Right-to-left text Reverser
Shoebox Version 4 and later (July 1998)

For files exported from Shoebox in Rich Text Format.

Use Rtl Reverser if your database contains text in a
right-to-left script and you want to print it using a
non-Middle-East (e.g. English) edition of Microsoft
Windows and Word.

Please note that this approach isn't for editing
right-to-left text in Microsoft Word. You edit the
text in Shoebox and use Word as a "printing engine".

First get right-to-left text showing correctly
on the screen in Shoebox. For each language encoding
corresponding to a right-to-left script (writing system),
choose Advanced Options in the Language Encoding
Properties dialog box, then check  the "right to left"
box and select a Rendering DLL along with an .SDF table.
Also, for every marker being exported, make sure it has 
a Field Name, not just an asterisk (*). See the list of 
markers under Database, Properties to verify this. Once 
you've got all that working to your satisfaction, continue
 with the rest of these instructions.

A.  HOW TO SET IT UP

Here are the files in this test package:
rtlrev.txt   - this file of instructions
rtlrev.exe   - Rtl Reverser for Word 6
rtlrev32.exe - Rtl Reverser for Word 95 and 97
rtlrev.dot   - macros for Microsoft Word 6 and 95
rtlrev97,dot - macros for Microsoft Word 97

The following instructions suppose that you have
at least one .DOT document template for each kind of
database you export from Shoebox. For example,
you may be using the mdf_e.dot template provided
with Shoebox for your dictionaries. You'll need
to modify each template to enable it to use
the Rtl Reverser.

For each of your templates, open it in Microsoft Word
and follow the steps below. (These steps were written
for Word 6; the details may differ for Word 95 and 97.)

Note: Be sure to open the .DOT document template file;
don't make a new .DOC document file.

1.  Copy macros from the rtlrev.dot template.
    
    *   Choose Tools, Macro    [Word 6 and 95]
        Choose Tools, Macro, Macros  [Word 97]
    *   Choose Organizer
    *   Choose the Macros tab         [Word 6 and 95]
        Choose the Macro Project Items tab  [Word 97]

        The following steps assume that your document
        template is on the left side of the dialog box
        and NORMAL.DOT is on the right.

    *   Choose Close File under NORMAL.DOT
    *   Choose Open File
    *   Select the rtlrev.dot template  [Word 6 and 95]
        Select the rtlrev97.dot template      [Word 97]
    *   Choose OK  [Word 6 and 95]
         Choose Open      [Word 97]
    
    *   Select the following three macros in
        rtlrev.dot's list on the right side:
            ReverseRightToLeftText
            Rtlrev
            Rtlrev32
    *   Choose Copy
    *   Choose Close
    *   Choose File, Save

2a. Call the right-to-left macro-- do this step if the
    template is for the Multi-Dictionary Formatter (MDF):

    *   Choose Tools, Macro
    *   Select FinishExportingFromShoebox
        (Use a single click, NOT a double click)
    *   Choose Edit
    *   Find the line near the top: StartOfDocument
    *   Insert a line after it: ReverseRightToLeftText.MAIN
    *   Choose File, Close
    *   Choose Yes (you want to keep the changes)
    *   Choose File, Save

2b. Add a custom menu item to your document template--
    do this step if the template is not for MDF:

    Instructions for Word 6 and 95:

    *   Choose Tools, Customize
    *   Choose the Menus tab
    *   Select your .DOT file in the Save Changes In
        dropdown list box (if it isn't already)
    *   Select from the list of Categories: Macros
    *   Select Macros: ReverseRightToLeftText
    *   Select Change What Menu: &Tools
    *   Select Position on Menu: &Options...
    *   Modify the contents of the Name on Menu box:
        &Finish exporting from Shoebox
    *   Choose "Add After"
    *   Choose Close
    *   Choose File, Save
    
    Instructions for Word 97:
    
    *   Choose Tools, Customize
    *   Choose the Commands tab
    *   Select Categories: Macros
    *   Notice the item in the Commands list:
        TemplateProject.ReverseRightToLeftText
    *   With the mouse drag the item over
        Microsoft Word's Tools menu, then
        down to the bottom of the menu
    *   Let the item drop
    *   Right click on the item
    *   Change the Name to:
        &Finish exporting from Shoebox
    *   Type Esc
    *   Choose Close
    *   Choose File, Save

    Check that the item has been added to your Tools menu.
    When you attach this template to an exported document,
    you can use the menu item to run the macro that
    reverses right-to-left text.

    Note: The ampersand in &Finish indicates that Alt+T, F
    is the keyboard accelerator for the menu item.

3a. Identify for Rtl Reverser which text in your documents
    is right-to-left by modifying the attributes of the
    character and paragraph styles in the template.
    
    *   Choose Format, Styles
    *   Select "Styles in Use" in the drop-down list box
        labelled "List"
    
    Go down the Styles list and find the ones that mark
    right-to-left text. You'll use Language: (no proofing)
    to indicate right-to-left styles:
    
    *   Select the style from the list
        Note: Use a single click, NOT a double click.
    *   Choose Modify
    *   Choose Format, Language
    *   Select (no proofing) in the list labelled
        "Mark Selected Text As"
    *   Choose OK, OK
    
    Note: If you've defined style formatting using based-on
    relationships, then you need only do the preceding steps
    for the right-to-left base styles. For example, here are
    the styles to modify in the mdf_e.dot and mdf_n.dot
    templates for the Multi-Dictionary Formatter:

        Vernacular language:	National language:
        Homonym number		Headword (n)
        Letter (v)		Letter (n)
        Lexeme			national
        Subentry		Part of speech (n)
        vernacular
    
    *   Choose Close
    *   Choose File, Save

3b. For right-to-left scripts in which numbers are written
    left-to-right, you may want to define a character style
    for numbers. Do the opposite of step 3a for it; that is,
    choose an explicit language (it doesn't matter which one)
    to indicate that it isn't right-to-left.

4.  If you're using Windows 3.1, copy rtlrev.exe to your
    Windows folder; if you're using Windows 95 or NT,
    copy rtlrev32.exe instead. 

    Note: Windows 95 and NT users, be sure to get
    rtlrev32.exe into the Windows folder, not a shortcut. 
    The macro doesn't work if it's only a shortcut.

5. In Shoebox, set up a custom export process to convert 
your database to a document in Rich Text Format (RTF).

    Note: Follow these steps with an appropriate file loaded. 
    Export processes are part of the database type of a file.

    *    Choose File, Export
    *    Choose the process closest to your needs: either 
         RTF or Multi-Dictionary Formatter (MDF)
    *    Choose Copy
    *    Specify a name appropriate for this export process
    *    Specify the template you made above to attach in 
         Microsoft Word
    *    Examine the other options and see if anything else 
         should be modified.
    *    Choose OK

    Note: At this point, you may set up other export 
    processes if you wish.


B.  HOW TO USE IT (ONCE IT'S SET UP)

1.  In Shoebox, use your custom export process to 
    convert your database to a document in Rich Text 
    Format (RTF).

    *   Choose File, Export
    *   Choose the appropriate custom process
    *   Check "Automatically open document..." 
        (near the bottom of the dialog box)
    *   Choose OK

2.  Open the exported document in Microsoft Word.

    Note: If you checked the "Automatically open document..." 
    box in Shoebox, it will cause Word to open the document
    for you.

    Steps 3a and 3b are optional.

3a. If you will use a printer other than the
    current default printer, choose it now:
    *   Choose File, Print
    *   Select the printer you want to use
    *   Close the Print dialog box for now
        (you will print in step 3d below)

3b. If you need to change the formatting for
    any styles, choose Format, Style, then
    select the style and choose Modify.

    Note: If you intend the formatting change
    to apply to future exported documents too,
    be sure to check the "Add to Template" box
    before you choose OK. If you don't, your change
    will be forgotten when you export again and
    replace this document file.

3c. Choose Tools, Finish exporting from Shoebox

    Microsoft Word runs a macro that makes some
    changes to your document and saves the file;
    hides itself and runs the Rtl Reverser program;
    then reopens your document, ready to be printed.

3d. Choose File, Print


Known limitations: The implementation of text reversing
in this version of Rtl Reverser and the Rtl macros
is intended to format right-to-left text marked by
character styles embedded in left-to-right paragraphs,
e.g. glosses and example sentences in lexical entries.

If your entire text is one language and your markers are 
primarily for paragraph styles, you can choose Edit, 
Select All and choose the appropriate character style. 

Although you can indicate that paragraph styles are
right-to-left, their formatting will be rudimentary and
in double-column sections it won't be correct. If you
do want to experiment with right-to-left paragraphs,
be sure to Modify the appropriate styles: choose Format,
Paragraph and select Alignment: Right.


Please send reports of problems with this test package
and suggestions for making the software more useful and
easier to use to Internet address: mark_pedrotti@sil.org