New Website Announcement

As of April 2013
This Blog no longer has the latest news or links

Visit  DENEFONT.COM  instead

The New Website for all your NWT Dene Languages Writing Needs

I've created a new website to host all the Dene Language writing tools in one convenient place.

• Unicode Dene Keyboards - free download and install
• Web Keyboard - for use online when you can't install a keyboard
• Documentation and Tutorials - for installing and using the Unicode Keyboards 
• WinMac-to-Unicode Converter  - to update documents made with the old fonts 
• Legacy WinMac Dene Fonts - to view or print the old documents 
• FirstVoices Chat - mobile app for iPod/iPhone/iPad 
• News - recent additions to the site or new things I learn regarding Dene Fonts & Keyboards

Visit DENEFONT.COM today

Unicode Dene Keyboards NOW Downloadable

Great News: Unicode Dene Keyboards are now available for downloading from the LanguageGeek website.

http://languagegeek.com/dene/keyboards/romdene.html
Scroll about three quarters of the way down the page, and look for "NWT Athabaskan"

Mac and Windows keyboards are available in Zip archives.

Instructions for installing on either platform are on the website.

Unicode Keyboards - Win7 Install tutorials

Step 1 - Extract Keyboard from Zip Archive

Extracting the desired keyboards from the zip archive is the first step. Even if you know all about unzipping files, you may want to view this tutorial. It contains important information about the different Dene Language keyboards within the archive.




Step 2 - Install Desired Language Keyboard

Installing the selected keyboards is simple - open the folder and run the setup file. You need to do this for each language you wish to use. This tutorial shows what dialog windows open during the process, and informs you that there is a silent period when nothing seems to happen.




Step 3 - Activate Keyboard from Language Bar

This tutorial shows how to use the language bar to switch the Unicode Dene Languages keyboards on and off. You need to implement the keyboard for each application where you wish to use it. Your choice persists for that application as long as it is open. If you open a new application, you will need to select a keyboard for that application if you want something other than your windows default.




Step 4 - More Language Bar (Optional)

This optional tutorial shows how to use the Languages control panel to add keyboards to your language bar if they do not automatically show up there. Probably not needed, but just in case, this details how to select them from the control panel.

Unicode Keyboard install for XP

I've just posted a tutorial on youtube showing how to extract and install the unicode Dene keyboards, and how to configure the language toolbar on Win XP. The control panel procedure is slightly different for Vista and Win 7. Hope to have those up before new year.

Keyboards are not yet available for download. Leave a comment asking for a copy by email. I won't publish your comment, but will send you the most recent set of Dene Language Unicode keyboards.

Remember, XP users will need to download the LanguageGeek fonts. Your XP system fonts do not contain all the unicode characters required for the Dene languages.

Summertime Blues

No news. Development and documentation are on hold for the summer.

Just letting anyone still listening know that some people are successfully using the new keyboards with Unicode fonts for NWT Dene Languages. Users are identifying software which has difficulty interpreting the combined nasal and tone markers.

Offer still stands to email new keyboards to anyone wanting to try them. Comment on this blog if that's you.