Chapter 1．
Introduction
This book explains about the conditions and procedures from installation to use of this software.
1． Outline on the Editor
1） What is an editor?
An "editor" is the most effective and robust tool for reading and writing documents. The documents here means all kinds of text such as memos, mails, office documents, html source, essays, and programs. Therefore, you can say that an editor is the most basic software for data processing.
2） ALTAIR's features
(1) Fast and easy
ALTAIR is the editor a person with visual impairment can effectively operate to input characters and edit documents. It is excellent in working speed and operationality, and a beginner can use it easily.
(2) Multiple functions and high quality
For intermediate and advanced users, many functions are supported, which are quite helpful if you can make good use of them. They include multiple files editing, CD-ROM dictionary search, web access, e-mail, shell mode, block edit, marking function, copy and paste, and search and replacement including linefeed code.
(3) Real time braille translation
ALTAIR can display braille in real time with high conversion precision by using the braille translation engine of EXTRA for Windows. You can comfortably perform a detailed work that is rather difficult with sound alone, by outputting a document on the braille display when editing. You can easily read braille files with a braille display.
(4) almost No limit on file size
It is one of ALTAIR's features that you can edit huge size document. There is almost no limit for line length, total number of lines, and size of blocks. You can do editing until the free space of memory and hard disk run out. It is easy to edit gigantic text files of 1 MB or 2 MB.
(5) CD-ROM dictionary search
ALTAIR has convenient CD-ROM dictionary search function. You can consult English dictionaries when writing a document and can easily paste the result of the search into the document.
(6) Internet browser function
ALTAIR has an internet browser function. It supports not only homepage reading but also use of a search engine, form input, and FTP.
(7) Function of text import from Word, Excel, Powerpoint, PDF, and RTF files
ALTAIR can import Word, Excel, Powerpoint, PDF, and RTF files.
(8) Mailer function
ALTAIR has a mailer function with an easy user interface of menu selection type. It also supports file attachment, mail classification, and threading.
(9) Shell function
ALTAIR supports shell mode. With the shell mode, you can execute optional commands. You can also use tag jump and history function.
3） Logical lines and physical lines
Ordinary screen editor is designed on the condition that you edit document while watching a display. Therefore, cursor moves in conjunction with the screen. For example, when you press the up cursor key, the cursor on the screen goes one line up. When you press the right cursor on the right end of the screen, the cursor moves to the beginning of the next line. It seems the matter of course, but it isn't. I explain about the difference between physical lines and logical lines. Physical lines are the lines in appearance that are made on account of the line breaks on the screen. It is called a "physical" line, because it results from the physical limit of a screen. On the other hand, the lines ALTAIR handles are logical lines. Logical lines treat a linefeed code as an end of line. It is called a "logical" line, because it results from a logical end.
ALTAIR does not care about physical limit of a screen, because it is not a screen editor using a monitor as an output device but it is an editor for people with visual impairment using sound card and braille display as main output devices. It is one of the main features of ALTAIR that the cursor does not move in connection with physical lines but it does with logical lines. If it is difficult to understand, you can imagine an enormous screen without physical limit. You can say that the cursor of ALTAIR moves on this huge screen.
2． System requirements
Please confirm that your system satisfies the following hardware requirements.
1） Supported PC
IBM-PC or its compatibles
2） Audio environment
You need a SAPI 4 compatible English speech engine.
3） Supported OS
Windows XP/2000/Me/98/95
4） Memory requirements
In case of Windows XP, 128 MB or more is recommended.
In other cases, 64 MB or more is recommended.
5） Supported braille display
Power Braille 40, Navigator 40, Braille Note 20, Braille Note 40A, Braille Note 46C/D/X, Braille Memo, ABT 320/340/380, Satellite 544/570, Braille Write 18/2000/40/ME20/ME40 are supported.
3．Installation
1） From CD-ROM
When you install ALTAIR from CD-ROM, if you insert CD-ROM after starting up the Windows, installation starts automatically.
2） From the package downloaded from the homepage
When you downloaded altair-version.exe from the homepage, please execute install.exe, so that the installation starts.
3） How to install
Please note that the installer does not have the voice/braille display function. Therefore, when a person with visual impairment installs ALTAIR by himself or herself, he or she needs a screen reader.
When the installer starts, the dialogue [Install of ALTAIR for Windows x.xx] is displayed.
Here, specify the folder you wish to install the program.
If it is OK to install it in ALTAIR's standard installation folder C:\winal\, press the [Next>] button and proceed.
(In this manual, "winal\" means the folder ALTAIR is installed.)
Next, you are asked the name to be registered for the startup menu. If it is not necessary to change it, just press the [Next>] button.
The copying of the files starts.
When the copying is complete, the dialogue [Installation succeeded Press for completion.] is displayed, so press [Finish] button.
Now the installation of ALTAIR is complete.
4） Uninstall
For uninstalling [ALTAIR for Windows x.xx], choose [Add/Remove Programs] of Windows' [Control Panel].
ALTAIR's uninstaller deletes the files made in the installed directory, after displaying the confirmation message. It also deletes the setting files altered after the installation.
When you uninstall ALTAIR, check first whether there are necessary files in the installed directory, and backup the files when necessary.
4． AL.CFG
1） AL.CFG
Although the basic functions of ALTAIR as an editor work without special settings, you need to correctly set the configuration file (setting file) called AL.CFG for the functions explained in the Chapter 3 'Advanced operation guide' or for the basic functions explained in this Book except the default settings.
AL.CFG is a text file in the ALTAIR folder. You can read it with an editor such as ALTAIR and change its settings. I recommend you to change the settings of your AL.CFG step by step to conform it to your environment and usage, while understanding how to use ALTAIR by reading the manual.
In the configuration file, a command for setting is described with one option per line.
All the commands start with "-". Others are considered to be comments.
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