Cathryn is finally admitting...

[Cathryn Bauer]

...that she has never really grasped parentheticals, e.g., (The reporter read back as requested.) and then going back to the line format (Speaker, Q, A) that preceded the request. I just have some kind of block about this, and I'm tired of doing this during editing.

Can someone point me to some simple directions?

Blessings, Cathryn

[Kyung]

I'm not understanding your question. You don't understand why you're putting in a parenthetical or how to set the speaker back up in to Q&A format?

[Rebecca Callow]

Hi, Cathryn, it's a lot easier than it seems, and the editing time you save you will be glad you spent the time setting it up.

The first thing you need to do is create the parenthetical and it needs to be in your "Block Files" folder. If you don't have a Block Files folder you need to create one. To create a Block Files folder, open your jobs/user folder and click on the "New folder" icon at the upper right. It's the yellow folder icon with the orange star on it. Name it "Block FIles"

Open your Block Files folder by double clicking on it, and in the "File Name" space at the bottom of the window, create a file for the parenthetical you want. For instance, "Recordread", or whatever works for you. Click "okay" and Eclipse will ask you if you want to create the file, click "yes". You will be taken to a new Eclipse text document.

Next click F8 and type "P" for parenthetical, then click enter. Now start typing your parenthetical the way you would like it to appear. (The reporter read back as requested.) Once you have done that, exit out of the Block Files folder, exit out of your user/jobs folder and go into your main dictionary.

F9 will get you into your dictionary and we are going to create an "Auto-Include File" that you can insert with your writer while on the job. Press Ctl+d to create a dictionary entry. Type the steno you would like to use to insert the file. I used RED/RED. Next enter the following syntax for your Auto-Include: {


Now you should be able to include this file right from your writer by stroking the steno you chose and also you can insert it in edit by pressing Alt+r and selecting the file out of the list.

You should not need to do anything else as far as formatting Q's & A's other than continue writing. If you are not already using "Insert Missing By Lines" you might want to check that feature out. It is in User Settings: Type Alt+U and click on the Translate tab. Put a check mark next to "Insert Missing By Lines" and you will won't have to designate the fact that testimony has resumed, just write your question bank and the BY ATTORNEY will fill in all by itself.

Let me know if you have any questions!

Hope this helps,
Rebecca

[Cathryn Bauer]

Wow! I will be printing this helpful post out and examining them in detail tonight. Thank you so much for taking the time to explain this. Sometimes my brain just turns to cement over something or other, and this is one of those times!

Blessings, Cathryn

[Laura Renke]

Cathryn, the simplest way to make a parenthetical you can pull in with steno is with a dictionary entry. For your readback, you'd make an entry in your main dix {P}(The reporter read back as requested.) or {C}(The reporter read back as requested.) depending if you want that in a parenthetical paragraph or a centered paragraph. You can global that right from a transcript if you've got the steno there or use Ctrl D to add the entry directly to your dix.

If you forget to write the steno at the job to pull in the paren, then you'll need to have a block file like Rebecca described in order to read that into a transcript later while editing. You can have both block files and dictionary entries for the same verbiage. They do pretty much the same thing, except block files can be brought in later. I use a mix of both. The dix entries are easier to add on the fly.

Laura

[Jenny Griffin, RMR CRR CCRR CRC]

I'm trying again as half my post didn't come out. I can't post the actual dix definition here as this site deletes them along with the rest of the line.

I use those autoincludes all the time. All my block files begin with an x.

Now that I've looked at these, I need to clean them up a bit or add a few more. I'm attaching them all anyway. Xdisb is (Discussion between the witness and ___________)

[Cathryn Bauer]

These are great answers. I had some time yesterday between reporting drunk driving pleas, and I experimented a bit. I now have a very respectable parenthetical for readback, and I will be adding more this weekend.

One important aspect about the block file is to make sure that the user you're in can access it. I can explain this better when I have Eclipse open in front of me, which I don't at the moment, and will do so if anyone would like. It involves pressing Alt-U, going to one of the screens (which one is what I am forgetting at the moment) and going to the Advanced setting at the bottom right of the screen. This will take you to a screen where you can designate the location of your block files and other important info that the User you're in needs to do what you want it to.

So there isn't a command that you can include in a parenthetical block file that will automatically return you to the paragraph format you were in before the parenthetical? Or do you all have keystrokes assigned to particular paragraph formats?

Jenny, looking forward to going over your JenIncludes file later today or this weekend.

Blessings, Cathryn

[Rebecca Callow]

Hi, Cathryn,

Yes, you are right about having the user be able to access the block files folder. If you go to User Settings to the "User" tab and click on the "Advanced" button near the bottom right, there is a button called "Blocks" in the center of the dialogue box. By clicking on that box you will then need to navigate through the Windows tree by clicking on each of the following: C, Program Files, Advantage Software, Eclipse NT, Users, "your user name" and then Block Files. Once you click on "Block Files" then click "okay" and you should be all set. It is very important that every user do this. I wish they would ship it that way from the factory. This is a very important step that a lot of folks miss. It really makes life so much easier.

Now as far as having the parenthetical return to the previous paragraph style used, that cannot be done. It is just not that intuitive yet.

You can set up a continuing paragraph style in User Settings under the "Paragraphs" tab. Select the paragraph you want to work with and then click the "Advanced" button. Near the bottom you will use the drop-down to select the continuing paragraph style. What that will do is force the continuation style you choose, not the paragraph style you were in previously. So if you always want colloquy or you always want a Q, then that would work, but I doubt that is the result you want.

I'm not sure, though, why you would need to have the software resume the previous paragraph style because after a parenthetical don't you have to designate the resumption of colloquy or testimony with the appropriate steno? I mean, say they asked you to read back for which you put in your RED/RED and the parenthetical came up. Wouldn't you designate a Q or A or speaker designation right after that so we know who is talking?

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding what you are looking for, so let me know.

As far as key strokes for a particular paragraph style, aside from Q, A, speaker, and parentheticals, I have the indent paragraph which I use for change of topic or thought or to break up the looooong talker.

Rebecca

[Cathryn Bauer]

>
I'm not sure, though, why you would need to have the software resume the previous paragraph style because after a parenthetical don't you have to designate the resumption of colloquy or testimony with the appropriate steno?br />
Usually, yes. But not necessarily.

ATTORNEY PURPLE: You're not responding to my question. Could the reporter read back the question, please.

(The court reporter read back as requested.)

You see, I was asking you about the width, not the height (Attorney Purple is still speaking).

But most of the time, yes, there would be a designation. Ah well. I'm better off than I was, and thanks to all.

[Rebecca Callow]

I see what you are saying, but what if the witness blurted something out or ATTORNEY RED decided to object? What if the court said that s/he would allow or not allow the witness to answer?

I don't think that you are in a static situation that will *always* be one thing or another, which is probably why the feature does not exist.

The best way to save yourself some strokes in this instance is to use "Insert Missing By Lines". The way it works is, as long as you have designated a speaker once by inserting an "Examination by..." with steno, (Examination by Mr. Purple) all you have to do write your Q to resume testimony and it will insert the "BY MR. PURPLE" for you after colloquy, parentheticals, whatever. Once you change speakers, say on redirect, and designate such with steno, "Examination by Mr. Red" it will switch to "BY MR. RED:" or (Q By Mr. Red) however you have your by lines set up.

In your example, with "Insert Missing By Lines" turned on, all you would do is write your Q stroke and it would automatically insert your by line for you. That is a LOT easier than stroking BY SNAO Q, or whatever.

If you need a better explanation, I would be happy to provide a step-by-step.

Rebecca

[Marla Sharp]

Just to throw my two cents in, anytime there's any sort of interruption in Q&A, whether it's one person objecting or a parenthetical being added, I always reintroduce the questioner with a new "by" line.