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MarkWrite Walkthrough

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Mark Torrance edited this page Apr 3, 2021 · 7 revisions

Launch and Input

MarkWrite can be run by double-clicking MarkWriteApp.bat in the openHandWrite root directory (full distribution) or by double-clicking markwrite_icon in the stand-alone version of MarkWrite.

MarkWrite will open files of various types. These include data collected using Eye and Pen and Handspy as well as data from GetWrite data capture programs.

Orientation

The program has several windows, all of which can be resized, moved, and tabified. See image below.

mw_screencap_velocity acc

Timeline (top right) gives separate y and x plots against time. This is used to segment the text into periods for tagging. The blue region bounded by vertical yellow lines is the currently selected segment. The selected segment can be moved and resized using the mouse or by using the shortcut keys described below

Spatial View (bottom centre) shows how all or some of the text appeared on the page. The text in green corresponds to the segment that has been selected in the timeline. If the selected segment cannot be tagged (because it is already tagged, or because it cannot be nested within the currently selected parent segment) then it appears in red.

Selected Data (right) shows a spatial view of just the current selection.

Within any of these three windows: Left click and drag moves the view around. Right click and drag zooms. Double clicking in the current selection in the timeline zooms in on this selection.

Segment tree (top left) lists the segment tags that you have created, in the form of a hierarchy. Single left click on a tag label selects that segment associated with that tag. Double clicking zooms to it. Right clicking allows tag editing.

Segmentation actions

segment arrow icons

Selecting text segments (or, more accurately, segments of the production timecourse) can also be achieved by a number of selection actions. These are available via the arrow icons in the top toolbar, and also by key stroke actions. Implementing these by keystroke makes the process of dividing text into segments quick and efficient. Hovering over the icon in the GUI gives you a description of the action and (in the bar at the bottom of the screen) of the associated keys.

Output

File > export (and toolbar buttons) allows creation of both by-sample (large) and by-segment output files.

Typical coding session

  • Open a data file.

  • Change settings if required. If the image appears upside-down, Spatial View -> Invert Y Axis

  • Select the first sentence in the text, either by dragging and expanding the selection with mouse actions or, easier, using shortcut keys until you can see that the whole sentence, and nothing else, is highlighted in the Spatial View (and also appears in the Selected Data window).

  • Click the tick in the tool bar or press ENTER and type a name for the tag (e.g., "Sentence 1"). Sentence 1 now appears in the Tag Tree.

  • Double-click on Sentence 1 in the Tag Tree to zoom in on just this part of the text.

  • Select the first word in the sentence. Try the various shortcut keys to establish the quickest way of doing this.

  • Tag this with the name of the first word ("The" perhaps). "The" will appear as a Level 2 tag in the Tag Tree.

  • Repeat for all words in the sentence. Use shortcut keys to substanially speed the process.

  • You may (or may not) want to tag letters within each word. Repeat the process above, but this time double click on "The" to make that the focus. Select and label "T". This will appear as a Level 3 tag in the Tag Tree.

  • You may want to isolate individual strokes within some or all of the letters. Repeat the process to create stroke tags at Level 4.

  • Repeat for other sentences.

  • When you are finally finished, output both a by-sample data file and a detailed by-segment report.

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