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ProCat Punctuation Project
You are programming the computer to do exactly what you need it to do. When you hit a period, you want it to
delete a space, put a period, put two hard spaces and an initial cap – all by writing -FPLT on your steno machine!
The same is true for the rest of this punctuation and any other things you need to program. You tell the computer
how to respond. Use the ProCAT Quick Reference Guide also provided to learn the programming symbols. There
aren’t that many to learn.
Format Characters:
< = New Line
> = tab
^ = initial cap
~ = appends to previous (deletes a space)
_ = leaves a hard space
# eliminates spaces in dates and numbers
Using the “\” is the way to negate automatic punctuation and make a period just a
dot” . For example: i.e., program as i\.e.\ and then when you write i.e. and a
comma, you will get i.e.,
Inc., program English Inc\. Back slash in
front of any punctuation in English pattern will negate the auto punctuation and
save lots of frustration!!
**Always put a hyphen in the Steno entry when it’s a right bank with
no vowels!
Steno
-FPLT
English
What your programming means
. ^ (automatically delete space), put a period, two spaces
(just use your space bar two times) initial cap
-RBGS
,
(automatically deletes space),
(and will be followed by a space)
STPH
? ^
(automatically deletes space) ? two spaces initial cap
AEZ
~’s
delete a space apostrophe s
AE
~’
-FPLT/-RBGS
;
-FPLT/-FPLT
~: ^
delete space : two spaces initial cap
(might work better if you program the delete space)
STP
~/~
delete space put a slash and delete space (for example,
3/4 or an/or)
ProCAT Punctuation
2
TKRB
~_--
HEUF
~-~
OEU
“~
program as: delete space, hard space (shift plus
underscore) then hyphen hyphen (a space will
automatically be added after. Dashes should look like this:
Well, I -- I don't know.)
OEU/OEU
~”
OEUS
‘~
OEUS/OEUS
~’
STPH-FPLT
(~
STPH-FPLT/STPH-FPLT
PAR/PAR
~)
0r
SKWR-RBGS
~)
<>^
HREUPB/HREUPB
<<> (This would give me two lines and a tab…hm… is
that what I want? Then change it!) How about
<^
for new line, initial cap?
-BG
o’clock (programmed separately with 1-12)
\
negates uppercase in auto punctuation (i.e., a.m.;
steno: AEPL English a\.m\.
Inc., =
Inc\.\,
: A time Colon (must be written differently from a regular colon and
programmed to delete space put a colon and delete space) ~:~
(How about KHROPB? or T HROPB)
K-L
^
Program this stroke for initial cap
(You're going to need this one!)
***
Q and A
Steno:
English
STKPWHR
.<>[Q]>^
-FRPBLGTS
?<>[R]>^
ProCAT Punctuation
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*note: for ProCAT the open bracket R close bracket is the correct way to
program your "Answer" for Q and A. If you desire to have Q. and A., (with the
periods), then simply add that into the English definition, i.e.,
?<>[R.]>^
Follows: Method for programming Mr., Mrs., etc. The "\" mark negates automatic
punctuation so that the "." is seen as a dot instead of a period with punctuation
rules attached to it. The hard space (the _) lets the computer program know that
you want one hard space to be kept together with what follows; and of course the
"^" is the initial cap so the name that follows the title is initial capped.
PHR
Mr\._^
PHR-S
Mrs\._^
TKR
Dr\._^
PHR/APBD/PHR-S
Mr. and Mrs\_^
TKR/APBD/PHR-S
Dr. and Mrs\._^
PH-S
Miss
PH-Z
Ms\._^
TK HR-TS
~
(The above entry for delete space can be used to put two words together when you
know they should go together and you don't have an entry to make that happen.
Generally, for something like "homework", each word would be defined and work
could be defined as a suffix ~work, so it translates correctly for words like homework,
casework, etc. But if you don't have an entry and you need to bring two words
together, you want to have a stroke that will accomplish that that you can put between
the words. If this one doesn't come naturally to you, use a stroke that does, as a onestroker that cannot be mistranslated as anything else.)
ProCAT Punctuation