[sword-devel] How to get vowels in the Arabic bible module?

[Chris Little]

jonathon wrote:
> Peter wrote:
> 
>> I do not know how to export or import from esword.
> 
> Exporting the text is not an issue.  Several tools are available to do that.
> 
>  The _big_ issue is that the plain text./XML formatting  needs both
> proof reading, and copy editing, prior to import into the TSP
> resource.
> 
> If one is not fluent in the target language, my recommendation is to
> not attempt the format shifting.

We can assume the Word documents are a good source, so proofing is 
unnecessary beyond verifying that the Sword module is a good 
representation of the Word document originals.

The "fluent in the target language" suggestion is just ridiculous.

>> But I think the general principle here is to start from the original e-text and not from someone else's modules for other software.
> 
> +1
> 
> I wouldn't be at all surprised if there were textual errors in the
> e-Sword version. (I have found textual differences between the hard
> copy and e-Sword resource,  in most of  the non-European,non-Biblical
> languages I can read.)

We never use other software's modules as a source unless there is no 
other source available (or when that is what a copyright holder actually 
gives us as a source). Errors in conversion are a concern, but a more 
important issue is that we would be limiting our module to the 
capabilities of another piece of software. In particular, with this 
Arabic Bible, we would lose paragraphing by not using the Word docs as a 
source.

>> So the best source  would then be the word files. But that could be very hard work.
> 
> Word -> OSIS -> Sword Project Resource
> Grunt work, but fairly easy to do.  Unfortunately, a script won't
> correctly process the material.

I'm having problems with a hard drive that has most of my module work. 
So while it was being repaired, I spent a couple hours and made an OSIS 
doc of the Smith & Van Dyck Arabic Bible.

When I get word that we have permission to distribute it, I will convert 
the doc to Sword format and post it to beta.

--Chris