ELLABRF or PEF: which braille file do I need?
ELLA can give you braille as a BRF file, a PEF file or an eBraille package. Choose by what you will do with it.
BRF
BRF stands for Braille Ready File. It is a plain text file in which each character stands for one braille cell. It also holds line breaks and page breaks. Most braille displays and note-takers open BRF files, and embossing software accepts them. If you are not sure, choose BRF.
PEF
PEF stands for Portable Embosser Format. It is an open format based on XML. It records the exact braille cells and the page layout, and it is made for embossing. Embossing software reads it. Many braille displays do not open it directly, so ask for BRF if you want to read on a display.
At a glance
| You want to | Ask for |
|---|---|
| Read on a braille display or note-taker | BRF |
| Send to an embosser | BRF or PEF, whichever your embossing software takes |
| Keep an exact, portable layout for embossing | PEF |
| A packaged digital braille publication with navigation | eBraille |
Check your own device's manual for the formats it accepts. ELLA cannot know which model you have.
Page layout
Both formats carry the layout you chose: cells per line and lines per page. Choose a layout that matches your embosser's paper and your display's width. If you leave it out, ELLA uses its default. See braille.
How to ask
Write "BRF" or "PEF" in your request, or set "Braille file format" in your accessibility profile.
Checks in ELLA
Ask about the checks on a BRF or PEF result in your chat. You can then download either.
Problems
If lines wrap in odd places or a page seems short, see braille looks wrong.
Still stuck?
Browse the help centre, or contact support and say what you were trying to do.