Copyright: Copyright ® 1994-95 Tooraj Enayati


General
General Setup

General is available from the menu bar under Setup.

General provides options to change the way ParsNegar works.

Font Name

Select a font from Font Name list and it will be the font that ParsNegar will use for your current document.  You can see a sample of the font you select in the small window below the font list.

Unlike the earlier versions of ParsNegar, this version only lists fonts that it knows about.  You can add new fonts using the Add Font... option.

Font Size

Use the scroll bar to change the font size that ParsNegar uses for your current document.  You can see a sample of the font in the size you have selected in the small window next to font size scroll bar.

Character Management

The way ParsNegar handles characters can be adjusted by this group of options.

Right -> Left

Select this option and ParsNegar will let you type from right to left. This is the option you want selected all the time to handle Farsi and other right to left scripts.  If you de-select this option all the other options in this group will become unavailable.

If you are planning to type in a lot of numbers you might want to disable this option.  It might be worth just typing the numbers in reverse (as it is normally done on type writers!)

Contextual  Analysis

Contextual Analysis is an essential feature of ParsNegar.  Any Arabic type script (Arabic/Farsi/Urdu) includes characters that change their forms depending on what comes after or before them.  Entering each form of the character from the keyboard would make typing a very laborious task.  If you select this option, ParsNegar manages the form of the character you type and changes it to the correct form based on what precedes the character you type.

For any language which uses Arabic script you should select this option to make the typing easier for you.

Contextual Analysis will only work for fonts that have been defined so that ParsNegar is aware of their layout.  Use the Font Definition Module to define new font layouts.

Send Backspace on Del

This option will map the Backspace key to the Del key.  To simulate a right to left backspace key.  If you find it hard to adjust to right-to-left backspace key, then disable this option.

Send Del on Backspace

This option will map the Delete key to the Backspace key.  To simulate a right to left delete key.  If you find it hard to adjust to right-to-left delete key, then disable this option.

Swap Home & End

This option will swap the Home and End keys,  so you get the correct right-to-left effect by pressing these keys.  If you wish to consider the left hand side of the screen as home and the right hand side as end then disable this option.

Cancel

The Cancel button will take you out of this dialogue box without making any modifications to ParsNegar's setup.  Any changes will be lost.  You can also press the Esc key to do this.

OK

Pressing the OK button will take you out of the General setup and all the changes you have made will then take effect.  Pressing the Enter key will also have the same effect.


Keyboard
On Screen Keyboard

This option displays a mouse-driven keyboard on your screen.  It is also available from the eighth button on the toolbar.  You can bring up or hide the keyboard at any time during editing by pressing Ctrl K.

Press any of the buttons on the keyboard to type that letter in your current document.  To type shifted keys, click on the Caps Lock button first.  Pressing the Cap Locks button will display shifted keys on the keyboard and the yellow circle indicator will turn red.

Press the OK button or Alt O to hide the keyboard.

To hide the control buttons (Fold, Print and OK buttons) press the fold button or Alt F.  While the keyboard is folded, you can press Alt F to unfold it again or you can click the mouse on the yellow and red sign between the right hand side Ctrl and Alt buttons.

To get a copy of the keyboard press the Print button or Alt P.  To print the folded keyboard you can press Alt P.

The keyboard remembers the position in which it was last displayed and is displayed at that position subsequently.


Numeral Pad

This option is available from the menu bar under Tools.

Numeral Pad allows you to type in numbers in their natural order.  You can type in numbers and mathematical signs.  Pressing the Done button transfers the text into your current document.

This option is also available from the ninth button on the toolbar.


Font Definition Module

ParsNegar can use any Windows font.  Unfortunately, there is no common font layout standard for Arabic scripts.  But that doesn't prevent ParsNegar from using any of the available fonts.  However, ParsNegar needs to know about the font's layout before it can provide any Contextual Analysis.

This module lets you define the layout of a font.  Defining a font's layout can be tedious and time consuming and even a small mistake will result in some undesirable behaviour!  Registered users can check with us for availability of definition files for their fonts.

Once you create a font definition file, you use the Add Font... option in ParsNegar under Setup to add the font name and the font definition file to ParsNegar's setup.

File

Before you can do anything in FNT-DEF you need to either create a new file or open and existing one.

New...

This option allows you to create a new font definition file.   Unlike other applications, FNT-DEF will prompt you for a file name as soon as you sent this option.  Once you select  a file name it will create the file for you.  The file at this stage only hold the bare minimum information.  Such a file is necessary for adding fonts to ParsNegar's font list, where the font requires no contextual analysis.

Open...

This option allows you to open an existing font definition file.

Save As...

The option will save your current font definition file to another name.  The current font definition file will assume the new file name.

Exit

This option will take you out of the Font Definition Module.

Font...

This option lets you select a Preferred Font for the font definition file.  A font definition file can be used with more than just one font.  So, you may wish to select a font that you prefer to see while creating and modifying this font definition file.

Help

Content

This option brings up the help file.

About

This option displays the version and copyright information.

Options on the Screen

To change the fonts size, use Ctrl U and Ctrl D

Please note the principal and auxiliary forms are used to define ligatures.

Principal

This is the principal form of the character that you type at the keyboard.  It is usually the same as the initial form of the character.  You can find the character from Windows Character Map application (usually found in the Accessories program group), or you can type the character at the box next to the scroll bar, or you can move the scroll bar until you find the character.

Once you enter the character in the box, ParsNegar will display any existing definitions for the character.

On the right hand side of the screen there are some examples for the L character.  Below is the principal form of the  L character.

You use this option to scroll through the 255 characters and define all the characters that you need ParsNegar to perform contextual analysis.

Auxiliary

This option is for defining the second character that together with the principal form forms a ligature (a double glyph, if you like).  This box would normally be empty for most characters.

For example,  the word:

Can make use of the following ligature:

This is actually a single character in some fonts, representing the following two characters:

In this case the following character is the auxiliary character.

This ligature doesn't have initial and medial forms. The ones show below are it's final and isolated forms.

Connects To

This allows you to define whether a character generally is capable of joining with  the next and the last characters.  If the character can join with the next character (the one on the right hand side of it - next in the order of text entry) select the Next option.  Likewise, if the character can join with the last character (the one on the left hand side of it - last in the order of text entry) select the Last option

Initial,  Medial,  Final and  Isolated

Use these options to find the corresponding forms of the principle character and place them in these boxes.

For example:

The following is the initial form of  L.  This is always same as the principal form of the character, except for some ligatures, which might not even have an initial form!

The following is the medial form of the above character:

The final form:

And the isolated form:

If a character doesn't have a medial form (or any other form) then leave the box for that form empty (i.e. ASCII set to 0).

Save this letter

With FNT-DEF you need to save every change that you make.  For every principle character you select and change its forms you need to click on this option to save the changes.

Once you have defined all the forms of the principle character, press the Save this letter button to update your font definition file.  After that you can move on to the next character.  If you do move to the next character with out saving that character you will lose the changes.

You have to save each of the principal forms and all the ligatures, one by one, to complete a font layout definition.


Select Keyboard

This option is available from the menu bar under Tools.

Select Keyboard displays a list of available keyboard layouts.

To add or modify an existing keyboard layout use the Keyboard Definition Module.


Selected Text
Selected text is the text you highlight by dragging the mouse cursor over some text.  You can also select text by holding the shift key down and moving the text cursor using the arrow keys.


Contents
ParsNegar™ On Line Help

Contents

Introduction

System Requirements

Installation

Getting Started

Overview

Customer Support

Registration

Acknowledgments

Copyright and Licence Agreement


Requirements
System Requirements

ParsNegar requires Microsoft Windows* and an IBM compatible system 286 or better with at least 2MB of RAM, capable of running Windows.  However, a 386/33 or better with at least 4MB of RAM is recommended to allow smooth operation while using ParsNegar along with other applications.


Installation

To install ParsNegar on your system, run setup.exe on the directory or the floppy disk from Windows Program Manager's File | Run option or by double clicking on it from File Manager.  Then simply follow the instructions.

Contact us if you have any problems.

Customer Support


Overview

Menu Commands

File

Edit

Tools

Setup

Help

Tool-Bar Commands

Toolbar

Other Modules Besides ParsNegar

Font Definition Module - FNT-DEF

Keyboard Definition Module - KBD-DEF


Customer Support

Customer support is guaranteed to registered users.

For fast customer support we recommend you contact us by electronic mail via Internet.

Most e-mail service providers (such as CompuServe, America On Line etc.) have e-mail gateways to the Internet.  Ask your system operator how you can send e-mail to an Internet user.

Before contacting us, please read README.TXT and Answer to Your Questions.  If you believe you have found a bug,  please give us as much as information as you can, so we can recreate the problem.

On Internet we can be reached at:

tooraj@daneel.rdt.monash.edu.au

A 24 hour-a-day fax service is also provided for registered users on:

+61-3-9877-0025

We may also be reached at:

Customer Support
International Systems Consultancy
P.O. BOX 12603
A'Beckett Street,
Melbourne, VIC, 3000
AUSTRALIA

Other means of customer support, such as 24 hour phone support or CompuServe support can be arranged at request.

All other inquiries should be directed to the above addresses.  The highest priority is given to e-mail and then fax messages.

Please do not request a copy of the evaluation of the product.  This is readily available on Internet (file://tehran.stanford.edu/Iran_Lib/Editors/parsn???.zip) and CompuServe (WINSHARE).


Registration

ParsNegar is a shareware for a 30-day evaluation period.  At the end of the 30 days you are required to purchase the product or remove it from your system.

To register please print the registration form (also available as register.txt file in ParsNegar's directory).  Complete it and post or fax it to us with your credit card details.  We accept Master Card and Visa.  Alternatively you can post the completed registration form with your personal or bank/cashier's cheques in North American or Western European currencies equivalent to the registration cost.

Please make sure your cheques made payable to International Systems Consultancy.

Contact us if you are having problem finding a way to send us money!

As soon as we receive your registration form, we will send you the latest release of ParsNegar by air mail at no extra cost.

Registration will entitle you to receive customer support for ParsNegar as well as free* maintenance releases of the software until the next major release.  If you wish we will keep you updated on our up coming products and products related to ParsNegar such as new fonts, including Arabic, Urdu fonts.

Our exciting new font packs are offered to registered user at very reasonable prices.  Contact us for more information.

We have kept the price of ParsNegar to a low Aust$38.  The cost is in no way to make a fortune, but to recover the cost that we have incurred for the development of ParsNegar.

Quantity discount is also available:

 	1     	Copy  	Aust$38 each
2  - 5	Copies	Aust$32 each
5+    	Copies	Negotiable

At the time of release of ParsNegar Version 1.0 the exchange rate for Australian dollar
was around Aust$1.4 for every US$1. That makes ParsNegar around US$27.

Site licences are also available at reduced price.

All orders are shipped on 3.5" floppy diskettes, unless otherwise specified.

* We reserve the right to honour this free offer.

Click on Registration Form or see REGISTER.TXT in ParsNegar's home directory.

Registration Form


Copyright ©
Copyright and Licence Agreement

ParsNegar™ and all its components are Copyrighted by Tooraj Enayati 1994-95.

ParsNegar (hereon referred as "the product") and all its components are protected by international copyright laws.

PARSNEGAR AND ALL ITS COMPONENTS ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT ANY EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES.  IN NO EVENT, WILL INTERNATIONAL SYSTEMS CONSULTANCY OR TOORAJ ENAYATI BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES,  INCLUDING INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL, ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF THIS PRODUCT, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

You are granted a 30-day evaluation licence from the day you install the product for evaluation purposes only.  At the end of which you agree to purchase the product or remove it from all the systems you might have installed it on.

CheeChest and Sahand True Type fonts are copyrighted by Bijan Razavi and are distributed by his permission for use by registered ParsNegar* owners only on PCs with ParsNegar installed on.

Under no circumstances, you are allowed to modify or reverse engineer any parts of the product.

You may only distribute the product in its un-modified pre-installation state.  You are not ALLOWED to included the product or any parts of it is as part of another package or product.

Shareware distributors should not charge any money for the product except for a minimal distribution fee.

You may not SELL the product.

BY INSTALLING THE PRODUCT YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ THIS LICENCE AGREEMENT,  UNDERSTAND IT AND AGREE TO BE BOUNDED BY ITS TERMS AS THE COMPLETE AND EXCLUSIVE STATEMENT OF THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN US, SUPERSEDING ANY PROPOSAL OR PRIOR AGREEMENT, ORAL OR WRITTEN, AND ANY OTHER COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN US RELATING TO THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS LICENCE.


ParsNegar
ParsNegar™

Simply put, ParsNegar is a Windows editor that supports right to left scripts.  While it can be used like a simple editor, its whole purpose in life is to be used with other Windows applications, such as word processors, desktop publishing, drawing and presentation packages.  It lets you use your favourite Windows application to enter Farsi(Persian)/Arabic/Urdu text.  You now have the choice of selecting a Windows package that supports only Roman scripts and use it for any of these languages.

This release of ParsNegar focuses on support for Farsi by providing two Farsi True Type fonts.  However it can be easily adopted to be used for other right to left scripts such as Arabic and Urdu.  All you need to use ParsNegar for these languages is to get a Windows compatible font for any of these languages and install it.  From here on any references to Farsi can be substituted with your choice of language.

ParsNegar is primarily intended to be used in conjunction with other Windows applications such as word processors and desktop publishing applications which provide superior formatting capabilities.  This release of ParsNegar accomplishes this by taking advantage of the Windows Copy and Paste feature.

ParsNegar is capable of using any font, regardless of its character mapping.  So you needn't worry about compatibility of a Windows font with ParsNegar.  As long as you have a font that can be used under Windows,  ParsNegar can use it too.  It gives you the power to define a new font's character mapping.

ParsNegar provides keyboard remapping for those who prefer redefining and rearranging the keys on their keyboard.  This also means that you can use one font for two languages.  For example,  if you have a Farsi font, you will notice that it contains all the Arabic characters.  But the keyboard layout for these languages are different.  No problem!
ParsNegar lets you define a keyboard for this font for either of these languages and use the same font for both of them.

ParsNegar also provides a mouse driven keyboard (an on-screen-keyboard) which lets you use your mouse to type your text.  So you no longer have to look for a key (which you never seem to find!)  It also lets you make a hard copy of the keyboard layout.

Now, add to this the easily accessible toolbar and ParsNegar becomes your dream come true whenever you want to type from right to left!

Ideally you would run your favourite Windows application and ParsNegar at the same time and use ParsNegar as a Farsi data entry tool.  For example in a word processor you select the Farsi font that you have selected in ParsNegar.  You would also select right align in the word processor.  Now you can type in ParsNegar and then copy and paste it
into your document in the word processor document.  Your capability to format the text is only as limited as your word processor!

This same technique will apply to almost any Windows application that allows you to perform cut and paste and select different fonts.  This of course places at your disposal numerous applications which now thanks to ParsNegar, you can use with Farsi capabilities.

Help is available anywhere within ParsNegar simply by pressing the F1 key.   ParsNegar will display the related help topic for you.


Windows
The word Windows throughout this document is a reference to Microsoft Windows®.

Windows is a registered trade mark of Microsoft.


Shareware
Shareware is a concept, whereby a software vendor distributes a software on try-before-buy bases.  The trail or evaluation period usually is for 30 days. After which the user must either purchase the software or remove the software from the system.

Using the software after the trial period is both illegal and immoral and is indeed an act of theft!


Edit Menu

The Edit option on the menu bar offers a number of options, some of which are crucial for the successful use of ParsNegar.

Cut

Cut will move the selected text into the Windows clipboard.  This option is also available from the fifth button on the toolbar.

Copy

Copy will copy the selected text into the Windows clipboard.  This option is also available form the sixth  button on the toolbar.

Paste

Paste will insert the text currently held in the Windows clipboard at the position of the text cursor.  If there is some text selected, this operation will replace the selected text with the contents of the clipboard. This option is also available form the seventh button on the toolbar.

Delete

Delete will remove the selected text without affecting the content of Windows clipboard.

Select All

Select All will select all the text in the current file.


Tools Menu

The Tools option on the menu bar offers features to make ParsNegar easier to use.

On Screen Keyboard

Select Keyboard...

Numeral Pad...


Setup Menu

General...

Colour

Add Font...

Remove Font...

Add Keyboard...

Remove Keyboard...


Help Menu
Help

Options available under Help on the menu bar,  offer help to make using ParsNegar easier for you.  Help is available almost anywhere in ParsNegar by pressing the F1 key.  ParsNegar will then display the related help topic for you.

Contents

This option will bring up ParsNegar's online help (this document) and display its opening screen with the contents of the help file already displayed for your selection.

Search For Help On...

This option lets you search the help file for a keyword.

About

This option will display the version number of ParsNegar and the license information.

And maybe some more!  You never know!


Toolbar

Toolbar is the collection of the small buttons under the menu bar.  It provides easy access to some of the most frequently accessed operations that you perform.

New

Open

Save

Print

Cut

Copy

Paste

Keyboard

Numeral Pad


Registration Form
Registration and Order Form for ParsNegar

This form is for a single user copy.  To order site licences please contact us.  This form is also available in your ParsNegar's directory as REGISTER.TXT file.

Please print details CLEARLY.

Name              :
Address           :
                  :
                  :
                  :
Country           :

E-mail (optional) :
Fax No.(optional) :
Tel No.(optional) :

Total cost: Aust$_____

Where did you find ParsNegar:

What language(s) are you using ParsNegar for:

Would you like to receive information on our future products (fonts etc.):
( ) Yes   ( ) No

What improvements and features would you like to see in the next release of ParsNegar:

Please find: (tick one)
( ) a personal cheque for equivalent of Aust$38.
( ) details of my credit card below.
_________________________________________________________________
This section is for credit card orders only.  PLEASE REMEMBER TO SIGN!

This is to authorise International Systems Consultancy to charge my credit card Aust$___ being for ___ copy(s) of ParsNegar.

Card holder's name: __________________________

Card Type  :   ( ) Master Card   ( ) Visa

Card Number:  _____-_____-_____-_____

Expiry Date:   Month: _______   Year: ______

Card Holder's Signature: ________________________  Date: __/__/__

Thank you for your order.

You can fax your card orders to +61-3-9877-0025 or you can send the completed form to:

Product Registration
International Systems Consultancy
P.O. BOX 12603
A'Beckett Street,
Melbourne, VIC, 3000
AUSTRALIA


Current File
The Current file is the file you are currently editing.  The current file's name is always displayed on the ParsNegar title bar.


File Menu

The File option on the menu bar offers number of file handling options.

New

This option allows you to start editing a new file.  If you already have a file opened and have not saved it yet, you will be prompted to save it before starting a new document.  This option is also available from the first button on the toolbar.

Open

This option allows you to start editing an existing file.  If you already have a file opened and have not saved it yet, you will be prompted to save it before starting another document.  This option is also available from the second button on the toolbar.

There is a 25KB limit on the size of a file that ParsNegar can handle.

Save

This option allows you to save the file you are currently editing.  If you have already saved the file and there is nothing to save, it will be disabled and will be displayed in a gray shade.  This option is also available from the third button on the toolbar.

Save As...

This option allows you to save the file you are currently editing to another file.  In other words it allows you to change its name.  After saving your file as a new file, the current file that you are editing will assume the new file's name.  If you attempt to save the file you are editing to an existing file, you will be prompted before overwriting the existing file.

Import

Import gives you the option to import documents in other formats.  Currently, it only provides one option.

Gerdsooz...

This option allows you to read in a Gerdsooz document.  The document needs to contain the source section (the lines between =begin= and =end=) and it can contain more than one such section.  ParsNegar will ignore anything outside the source section.

ParsNegar is also smart enough to handle Unix text files, so you need not to use any tools to convert Unix Gerdsooz files into DOS text files.

To be able to use this feature you need to have a Gerdsooz compatible keyboard defined and selected before attempting to import a Gerdsooz document.  The keyboard name must contain the word "Gerdsooz" in it.

Because of the file size limit, ParsNegar will only convert enough Gerdsooz text to produce a ParsNegar document of no larger than 25KB.

Export

Export gives you the option to export the document you have currently open to another file format.  Currently, it only provides one option.

Rich Text Format...

Rich text file format is supported by almost all Windows word processors.  This allows an alternative method to Copy and Paste for moving your Farsi text into other Windows applications.

Some implementations of RTF does not recognize the font name and font sizes.  If after opening a ParsNegar exported RTF file in another application, you see unreadable text, try setting the font name and font size to that of the original setting in ParsNegar.

Print

The Print option will print a copy of the current file to the Windows printer.

This option is also available from the fourth button on the toolbar.

Page Setup...

This option allows you to set the page margins for the printer.

Printer Setup...

This option lets you select a Windows printer for use with the Print option.  Selecting a printer with this option will assign that printer as the Windows default printer until you change it next.

Exit

This will take you out of ParsNegar. If you have not saved the current document, you will be given a chance to do so.


Contextual Analysis
Contextual Analysis is managing the form of a character based on what comes before the character


Getting Started

In this section we'll walk you through the basics you need to know to get started and start using ParsNegar.  Really there isn't that much to use ParsNegar.

If you haven't already started ParsNegar, run ParsNegar by double clicking on its icon.

If you are using ParsNegar for any language other than Farsi, read the topic Support for Other Languages to configure ParsNegar for other languages.

We make the assumption that you have selected the default configuration, and that the CheeChest or Sahand font is selected in General under Setup.  Also that all the options on the General setup are selected.  You must also have a suitable keyboard selected for CheeChest or Sahand.  As distributed there are two keyboard layouts both of which are suitable for CheeChest and Sahand fonts.  These are called "Persian Keyboard for PN Fonts" and "Gerdsooz Keyboard for PN Fonts".  You can select either of these from the Select Keyboard option under Tools on the menu bar.

"Gerdsooz Keyboard for PN Fonts" is a phonetic keyboard layout and you might be more comfortable using it.

If you are unfamiliar with the Persian or Gerdsooz keyboard layout, click on the keyboard button on the toolbar or select keyboard from Tools option on the menu bar for an on-screen-mouse-driven keyboard.

You'd normally run ParsNegar along with your favourite word processing or desktop publishing package.  Here we'll use Windows Write program.  Start Windows Write (usually found in Accessories program group) by double clicking on its icon.

Now use the Alt+TAB or Ctrl+Esc keys to switch between Write and ParsNegar.  Alternatively, you can arrange the ParsNegar and Write windows so that you can click on either of them to switch to that application.

Assuming that you have selected CheeChest (from General...) in ParsNegar you can now start typing your text.

ParsNegar will beep when you get close to the left margin. Press the Enter key and type on the next line when ParsNegar beeps.

To transfer the text from ParsNegar to Write, select the text by dragging the mouse over the text or by selecting Select All from Edit on the menu bar.  Now press the copy button on the toolbar or select Copy from Edit on the menu bar.

Switch back to Write and select Paste from Edit on the menu bar.  Select Paragraph, then Right from the menu bar to right justify the text.  Also select Character, Fonts... and select CheeChest font; set the font size to 18 - and now you have the text in Write!

As you have seen, you should use ParsNegar as a text entry tool and do all your formatting and printing from your preferred word processing or desktop publishing package.

The same process can also be applied to Windows Paintbrush or any Windows application that allows you to paste text and assign a font to that text.  This covers many Windows applications in the market so you are not limited to only one Windows applications.  Now ParsNegar lets you use almost any Windows package for typing in your language.


Remove Keyboard

Remove Keyboard... is available from the menu bar under Setup.

Use this option to remove a keyboard from ParsNegar's keyboard list.  This option will only modify ParsNegar's setup.  It will not physically remove the keyboard definition file from your system.

NOTE:  You can not remove the Default keyboard.  This keyboard is the natural  layout for any given font.  In other words, this keyboard offers no keyboard remapping.


Other Languages
Configuring For Other Languages

Although this version of ParsNegar is aimed at only supporting Farsi it can be easily configured to support other languages that write from right to left.

Arabic, Urdu, Assyrian, Kurdish, Pashtu and Others

To configure ParsNegar for these languages which require contextual analysis, all you have to do is obtain a Windows font for these languages and define the font layout and a suitable keyboard layout using the Font and Keyboard Definition Modules.  You should set the character management as shown below:

The fonts that come with ParsNegar are Farsi, and can be to used to some extend for Arabic as well.

For all practical purposes you can replace the word Farsi with any of these languages and the content of this document still applies.

Hebrew and Others

ParsNegar can also be used for Hebrew and other languages which do not require contextual analysis.  For these languages you need to de-select Contextual Analysis and install a font for these languages.  You may wish to define keyboard for the font for ease of use.


Acknowledgments

I'd like to thank Bijan Razavi for donating his excellent True Type fonts CheeChest and Sahand, for use with ParsNegar.

Many thanks also to those who have tried and tested ParsNegar and reported problems and suggested improvements.

Especial thanks is due to every one of the registered users who have supported this product by their registrations and.  Your support and kind words are the driving forces behind the improvement of ParsNegar.   I bow before your honesty.

Last but not least,  many thanks to David Pendlebury for his help with the documentation.

Tooraj Enayati
International Systems Consultancy.


Gerdsooz
Gerdsooz is a utility developed by Ali Moayedian, which  allows you to use English characters to produce Farsi text.  It is available by anonymous FTP form tehran.stanford.edu.  Gerdsooz is widely used in Usenet's soc.culture.iranian newsgroup on Internet.

For example:

=begin=
slam dvstan
=end=

translates to:

    | :            | |
 .  |_,_w q >    o |_|_w
(_)       /     (


Keyboard Definition Module

ParsNegar allows you to create you own keyboard layouts.  This module is used to create and modify keyboard layouts for ParsNegar.

For example on a Persian keyboard the Farsi letter B falls on the letter F on the English keyboard.  You may wish to use this module to move this letter to the actual B key on the keyboard.

You can not edit the Default Keyboard that comes with ParsNegar.

File

New...

This option allows you to start editing a new keyboard definition file.

Open...

This option allows you to open an existing keyboard definition file.

Save...

This option saves the changes you have made to the current keyboard definition file.  If the file is new, it will prompt you for keyboard name.  This name will appear on ParsNegar's keyboard list when you add the keyboard definition to ParsNegar's setup.   After entering the name, you will be prompted to enter a file name.

Save As...

This option will save the current keyboard definition file to a new name.  The current keyboard definition file will assume the new file name.

Exit

This option will take you out of the Font Definition Module.

Font...

This option lets you select a Preferred Font for the keyboard definition file.  A keyboard definition file can be used with any font.  However, for ease of  use you may wish to select a font, which will be recorded in the keyboard definition file as the preferred font.

Help

Content

This option brings up the help file.

About

This option displays the version and copyright information.

Options on the Screen

To modify a layout use the scroll bar to locate the character you want to re-map.  The character you select will be displayed on the Drag and drop button next to the scroll bar.  You can use the mouse to drag and drop the button on the keyboard displayed in the top half of the screen.  Alternatively, you can just press the button on the keyboard to which you wish to assign the character.


Colour

This Option is available from the Setup menu.

Text Colour...

This option allows you to set the colour of the text.  The colour setting is document independent.  It is not stored in ParsNegar documents nor in exported RTF files.

Background Colour...

This option allows you to set the background colour .  The colour setting is document independent.  It is not stored in ParsNegar documents nor in exported RTF files.


Add Keyboard

Add Keyboard... is available from the menu bar under Setup.

ParsNegar allows you to create your own keyboard layouts by remapping your keyboard.  You normally use Keyboard Definition Module to create your own keyboard layout files.  Once you do this, you can use this option to add the keyboard layout to ParsNegar's keyboard list.


Add Font

Add Font... is available from the menu bar under Setup.

ParsNegar can use any Windows fonts, however you need to define the font's layout before ParsNegar can use the font.  This is necessary for contextual analysis.  To reduce confusion, this version of ParsNegar only lists fonts that are defined and have a font layout file.

You normally create a font layout file (.DEF file) using the Font Definition Module and use this option to add the font and the definition file to ParsNegar's setup files.

Select this option and follow the instructions.

If you need to add a font that requires no contextual analysis, you can create a dummy definition file that only contains the following:

[Font Layout Definition]
Font=All


Remove Font

Remove Font... is available from the menu bar under Setup.

Use this option to remove a font from ParsNegar's font list.  This option will only modify ParsNegar's setup.  It will not physically remove the font nor the font definition file from your system.

NOTE:  While you can remove CheeChest from ParsNegar's font list, please do not remove this font from Windows setup.  ParsNegar relies on this font for some of its operations.


Diacritics
Diacritics is signs placed above or below a letter.  These are also referred to as vowels.  Under Windows these need to be non-advancing characters.

This version of ParsNegar does not support entering non-advancing characters.  Future versions of ParsNegar might provide this feature.

Cheechest font has however been modified to offer diacritics as non-advancing characters.  You can enter these characters in ParsNegar, when Right ->Left is disabled or when you have pasted your text in the host application.