Hello everyone,
It is so delightful to find new ways to use one's BN or VN. My wife and I
occasionally write braille letters. I'm certain a number of you are asking
who does that any more? I certainly understand your question but there are
a few of us out here who enjoy using a BN or VN to write braille letters.
I thought I'd quickly read about databases in the BN manual last Saturday
afternoon. I can tell you I'm still intimidated by databases and templates
which really don't seem all that simple to me! Too bad they aren't simpler
to use and create. Maybe this is another change in 6.1, who knows? My
wife wishes me to learn more so she can have an address list in her BN for
her Email contacts.
I came upon a way to insert the date into a template. I decided to attempt
to create a "heading" template which if activated in a certain way could
paste the heading and the date into my braille letter. As I fiddled with
this, I learned how the date could be inserted into my document. This can
be done in two ways, copy today's date or print the date. If the print
date option is chosen with the letter P, the date changes if a document is
embossed the day after the letter is written. If today's date is chosen,
the date remains the same and that is selected by the letter T. As I
checked this out, I wondered whether this would work in Keyword! I found
out this does work so I abandoned my template idea by deleting my template
and creating a heading file. I centered my mailing address in my new
heading file. When it came to the date, I pressed spacebar with O for
options, I for insert and D for the date. The speech says "insert date"
and the braille display shows dollar sign dtp on the display since I chose
to print date rather than insert today's date. Today's date would show on
the display and would be written in the file if I chose that option. I
like the print date option better since I would no longer need to worry
about knowing the date unless it wasn't set properly in my BN. I usually
center each line in my heading which includes the insert date option I
described. I then placed two returns after inserting the date and my
heading file is ready for use. When I create my document for the letter, I
use the block commands, I to insert file, answer the appropriate folder and
filename which usually is general and heading. This is immediately
inserted into my new document. I'm ready to start writing my letter. I
also have a signature file which is inserted once my letter is
completed. I centered each line in that file as well. I wrote a single
page test document where I inserted both my heading and signature
files. The date was embossed perfectly! I was pleased with my efforts. I
again embossed my document two days later and November 23 was showing for
the date rather than November 21 on my original printing.
I wondered whether I would save keystrokes all that much when pasting the
heading and signature in my letter. I used a macro on a compeditor's
notetaker but I'd need to delete the day out of the date and change
November from grade one to grade two. I like what I'm doing now better
since I can execute everything quickly and the date is written quickly and
properly in my letter. I no longer need to worry about the date, it is
correct in my letter unless my BN is not set properly! I plan to read more
on insert topics which discuss inserting calculation and result from the
calculator as well as a few other things.
Hope this is useful for someone!
Jim Aldrich
