---------------------------------------------------------- Multi-Dictionary Formatter (MDF) in Shoebox 5 (Sept 2000) ---------------------------------------------------------- IMPORTANT NOTE: If you've been using MDF in Shoebox versions 3.0 through 3.0.12, you must follow the instructions in the "Upgrading to MDF version 4 or 5" section below. ------------ INTRODUCTION ------------ Shoebox includes MDF as a kind of export process in the Export command (on the File menu). If you use its system of data field markers, MDF can automatically format your lexical data as a dictionary or reversed index (finderlist). Shoebox can check the data for consistency before exporting it. The data is exported as a document in Rich Text Format (RTF), which you can print using Microsoft Word. You can also convert the document to a Portable Document Format (PDF) file using Adobe Acrobat. MDF works on both Windows and Macintosh computers. Since MDF uses document templates and character styles, it requires version 6 or later of Microsoft Word. ----------------------------------------- WHERE MDF IS INSTALLED ON WINDOWS SYSTEMS ----------------------------------------- The Shoebox Setup program installs the complete MDF package into the MDF subfolder that is in the Shoebox folder. The default location of the MDF folder is: C:\Program Files\Shoebox\MDF [Windows 95/98/2000/NT] C:\Shoebox\MDF [Windows 3.1] In some cases, Shoebox Setup will also copy the MDF settings files (CC tables, template files, type files, etc.) into the user settings folder. This will make these files available to you immediately, so you can begin work using the latest version of MDF. The default location of the user settings folder is: C:\My Shoebox Settings [Windows 95/98/2000/NT] C:\MyShSet [Windows 3.1] Note: You can choose a different name for this folder or even choose a different place for it if you want to minimize the number of "top level" folders on your computer's disk. Shoebox Setup always updates (replaces) existing CC tables for MDF. It leaves other kinds of existing MDF files in the user settings folder, because we assume that you might have customized them. However, the entire set of MDF files is updated when 1) The MDF component is selected for installation, and 2a) "My Shoebox Settings" is not found and therefore is created by Setup, or 2b) The MDF.typ files does not exist in "My Shoebox Settings", indicating the need to (re)install MDF there. If you are upgrading from an earlier version of MDF and DON'T CARE about your old MDF files, here are two ways you can get ALL new files: 1) Delete the MDF.typ file from the user settings folder and reinstall Shoebox with MDF (this will give you some nice shortcuts/icons to MDF stuff that you didn't get the first time), or 2) Just copy all of the files listed under Group 2 and Group 3 (in the section "A Brief Description of the MDF Files" below) from the MDF folder to the user settings folder. If you need to update certain files but keep ones that you've customized, please read the detailed instructions below on how to update your older files. ------------------------------------------- WHERE MDF IS INSTALLED ON MACINTOSH SYSTEMS ------------------------------------------- The Shoebox Installer puts the complete MDF package into the MDF subfolder that is in the Shoebox folder. The default location of the MDF folder is: Hard Disk:Shoebox:MDF (We'll use "Hard Disk" to represent whatever label you've assigned to the hard disk on your computer system.) If needed, the Installer will also copy the MDF settings files (CC tables, template files, type files, etc.) into the user settings folder. This will make these files available to you immediately, so you can begin work using the latest version of MDF. By default this folder is: Hard Disk:My Shoebox Settings Note: After installing Shoebox, you can rename this folder or even move it to a different place if you want to minimize the number of "top level" folders on your computer's disk. The Shoebox Installer always updates (replaces) existing CC tables for MDF. It leaves other kinds of existing MDF files in the user settings folder, because we assume that you might have customized them. If you are upgrading from an earlier version of MDF and DON'T CARE about your old MDF files, do this to get ALL new files: Copy all of the files listed under Group 2 and Group 3 (in the section "A Brief Description of the MDF Files" below) from the MDF folder to the user settings folder. If you need to update certain files but keep ones that you've customized, please read the detailed instructions below on how to update your older files. -------------- WHERE TO WORK? -------------- We recommend that you keep all your .lng language encodings, .typ database type files, .prj project files, and all the critical MDF files in one Shoebox "Settings" folder. This makes it easy to switch from one project to another, to backup these critical files, and to avoid duplicating settings files all over your hard disk. NOTE: Your data files do not need to be in this settings folder, and probably shouldn't be there. They should be kept wherever you want them. Also, don't work with your own lexical data in the MDF folder (or in any other folder under the Shoebox folder). Keep the files in the MDF folder "pristine" (in case you ever need to restore a corrupted file, etc.). ----------------------------------- CHECKING OUT THE MDF SAMPLE LEXICON ----------------------------------- On Windows computers, if Shoebox Setup copied the MDF files to the user settings folder, it also created an icon in the Shoebox group in Program Manager (on Windows 3.1) or a shortcut under the Start-Programs-Shoebox menu (on Windows 95 or NT) to the MDFSampl.PRJ sample MDF project. Note: If the Setup program didn't create one for you, see below to create a shortcut to this project yourself. Open this project by double-clicking on this shortcut/icon. NOTE: The MDF Sample Project (MDFSampl.prj) located in the "My Shoebox Settings" folder requires the latest MDF settings files to be there. If you have installed previous test versions of MDF, the settings files won't match the sample data files, therefore you must update the MDF settings files. See the instructions below for "UPGRADING FROM AN EARLIER VERSION". NOTE: When you open the sample project, Shoebox might give you a message saying, "Shoebox cannot find this file....". (This happens when this sample project is opened and the default or working directory is not set to the location of the databases.) SOLUTION: Click OK. And then when Shoebox shows you a File Open dialog box, navigate to the MDFSampl folder under the MDF folder which is under the folder where Shoebox was installed and choose Open (OK on Windows 3.1). However, the MDFields.DB file is located right in the MDF folder itself, not the sub-folder. (The possible default folder locations were listed earlier.) This should cause Shoebox to open the MDFSampl.db and the MDFields.db database files. NOTE: When you try exporting the sample lexicon through MDF and open the RTF file in Word, or you open an MDF document template, (if you use Microsoft Word 97 or 98) you might see the warning: "The document you are opening contains macros or customizations. Some macros may contain viruses that could harm your computer. If you are sure this document is from a trusted source, click Enable Macros." The MDF document templates in this package do indeed contain a macro and a customization. Unless you think the Shoebox files had a chance to get virus-infected either before or after you installed them, you can safely choose Enable Macros. ------------------------------------------------------ MAKING AN ICON OR SHORTCUT (Windows 3.1 or Windows 95) ------------------------------------------------------ To make an icon or shortcut for the sample MDF project, enter information similar to the following: Description: MDF Sample Project [Windows 3.1] Command Line: C:\MyShSet\MDFSampl.prj Working Directory: C:\Shoebox\MDF\MDFSampl NOTE: Use the appropriate path for where you installed Shoebox. NOTE ALSO: The working directory is the MDFSampl folder. This is where the sample databases are found (they are not copied to your settings folder). Remember that you shouldn't put your own lexical data in this sample folder. --------------------------------------------- USING A NON-ENGLISH EDITION OF MICROSOFT WORD --------------------------------------------- MDF's .dot document templates for Microsoft Word have a customized item on the Tools menu for running a macro that finishes the exporting process. If you're using a non-English (e.g. French) edition of Microsoft Word, you'll have to follow the following instructions to add the menu customization. Note: As you work through the steps, you'll have to substitute the appropriate terms in your edition of Microsoft Word for English terms like Tools, Customize, Menus, etc. 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: FinishExportingFromShoebox * 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.FinishExportingFromShoebox * 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. ------------------------------------- A BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE MDF FILES ------------------------------------- Here are the files that the Shoebox installation program copies to the MDF folder under the Shoebox folder. Group 1 - Information and sample files: -------------------------------------- MDFNotes.txt - this file (On the Mac: MDF Release Notes) MDFields.db - "On-line Helps for MDF Lexical Database Standards" The following three files are in the MDFSampl sub-folder MDFSampl.db - sample lexical database file Sago.pcx - sample graphic picture for a lexical entry MDF_AltH.db - sample lexical record in the alternate hierarchy The following files are under MDFSampl in the English sub-folder: Index.html MDF_e.css Dict\Index.html ge\Index.html Help\Index.html JScript\upper.js Group 2 - Settings files for first-time MDF users: ------------------------------------------------- MDFSampl.prj - sample Shoebox project MDF.typ - MDF lexical database type MDF_AltH.typ - MDF lexical database type for alternate hierarchy Date.lng - language encoding for Shoebox dd/Mmm/yyyy dates Date.cct - used by date.lng for year-2000 compatibility Default.lng English.lng n_lang.lng - MDF national language phonetic.lng r_lang.lng - MDF regional language v_lang.lng - MDF vernacular language Group 3 - New or updated settings files for users of earlier versions of MDF: ------------------------------------------------------------ Cnvrt-lf.cct - convert \lf lexical functions to new format Cnvrt-pd.cct - convert paradigm forms to new format MDFDict1.cct - select data fields for dictionaries MDFDict2.cct - format data fields for dictionaries (RTF) MDFDictH.cct - format data fields for dictionaries (HTML) MDFLinkH.cct - format hypertext links for dictionaries (HTML) MDFList1.cct - select data fields for finderlists MDFList2.cct - format data fields for finderlists (RTF) MDFListH.cct - format data fields for finderlists (HTML) MDF_eng.cct - labels in English MDF_frn.cct - labels in French MDF_ger.cct - labels in German MDF_inz.cct - labels in Indonesian MDF_spn.cct - labels in Spanish MDFields.typ - database type for MDFields.db file MDF_RTF.typ - database type for temporary formatted file (RTF) MDF_HTML.typ - database type for temporary formatted file (HTML) MDF_e.dot - format definitions for English-language audience MDF_n.dot - format definitions for national-language audience Only on Windows systems: MDF_ertl.dot - English audience (data with right-to-left scripts) MDF_nrtl.dot - national audience (data with right-to-left scripts) ------------------------------------------------------- UPGRADING FROM AN EARLIER VERSION TO MDF VERSION 4 OR 5 ------------------------------------------------------- 1. Copy the files listed in "Group 3" from the MDF folder under your Shoebox folder to your settings folder (the one that contains the .prj, .typ, and .lng files for your lexical data). (Actually, you can copy the MDF_e.dot and MDF_n.dot files to the folder containing the rest of your templates for Microsoft Word if you prefer, as long as you then select them by choosing Setup in the MDF dialog box.) If you've customized the style formatting (e.g. fonts) in earlier versions of these templates, you must make those modifications again to new versions of the templates. To see what you did before, open your exising template, and choose File Print, Print What: Styles. 2. The following old MDF files using in earlier test versions are obsolete and may be removed from "My Shoebox Settings" or the folder containing your working MDF settings (unless, of course, you have customized them and are using them for some special purpose): lexprint.prj mdf_e3.cct mdf_eng3.cct mdf_frn3.cct mdf_inz3.cct mdf_n3.cct mdf_spn3.cct 3. There are several enhancements to the MDF type file (including descriptions of each field, and changes in the field names --a File Compare program would show you the differences between this and your older MDF type file). You have two choices: 1) either add the basic changes to your MDF type file, or 2) redo your customizations (like font and color specifications, filters, etc.) to a copy of this new MDF type file. Which you choose depends on how much customizations you've already done. To change your older file to the new standard, you need to: A) Add the following new markers to your MDF type file (if you want to use them). Field name Under Language lv Lexical function lexeme lf vernacular pdl Paradigm label pd English pdv Paradigm form pdl vernacular pde Paradigm form gloss (E) pdl English pdn Paradigm form gloss (n) pdl national pdr Paradigm form gloss (r) pdl regional Note: For the languages, select the appropriate one if you've customized the generic names. For all these markers, choose Style to Export: Character. B) In the standard \se \ps \sn hierarchy, we recommend that you put the \va marker under \sn instead of under \se (where it was in previous versions).