Blithe Edit icon Blithe Edit


Overview

This tool allows you to create and modify Blithe dictionary files. It displays each dictionary as a column in a table, rather than displaying each file in it's own window, so that dictionaries of different languages for the same application can be compared entry by entry. The look and feel is based on a spreadsheet design. Data is edited in place. All data is editable except for the filename, which is changed through more convensional means, i.e. through the Save and Save As menu items or through the Tracker.

Blithe Edit

When the application is first launched, a new blank dictionary is created. The exception to this is when the application is launched by double clicking a dictionary. The first thing you should do is change the language name to an appropriate name for your end user to read. You should also give it a corresponding language ID. See BlitheConst.h for a list of language IDs. You may want to fill out the author field. It is optional.

Now you're ready to start creating your entries. If you are working with a new dictionary, a new row with the entry ID 1 has already been created. To enter the text, highlight the cell by clicking on it or navigate to the cell with the arrow keys. Click on the highlighted cell or hit the return key to begin editing. If you want to insert a carriage return in the text, please use the ANSI C convention \n. When you have finished editing the text in the cell, hit the return key.

You can change the entry ID by clicking on it. The entry ID field will accept either decimal or hexadecimal. Entry IDs with values that are less than 1 have been reserved. Hit the Carriage Return or Enter key after you have entered the new number.

If you would like to override the string of an existing common dictionary entry for your application, you can define it in the application dictionary. Just give the it the same entry ID as it has in the common dictionary.

The command to create new entries is in the Edit menu marked as New Entry. It creates a new entry with an entry ID of (highest entry ID)+1.

After you have created your dictionaries, save them. It is recommended that you create a folder named Blithe in your project directory and store your dictionaries here, since this is where Blithe will look for your application dictionaries. It is also recommended that you create a special dictionary in any language you prefer. This special dictionary should contain all entries that are used by your application, including entries that exist in the common dictionary. Make sure that the special dictionary ends in .rsrc and add it to your project.


File Menu

About BlitheBlithe Edit About
NewCreates a new dictionary. This appears as a column appended to right of the table. The default dictionary name is Untitled #. The default filename is blank. The default number is 1. This number, by the way, is English.
OpenOpens a dictionary file. The user is given a file dialog. Multiple dictionaries may be opened at once. Newly opened dictionaries appear at the right of the table.
CloseCloses the currently selected dictionary. If changes have been made to the currently selected dictionary, the user is asked if he wants to save them.
SaveSaves the currently selected dictionary. If the currently selected dictionary is new and has not yet been saved to a file, the user is given a save dialog.
Save AllPerforms the save process for all open dictionaries. From left to right, each dictionary is saved and the user is presented with save dialogs whenever necessary.
Save AsSaves the currently selected dictionary to a user-specfic filename.
QuitQuits the application.


Edit Menu

UndoIf the user changes the text in an entry, this option undoes it. It only considers the entry changed after the user has left the editing mode in the cell. It keeps a history of changes to be undone.
RedoThis option undoes the undo.
CutCuts the selected text and makes a copy in the clipboard.
CopyCopies the selected text into the clipboard.
PastePastes the text in the clipboard.
ClearClears the selected text.
New EntryAdds a new entry to the open dictionaries. Entries are represented as rows in a table. A new entry is appended to the end of the table and is given the next highest number.
Delete EntryDeletes the currently selected entry. Keep in mind that when an entry is deleted, it is deleted from all open dictionaries.
FindFind Dialog

The find searchs from top to bottom, left to right, beginning with the selected entry (row) in the selected dictionary (column).

SettingsSettings Dialog

The ability to change the highlight colors are especially useful if the user is colorblind or if the default colors are considered too bright.


Font Menu

Font Menu The font is applied to the currently selected dictionary. The alphabets of some languages may be easier to read in different fonts.

Size Menu

Size Menu The size menu contains font sizes ranging from 9 to 72. The size, like the font, is applied to the currently selected dictionary and is available for the same reason.