Adding the OpenAAC boards to 'Choose how to start'

[ms-mialingvo]

Wrote this in 463 before realising that it doesn't have anything to do with the redesign directly, so a new issue fits better. You already suggested this yourself by email, @klues, I'm just opening an issue so it doesn't get forgotten. :) Particularly useful now that #466 also got fixed.

[klues]

I've added the first "CommuniKate 20" from https://www.openboardformat.org/examples and did some adaptions to allow .obz files for the default examples for import within AsTeRICS Grid.

All the default imports are maintained in this separate repository: https://github.com/asterics/AsTeRICS-Grid-Boards
So it's possible to update the default boards independent from AG releases.

This is the folder for CommuniKate 20: https://github.com/asterics/AsTeRICS-Grid-Boards/tree/main/communicators/CommuniKate20
For all other board set from openboardformat a similar folder including images and metadata should be created. If you have time, you can add more there. Probably you need to download ("clone") the repository on your local computer and add the files and folders there, and then commit and push them to a new branch (some git-knowledge needed for this). But if you don't have time, I can also do it at some day (if I suddenly have time ;)).

The integration of "CommuniKate 20" can be tested at grid.beta. I'll do a release to main version after all examples are added.

As you see in the folder https://github.com/asterics/AsTeRICS-Grid-Boards/tree/main/communicators/CommuniKate20 it would also be possible to add the board sets translated to other languages there (e.g. in a subfolder de for German).

[klues]

for finding the new CommuniKate 20 you have to use AG in English or search for English sets here:

[ms-mialingvo]

I tried to first create a folder directly which didn't work and I can't figure out how to delete that request. I think I managed to do the cloning-and-pushing-back?

As you see in the folder https://github.com/asterics/AsTeRICS-Grid-Boards/tree/main/communicators/CommuniKate20 it would also be possible to add the board sets translated to other languages there (e.g. in a subfolder de for German).

How would that work, like wouldn't that take unnecessary space when done for each translated language instead of replacing the original? Or is that under the assumption that the boards are then monoligual for that specific language? (I don't know about obz files specifically but in general in CoughDrop multiligual boards like here on AG are possible too. I don't know if the obz files retain that info when exporting, I'd assume.)

What about the single obf board (Project Core), would that work the same way as the obz boards for adding it?

[klues]

I tried to first create a folder directly which didn't work and I can't figure out how to delete that request. I think I managed to do the cloning-and-pushing-back?

you've forked the repository, but as far as I see, you didn't add/change anything there.
However, I've just sent you a invite for the repository, so you could directly do changes without the fork.

How would that work, like wouldn't that take unnecessary space when done for each translated language instead of replacing the original?

I think it would be better to do monolingual translations, like we're doing it for the ARASAAC communicator. It opens the possibility to also adapt some content symbols based on the language. Regarding space I wouldn't worry, I think GitHub has enough space ;)

Theoretically translations are also possible within OBZ, but I don't know how much apps are supporting it, at the moment I event don't know for AsTeRICS Grid ;)

What about the single obf board (Project Core), would that work the same way as the obz boards for adding it?

Theoretically yes, but I think it would also need some minor adaptions within AG to work.

[ms-mialingvo]

you've forked the repository, but as far as I see, you didn't add/change anything there.

I pushed again. Now?

I think it would be better to do monolingual translations, like we're doing it for the ARASAAC communicator. It opens the possibility to also adapt some content symbols based on the language. Regarding space I wouldn't worry, I think GitHub has enough space ;)

Hm, doesn't a multilingual translation allow that too if you are using it monolingualy? Like, after importing you can just hide the switch buttons to other languages and change the symbols as you want. And then you still have the translated versions to unhide if needed at any point, after all.

[klues]

I pushed again. Now?

yes, I see your changes now 👍
However, you've pushed many ".DS_Store" files (some Mac files), which we don't need.

I think the easiest would be:

1. clone the main repository to a new local folder, you need this link for it: https://github.com/asterics/AsTeRICS-Grid-Boards.git
2. change to branch "ms-mialingvo" there, which I've created for you (how depends on the git tool your're using, just google it)
3. move all your new files from your existing local folder to the new just cloned main repository
4. commit and push your files there (I've added a new gitignore rule to ignore all ".DS_Store" files.
5. create a pull request for your changes, after pushing your changes you should see a button for it here https://github.com/asterics/AsTeRICS-Grid-Boards/tree/ms-mialingvo

It's also better if you work in the main repository and not your forked repository, because I can check and possibly fix things more easily.

Hm, doesn't a multilingual translation allow that too if you are using it monolingualy? Like, after importing you can just hide the switch buttons to other languages and change the symbols as you want. And then you still have the translated versions to unhide if needed at any point, after all.

Yes, but you cannot change the structure of the boards/elements. For instance for the ARASAAC communicator they have two pages for adjectives male/female. And maybe for some languages some other symbols fit better, I don't know. Of course also a multilingual set would be possible, but it's more difficult to maintain if more translations come in, because for each time the set is translated, there is also the possibility that the translator messed up something else in the boards, which is very difficult to check.

[ms-mialingvo]

I think the easiest would be

I deleted the originally created Github files and tried to follow this step by step. Did I manage? 🫣
Yeah, Mac often creates hidden .DS_Store files automatically.

Yes, but

In the end it will depend on the specific case and use. Is it possible to connect monolingual boards together? Like it would be a waste of resources if someone translates an English board to German and another person translates it to Arabic, both times monolingually and then a German SLP would need it for an German-Arabic bilingual student and can't connect them back together. And with the new grammar options it's possible to do grammar very flexible and differently, depending on the specific needs of the language. Yes, for some languages different symbols will fit better, but if you have a bilingual user a really huge, huge hassle with communication boards except for Coughdrop (and multilingual boards in AG) is that people add a symbol to language A and then have to remember to also add it in the same place to language B as they aren't directly connected and so it's easy that the versions get chaotic when switching between languages because people forget to add the new pictures in both languages. But as I said, in the end it's about specific needs and there probably won't be a lot of people doing translations anyway.

[klues]

Your PR was great, everything correct! 👍
I've merged it and you can test everything at grid.beta - it's now possible to import all the configurations you've added there.

Maybe I need to improve the import loading bar, since it stays at the same place for a long time while downloading the configuration in the background (the configurations are very big, this maybe could also be improved by using the images from the ARASAAC API and - in the obz files they are directly includes as binary images - very big file size).

If you add something more at some time in the future - you don't need to include the thumbnails, they are generated automatically from the first image.