EthioEdit and GeezEdit Installation
QUICK REFERENCE
----------------
By
Bekele Molla and Aberra Molla
Updated March 22, 2000
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Installation of Ethiopic
Software and Fonts
In your Ethiopic
software package, you will see 4 diskettes. The
EthioEdit and the EthiopicTrueType fonts disks are the only two needed in order
to use EthioEdit.. The third disk, GeezEdit, is a separate program with
its own font- GeezEdit Amharic P. for Windows95 The GeezEdit98 disk is for
use with Windows 98 with its own EG Amharic98 font for Windows98. The GeezEdit
program is automatically installed as EthioEdit is installed in C:\.Ethiopic
directory, but you must install the GeezEdit fonts from the floppy. In Windows Explorer, look for the
GeezEdit Application in the Ethiopic Directory. Please make
copies of these disks and save the originals for future
reinstallation.
A. Installation of Ethiopic True Type Fonts
To
install the True Type Ethiopic fonts, you MUST EXIT Windows and restart
your computer in MS DOS Mode. The fonts are first unzipped on C:\
(Gonder.ttf, Gore.ttf, etc.). You
must then install them into Windows\System using the Control
Panel.
Follow
these steps:
1. Attach the Activator (yellow
dongle) to the printer port and slightly tighten. Then attach the printer cable onto the
Activator. The Activator does not
in any way interfere with the operation of your system. It is designed to protect our software
from copyright violators. As long
as you take the activator and the disks with you, you may install the software
as many times as you wish.
2. Restart your computer
in MS DOS Mode (Must exit Windows)
and change to C:\ Directory- and not C:\Windows.
3. Insert the Disk labeled "Ethiopic True Type" font into your floppy Drive (A: or B:). and change to that drive. (i.e., A:)
4 Type exactly as shown
below: Note the space between the C: and the \ .
This is a crucial typing error that has prevented some customers from
installing the fonts.
INSTALL C: \
and press Enter
5. Watch
for the fonts being unzipped listing their names with ttf extensions (eg.
Gonder.ttf). If you do not see the list of
fonts as they are being unzipped, then you have made a typing error. The
nine fonts are now in your computer in C:\ Directory. Double check observing the list of files in the
Root Directory (dir *,ttf). The font files were zipped to fit them on a
floppy disk but our new release on CDs does not require this procedure. You
simply install the fonts into the Windows Fonts Folder as shown
below.
6. The
next step is to install the fonts into the Fonts Folder in
Windows.
a) If you have Windows 3.1
open all the directories until you get to the Fonts subdirectory as
follows:
MAIN>CONTROL PANEL>FONTS.
Once
you are in the Fonts Window, click on File and select Add to add the fonts to
your System subdirectory.
When prompted to select the drive where the fonts are located, choose
(double click on) C:\. Under
Folders, (Remember you unzipped the fonts onto the Root Directory
C:\). You will see a list of the Ethiopic fonts (E2 2, E3 3 ...EA A, EB B EC C,
and GeezEdit Amharic P) in the List of Fonts window. Select All (highlight) to select all
the fonts. Then click on Add to add the fonts to the folder.
b)
If you have Windows 95 and higher open all the directories until you get to the
Fonts subdirectory as follows:
Once you are in the
Fonts Window, click on File
and select INSTALL NEW
FONT from the drop down menu,
to add the fonts to your System sub directory. When prompted to select the drive where
the fonts are located, choose (double click on) C:\. Under Folders. (Remember you unzipped the fonts onto
the Root Directory). You will see a list of the Ethiopic fonts (E2 2, E3 3 ...EA
A, EB B EC C, and GeezEdit Amharic P) in the List of Fonts window. Select All (highlight) to select all
the fonts. Then click on Add to add
the fonts to the folder.
If
you purchased additional fonts you may also install those either from the floppy
disk or the CD.
7. If you followed these instructions and properly
installed the fonts, they should be available for you to use after you reset or
reboot your computer. If you made a
mistake or you would like to install a newer version of our fonts, you MUST
first delete the old Ethiopic and their FOT files from C:\ and \WINDOWS\SYSTEM
and REMOVE them from the FONTS FOLDER.
8. Samples of the installed fonts (E2 2,
E3 3 . EA A) can be seen by selecting (clicking on) one font name at a time.
9. If you run into problems
installing, you may have to click on the Enable True Type Fonts by clicking on
the True Type instead of the Add command button option and re-start
Windows. You can also try to use Winzip to unzip the
fonts.
10.
DELETE the Ethiopic Fonts
(DEL *.TTF) from C:\ once
the installation is complete.
B. Installation of EthioEdit
1. Attach the Activator (yellow dongle) to the printer port of your computer
and tighten slightly. Then attach
the printer cable onto the Activator.
2. After the printer cable is attached to
the Activator, you may have to turn on the printer power (all computers
do not require this).
3. If you are a Windows 3.1 user,
insert the disk labeled EthioEdit
in the floppy drive and select File within the Program Manager menu. Select Run from the File menu and type on the
Command Line as follows:
A:\SETUP or B:\SETUP (depending
on your drive letter) and press the Enter key or click OK.
If
you are a Windows 95, 98 or 2000 user,
Click on Start, then Run and type A:\SETUP or B:\SETUP on the Command
Line.
4. If you see an error message that the
program has been installed before from the disk, ignore it by clicking on OK. You have a license to use a copy of our
Software with the same serial number as ours.
5. Next the SISC/EthioEdit dialog
box is displayed giving you options for installation. The default Directory is C:\ETHIOPIC and we suggest that you do
not change it. Your Serial Number is already embedded and you do not need to
type it in. If you need it, it is printed in your manual and on the
disk. You also do not need to fill in your name. Click on OK or strike Enter to accept the default directory
and continue. The installation takes
less than a minute but depends on the speed of your computer.
Click on the EthioEdit Program Group in Windows 3.1 and you should see the
EthioButton icon, (which is an Ethiopian flag), the EthioButton icon and a Readme reference file. We recommend that you print and read the
Readme file for quick reference and
updates. If you are a Windows 95,
98 or 2000 user, you can access the EthioEdit from: Start > Programs > EthioEdit and
then start it by double clicking on the Ethiopian Flag Icon. The GeezEdit is also automatically
installed in the same directory.
Double click on the GeezEdit
.exe
(application) to start it.
Do not run both programs at the same
time. If you prefer, you can run GeezEdit directly from the
floppy disk. Insert the diskette in Drive A and just type a:\geezedit on
the command line in Start>Run and
press enter.
6. This
completes the installation of EthioEdit and GeezEdit. Create shortcuts to both
if you wish and place the shortcuts on your Desktop for easy
access.
7. Double
click on the EthioEdit icon and you will see the Ribbon that allows you to
interface with your Word Processor (MS WORD is highly Recommended). You must then complete the second step
of attaching (interfacing) the EthioEdit Editor (using the Ethiopic.dot) to your
application.
8.
EthioEdit
and GeezEdit are Terminate and Stay Resident (TSR) applications that allow you
to type in Ethiopic. You simply
start the software and leave it in the background and then start your main
application (Word Processor, Dbase, MS Publisher, etc.)
9. The
GeezEdit interface is also installed during the EthioEdit setup. No further
setup is needed to install it. Look
for it in the Ethiopic Directory in File Manager or Windows Explorer under
Windows 95 and 98. Double Clicking
on the GeezEdit AFX icon will start the GeezEditor.
10. You
MUST make sure
that only one of the two editors is on, to avoid conflicts between the two. The default Font for GeezEdit is the
GeezEdit Amharic P Font. We suggest
that you use the GeezEdit for learning how to use the Ethio-Phonetic Keyboard
(at a slow pace) with other applications.
The EthioEdit requires fast English and Ethiopic typing speed. Read the section on the GeezEdit in the
manual.
11.
When you exit
EthoEdit, you may see a warning message that reads, "if you close the all
ribbons will be removed [temporarily], "close Ribbon", just click on OK.
If you also see error "Bad Code Pointer", just
click on OK. In other words, just bypass these
warnings.
12.
If you are
interested in making the icons readily accessible, make copies of
(Shortcuts) both EthioEdit and GeezEdit and copy the icons to the Microsoft
Office Program Group in Windows 3.1.
If you are a Windows 95 or higher user, go through the Windows Explorer to the Ethiopic Directory and click on the
icons with the Right Button of your Mouse and a make shortcuts to both EthioEdit and
GeezEdit and drop the the shortcuts on your
Desktop for easy access.
13.
Read
the Readme reference file for
current information on updates and upgrades. You may open and print the file for
future reference using the File,
Print
Commands of Write, WordPad
or MS Word.
C. HOW TO LOAD (ATTACH) EthioEdit TO AN APPLICATION
STEP 1
1. Start
EthioEdit by clicking on its icon (Ethiopian Flag). If you see any ERROR messages,
just click OK.
2.
Start
Your application (MS Word)
3. Reduce
the window (not minimize) of the MS Word screen so that you will be able to see
the EthioEdit (RIBBON) and the MS Word screen (where you type) side
by side. (See the graphic display
in the manual).
4. Click on LOAD on the RIBBON and (the cursor changes to R pointer in Windows 3.1), drag the mouse (while still pressing the left button) to anywhere on the MS Word screen (where you would type your document) and lift your finger from the mouse to attach (drop the R) the EthioEdit. to MS Word.
A
new window appears giving you a choice of five typing methods- Ethipic.rcp,
etsymbol.rcp, numeric.rcp, symbol.rcp and vowel.rcp. If you do not see this list
in a new window, you have to keep on trying until you see it. Otherwise
you have not completed installing the software and you will not be able to
use it.
Once you see the list, you must select (highlight) one typing method (e.g. Vowel rcp). and click on OK. We recommend that you select the Vowel.rcp. Below are your options:
a) The Ethiopic rcp typing method is similar to the Amharic typewriter. We recommend this layout if you or your typist is proficient in using the old typewriter. The Function keys (F2-F9) are used to type Ethiopic, F10 is reserved for switching to a Latin font. This and only this method requires that the Caps Lock key be turned on.
e.g., F2 + a = h
b) The Numeric
rcp layout allows you to type using the Numeric
keypad.
e.g. h + 2 =h.
c)
The Symbol rcp is for those who prefer to type using the symbol
keys.
i.e. h + / = h.
d) The Vowel rcp (our
Ethiopic Standard is highly recommended for those who are proficient in the
Latin phonetic typing method). For
example, h + u = h;
h
+ a =
h;
h
+ e = h;
h
+ o =h;
h
+ \ =
h.
5. Click once on t he .rcp that you prefer (highlight) and click OK. If your MS Word is Version 6.0, you will see the EthioEdit Phonetic Tab (if you selected vowel rcp) and the Ribbon frame inserted on top of the Standard MS Word Menu. Click on the EthioEdit Ribbon Frame and then click the Save All tab to complete the interface process. This is a one time installation procedure.
In MS Word version 7 and higher, you will not
see the Ribbon even if it has been attached. In other words, you will not be able to
click on the EthioEdit tabs to edit Ethiopic document. Instead, just as Latin, you delete and
retype typing errors or edit using the Function keys. After you delete a typo,
you must make sure that the font selected is the default EA (Ethiopic)
by pressing the F11 key.
6.
Some
customers (HP PC owners) have reported to us that after clicking on Load, and dragging the mouse to the MS
Word screen and clicking, they did not see any window allowing for selecting a
Ribbon rcp. If that happens, it is
likely that the selection window was automatically minimized, (you will see the
Ethiopian Flag at the bottom or right side of your screen) in which case you
have to click on the flag icon to see the selection window. On some PCs (IBM), just wait a few
minutes until the selection window appears.
Step
2
1. To complete the setup in Windows 3.1, first maximize the MS Word screen. From the Standard Menu select File > Templates > Document Template >Add Template >. When prompted to Look in where? double click on (C:). This should bring up all the application folders - Directories. Scroll up until you find the Ethiopic Directory and Double click on the Ethiopic Directory. You will see Ethiopic dot listed (last) in the File name window. Click once on this file and then click on OK. Once you are back in the Templates and Add-Ins, make sure that the box in front of the Ethiopic dot is checked to indicate that you have selected this template.
The template is now attached. Press on SAVE ALL on the Ribbon to confirm the installation. The only thing you need to do when you reboot your computer (and you want to type in Ethiopic) is to go to the Templates and Add-Ins menu and check mark the box ( 4 or X) in front of the Ethiopic dot. click on OK and close the window and return to the MS Word screen. Strike F11 key to change the font to EA and begin to type. Strike F10 key to switch to a Latin font and add a word or two to an Ethiopic document. Slow down when you type vowels to prevent the font from switching back to Ethiopic.
If you are typing English text only, do not
attach (check mark the dot) the Robbon..
If you are inserting a long English text in an Ethiopic document,
un-check (detach) the dot until you go back to typing in Ethiopic. Remember in MS Word 97 and higher, the Templates and
Add-Ins are under Tools
menu and not under
File menu.
2.
Disable Help for WordPerfect Users
since
it interferes with typing a few Ethiopic characters. From the MS Word Menu select Tools > Options >General >
General Options, and remove the check mark in front of "Help for WordPerfect
Users."
3.
If
you are having trouble typing the '
character,
go to Tools> AutoCorrect
and remove the check mark (P
or X)
from the box in front of Correct TWo INitial CApitals. While you are in the same window, also click on AutoFormat and clear the box under Replace in front of "Straight quotes" with "smart quotes". Then click on AutoFormat As You Type, and clear the
box under Replace as you type, in
front of "Straight quotes" with "smart
quotes". You do not need to repeat these procedures once you go through
these steps.
4. Finally, remember every time you get ready to type in Ethiopic using EthioEdit, the four things you need to do are:
a) Start one of either EthioEdit and leave it in the background.
b) Start your MS Word Application.
c) Activate the Ethiopic dot interface (check mark box in front of the Ethiopic .dot) and
d) Change your font to EA (for Ethiopic Alphabet) and start typing.
If you are using any other Application, start
GeezEdit, then your
application. Change the font to
GeezEdit Amharic P or EG Amharic98 and start typing. Do not turn both programs
on at the same time.
D. Typing in Ethiopic
If you are using EthioEdit
1.
Start EthioEdit by double clicking on the Ethiopian Flag Icon and
leave it in the background.
2. Start MS
Word if you are ready to type say a letter in
Amharic.
3. Activate
the Ethiopic Template in MS Word as explained
earlier.
4. Follow the
steps below:
First
press F11 (Function key) to switch to the EA
(Ethiopic Alphabet) default font i.e. h,
or select EA font from the font
window. Make sure that you see the EA font in
the font window of MS Word. Start
typing using the Ethio-phonetic vowel system described below. Press F10 if
you need to switch to the Latin font (default is New Times Roman). Slow down before pressing a vowel when
inserting a Latin word in an Ethiopic document. If you are inserting Latin
paragraph in an Ethiopic document, we suggest that you either detach the
template or Exit (disable) the EthioEdit interface temporarily to speed up your
typing. When
you exit from EthioEdit do not save
the Ethiopic.dot when prompted to do so.
See
the Ethio-phonetic computer keyboard map in the manual and study our standard
Keyboard layout. It may take you a
while to get used to the Ethiopic character keys that do not have Latin phonetic
equivalent, that we assigned to the101 Latin Keyboard. (i.e. X ? O Q I U E
< etc.).
IN
EthioEdit TYPE AS FOLLOWS:
g[z HL"M>R
PRESS
SHIFT
and STRIKE letter ( h l ' m . r )
k[b
hl'm.r STRIKE letter + u
(hu lu 'u mu
.u ru)
sls
hl'm.r
STRIKE
letter + i (hi li
'i mi
.i ri)
rb[ hl'm.r
STRIKE
letter + a (ha la 'a ma .a ra)
;ms hl'm.r
STRIKE letter + e (he le
me .e re)
sds hl'm.r
STRIKE letter only (h l ' m . r)
sb[ hl'm.r STRIKE letter + o (ho lo
'o mo .o ro)
sdt
hl'm.r
STRIKE
letter + \ (h\ l\ '\ m\
.\ r\)
A;z 1234567890 STRIKE number + a (1a 2a
3a 4a)
A;z 1234567890 STRIKE
number + o (1o 2o 3o 4o)
If you are interested in trying the other EthioWord typing methods, you have to first remove the link between EthioEdit and and MS Word and load a new RCP. Experiment with different methods before you start producing manuscripts. Users of WordPerfect etc., please read the manual.
We have made minor changes to our 1993 character map for windows, thus reassigning a few characters on the Keyboard. Therefore, we strongly recommend that everyone keep a copy of their earlier fonts used in typing manuscripts.
If you are using GeezEdit
1. Go
to the Ethiopic Directory and start GeezEdit by clicking on its icon. You will see a GeezEdit window. You have now turned the editor ON
and you should leave it running in the background. If you want to run the program from the
floppy insert the diskette in Drive A, and type a:\geezedit on the Command line under Run in
Start. And strike Enter.
2. Start the application you want
to use with the GeezEditor.
3. Change the font to GeezEdit Amharic
P
4. Start typing as shown previously.
5. This program controls the computer and is only for typing Amharic. You may have to disable or EXIT GEEZEdit before you save since the keyboard, mouse, etc. are not in the default state.
6. To mix Latin with your Amharic text, select an English font and type as as Amharic or disable the program by clicking on Config and then Disable on the GeezEdit menu. I you see ( 4 or X) it is Enabled.
7.
If you want to use the GeezEdit Amharic98 program insert the disk and type
a:\geezedit and select the the GeezEdit
Amharic98 font. Make sure that the font is installed as described
earlier.
IN
GEEZEDIT, TYPING IS THE SAME AS ETHIOEDIT EXCEPT THAT WHEN YOU TYPE THE
sds
CHARACTERS,
YOU MUST STRIKE THE letter and '
key
(apostrophe). THE AHAZ (ETHIOPIC
NUMBERS) ARE TYPED BY FIRST STRIKING, (Comma) followed by the number 1 2 3 4 to type ( 1 2 3
4)
and . (period) followed by the number 1 2 3 4 to type
1
2 3 4).
CONGRATULATIONS!
You can now read and print the Ethiopic documents we post on our Home Page on the Internet. You can also post, search and retrieve on the web, the documents typed with EthioEdit and GeezEdit. With little effort on your part, you can e-mail, enjoy instant messages, post on message boards etc., in Amharic and English. If you purchased our EthioCyber package you can design and manage Ethiopic web sites. If this instruction does not help you, please read your manual. If all else fails all you have to do is get in touch with us and if we can not help you (provided your own hardware and operating systems are working properly) we will gladly refund your money.
In all honesty, we have sold thousands of our software in the last 13 years worldwide and received many complements. Most of the calls we receive have to do with people who are very eager to use the software but lack the basic skills to use a computer. We have done our best to help every one who got in touch with us, including some who purchased the product more than seven years earlier, without charging any fees. Hopefully, this instruction will make it easier for many to find answers to their questions.
We are grateful to some people who purchased the software just to express their appreciation for the gallant efforts we made to computerize and preserve the ancient Ethiopic (the Geez) in the face of a vicious assault by those who want to reduce the number of characters or replace the Geez with Latin. Thank you for purchasing our product and supporting our pioneering effort since 1982. We sincerely hope that you will assist us in our continuous efforts to stop plagiarists from distorting the Ethiopic character code that we developed based on international Unicode standards and the simple and easy typing method that we created.
The original Ethiopic will survive forever!
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Please
visit our Internet Sites at www.ethiopic.com
and www.fettan.com.
Ethiopian Computers & Software users
also get free software that they can download from our web site. For further
information write to us and e-mail to: Ethiopian@aol.com
or bekelem@fettan.com
or getishM@aol.com.
If you need assistance call Dr. Bekele Molla at (202) 785-1618
or
Dr. Aberra Molla at (303) 972-2186.
© ABSHA/ECS (Aberra Molla)1985-2000 Copyright © Fettan Graphics Corporation (Bekele Molla) 1991-2000