DP Canada Forums

[IonaV]

Thanks, Alan.

That's what we need--a definite opinion from an experienced formatter. There are other formatters, like you, who don't worry (too much anyway) about what the proofers have done--unless they try to do your job....
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Iona

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson

[stygiania]

As a formatter, I handle them just like Scribe. As a proofer, I usually leave it however it came to me unless a name is all lower-case or it is a mIxEd-case mess. As a content provider, I try to pre-process it into the correct (for formatters) case if the project or page is particularly difficult. I don't bother on the easy stuff because I figure people are just begging for something to do on those projects.
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[Tizz]

In PP, I did (once) replicate the small caps at the beginning of each chapter (only forty or so).

It looked nice. It took ages. I only did it the once. In prep, I'll do the same as stygiania if there aren't too many chapters (especially if there is a drop cap and the beginnings of chapters need attention anyway).

Tizz

[jjz]

In PP I usually leave them upper/lower in the text version, but if the book has small cap, I will always small cap them in the html. I do use some regexes that cut down the time considerably.

Jacqueline
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[Tizz]

[jjz]

They are really amateur and I am sure someone can come up with something much, much better.

However, I'll embarrass myself and put them here with the hope that someone will chuckle and say how easily it could be done a different way.

In the text, before html generation:

[Tizz]

Tizz

[RCEberwein]

Found this a little late but here's my 2¢.

Some thoughts on the ALL CAPS/Mixed Caps/MIXed Up caPs/small caps/ etc. Proofing vs Foofing vs Guidelines etc. discussion.

1. The guidelines say "don't bother changing the case" because the Formatters will deal with it.

Well, speaking as a formatter, it is easier (1 step) to wrap <sc></sc> code around mixed-case "Small Caps" than it is to convert & wrap (2 steps) mixed case "SMALL CAPS" --> "Small Caps" --> "<sc>Small Caps</sc>"

2. If Proofers shouldn't bother making wholesale changes in capitalization then please REMOVE the ABC/Abc/abc buttons in the proofing interface so we don't get tempted to use them! :wink:

3. Speaking as a proofer, I don't see why we "match the scan" for so much else & then ignore the Capitalization in so many cases where it would easily be CLEARER if we just 'fixed' it.

To be clear: In P2/P3 I don't change the capitalization unless there is an obvious error or particular letters are at variance with the rest of the 'case'.

BUT, if a P1 has 'fixed' the OCR to match the SCAN ... WHY would I ever 'correct' them by returning the text to the OCR'd version!

4. Incidentally (correct me if I'm wrong), it wasn't so long ago that Formatters had the responsibility of 'marking-up' the superscript/subscript 'code' -- gee, we have survived the Proofers being given that 'critical thinking' job haven't we?

True, divided attention can lead to missed typos/scannos/hyphenations etc. but if that is going to happen (in this case at least) in P1, well Big Deal! -- it is P1 after all, with 2 rounds to go ... and even that, BTW, is sometimes one round too many.

In the end I believe anything that streamlines the process so that we are all more effective/productive is to the best.

Finally, I think a bigger issue is the provision of more detailed PC's specific to a project at the beginning, with regular updates as the forums raise 'unexpected' issues. This would/should lead to better proofing all around. Note, for example, the 'generic' instructions given in many German (& other LOTE), Jesuit Relations, and Drama projects.

I'm hoping this will further the discussion here (and elsewhere?) ...
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Robert

[Tizz]

[stygiania]

While proofers don't need to mess with the case of small caps, I'd still keep the ABC/Abc/abc buttons because they do still need to fix ALL CAPS and other non-small-capped text that OCRed incorrectly. (And yes, if the proofers can be trusted to fix ALL CAPS, I see no reason why they can't fix the case of SMALL CAPS.)
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[IonaV]

Robert,

Don't know how many of my projects you do (though I admit I haven't had many new ones in the rounds of late ). The really EASY ones I don't have many instructions; but the HARD ones --I sometimes wonder if the length and/or detail of my PCs turn off some proofers or foofers.

But I do agree--for some projects, detail in PCs is essential.

I'm also beginning to be on the fence as to which rounds (P* or F*) would be best to handle the Small Caps hassle.
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Iona

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson

[Long Green]

Since, when one clicks on the project forum, one always gets the first page of the forum, and if there are more than 2 pages of posts, it can be a long read, I'd like to suggest that each PM include in the first post which can be edited, two sections which can be updated by the PM as needed.
1] Proofing issues in this project.
2] Formatting issues in this project.
Then, when a decision has been made as a result of a question it can be added to the appropriate section. And new or returning proofreaders (to that project) would always know that that is where to find decisions for all the non-standard issues raised without having to read or re-read all the posts.

Often one or more examples is better than words to describe how something should be done.
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[stygiania]