Phonology Assistant (PA) displays language data that has been collected using other programs. It does not maintain its own copy of the data.
PA reads each data source when it opens a project. It rereads any data source that changes while a project is open.
A project can consist of multiple data sources of different types. PA supports the following types of data sources:
FW7 sources are not text files. A FieldWorks Language Explorer (FLEx) project is stored in a database. PA can access phonetic data in the lexical entries if you specify the fields using the FieldWorks Data Source Properties dialog box.
PA assumes the editing program is FLEx.
Toolbox data sources are Standard Format files used in a Toolbox project.
A \_sh marker in the first line of the file distinguishes Toolbox from SFM data sources. Toolbox files are a subset of Standard Format files.
PA assumes the editing program is The Field Linguist's Toolbox.
SA data sources are audio files that have been transcribed using Speech Analyzer.
PA assumes the editing program is Speech Analyzer.
SFM data sources are text files containing records, which consist of fields. A Standard Format marker identifies the beginning of each field.
PA makes no assumption about the editing program. You need to specify an editor in the Standard Format Data Source Properties dialog box.
PAXML data sources are XML files exported from PA.
For example, a field linguist can export data and send the XML file to a consultant. The consultant can create a new project and add the XML file as a data source.
PA makes no assumption about the editing program.
Edit Source Record describes jumping from PA to a record in the source data editor.