updated 2007-10-16

Special thanks: Richard Simm, Rudolf Schinz

TypeTrainer4Mac - Operating Instructions

1. General Description

TypeTrainer4Mac is a multilingual typing tutor for Mac OS X. You have to type a string of random characters. You can select a character set and in this way you can control the learning process. You can also drag-and-drop a text file of your choice or one prepared by yourself as a rich text file. Each session provides its own protocol. You can find it on your desktop in the file TypeTrainer4Mac_Run_Log.rtf.

System requirements:

• Mac OS X 10.3.x, 10.4.x (For East languages - Mac OS X 10.4.x)
• European (ISO), American (ANSI) or Japanese (JIS) keyboard. Keyboards of other types may not be fully functional.

The downloaded and unpacked application is ready to use. To uninstall the application you should delete the application file and the file com.ValentinVassilevski.TypeTrainer4Mac.plist, which can be found in the Library/Preferences folder.

Copyrights:

• Icon © Jeff Skrysak
• About-Window © Apple (RoundTransparentWindow example) + Aaron Hillegass (A window that is oval-shaped)
• Checking for updates with Sparkle © Andy Matuschak
• Smart Crash Reports © Unsanity



• French localization: Jean-Jacques Cortes, Antoine Desir &
• Danish localization:
• German localization: Joerg Levermann & Rudolf Schinz
• Spanish localization: Francisco J Lopez
• Chinese localization:

2. Detailed Description

Before launching the application you should choose a keyboard layout as usual. Please note that not all possible layouts are supported as yet. In the Appendix, you can see tested system layouts of Mac OS X 10.4.x. In fact, there are more layouts supported, generated using Ukelele.

After launching the application you automatically enter a Training-mode with mixed-character exercises. Another available mode is Select-mode. You can switch between modes clicking the Select/Train button (see screenshot) or function keys F1/F2 or Main Menu-> Mode.

On the window header, you can see the name of the chosen layout followed by its ID number and the number of the corresponding script in brackets.

Underneath the main window is a drawer with a virtual keyboard and the numbers from 1 to 5, which correspond to the fingers from the thumb to the little finger. If the number is small, the appropriate finger should be positioned above the key without pressing it. If the number is large, that the finger should press the key to type the next character. The virtual keyboard in the Train-mode is intended only for visual orientation.

The next character to be typed is placed between two sliders. Wrongly typed characters appear in the string in black on a brown background. Correctly typed characters appear in gray on a lilac background. By default, you have to retype wrongly typed characters. In the preferences of the application, you can choose between various options.

Each string has to be terminated with a string terminator: space character (by default) or return key (optional). Before you press the string terminator, you can see your typing speed, measured in characters per minute, displayed in the left corner of the window under the input string.

The application has a built-in unit, which registers typing mistakes. Each wrongly typed character must be retyped three times. If the internal memory has no characters left after checking mistakes, you will see a Smiley. In this case, you can add new keys to the input character set using Select-mode.

The Select-mode has another virtual keyboard. All character keys are divided into two parts. The upper part corresponds to the upper case letter, and the lower part corresponds to the lower case letter. Selected keys appear bright, deselected keys are dimmed. Just click the appropriate keys to select or deselect the corresponding characters.

To select/deselect all the keys you can use Main Menu -> Extras -> Select/Deselect All Keys or the function key F4 (this option is not supported for East languages).

Your typing is accompanied by sound signals. You can adjust the sounds by using System preferences -> Sound. If you want to listen music using iTunes while you are training, you should switch local sound off, using Extras -> Switch local sound off.

3. Suggestions for usage

As you start using the TypeTrainer, there are 10 keys selected in the middle row of the keyboard. Try to practice these first. After this you can practice the row above, then row below. In this way, you can soon make yourself familiar with the most frequently used keys. Then you can start with some texts. You'll have to take a bit care preparing rich text files. Some sample files are in the folder Sample texts of the folder TypeTrainer4Mac_2.8.6. You can simply edit these files to customize them. To import such a file, change to Select-mode, drag the file icon to the middle of the window and drop it there. After the text has been typed, the application switches to a mixed exercise (by default) or begins with the same text again (choose in Preferences: repeat .rtf-file - In loop).

4. Final remark

This application is constantly being modified and contains features that may not be described in this manual. Please consult the ReadMe file in the TypeTrainer4Mac_2.8.6 folder for further details.

Thank you for your interest in this project. Let me know whether you want to suggest improvements or have any questions -

Valentin Vassilevski