Transcription Tools

30 Transcription Tools

The Transcription Window

Creating a New Transcription Project

Transcribing the Text

Main Menu Options

Transcription Options

The Button Bar

Working with Graphics

The Transcription Window

The Transcription Tools Window provides access to a set of tools for transcribing New Testament Greek manuscripts. These are the tools used by BibleWorks to do the transcriptions in BibleWorks. They are intended specifically for use in transcribing manuscripts of the Greek New Testament. The capabilities may be extended at a later date to include other languages and texts.

The Main Window is divided into four main sections (plus the button bar at the top and the status bar at the bottom). These are as follows:

Base Text – This area displays the base text against which you are transcribing. It will change automatically as you change verses. This text is read only and cannot be edited.
Previous Text – This area displays the text of the previous verse which you have transcribed (just to provide some context). This text is read only and cannot be edited.
Transcription Area – This area is where you enter your transcription. The font is set automatically to the BibleWorks Greek font (bwgrkl.ttf) and cannot be changed.
Notes – This is where you enter any notes or comments that you might have on the verse being transcribed. Note that there is a divider bar between each section and you can drag these bars to adjust the relative size of the sections. You can also resize the entire window by dragging one of its corners.

Creating a new Transcription Project

Your transcription data is stored in a file with a BWT extension. To create a new transcription file select File | New from the Transcription Module Menu. This initializes all internal data structures and creates a new project folder in the BibleWorks mss folder. You will be asked to enter the project name and the number of columns in any manuscript images that you want to use. The project name must begin with "m-" and normally the Gregory-Aland number will be used for the rest of the name. For example, if you specify "m-02" as the project name these folders and files will be created:

c:\program files\BibleWorks 9\mss\m-02

c:\program files\BibleWorks 9\mss\m-02\m-02_files

c:\program files\BibleWorks 9\mss\m-02\m-02_files\m-02.col

c:\program files\BibleWorks 9\mss\m-02\m-02.bwt

The transcription is stored in the m-02.bwt file. The user is responsible for copying any manuscript images into the "m-02_files" folder. This should be done before attempting to open any images in the Transcription Window.

Transcribing the Text

When you are ready to transcribe, proceed as follows:

1. Select the verse to transcribe in the text box at the far right side of the tool bar. You can enter the text manually and press RETURN or using the spin button to the right of the text box. If you enter the verse manually you must use the standard BibleWorks 3 letter abbreviations for the book names.

2. Click the or the button. This will copy the text of the Robinson-Pierpont or United Bible Societies Greek New Testament for the selected verse into the Transcription window. That way you just have to modify it, which is easier than typing the entire transcribed verse in by hand. Note that a duplicate base version verse will be automatically added to the Base Text window for each new verse you add to the Transcription Area (whether you do it manually or by the “RP” button. This is because each verse you add has to have a copy of the base text to collate against.

3. Choose the displayed base text. There is a radio button to the left of the “RP” and “UBS” buttons. This determines which text is displayed automatically in the “Base Text” Window. Make sure the active button is the one to the left of the button.

Now you can begin comparing the text in the Transcription Area to the manuscript and make any changes needed to bring the two into line with each other. The transcription should contain only the Greek Characters a&w and A&W plus the following characters entered by clicking on buttons on the right side of the button bar and used for special purposes:

	This is used to mark numerals and Nomina Sacra. Enter after the character it goes with.
	This represents medial or terminal nu bar. Note that this is a single character, not two strokes.
	A dot placed under a character to indicate that it is uncertain.
	A character used in place of a missing/illegible character.
	Represents one or more missing characters.
	Represents a single missing/illegible word.
	Represents more than one missing/illegible word.
	Used at the beginning of a correction verse.
	Used at the beginning of a corrected correction verse.
	Used to open a section from editio princeps.
	Used to close a section from editio princeps.
	Used to open a transcriber reconstruction.
	Used to close a transcriber reconstruction.

There are other buttons below the button bar which have the following functions:

	These buttons change the zoom level of displayed text. Change to suit your eyes. They have no effect on saved text.
	If this box is checked, text in the Base Text Area will be displayed as Upper Case.
	If this box is checked, text in the Base Text Area will be displayed with accents and punctuation.
	If this box is checked, as you type text in the Transcription Area, it will be compared with the text in the Base Test Area and the differences highlighted in both.
	This button causes text in the Transcription Area to be compared with the text in the Base Test Area and the differences highlighted in both. Use it only if you choose to have the previous check box off and just want to check the collation once.
	This check box determines how text is highlighted in the transcription area. If it is checked and there are multiple correctors typed in the transcription pane, they will be compared with each other and differences highlighted. This makes it easy for you to see how a corrected text differs from the original hand. If this this box is not checked, each verse in the transcription will be compared with the text in the blue base text pane and the differences will be highlighted.

Main Menu Options

FILE \| Open Existing	This option opens a saved BWT file for editing. It has an attached submenu that contains a list of projects in the default MSS folder.
FILE \| Browse	This option opens a file browsing window that allows you to open a BWT file at any location. If files were saved to the default location the previous menu item is more useful.
FILE \| Synchronize	This option opens a file browsing window that allows you to open a BWT file at any location. It will be opened in synchronization mode. This option should be used only if another BWT file is already open. The two files will then be synchronized. When this happens the main transcription will show the differences with the synchronized BWT file. This provides a mechanism for merging two transcriptions.
FILE \| New	This option is used to create a new transcription project. You will be asked for the name of the project and a few other details about the project. The end result will be a new project folder and a new blank BWT file.
FILE \| Save	This option saves the current BWT file.
FILE \| SaveAs	This option saves the current BWT file with a new name. This should normally be done only if you want to save a copy for other purposes. BWT files are normally a parts of transcription projects and should not be renamed. This option should be used only to save copies of existing BWT files to different for archival or sharing purposes.
FILE \| Save Formatted	This option saves the transcription as a formatted RTF file. The file will include both the base test and the transcription, with highlighted differences. The file will be loaded into a BibleWorks editor window, but not saved. If you want to keep the results you must save the file.
FILE \| Edit Macros	This option will open a file containing currently defined macros for the current project. Macros should be entered in the file in this fashion: macro name 1 macro text 1 macro name 2 macro text 2 macro name 3 macro text 3 The macro names will appear in the right click context menu for the notes pane when the notes pane has the input focus. This provides a convenient means for entering repetitive text in the notes pane.
FILE \| Exit	This option exits the Transcription Window.
Tools \| Replace in Transcription	This option allows you to perform a simple search and replace in the current transcription.
Tools \| Find in Transcription	This option allows you to find simple words and phrases in the current transcription.
Tools \| Compare BWT Files	This option allows you to compare two BWT files. You will be prompted to enter the names of two BWT files and the name of an output file. The output file will contain the two transcriptions with the differences highlighted. The file will be loaded into a BibleWorks editor window, but not saved. If you want to keep the results you must save the file.
Tools \| Create NS List	This option creates and displays a list of all the Nomina Sacra contained in the current transcription.
Tools \| Options	This opens a window where you can set various options. See below.

Transcription Options

If you select Tools | Options from the Transcription Window main menu, you will be presented with an options window where you can set options which determine how text comparison highlighting will work in the transcription pane. There are also settings used with the transcription image display.

Comparison Settings

The Comparison Settings section contains settings that determine how the Transcription Text and Base Text are compared if you have chosen to have the differences highlighted. The “Word” and “Character” options determine whether the comparison is done on a character by character or word by word basis. The other check boxes determine whether the comparison is sensitive to various text features or special characters. You can also change the color of the highlighting for the text differences.

Miscellaneous Settings

The "Include Notes in Formatted Save" option determines whether or not transcriber notes are included when you do a formatted save of your transcription.

The blinking marker and marker color options refer to the placeholder cursor that can be placed on a manuscript image when you are viewing images with your transcription. It refers to images in the Transcription Image viewer, not the Mss Tab image viewer. At present they are different viewers.

The Button Bar

The button bar provides access to an array of editing and document tools. The options are as follows:

	Opens a BWT file. To open a BibleWorks managed BWT file it is easier to use the FILE \| Open Existing.
	Saves the current transcription file.
	Undoes the last editor action in the current window (transcription or notes).
	Redoes the last editor action in the current window (transcription or notes).
	Cuts text from the current window (transcription or notes).
	Copies text from the current window (transcription or notes).
	Pastes clipboard text into the current window (transcription or notes).
	Opens the Transcription Window manuscript image viewer.
	The following buttons insert special characters or change the format of text in the transcription and note panes.
	Changes to bolded text.
	Changes to italicized text.
	Changes to underlined text.
	Changes to superscripted text.
	Changes to subscripted text.
	Changes to English font.
	Changes to Greek font.
	Changes to Hebrew font.
	Enters a character used to mark numerals and Nomina Sacra. Enter after the character it goes with.
	Enters a character which represents medial or terminal nu bar. Note that this is a single character, not two strokes.
	Enters a character dot placed under a character to indicate that it is uncertain.
	Enters a character used in place of a missing/illegible character.
	Enters a character used to represent one or more missing characters.
	Enters a character used to represent a single missing/illegible word.
	Enters a character used to represent more than one missing/illegible word.
	Enters a character used at the beginning of a correction verse.
	Enters a character used at the beginning of a corrected correction verse.
	Enters a character used to open a section from editio princeps.
	Enters a character used to close a section from editio princeps.
	Enters a character used to open a transcriber reconstruction.
	Enters a character used to close a transcriber reconstruction.
	Enters a left curly brace
	Enters a right curly brace

Working with Graphics

The button opens up a window where you can display bitmaps of the manuscript that you are working on. In order for it to work properly the bitmaps must be jpeg files and they must be placed in a specific folder. If your project name is "m-abc" the folder will be m-abc_files. The folder should be located in the same place as your BWT file. The folder is created automatically when you create a new project, but you must copy the image files yourself.

When you click on the button you should see something like this:

The list box on the left contains a list of all the jpeg files that you copied to your bitmaps folder. To display a file just click on an entry in this list.

If you right click on the graphics area you will see a context menu that permits you to change the zoom level of the jpeg display. You can also change the picture to a negative image:

You can also select and copy a portion of the image either to the clipboard or to the notes area in the Transcription module. To do this hold down the SHIFT key and click and drag in the bitmap display area with the LEFT mouse button depressed. To remove the highlighted area just click again with no SHIFT key depressed. To copy a selected area RIGHT click with the mouse and choose “Copy to Clipboard” or “Copy to Notes”.

Changing the Names in the Image List

You can change the names in the image list simply by RIGHT clicking on an item in the list. Then you can edit it in place. You might want, for example, to enter the verse range covered by the manuscript. Note that you are NOT really changing the name of the jpeg file. You are just editing an alias. So you can use any characters. They don’t have to be valid filename characters. Do not use a tab character though. These aliases are stored in the settings.ini file that is created when you exit the bitmap viewer.

Tagging Verse Locations

You can very easily tag verse locations in the manuscript. To do this just load the appropriate image for the verse currently displayed in the Main Transcription Window. To label the position of that verse HOLD the SHIFT AND the CTRL keys both down, move the mouse where you want the label and click with the LEFT mouse button. To move the label just reclick somewhere else. That’s all there is to it. The information is stored in a file called verselocs.txt and retained between sessions. It is saved every time you exit the bitmap viewer. Once we have the verses tagged we can have a function that jumps right to the correct file and location. If you get really confused this file can be deleted and the next time you restart the Bitmap Viewer, it will be rebuilt (without any tags you had added). You can have only one tag for each New Testament verse. If you add a tag that already exists in another file, the original will be deleted. You can hide and unhide the tags via an option of the image right click menu.

Scrolling the Image

There are two ways to move the image around in the bitmap viewer. If you click and hold the LEFT mouse button you can drag the image around. Also if you are in the Transcription area of the Main Transcription Window, and it has the keyboard focus, the mouse scroll wheel moves the current image up and down. If you depress the SHIFT key while doing this the scrolling will be more coarse.

Image Enhancement

Clicking in the button in the image viewer will open up the Color Adjustment Window. It allows you to adjust the brightness, color mix and contrast of your manuscript image. The slider bars are self-explanatory. The buttons at the bottom of the window are defined as follows:

Auto Adjust – this button causes post processing to be done on just the visible portion of the image after all color setting and contrast and brightness have been applied. It does a histogram analysis of the visible portion only in real time to improve color rendition. This alone can significantly improve the quality of the image without any contrast or color adjustments. Try this first.

Invert – this button inverts the image to produce a negative. It works well with the previous option.

Enable – this is automatically turned on when you open the window. You can toggle it on and off to see what effect your changes are having.

Reset – This resets all settings to their default. The image is unchanged.

Cancel – This will exit the dialog and restore the settings which were in effect before it was opened.

OK – This applies your settings and exits the Color Adjustment window.

Note that the files on disk are NOT changed in any way by this process. The settings are applied in real time to the original image. Color settings are saved in the BWT file with your transcription so you can maintain a different set of color settings for each manuscript.

In general the best way to fade the background is to “increase contrast and decrease brightness. It is probably good to leave the “Auto Adjust” option on but experiment with it and see what looks the best. The following page has a few simple examples.

Original Image

Auto Adjust Only

Auto Adjust + Invert

Auto Adjust + Less Blue and More Contrast

The Mss Tab has another image viewer with more image processing options. The transcription module viewer will eventually be upgraded with the same options.