---
name: "lou_translate"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "liblouis"
version: "3.39.0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/lou_translate"
---

# lou\_translate(1)

A Braille translator for large scale testing of liblouis Braille translation tables

## NAME

lou\_translate - A Braille translator for large scale testing of liblouis Braille translation tables

## SYNOPSIS

**lou\_translate** \[*OPTIONS*\] *TABLE*

## DESCRIPTION

Translate whatever is on standard input and print it on standard output. It is intended for large-scale testing of the accuracy of braille translation and back-translation.

### TABLE is either:

- \- a query

  KEY\[:VALUE\] \[KEY\[:VALUE\] ...\]

- \- a file list

  FILE\[,FILE,...\]

## OPTIONS

- **-h**, **--help**

  display this help and exit

- **-v**, **--version**

  display version information and exit

- **-f**, **--forward**

  forward translation using the given table

- **-b**, **--backward**

  backward translation using the given table If neither **-f** nor **-b** are specified forward translation is assumed

- **-d**, **--display-table**

  use the given display table for the translation. The display table determines how braille dot patterns are encoded as text (decoded in case of backward translation). Without a display table, the braille encoding is determined by the translation table, when it is specified as a file list, or Unicode braille when the table is specified as a query. For clarity and reliability, it is recommended to always make the display table explicit.

## EXAMPLES

-

  lou\_translate language:en grade:2 region:en-US \< input.txt

-

  Do a forward translation of English text to grade 2 contracted braille according to the U.S. braille standard.

-

  lou\_translate -d en-us-brf.dis language:en grade:2 region:en-US \< input.txt

-

  Here we do the same forward translation but with a specific ASCII braille encoding instead of Unicode braille.

-

  lou\_translate -d unicode.dis en-us-g2.ctb \< input.txt

-

  Do a forward translation with table en-us-g2.ctb and Unicode braille encoding.

-

  echo ",! qk br{n fox" \| lou\_translate -b -d text\_nabcc.dis language:en grade:2 region:en-US

-

  Do a backward translation with the English grade 2 table. Note that the ASCII braille input (as shown here) must match the specified display table (North American Braille Computer Code in this case).

## AUTHOR

Written by John J. Boyer.

## REPORTING BUGS

Report bugs to liblouis-liblouisxml@freelists.org.\
 Liblouis home page: \<http://www.liblouis.io\>

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2024 ViewPlus Technologies, Inc. and JJB Software, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later \<https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html\>.\
 This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

## SEE ALSO

The full documentation for **lou\_translate** is maintained as a Texinfo manual.  If the **info** and **lou\_translate** programs are properly installed at your site, the command

-

  **info liblouis**

should give you access to the complete manual.