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The free BETA version of Azhagi's next release (4.0.3) is available for downloading and testing.
Download link here: http://azhagi.com/ram/Azhagi-Free-403Beta-Setup.exe.

The major aspect to look for in 4.0.3 beta is Azhagi's own inbuilt UNICODE EDITOR (see snapshot below), whose features will be explained later in this document. Before using the Unicode editor, you have to necessarily set your system enabled for Unicode input in Indian languages, if not already done. To do the same, either visit http://azhagi.com/uniset.html (Or) after installing 4.0.3 and starting Azhagi application, click 'Help->Unicode Help'.



This free beta version is a tested version and will work fine as usual. Before releasing it to the public in large, we thought it would be nice to get the opinion of you, existing users, so that we can iron out some areas, add/modify/remove some features etc. Also, since it's a beta, there might be some errors still (in the newly introduced Unicode editor we mean, and not in the other regular operations of 4.0.2). We are sure you can find and report them. Azhagi's Unicode editor is the BASE on which we plan to extend Azhagi to other Indian languages like Hindi, Malayalam etc. (We are not promising anything here, but we will try our best). So, kindly test out and point our errors or give as many suggestions as possible. Your continued support is very vital in this regard.

By installing the 4.0.3. beta, your current password of azhagi WILL NOT change. Hence, we request you not to mail us any registration number, asking for new password (unless ofcourse you require password for an entirely new machine in which case you shall first follow the procedure as in http://azhagi.com/free.html and then come back to read instructions in this page). Use your current password itself.

Please note:

1. Prior to installing 4.0.3 beta, have a safe copy of Azhagi's 4.0.2 setup file [i.e. Azhagi-Setup.exe (or) Azhagi-Free-Setup.exe of version 4.0.2]. You can download the same, as usual, from http://azhagi.com/download.html (or) http://azhagi.com/free.html.
   
   
2. Before installing 4.0.3, do note down the current password you use for azhagi correctly, in a text file. Your current password will not change by installing the beta version and hence use this same password to register 4.0.3 beta also.
   
   
3. After installing, this beta version will show up as a separate entry in the 'Add/Remove Programs' list of the control panel.
   
   
4. While installing the free beta version of Azhagi, the default installation directory path will get displayed as 'C:\Program Files\Azhagi-Free'. You can change this path, if you wish to. The default name for Program Group directory will get displayed as 'Azhagi-Free'. You can change this name, if you wish to.
   
   
5. Depending upon the installation directory path and the program group name you choose, you can have shortcuts for both 4.0.2 and 4.0.3 of Azhagi in your system and open either of them, at a particular point of time.
   
   
6. After you start the application by clicking the beta version shortcut in desktop or quickLaunchBar, the password screen will pop-up as usual. Do input your current password (i.e. the password you are using currently for your 4.0.2 version of Azhagi). No need for you to email us to get a new password.
   
   
   

What is new in version 4.0.3?

Azhagi has its own "in-built" Unicode Editor. This Unicode editor can work in Win 98/ME/NT/2K/XP/2K3/Vista.

This editor will be immensely helpful for free version users of Azhagi who at present do not have the facility to directly type in Unicode from within Azhagi.

This editor will be very useful for commercial version users also, if they are not overly habituated to typing in MS-Word. Typing/Editing with Azhagi's Unicode editor offers the user, the greatest ease and flexibility for Unicode Tamil Input. You might be aware that in case of 'Direct typing in external applications', Azhagi's one-of-its-kind features of 'Extended Editing' and 'Extended Mode' are available only during Tscii input and not during Unicode input. But, these features are automatically available when you type your Tamil text from within Azhagi (using the main Tscii editor or the new Unicode Editor), instead of typing in an external application. To know more about 'Extened Editing' and 'Extended Mode', after starting Azhagi application, click on 'Help->Contents' and in the help topics that open, navigate to 'User Manual->Tray Items Explained'. Under it, you will find explanation for these extended features.

How to start the Unicode Editor?

Start Azhagi fully by clicking OK in the opening password screen.

Click on 'Tools' menu and then click on 'Azhagi's Unicode Editor'. Alternatively you can press 'F8' hotkey.

Azhagi's Unicode Editor will get displayed.

Start typing in English and you will see it appearing in Unicode Tamil.

You can use F10 (or F9) as a toggle to type in Tamil and English alternatively (Free version users can use only F9, as of now).

Note for Win98 users:
Using this editor, you can seamlessly type in Unicode and use the generated Unicode text in whichever way suitable for you. If you are unable to type in Unicode using this editor and you see only squares or question marks, please click 'Help->Unicode Help' (after starting Azhagi application) and read the contents therein patiently. Basically, you should have atleast one Unicode font (say 'Latha') in your Win98 system and your 'USP10.dll' file should be compatible with your Win98 system. For more details, see 'Special Notes' at the end of this page.

The Unicode editor has following features:

• Email
  As in the main Azhagi Tscii editor, you can click on 'File->Send Mail....' to email your text by using your MAPI-compliant internal email client (say 'Outlook Express')
  
  
• Undo/Redo
  You can undo/redo your editing operations. It may not exhibit the same behaviour as in MS-Word but nevertheless an effective 'undo/redo' feature still. You can use Ctrl-Z for 'undo' and Ctrl-Y for 'redo'. [The initial undo/redo limit is set as 900. We are not sure whether modifying this limit will have any effect (depending on your system configuration, particularly your RAM) on the typing/editing speed. We do not experience any effect in our machines. You can experiment at your end by changing this limit (max. of 1000 and min. of 10) by clicking the 'Preferences' menu.]
  
  
• Align 'Justify'
  You can 'Full-Justify' your Text, apart from aligning left/center/right.
  
  
• Automatic URL Underlining
  URLs (i.e. website addresses. e.g. 'http://azhagi.com') will be automatically identified and underlined in blue color. For this to take effect, you have to type your URL starting with 'http:' or 'www'.
  
  
• Add/Modify Unicode Fonts List
  Just like in Azhagi's main Tscii editor, you can select your own set of Unicode fonts to be used instead of seeing a loadful of unwanted fonts in the fonts list. You do this by clicking 'Modify Fonts List' under 'Fonts' menu.
  
  
• Default Unicode Fonts List
  Similarly, there is a menu item 'Set Default Fonts List' under 'Fonts' menu. This helps you to restore back the fonts list to the default fonts loaded by Azhagi on its own. Note that this process may not identify all the Unicode fonts in your system correctly. And that's why the 'Modify Fonts List' menu item is provided for you to identify and choose all Unicode fonts of your choice and form your own Unicode fonts list.
  
  
• Default Start-up Unicode Font and Size
  You can choose your own start-up default Unicode font (and size) to be used, amongst the set of Unicode fonts you selected. You can do this by clicking 'Preferences' menu.
  
  
• Highlight Text
  You can not only set the Text color but the  Higlight color  also.
  
  
• Draft File
  You can quickly open a 'Draft' file by clicking on 'File->Draft' or 'F8' hotkey and start writing your draft text. When you press 'Ctrl-S' to save your file, it will be automatically saved to 'Draft.rtf'. This will come handy on many occasions (in the same way as you save files in the 'drafts' folder of Outlook Express, when you draft mails).
  
  
• Help Topics
  The Help topics have been revised, particularly on the Unicode section. After starting the Unicode editor, you can click on 'Help' menu to see the extensive help on the various aspects of Unicode and Unicode tools available in Azhagi. Menu items exist to directly take you to the screens through which you 'Enable Unicode' or 'Add Tamil/US keyboard layout'.
  
  
• Limitations
  
  • Contrary to the main Azhagi Tscii editor which supports both Single(Full) and Dual Screen interfaces, the Unicode editor supports only Single(Full) Screen interface.
    
    
  • Contrary to the main Azhagi Tscii editor which supports 3 input modes (Phonetic Transliteration, Tamil Typewriter and Tamilnet99), the Unicode editor supports Phonetic Transliteration alone.
    
    
  • To switch between Tamil and English input, free version users can use only F9 as hotkey and not F10.
    
    

Special Notes for Win98 users:



Though Azhagi's Unicode editor will definitely work in Win98 (as seen in the snapshot above), your system has to meet the following conditions.

• It should have atleast one unicode font. Latha is the most preferred (because it is the default font looked for and used by Windows system automatically, whenever it sees Unicode characters). If you have Windows XP, just copy Latha font from c:\windows\fonts of your XP installation and copy it in the fonts folder of your Win98 installation.
  
  
• You should have a file called USP10.dll (uniscribe processor) in 'c:\windows\system' and also be lucky to have the correct version of this file. If you don't have the correct version, then the Unicode characters will appear disjointed as you type. There are various versions of USP10.dll available on the net and nobody can tell which one will suit your Win98 installation.
  
  
• Even if Azhagi's unicode editor shows unicode characters improperly, just see whether Azhagi's "Unicode Converter" generates unicode characters properly and shows them up. i.e. type some characters in Azhagi main interface (in tscii), click on 'File->Convert to Unicode' and click on 'Plain text' button and Yes or OK in the next 2 or 3 screens. you can see the convered Unicode text getting displayed automatically as an html file in your web browser.
  

Well, all said and done, if you have already moved on to WinXP or Vista, you need not bother about Win98 but in case you have Win98 with you, we request you to still test out Azhagi's Unicode editor in it. Your feedback will be helpful for other Win98 users.

Final Note:

• Azhagi's unicode editor is the BASE on which we plan to extend Azhagi to Hindi, Malayalam etc. So, kindly test out and point our errors or give as many suggestions as possible. Your continued support is very vital in this regard.
  
  
• The unicode editor has the basic minimum stuff needed for an editor, we suppose. We wish to get more feedback and proceed ahead.
  
  
• We plan to continue to enhance the features of version 4.0.3 beta and release them, as and when ready. This web'page will also be updated, based on user-feedback for the beta version. We will keep you informed of all this through our 'azhagi' group messages.
  
  
• Those of you who dont know anything about what is Tscii, what is Unicode etc., and wish to know about them, please read 'Help->Unicode help' after starting Azhagi. You will get to understand unicode and its IMMENSE power. Like Unicode (e.g. Latha font), Tscii (e.g. SaiIndira font) is another font encoding system - simple/very'fast/beautiful/effective at all times in all applications in all Win OS-es but with much less powers and without future compatibility. We can't say more than this here, as it will go too technical.
  
  

She just rules - Should we say more? Visit us at azhagi.com.
If at all you can find a better Tamil Transliterator than Azhagi, please show it to us.