Murasu Anjal2000 Quick Start Guide

This is a simple how-to style user guide to help you get started with Anjal2000.

This guide has 6 sections :

1. Anjal2000 Setup
2. Browsing Tamil web sites and Web based email
3. Using the Anjal keyboard to type in Tamil
4. Using Anjal2000 with Outlook Express, Netscape and Eudora
5. Anjal2000 Plug-Ins and other Add-on products
6. Upgrading to Anjal2000-Pro

• To install Anjal2000, you must have the distribution file, a2k.exe. You may download it from the Internet at http://www.murasu.com , order a CD-ROM from http://www.pimall.com.sg/murasu or simply click on this link

• If you are downloading from the Internet, choose to safe the file on your desktop (recommended)
• Once you download is complete, you will see a file a2k.exe with a yellow box on Murasu icon on your desktop.
• Click on this icon to start installing Murasu Anjal.
• If you are installing from CD-ROM, just click on the button Install Anjal2000.
• In either case, accept all default values during the installation (that is keep clicking on the "Next" button until you see "Finish" - click on the Finish button to complete your installation).
• Once Anjal has been installed, you will see the Murasu Anjal2000 icon on your desktop. This is the icon that does not have the yellow box (the one that has the box is the distribution file. You may want to save that file into a floppy drive or some other place and delete it from your desktop).

• Click on the Murasu Anjal2000 icon to start Anjal.

• Click on "Setup Anjal"

• Fill in
• Your name in English
• Your name in Tamil (you may leave this blank if you do not know Tamil typing for now)
• Your email address
• Your keyboard preference. If you are new to Tamil typing, you may want leave the choice as "Murasu Anjal Keyboard".
• Select the character set you will be working with. If you are not familiar, you may leave this as it is.
• You may want to check (i.e. select) "Start Anjal Minimised". If this is checked, Anjal will automatically minimise itself into the Windows system tray (bottom right corner of your desktop) every time it starts. This is highly recommended.

• If you are familiar with character sets and are sure about the character set (or sets) you will be using, you may check on "Load Selected Fonts Only". When this option is checked, you will see a button "Select Fonts" next to the line. Click on this button to select the fonts for your encoding. If a font is not selected for an encoding, Anjal2000 will not load that font the next time it starts. This option is particularly useful if you are in AnjalPro mode or have installed additional fonts for Murasu Anjal.

• Click "Ok" to save your setup. You may want to quit and restart Anjal so that your new setup will take effect. If you have not selected "Start Anjal Minimised" earlier, you may click on the "Minimise" button to put it away in the system tray.

• To view the Anjal Control panel again, simply double click on the minimised icon or right click on it for a menu.

• As a final step to the setup process, click on the "Register" button to register your FREE use of Murasu Anjal. Follow the simple instructions that will be displayed once you click this button to register.

• You are now set to browse Tamil web sites that are done on Anjal. Here are some : http://www.ambalam.com , http://www.aaraamthinai.com , http://www.oli.com.sg. For a list of other web sites that are done in Anjal, visit http://www.pathcom.com/~mahend/anjal.htm.

• Please read the next section on browsing Tamil web sites.

• Most Anjal based web sites today predefine the font that they use in their pages. If they have done so, you may not have to change any font setting in your browser.  However, you must enable your browser to use document specified fonts.

• In Netscape, pull down the Edit menu and select Preferences.  Under Appearance select Fonts.  On the right, please ensure that you select Use document specified fonts, including Dynamic fonts.
• FREE Web based Tamil email services such as Ambalam.Com predefine the fonts as well. If you have an email account with Ambalam.Com, you just need to set your character set to Anjal and pick any keyboard of your choice.
• Click the right mouse button on the Murasu icon placed at the bottom right corner of your screen.  Select Encoding and pick Anjal.
• To keep this setting permanent, you may pick Anjal Setup and set your preferences there.
• For other FREE email services like Hotmail or Eudoramail, follow the steps below :

• For Netscape Communicator users :
• Pull down the Edit menu and click Preferences
• Under Appearance, click Fonts
• For Encoding choose User defined
• Set your variable width font to one of the following :
• Anjal Encoding : InaiMathi
• TSCII Encoding : InaiMathiTSC (most common)
• TAB Encoding : TAB_InaiMathi
• Set your fixed width font to :
• Anjal Encoding : ArulMathi
• TSCII Encoding : ArulMathiTSC (most common)
• TAB Encoding : TAB_ArulMathi
• Pull down the View menu, select Character Set and set it to User Defined.
• Pull down the View menu, select Character Set again and pick Set Default Character Set to make this permanent.
• You will be able to read all your Web based email in Tamil and will also be able to read old web pages (the pages that do not specify fonts) in tamil as well.

• For users of Internet Explorer 5 users.
• Pull down Tools menu and select Internet Options
• Click on the Fonts button
• Language Script - pick User Defined
• Web page font - set it to the same as variable width font in Netscape above
• Plain text font - set it to the same as fixed width font in Netscape above
• Pull down the View menu, select Encoding and set it to User Defined.
• You will be able to read all your Web based email in Tamil and will also be able to read old web pages (the pages that do not specify fonts) in tamil as well.

Murasu Anjal2000 supports 6 types of keyboards : Anjal, Tamil99, TamilNet97, Mylai, Old Typewriter and New Typewriter.  All these keyboards supports typing of Tamil text using the existing QWERTY keyboard.

Pressing the F12 key switches the keyboard between English and Tamil modes - remember Anjal must be running all the time for you to be able to type in Tamil.

For simplicity, only the Anjal keyboard is documented here.  User guides for the other keyboards can be found at the Murasu web site.

• Anjal Keyboard Key assignments

The Murasu Anjal keyboard layout is based on the phonetic mapping which most people on the Internet are used to. The assignment is simple. Here's a table that shows the mapping :

• Compound Characters (…ÇÑ—ÀË ‡à´³™�è)

 

 
 
 
 
 

To get compound characters use the good old formula : uyir + mei = uyirmei. (actually it should be mei + uyir mathematically). With this kind of mapping, you should be able to read the message with either Roman or Tamil text. The line below shows text typed with both Tamil and Roman fonts.

 
…èã´°‘í —º‘ËÆ‘³ ŠàŽò …Ò�´°‘Ñ
…èã´³è ‡ÖÒ‘Å …ãò

The above line can be typed as :

uLLaththAR poyyAthu ozukin ulakaththAr
uLLaththuL ellAm uLan

or

uLLaththaaR poyyaathu ozukin ulakaththaar
uLLaththuL ellaam uLan


The first two lines (Tamil) were typed with the keyboard mode set to Tamil with exactly the same key sequence as in the second and third two lines. Remember to switch keyboard modes, use the F12 key.

• Short-cuts

 

 
 
 
 
 

Short-cut mechanisms are provided to speed up your typing. More will be added as and when new findings are encountered.
 

• Double "kuril" for "nedil" characters.

 

 
 
 
 
 

Examine the following line :
 

yAkAvArAyinum nAkAkkA
It is tedious to alternatively press the shift key to type nedil characters (like A in the above example). You could type the following (simplified) sequence to produce the same text in Tamil
 
yaakaavaaraayinum naakaakkaa


Although there are more keystrokes, it is a lot faster to type the second line. You may want to try typing both in Murasu Mailer or the Notepad editor. They should produce identical results when typed in Tamil mode. (Note if you are using Notepad, set the font to Anjal-Text - Windows98, WindowsNT, Windows2000 or later only).
 

• The alphabet 'R'

 

 
 
 
 
 

Examine the following words :
 

manRam, nanRi, kanRu


The character 'r' (Ñ) never appear after 'n' (ò). So if a 'r' character appears after 'n', it must be a 'R' (í). This 'intelligence' has been fed into the keyboard driver. So, the above words can also be typed in the following sequence :
 

mandram, nandri, kandruetc. (The 'd' must appear - to emphasize the 'n' sound)


The same applies for 'tr'. Small 'r' (Ñ) never follow a big 'R' (í) And small 'r' never gets repeated (ÑÌ - not common). So if two 'r's are appearing next to each other, it must be RR (íé). Try the following :

pootri, naatram, thootram, etc. (here 't' is user to emphasize the 'r')

Try the key sequences and the short cuts above. If you have any other ideas on implementing short cuts (calling all gurus on thamiz ilakkaNam) please send a note to muthu@murasu.com.

Now try this :

paRRuka paRRaRRAn paRRinai, appaRRai
paRRuka paRRu vitaRku

versus this :

patruka patratraan patrinai, appatrai
patruka patru vitaRku

The second one is not only easier type - it's also easier to read !
 
• 'n-' as the first character and 'nth'

 

 
 
 
 
 

When 'n' is typed immediately after a space, carriage return or tab, you will automatically get 'n-' (¹). Also if a 'th' follows 'n', the 'n' will be switched to 'n-'. The following line will render the 'n's correctly when typed in Tamil mode (remember F12).
 

ivan nadanthu vanthaan
• 'N' (dan-nakaram)

 

 
 
 
 
 

'd' after an 'n' will switch the preceding 'n' to 'N'. eg :

 
kandeen, mandapam, nandu etc.
• njc = njj

 
anjchal, manjchal, thanjchametc


can also be typed as
 

anjjal, manjjal, thanjjametc
• thth = tth

 
muththu, paththi, saththametc


can also be typed as

 
mutthu, patthi, satthametc

With Murasu Anjal, you can send and receive email in Tamil.  The free version Anjal2000 allows you to type Tamil in three of the most commonly used Email readers on the Internet.  If you are using any other email reader you can have Tamil input capabilities with Murasu Anjal-Pro.

To read and write Tamil email, you need to set the appropriate fonts in your mail reader.  In the sections below, you will find information on how to configure the three readers.  The parameters may not have the exact text, since these software are updated on a regular basis.  However, you should be able to find the match and configure accordingly.

Outlook Express 5
 

• After installing and starting Outlook Express, go to the Tools menu and select Options.  Pick the Read tab in the Options window. Click on the Fonts button.
• Set the following :

 
• Font Settings : User Defined
• Proportional Font and Fixed Width Font :
Depending on the encoding you have set in Anjal, pick the appropriate font
 
Anjal encoding : ArulMathi
TSCII encoding : ArulMathiTSC (most commonly used)
TAB encoding : TAB_ArulMathi
• Font Size : Medium (or your choice)
• Remember to click the Set as Default button to set this as the default setting.  Click OK.
• Next select the Send tab in the Options screen.  Set Mail Sending Format to Plain Text.
• Click on the Settings button next to  Plain Text. Select MIME and set Encode text using to Quoted Printable Also select (check) Allow 8bit characters in headers.
• Click Ok.
• Quit and restart Outlook Express.  Compose a new message.  Press F12 to type Tamil messages as documented in the keyboard section above.

Eudora
 

• Run Eudora.  Pull down the Tools menu and select Options.
• Select the Fonts icon and set the fonts to ArulMathi, ArulMathiTSC or TAB_ArulMathi (refer to Outlook Express Setup above) for Message, Printer, and Screen.
• Set the size you prefer.
• You can now compose a new message in Tamil and English.  Don't forget to use the F12 key to switch between English and Tamil.

Netscape Messenger

    The setup for Netscape Messenger is the same as the browser.  Click here to check the settings.
 

 
Plug-Ins to Murasu Anjal2000 are additional tools that expands the use of Anjal. Murasu Mailer and Murasu Text Converter are plug-ins that are bundled into the distribution package. The rest of them are packaged separately and are downloadable from http://www.murasu.com.

Here's a brief description of available plug-ins and their functions :

Murasu Editor

A simple word processor similar to Wordpad. Opens MRT (Murasu Rich Text) documents and MTF (Murasu Text File) documents by default. Allows for find and replace in Tamil.

Murasu Insert-Text Editor

Insert text is a feature of Anjal2000 where you can save commonly used text into menu items. Examples use can be when you want to create standard replies to common email requests, quickly insert common lines or phrases into documents or email. Once this feature is installed, the "+Murasu" menu will have a "Insert Text" sub-menu in which you can add as many menu entries as you want. Each menu entry will represent a commonly used string of text. The menu items and the associated text can be edited with this plug-in.

Murasu Matrix Editor

This plug-in is for technical users, particularly developers of software or web pages. The editor is used to create MTX files that can be used with the Text Converter in Anjal2000. An MTX file is a file that contains information about a particular encoding. As Tamil content on the Internet is rendered with different fonts that use different encoding, it becomes necessary at times to convert these text from one encoding to another. Murasu Text Converter does this by allowing you to select portions of text and converting them on the fly or through text files. The conversion process requires an MTX file for the encoding you want to convert to and from. Anjal2000 already has the MTX files for the most commonly used encoding : Anjal, TSCII, TAB, TAM, Unicode, Mylai and Romanised Tamil. If you have a font that uses an encoding that is not one of these, you may use the Matrix Editor to create an MTX file for it.

Murasu ClipArt

This software contains clip-art images that can be inserted and resized in your documents or web pages. Murasu ClipArt is a commercial software and for a limited time, you may get this for FREE with the purchase of an AnjalPro license. Check http://www.murasu.com for up to date information and validity of the promotion.

Murasu Nigandu

This is a Tamil-English dictionary for Murasu Anjal. The project is currently under development.

Anjal Pro enables more features and additional fonts - including Kannigal, a Tamil "Dingbat" font.  With AnjalPro you can also type Tamil directly into any Windows application such as MS Office, WordPad, PageMaker and other applications. Click the Upgrade button on Murasu Anjal2000 and you will be able to test Anjal2000 without any license keys for 20 days. To continue to use Anjal2000 beyond the 20 days, you will need to buy a license to upgrade.  You may do this over the Web at http://www.pimall.com.sg/murasu. Click here for more details on Anjal2000-Pro.