LaoScript 8 Features and Release Notes

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LaoScript 8 Features and Release Notes

Major changes from previous versions

LaoScript 8 has been totally redeveloped for use with 64-bit editions of Windows and applications and Lao Unicode fonts, while maintaining compatibility with existing (32-bit) applications and the older, non-Unicode, Lao fonts used in earlier versions.

LaoScript 8 provides a simpler user interface and improved dictionary management. It uses Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0, which should be downloaded and installed if it is not already installed on the computer being used.

LaoScript 8 does not require earlier versions of Lao Script for Windows to be uninstalled, but cannot be used at the same time as any earlier version.

The Thai to Lao translation features of earlier versions have been significantly improved for LaoScript 8. (Gold Edition only.)

Use of Lao with Adobe InDesign (CS2 and later) and other Adobe applications remains supported (with Lao Unicode fonts, especially MX-series fonts), but further development of the Lao Add-In for Adobe InDesign has been discontinued, and that Add-In is no longer included and cannot be supported.

LaoScript 8 Features

LaoScript 8, Standard Edition provides:

Compatibility with both 32-bit and 64-bit applications on Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows® XP.
Unicode and non-Unicode Lao/English TrueType fonts, including Saysettha OT, a professionally hinted OpenType Lao Unicode font especially optimized for screen and webpage use, and the MX-series of OpenType Lao Unicode fonts designed for use on both Windows and Mac OS-X.
Lao keyboard mapping, allowing Lao text to be entered either using the standard Lao typewriter-style keyboard layout, or phonetically, using an easy-to-learn romanized way of writing Lao syllables.
Optional word-wrap at syllable or word boundaries by automatic insertion of invisible break characters, either as text is typed or afterwards in selected text using menu commands.
Lao spell-checking, using standard and user-defined Lao word lists and syllable rules.
Lao menu Add-Ins for Microsoft Office (Microsoft® Word, Microsoft® Excel, Microsoft® Powerpoint), providing font conversion and sorting according to Lao alphabetical order.
Lao menu Add-On for Libre-Office providing spell-checking, font-conversion and sorting according to Lao alphabetical order.
Conversion of Word documents with fonts that use different font-code conventions for Lao (e.g. from alice_5 to Alice5 Unicode, Saysettha Lao to Unicode fonts, or vice-versa).
Sorting of Lao text in a table or by paragraphs, according to either of the two commonly used alphabetization conventions for ordering Lao.
Romanization of Lao text (in Word documents).

LaoScript 8, Gold Edition also includes:

Automatic translation or computer-assisted manual translation of text in Word documents from Thai to Lao.
Lao Add-In Microsoft Access, both 32-bit and 64-bit editions. Provides an API with a set of VBA functions that can be called from queries or your VB code.

For a description of features of Lao Script for Windows, Version 7, please see Version 7 Features.

LaoScript 8 Release Notes

8 Dec 2011 LaoScript 8.0.2.0: first non-beta release.
15 Dec 2011 Build 8.0.2.1: corrected error in initial release which would not accept high-valued passwords.
16 Dec 2011 Build 8.0.2.2: corrected some errors in phonetic entry conventions.
20 Dec 2011 Build 8.0.2.3: corrected license activation to allow user names longer than 16 characters to be correctly processed.
05 Feb 2012 Build 8.0.3.0: added Lao Menu to Ribbon or Menu Bar for Word Add-in, corrected phonetic input errors.
13 Feb 2012 Build 8.0.4.0: added Lao menus to Excel and PowerPoint Ribbons, corrected romanized input and sorting.
18 Feb 2012 Build 8.0.5.0: revised PowerPoint AddIn, improved reliability with old fonts.
25 Feb 2012 Build 8.0.6.0: corrected error trying to initialize AddIns when Excel or PowerPoint not installed.
03 Mar 2012 Build 8.0.7.0: updated trial-key activation to avoid conflict with Version 7 licenses. Trial keys will no longer be available for older builds.
02 Jun 2012 Build 8.1.0.0: now includes Free Edition for personal use if only keyboard mapping and fonts are needed.
27 Jun 2012 Build 8.1.2.0: adds support for silent installation and automatic activation, and also enhanced "Saysettha 95" series fonts, supported for use with compatible applications.
25 Sep 2012 Build 8.1.4.0: now includes Lao Add-In (API) for Microsoft Access and instructions for use.
08 Dec 2012 Build 8.1.5.0: adds a Lao Add-On for LibreOffice/OpenOffice (Writer and Calc).

Note: If a user name contains any "upper-ASCII" character in the first 16 characters (such as an accented vowel), password matching will probably fail. In that case, email Lao Script for Windows Support for new license credentials.