Editing and inserting new signs

Introduction

From version 2.0beta onward, users of JSesh can create their own signs. A sign editor and an elaborate database system are planned in the future, but, on a more practical sign, it was decided to allow one to import signs created with various softwares.

So : a) JSesh has currently no sign editor, but b) JSesh can import signs from :

true type fonts (see fontforge for a free editor) ;
SVG files : SVG is a relatively recent format for vector graphics. It's very powerfull and complete. Currently, JSesh understands SVG files if the sign is drawn in black over white. You can edit SVG files with a number of programs; one of the best free ones is Inkscape, which has the advantage of being multi-platform.
font files exported from tksesh (.tml files)
font files from the GNU font utils (.bzr files). Both types of files can be edited with the fontedit software, included in tksesh.

Inserting new signs

Choosing a directory for your signs

In order to be able to add new signs, you must first choose where they will be stored on your computer. To do this, simply select Tools/Edit Preferences In the "Font Selection" tab (currently the only one available), enter the directory you want to use in the "Hieroglyphic font directory" field. You should create an empty directory for this specific purporse.

creating a directory

The directory is selected

You only have to do this once. Next invocations of JSesh will use this directory.

Actual sign insertion

To add new signs, you should import them from a file created with another software, and then assign new codes to the created signs. The sign importing interface can be started from the menu Tools/add new signs .

Sign importing is done in two phases :

you import a picture or set of pictures from some file (svg drawings, truetype fonts, etc.)
you assign a code for each sign you have imported, and then you insert the new sign in the JSesh list of signs.

New signs importing interface

Importing drawings

Importing drawings is easy. JSesh can read:

true type fonts
.tml and bzr files, which can be created with JSesh's forerunner, tksesh.
SVG files

Simply click on the "import file" button, and select the file which contains your picture(s). You can use the navigation buttons (those with arrows) to browse the available signs.

Fine tuning your signs

In some cases, the size or orientation of your signs won't be correct. For instance, in the picture below, the duck is too large and its orientation is wrong.

You can correct this :

the buttons and can be used to change the sign orientation;
the button "Full cadrat height" gives the sign the same size as the A1 sign;
if you click on the sign's window and drag the mouse, the mouse position will set the sign's height.

Attaching codes to drawings, and inserting them in JSesh

Once your sign is correct, it's time to give it a name. In a number of cases, JSesh will have guessed one, but this doesn't mean the sign has been registered in its list. Nothing is done when as long as you haven't pressed the insert button.

Be carefull when giving signs a name. You want your files to be readable by anyone, so be faithfull to the "Manuel de codage". The codes you can give are

(recommanded system) User sign codes. When an user can add his own signs to a hieroglyphic typesetting system, there's no problem until the text is shared with other users, but then it gets tricky because there is always a possibility of conflict between the codes given to the various signs. The simple proposition we make is the following: we provide each user with a unique ID (a simple number). Then, anyone can create new codes of the form USuid + gardiner-like code, where uid is the user id. For instance, the present author, being the first user of his own software, has id 1. If he wanted to create his own form of A1, he could call it US1A1, or, to emphasise that it's a variant US1A1A.
to get an uid, send a mail to rosmord@iut.univ-paris8.fr. Note for tksesh users: the uid is simply your tksesh id.
standard manuel de codage code. You will find these codes in Hannig's WB, for instance. A number of lists are also available on the web. Please, note that using the codes is one thing, but that the actual signs drawing in the fonts of other softwares are legally protected. So, have to come with you own versions of the signs, either from actual sources or by re-creating them. You will find more information on signs drawing in the next section. In our example, your duck would replace the normal one, so it would have code "G39".
We suggest that, if you create a sign with an "normal" gardiner code, you also give it an user sign code. This way, you will be sure to keep it even it a sign with this Gardiner code is later added to the software.

Inserting the duck sign as UG1M2N0

Note that for compatibility with tksesh, we also support arbitrary "user glyph codes". These codes correspond to the codes tksesh gave to new signs. User glyph codes have the form UGidMmidNsid, where id, mid, and sid are numbers. Avoid using those codes for now.

When your sign is ready, click on the insert button.

ROSMORDUC Serge

Last modified: Thu Nov 3 14:42:09 CET 2005