Ever since we released our product in 1994, Kamban Wordprocessor has always been leading the Keyboard layout and simplified input. Unlike English all Indin languages and eastern Asian languages like: Thai, Burmese, Sinhalese etc., use unique letters to represent a combination of Vowels and consonants. In some cases upto three or four vowels and consonants combination result in one letter (or glyph) structure. Traditional Typewriter always used the keys on the typewriter to represent such combination of letters.

For a typist, apart from remembering the vowels and consonants, he/she has to remember the keys for combination letters as well. This lead to cumbersome typing as the no. of keys to remember are more. To simplify typing and to ensure consistency across all languages, Kamban has provided unique typing facility. A user has to type only the Vowel / consonent letters. The software replaces these combinations with appropriate letters.

We also provide a no. of variations of keyboard that can be selected. This provides the flexibility to choose a keyboard that suits you

Typing Instructions

To retain compatibility with Tamil Typewriter, we have provided Tamil Keyboard layout for Typewriter as well. This is available for Tamil language only. Please note that this option will be discontinued in our future releases.

Phonetic Keyboard layout is unique to Unicode editor and KWP3.03. Characters are typed the same way as it is spelt in English, with a few modifications. This will facilitate users who are more conversant with English typing. One of the advantages of such typing is that you do not have to remember the letters (glyph structures of the language).

Download the draft Keyboard chart of Phonetic typing used in KWP 3.03 here.

Download overview of Phonetic keyboard used in Unicode Editor here.

Generic Typing

READING MAIL SENT BY OTHER USER WHEN MAIL IS NOT SENT AS AN ATTACHMENT:

What is Tamil mail. Why does the characters do not appear in tamil?

Tamil mail like any other mail file is just a text file. TMail or TBEdit files are just text files and can be opened in any text editor like Notepad. The characters do not appear in Tamil, because the fonts are different. The trick of having tamil letters is in fonts only! TMAIL uses the font MaduramTSC for editing and Maduram for Menus. TBEdit uses TABMMaduram for text files and TAMMaduram for Menus.  In fact you can use any font that end with TSC to read messages created by TMAIL and fonts that start with TAB to read TBEdit files. If you receive a mail sent by TMAIL which looks gibberish, then change the font to MaduramTSC. This will change the text to Tamil. If you receive a mail sent by TBEdit, then change the font to TABMaduram. This will change the text to Tamil

How to change fonts in an application?

This is a bit tricky. Each application has different methods. Here are a few examples:

1. If you are using Microsoft Outlook or Microsoft Exchange or Outlook Express (provided with Internet Explorer), when you receive a message and find it gibberish, than highlight the entire text. (Highlighting of text is done by holding <ctrl>and then pressing <a>. select "Format" from the menu and then select "font". First try changing the font to MaduramTSC and then select OK. If the characters does not make sense, then follow the same step again, only this time select TABMaduram (This is for users who send mails through TBEDIT). If you do not have any of these fonts, you can download them here. Note you only need TABMaduram and MaduramTSC fonts to read any mail files. If you have TMAIL or TBEDIT installed, the fonts are automatically installed for you.
   
2. If you are using Netscape Messager that is provided with Netscape Naviagator, the fonts can be changed from Format Menu and then selecting Fonts. In fact most application has format Menu and then fonts to facilitate changing of Fonts.

What if I use Web base E-Mail Service like Hotmail account?

If you receive an E-Mail that is gibberish in you Hotmail account then copy the whole text (Highlight the text then hold <Ctrl>and press <c>. This will copy the text). Now open TMAIL or TBEDIT. Hold <Ctrl> and then press <v>. This will paste the copied text into the editor. If the mail is sent using TSCII based font, then the text could be read through TMAIL, and if the text is sent based on TAB based font then the text could be read through TBEdit. If you are in doubt, open up both the programs and paste the text to both of them. One of them should be able to read

What to do when we receive mail from Murasu Anjal. How to read this?

READING MAIL SENT AS ATTACHMENT:

I received a mail with an attachment. When I opened it is unreadable?

All Tamil based mails conforms to either TSCII or TAB based fonts. There are old files which uses proprietary font structure. These cannot be read, unless you use that particular font. (Good news is nobody uses those fonts now). When you receive a file without any extensions, try opening it as text file with Notepad, then try changing the font to MaduramTSC and if does not make any sense then try changing the font to TABMaduram. (See topic above on changing fonts). This should make the text readable.

I received a mail with an attachment. The extension reads .TMF How do I open it?

If the extension is TMF then you can just double click on the extension. This will automatically launch TMAIL and open the file for you.

I received a mail with an attachment. The extension reads .TBE How do I open it?

If the extension is TBE then you can just double click on the extension. This will automatically launch TBEDIT and open the file for you. If you do not have TBEDIT, you can download from here

I am using Hotmail account (or similiar Web based account). I receive an attachment. How do I read it?

If you receive an attachment on a web based account, you can copy the file to your local hard disk and then open it.

SENDING MAIL WITHOUT ATTACHMENT

I received a mail with an attachment. When I opened it is unreadable?

Sending Tamil mail without an attachment is not preferable since the receiver do no know whether you have used TBEDIT or TMAIL. To send a Tamil mail direct, then type your mail, highlight the text and copy it (<Ctrl> and <c<). Then in your mail application (including the Web based mail) use <Ctrl> + <v> to paste the text. The text may look garbled (since the font may not be the same), but when the message is received by the other end, the user will switch the font (using one of the above steps) and read it.

SENDING MAIL AS AN ATTACHMENT

This is the most preferred way and easy to use. Type your document in TMAIL or TBEDIT. Then save it as a file. Open your mail program or Web based mail service. Fill the sender details and subject. Then select attachment and attach the document you have typed. This will ensure that the receiver gets the file as an attachment and he or she can open the same by just double clicking on it.

SENDING MAIL DIRECTLY FROM TMAIL OR TBEDIT

Both the programs has "Minanjal... " on the File menu. Click on that, you will be prompted with a dialog box of choosing profile. Accept the default and press OK. Your mail program will then open with the file you typed as an attachment. Fill the sender details and subject and then send the mail, as you would normally send mails. Note that this will not work for Web based E-Mails like Hotmail or Yahoo.

Do I have to do anything to load the software?

You will have to have install the Indic languages for working of this software. This will install all the Indian fonts that is required for the editor. Click here for details of installing the Indian Languages in your system

What does UniEdit offer that Tamil Editor or Tamil Mail does not?

UniEdit has more features than other editors that are offered free by us. To start with UniEdit is multilingual. Now you can use the Editor for English, Hindi, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu. More Indian languages will be added to this list. Like our predecessors, we provide on-screen keyboard, which we we were first to introduce 10 years ago and today this has been accepted as a standard by all Word-Processor manufacturer. The program can open files based on TSCII and TAB standards, and thus is compatible with both Tamil Editor and Tamil Mail. Just like all our programs, you can use UniEdit to send mails- only this time in multiple languages. What's more - you do not need to send the fonts!

What about Keyboard Layouts? Are there any standards followed?

UniEdit comes with a minimum of three layouts. This is by far more advanced than not only our other word Processors, but also commercially available Word processors, which are sold at a hefty price. With a very captivating design, the keyboard layout is easy to use and yet do not occupy much of your screen. You can dock the keyboard or leave it floating Each Language has a minimum of three Keyboard layouts. DOE standard, Typewriter standard - based on Godrej Typewriter layout and Phonetic Layout.

What is a Phonetic Keyboard? How do I use it?

This is like typing your language in English and let the program replace with right characters of the intended language. For Ex: say you want to type a name like Ramakrishna. With Phonetic layout, you will type as rAmakrishnA. Note the small letters and Caps letter combinations. This is to differentiate the different Phonetic sounds. If you have selected Hindi as your language, the screen would now display रामक्रिश्ना and if you had selected Kannada, then the same keystrokes would display: ರಾಮಕ್ರಿಶ್ನಾ. This is so simple!

What about Mails? Do I have to send the fonts to the recipients?

This is the beauty of UNICODE. You do not need to send any fonts when you send mail. If the user is running Windows XP or Windows 2000, he/she should have no problem in reading your mails.

Can I install the software in my Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows ME system?

Unfortunately no. This package is for Windows 2000, XP and higher Operating Systems (OS). This is due to the fact that these OS supports Indian Languages. However any mail or text sent from UniEdit can be read from Windows 98-SE and Windows ME system, provided Indian Languages are loaded.

Is there a Linux version of this Software?

Latest Linux kernels support UNICODE. However they only support True type font and not Open Type fonts which are necessary for proper rendering of Indian Language characters. There are plans to import this into Linux as well. this will be advertised in a few months after our initial Windows Programs are ready.

Is there some way I can help Kamban Software?

Certainly. We are in the lookout for programmers, translators and data entry operators. If you have a computer and would like to contribute, please do not hesitate to contact us at support@kamban.com.au with a detailed note on what you can do and how much are your rates. We can provide piece work, which you can complete at your own time and make few extra money as well.