DiGrande.it
Braille and Technologies for Visual Impairment

Braille System of Biblos

Welcome to the Official Manual of the Biblos Braille System, the comprehensive guide for exploring and utilizing all Braille features offered by Biblos-the word processor designed for accessibility, productivity, and high-quality writing in inclusive environments.

This manual has been developed to assist users of all experience levels in understanding and using the integrated Braille system within Biblos. It provides a detailed description of the structures, windows, commands, and operational logic that form the Braille environment of the software.

Manual Objectives:

- Provide a complete overview of the Braille features available in Biblos.

- Guide users in interacting with the dedicated interfaces for Braille transcription and printing.

- Offer in-depth explanations of the mechanisms for Braille translation, printing, customization, and code management.

- Support progressive learning, from fundamental concepts to the advanced tools available for experienced users and Braille transcription professionals.

Each section is designed to be self-contained and easy to consult, with descriptions, examples, and notes to help users navigate even the more complex or specialized topics.

This manual is intended for:

- Braille transcription operators and technicians;

- Blind or visually impaired individuals who wish to independently manage the production of Braille content;

- Educators, teachers, and parents involved in supporting inclusive education;

- Developers and professionals seeking to deepen their understanding of digital systems integrated with tactile outputs.

Although the use of some technical terminology is unavoidable, the manual is written in clear language with the aim of being as accessible as possible. Readers approaching Braille or Biblos for the first time are encouraged to follow the sections in progressive order to build their skills step by step.

The Biblos Braille System is the result of years of research, experimentation, and dialogue with a thoughtful and competent community. The software is under constant development-so is this manual, which is regularly expanded and improved thanks to user contributions.

This manual was written by Giuseppe Di Grande, creator and developer of Biblos. All content is protected by copyright law. Reproduction, even in part, in any form or by any means, is strictly prohibited without the explicit permission of the author.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction to the Biblos Braille System
  2. Braille embossing
    1. Unknown characters during Braille preparation
    2. Range of pages to print
    3. Manual sequence of pages
    4. Order of printing pages
    5. Braille print preview
      1. Scrolling to a braille document page
      2. Choose a Braille table
  3. Customizing Braille Tables
    1. Default Braille Tables
    2. Add Braille table
    3. Importing Braille Tables
    4. Export the braille tables
    5. The properties of a braille group
      1. The General tab of a braille group
      2. The Tables tab of a braille group
      3. The Advanced tab of a braille group
    6. The properties of a braille table
      1. The General tab of a Braille table
        1. Modifying a Braille Prefix
        2. Style prefixes
      2. The Codes tab of a Braille table
        1. Adding or modifying a Braille code
        2. Searching Braille Codes
        3. Unused Braille table codes
      3. The Models tab of a Braille table
      4. The Advanced tab of a Braille table
  4. The environment of tactile graphics
    1. Open a Tactile Graphic from the Archive
    2. Tactile graphics embossing
    3. Export a 3D image
    4. The BTACTILE format (Biblos Tactile)
    5. Insert a tactile image
      1. Reduce colors while maintaining the original colors
      2. Color reduction in shades of gray
      3. Color reduction to black and white
      4. Color Reduction with dithering
      5. Pencil Color Reduction
      6. Color Reduction with Marker
      7. Color Reduction with border Detection
      8. Color Reduction with Isolation
    6. Insert a dot
    7. Insert a line
    8. Insert a polyline
    9. Insert a square
    10. Insert a rectangle
    11. Insert a triangle
    12. Insert a polygon
    13. Insert a regular polygon
    14. Insert a circle
    15. Insert an ellipse
    16. Insert an arc
    17. Insert a chord
    18. Insert a fill
    19. Insert the brush type
    20. Insert the brush color
    21. Insert a pen type
    22. Insert the pen color
    23. Insert a text
    24. Insert a Braille Text
    25. Insert the braille type
    26. Insert a graphic size
    27. Insert a graphic offset
  5. Braille print settings
    1. The General tab
      1. Specific settings of some Braille embossers
      2. Choosing the right print model
      3. Characters per line and lines per page
      4. Advanced Emboss Settings
      5. Advanced Settings of a Braille Model
      6. Tactile graphic settings
    2. The Braille Tab
      1. Braille embossing of text styles
    3. The Margins tab
    4. The Headers and Footers Tabs
      1. Headers Variables
      2. Special commands in the headers
    5. The Graphic tab
    6. The Tables tab
    7. The Titles tab
    8. The Notes tab
    9. The Miscellaneous Tab
    10. The Brailler tab
    11. The Advanced tab
    12. Types of numbering
  6. Setting Up Braille for Display