Upside Braille-Down Instruction Manual

table of contents

1. About Upside Braille-Down
2. About the public location
3. Operating environment
4. How to use
5. Copyright
6. Request for donations and cooperation
7. Update history
8. Contact information

1. About Upside Braille-Down

overview

Upside Braille-Down (USB-D) is an add-on that allows you to use a braille display upside down in NVDA.

Features

• Braille display can be used in both upper and lower positions
  By using the Braille display upside down, you can bring the PC keyboard and Braille cell closer together when using a display with the cell in front.
• Invert braille display and key switches
  The cell display and cursor routing switch on compatible braille displays will be inverted. Additionally, line scroll keys, arrow keys, and some other braille input keys are also reversed on supported braille displays.
• You can enable or disable inversion
  You can toggle whether or not to invert the braille display from the NVDA menu, depending on the current situation.

Supported braille display

Compatible braille displays are listed below. Please note that we are widely accepting work results for braille displays, and cannot guarantee all operations. The author has confirmed operation on Next Touch 40.

• KGS: Next Touch 40
  • Key reversal: supported
  • Operation confirmed or supported accepted versions: NVDA 2023.1, 2024.1
• KGS: Braille Memo 32
  • Key reversal: supported
  • Operation confirmed or supported accepted version: NVDA 2023.1
• Nippon Telesoft: Seika 40 version5
  • Key reversal: supported
  • Operation confirmed or supported accepted version: NVDA 2023.1

2. About the public location

This add-on is published on the following page. Please check the latest version of the add-on as well as information about updates.

• Upside Braille-Down page: https://actlab.org/software/USB-D

3. Operating environment

To use this add-on, the following environment is required.

*NVDA2023.1 or later * Other environments where Windows and NVDA can operate comfortably

Please note that to use this add-on, a compatible braille display and its driver must be set up correctly.

4. How to use

Toggle the inverted state of the braille display

From the NVDA menu, select "Upside Braille-Down".

• If you select "Flat Braille display orientation", the orientation of the Braille display will be reversed.
• Select "Restore Braille Display Orientation" to return the Braille display to its normal orientation.

Note that when NVDA is started, the settings are the same as when it was last closed.

Check and perform updates

Updates may be provided to this add-on to update functionality and fix defects. You can check for add-on updates at any time by selecting Upside Braille-Down from the NVDA menu and clicking Check for Updates. If an update is found, you will be prompted to update. Please follow the instructions to perform the update.

Additionally, this add-on has a function that automatically checks for updates when NVDA starts. You can change the setting by selecting "Upside Braille-Down" from the NVDA menu and running "Disable checking for updates at startup" or "Enable checking for updates at startup".

5. Copyright

(c) 2024 Hiroki Fujii - ACT Laboratory

GNU General Public License, version 2

• URL: https://actlab.org/

6. Request for donations and cooperation

ACT Laboratory (Accessible Tools Laboratory) is a gathering of visually impaired people who learn programming.
This add-on is free, but there are some costs associated with publishing it.

If you like this add-on and would like to support and cooperate with our activities, please lend us your support. We plan to introduce those who have provided support on Twitter and the ACT Laboratory website.

Click here for details
https://actlab.org/donate/

7. Update history

• 1.0.2 (2025/02/27)

  • Compatible with NVDA 2025.1

• 1.0.0 (2024/02/24)

  • Initial release

• 1.0.1 (2024/02/24)

  • fix updater

8. Contact information

If you have any impressions, requests, or reports of bugs while using this add-on, please contact us at the email address below or on the bulletin board.

• ACT Laboratory support: support@actlab.org
• ACT Laboratory BBS: https://actlab.org/bbs/

The GitHub repository is here.

• https://github.com/actlaboratory/USB-D