split across braille pages.
When using some form of paragraph format, a common technique is to explain column headings in an initial explanatory paragraph. However, one should be aware that the greater the amount of information presented across a row, the greater the potential problem of the reader losing their place for what column headings the items refer to. To remedy this, it can be worthwhile breaking up the information, e.g. by inserting column headings or other suitable cues within the items.
* * *
T.1. Definition
A table is an arrangement of data into vertical columns and horizontal rows in which there is a line-by-line and column-to-column relationship among the data items.
Or
A table is an arrangement of data into vertical columns and horizontal rows in which the information in the row heading relates to the information in all the other columns. Although the formats given here are appropriate for some columned materials, all columned materials are not tables even if they are labeled as such.
T.2. Placement
T.2.1. Tables should be placed on the print page on which they appear. The following should be used as guidelines when determining the exact placement of tables in the braille edition:
Ideally the table should be placed at the end of the paragraph which refers to it.
A table should not be placed within a paragraph.
If there are several consecutive paragraphs describing or referring to the table it should be placed at the end of these.
T.2.2. If possible, the table should be kept together on one braille page.
T.3. Tabular format
T.3.1. Preferred Format
The preferred method for displaying tables is the tabular format used in print.
T.3.2. Table Heading
The table heading (number and title) should be centered.
T.3.3. Table Captions
Table captions (information about the table) should appear before the body of the table beginning in cell 7 with runovers in cell 5.
T.3.4. Column Headings
T.3.4.1. Column headings should be left-adjusted over the columns to which they refer.
T.3.4.2. If the table contains subcolumns, the column headings must be left-adjusted over all subcolumns to which they refer.
T.3.4.3. If any of the column headings must use more than one line, the column headings should end on the same line, i.e. be bottom-justified.
T.3.5. Separation line
A separation line must appear below each column or subcolumn heading. This line should consist of dot 5 followed by cells of dots 25 covering the width of the column. A separation line between a column heading and its subcolumn headings should extend over the full with of the subcolumn headings.
T.3.6. Row headings
T.3.6.1. Row headings should begin at margin with runovers in cell 3.
T.3.6.2. If a table contains subrows, the subrows should begin in cell 3 with all runovers in cell 5.
T.3.6.3. If runovers are necessary to preserve the tabular format, it is usually preferable to arrange the table so that the runovers are in the row heading so that the tabular appearance of the following columns is obvious.
T.3.7. Column entries (table data)
T.3.7.1. Column entries should begin on the line on which the row heading ends.
T.3.7.2. Column entries in any given row should begin on the same line.
T.3.7.3. Two blank cells should ordinarily be left between the columns of a table.
T.3.7.3. If space saving is a factor, one blank cell may be left between columns of numbers or other information of predictable length (such as y or n for "yes" or "no.")
T.3.7.4. When there are more than three blank cells between columns, guide dots (dot 5 or dot 3) should be used to point the reader to the following column. These guide dots should be preceded by one space and should be followed by the space between columns.
T.3.7.5. Columns should be left adjusted, except that columns of numbers which are aligned by place value may appear as printed if they will be used for computation.
T.3.7.6. Runovers in columns should appear two spaces to the right of the beginning of their columns. Generally, more than one runover line makes the tabular format unclear and impedes reading. If a table seems to require many runovers, use one of the alternatives listed below.
T.3.7.7. Ellipses, dashes, or space indicators should be used to indicate blanks or omissions in a column.
T.3.8. Horizontal and Vertical Lines and Blank Lines Within a Table
T.3.8.1. Horizontal and vertical lines should be shown only if they indicate major divisions in a table, such as totals of numbers.
T.3.8.2. Blank lines should be used only to separate major divisions of a table.
T.3.9. Tables Continued over Several Braille Pages
T.3.9.1. The page information line should carry the table title followed by the abbreviation "cont." on pages on which the table is continued.
T.3.9.2. Column and row headings should be repeated on continuing pages.
T.3.10. Sources and notes
T.3.10.1. Sources and notes that appear at the end of a table
T.3.10.1.1. A separation line extending over the full width of the table columns should appear before the source and notes.
T.3.10.1.2. Sources should be blocked in cell 5.
T.3.10.1.3. Notes should begin in cell 3 with runovers in cell 1.
T.3.10.2. Notes and sources at the beginning or middle of a table
T.3.10.2.1. A source located at the beginning of the table should begin in cell 7 with runovers in cell 5.
T.3.10.2.2. Notes may be moved to the beginning of a table if their placement there would ease reading of the table. A transcriber's note must indicate this change. It is generally undesirable to move material from the print page on which it appears. If moving the notes is necessary, inclusive page numbers of the table may be given as the running print page number, i.e. 222-225, a222-225, etc.
T.3.10.2.3. If a note appears on a print page in the middle of a table, the note may be placed at the end of the material on that page following a separation line (dot followed by cells of dots 25 extending over the width of the table.)
T.4. Adjustments to make tables fit on a page
T.4.1. If a column contains only numbers, the number sign may be omitted from the column in order to save space. A transcriber's note should precede the table indicating this format.
T.4.2. Columns and rows may be transposed. A transcriber's note should indicate this change.
T.4.3. Wide tables may be divided into vertical sections. Row headings must be repeated before each section.
T.4.4. Column or row headings may be shortened by using abbreviations or omitting repeated words or symbols. A transcriber's note should indicate this change.
T.4.5. Keys may be used to save space, but they should be used judiciously.
T.4.5.1. Mnemonic keys consisting of portions of words are generally easier to use than numbered or lettered keys.
T.4.5.2. A key of more than one page may require considerable memorizing or page-flipping. If a key is very long, another method should be used.
T.4.5.3. A key should be formatted as a list surrounded by transcriber's note symbols. The word "Key" should appear as a level-3 or level-4 heading, preceded by a transcriber's note symbol. Items in the key, followed by their meanings, should be presented in list format.
T.4.6. In some instances, tables may be placed on facing pages so that the whole width of the table may be read at one page opening. This format can avoid page-flipping, but it is difficult to use if the last entry on the lefthand page is short, or if the table contains many runovers.
T.5. Other formats for tables
T.5.1. The following formats are generally easier to transcribe than tabular format; as a result, they can easily be overused. Nevertheless, if timeliness is a factor, or if another format makes a table more usable, the following alternative formats may be used.
T.5.2. Stairstep format
This format involves blocking the row heading in cell 1, the column after the row heading in cell 3, etc. Column headings are laid out in a transcriber's note at the beginning of the table showing the position in which they will appear. This format takes a good deal of space and is generally preferred for tables containing large amounts of text.
T.5.3. Paragraph or linear format
T.5.3.1. The most common variation of this format involves paragraphing (3-1) or outdenting (1-3) each row and writing the information in the row across the line with semicolons between each column. Column headings are listed in a transcriber's note preceding the table. This format should not be used for tables which contain internal punctuation. It is the most space-saving format for tables and is often used in magazines.
T.5.3.2. For very complicated tables, the following format bay be used:
T.5.3.2.1. Place each row heading as a level-3 or level-4 heading, preceded on the same line by the column heading.
T.5.3.2.2. Paragraph or outdent each column in the row, preceded by its column heading.
* * *
References:
Braille Formats: Rule 8
Braillists' Manual: Section 62
----------
LD. Line drawing
General Principles
Braille cells can be used geometrically in combination to represent simple lines and shapes. This can be done in an informal manner to achieve the required effect. However, UEB includes a more formal mechanism for such techniques, which ensures that such displays are unambiguous within a UEB document, i.e. cannot be misread as normal text.
The technique of line drawing with braille cells is only suitable for certain simple diagrams, such as boxes or connecting lines in flow charts or organisational charts, grid lines, etc., but the method is also useful generally for horizontal or vertical lines which may be needed in some layouts. Another application is for drawing structural formulae in chemistry.
LD.1. In UEB, drawing a horizontal line is initiated with the horizontal line mode indicator, dots 5 25. Thereafter, following cells on the braille line are interpreted as line drawing characters (and do not carry their normal braille meaning), up to a space, dots 1256, or dot 3 (which is included in the line drawing sequence). A space or dot 3 terminates line drawing mode and restores ordinary text mode, the dot 3 method allowing the line to extend close up to a following word or symbol. Dots 1256 also terminates line drawing mode but begins an arrow, using the normal UEB conventions. In this case the arrow is deemed to be close up to, or continuous with the horizontal line.
LD.2. Within horizontal line mode any braille cells, apart from those mentioned in LD.1, may be used to represent lines and their variations as needed. However the following are regarded as standard usages:
dots 25: simple (solid single) horizontal line segment
dots 245: right corner with upward vertical (e.g. lower right of box)
dots 256: right corner withh downward vertical (e.g. upper right of box)
dots 235: left corner with downward vertical (e.g. upper left of box)
dots 125: left corner with upward vertical (e.g. lower left of box)
dots 2456: crossing with vertical line
dots 345: crossing with right-leaning diagonal line
dots 126: crossing with left-leaning diagonal line
dot 2: dotted or dashed horizontal line segment
dots 2356: double horizontal line segment
dots 123456: triple horizontal line segment
LD.3. Vertical lines are drawn using the following symbols:
dots 456: single solid vertical line segment
dot 6 456: first variant vertical line segment (e.g. for double line)
dots 45: second variant vertical line segment (e.g. for dashed line)
Diagonal lines are drawn using the following symbols:
dots 345: right-leaning single solid diagonal line segment
dot 6 345: variant right-leaning diagonal line segment
dots 126: left-leaning single solid diagonal line segment
dot 6 126: variant left-leaning single solid diagonal line segment
LD.4. The standard interpretations of dots 456, 345 and 126 are as single solid line segments, but the other symbols can be used to represent any other type of vertical or diagonal line as needed.
LD.5. The vertical line symbols may be used singly, or in combination, but in either case the group must be surrounded (i.e. on the left and right) by spaces. The same applies to the diagonal line symbols, but note that vertical and diagonal line symbols may not be used together in the same group. Note also that the horizontal line mode indicator is not used with the vertical or diagonal line symbols.
LD.6. A combination of vertical line symbols represents a combination of the component line segments, e.g. dots 456 456 represents two single solid vertical line segments; dots 45 456 represents (for example) a dashed vertical line next to a solid vertical line. Similarly, a combination of diagonal line symbols represents a combination of the component diagonal line segments.
LD.7. Vertical and diagonal line segment symbols need to be aligned vertically on the braille page when representing longer vertical and diagonal lines. In this it must be remembered (LD.5) that groups of vertical and diagonal line segment symbols must be separated by at least one space on the normal braille line, i.e. you cannot place a diagonal line symbol next to a vertical line symbol: this can often cause difficulties in layout for which compromises may have to be made.
LD.8. Where vertical or diagonal lines cross horizonal lines, the crossing point belongs to the horizontal line mode, and the relevant sign as given in LD.2. is used.
LD.9. Examples.
[Note that in this draft, print line drawing has been simulated using ordinary characters, such as hyphen, vertical bar, oblique stroke and backward obliques stroke, and alignment has been achieved using ordinary spaces. To view these examples with their correct alignment a fixed spaced font should be used (such as Courier). The braille equivalents are shown with normal braille ascii encoding.]
Horizontal lines on a balance sheet
Income 134.56
Expenditure 78.20
------
Total 56.36
======
9COME #ACD4EF
EXP5DITURE #GH4BJ
"333333
TOTAL #EF4CF
"377777
Box diagram
---------- -----------
| | | |
| Water |------->| Erosion |
| | | |
---------- -----------
"3333333 "3333333
_ _ _ _
_ WAT] _ "333333333\O _ ]O.N _
_ _ _ _
"3333333 "3333333
Organisational chart
Director
|
------------------------
| |
| |
software manager sales manager
| |
| |
----------- -----------
| | | |
| | | |
engineer programmer salesman accountant
DIRECTOR
_
"343333333J333333334
_ _
_ _
S(TW>E MANAG] SALES MANAG]
_ _
_ _
"3433333J334 "343333J3333334
_ _ _ _
_ _ _ _
5G9E] PROGRAMM] SALESMAN AC.TANT
Noughts and crosses
| x |
-----------
| x | o
-----------
o | x |
_ _
_ X _
"33W333W333
_ X _ O
"33W333W333
O _ X _
_ _
Dividing lines between columns
1984 | 1981 | 1994
1985 | 1990 | 1995
1986 | 1991 | 1996
1987 | 1992 | 1997
1988 | 1993 | 1998
#AIHD _ #AIHI _ #AIID
#AIHE _ #AIIJ _ #AIIE
#AIHF _ #AIIA _ #AIIF
#AIHG _ #AIIB _ #AIIG
#AIHH _ #AIIC _ #AIIH
Maths (further examples using the same techniques are given in the UEB guidelines for technical material)
Worked calculations
100
99
25 +
---
224
---
#AJJ
#II
#BE "6
"333
#BBD
"333
Displaying a fraction line:
6x^2+3y^3
--------- = f(x,y)
x-y
#FX9#B"6#CY9#C
"3333333333333 "7 F"<X1Y">
X"-Y
Chemistry (further examples using the same techniques are given in the UEB guidelines for technical material)
Propane:
H
|
H--C--H
|
H--C--H
|
H--C--H
|
H
,H
_
,H,-,C,-,H
_
,H,-,C,-,H
_
,H,-,C,-,H
_
,H
Naphthalene:
//\ /\\
// \/ \\
| || |
| || |
\\ /\ //
\\/ \//
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_ __ _
_ __ _
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