Re: Updates
- From: "Chris Hallsworth" <christopherh40@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 21 Jun 2009 13:35:35 +0100
What's New in JAWS 10
JAWS Release 10 offers several new features and improvements as described on
this page. To learn more, read the entire What's New or press INSERT+F6 to
open a list of headings and then jump directly to a specific item. For a
list of bug fixes in the latest JAWS release, please visit What's New in
JAWS at the Freedom Scientific Web site.
Multiple Sound Card Support
You can have multiple sound cards connected to your computer. The addition
of a second internal sound card, an external USB sound card, or a USB
headset are examples of multiple sound cards. As a rule, Windows makes the
last sound card added to your system the default sound card. This means that
JAWS speech automatically goes to the new audio device, which can be
frustrating if you want to use that device for something other than JAWS.
With this release of JAWS, you can now override the Windows default
selection, and choose which sound card to use for JAWS speech. If you are
editing music, you can let Windows direct your music through a higher-end
audio card while JAWS directs its speech output to an inexpensive sound card
in your computer.
To select which sound device to use for JAWS speech, open the Sound Cards
submenu, which is a new addition to the JAWS Utilities menu, and choose a
card from the list. If you later remove that card from your computer, JAWS
will automatically fall back to the Windows default sound card. If you
restore the sound card to the system, JAWS will again send speech to that
card instead of the Windows default sound card. For more information, see
Sound Cards.
JAWS 10 for 64-bit Windows Vista
A 64-bit version of JAWS is now available for use with 64-bit Windows Vista.
IAccessible2 Support
IAccessible2 (IA2) is an open standard that lets an application or Web page
developer provide a detailed description of an object or control for
assistive technology products. A combo box on a Web page is an example of
the type of control that could contain a full description. You can configure
JAWS to speak this information or alert you with a sound when it encounters
such a control. If the latter occurs, you can then press INSERT+TAB to have
JAWS read the additional information.
To configure this functionality in JAWS, use the Advanced Options dialog box
in Configuration Manager, or press INSERT+V to open JAWS settings, and
select Off, Speak, or Alert with Sound for the IAccessible2 Descriptions
option. Speak is the default setting.
Yahoo! Messenger 9 Support
JAWS 10 supports Yahoo! Messenger version 9.0.0.2136 and later. Make sure to
download the latest version of Yahoo! Messenger to guarantee full
compatibility with JAWS.
PlaceMarker Keystroke Update
The keystroke to set a Temporary PlaceMarker on a Web page has changed from
CTRL+K to CTRL+WINDOWS Key+K.
The CTRL+K keystroke now opens a duplicate tab in Internet Explorer 8.
JAWS Tandem - Listen to the September FSCast for an Overview
JAWS TandemT lets you access another JAWS computer so that you can provide
hands-on technical support, write and distribute scripts from a distance,
and conduct remote JAWS training. It consists of a controller system, used
by support personnel, distributors, dealers, consultants, and trainers, and
a target system, which is a customer's computer and JAWS application.
A connection, also known as an online meeting between two systems, can take
place using the Internet or over a local network. The Internet meeting
process is called a Tandem Center session, while the local network method is
called a Tandem Direct session. In a Tandem Center session, JAWS Tandem
running as a controller is a subscription service; JAWS Tandem running as a
target is free. (With the initial release of JAWS 10, controller
functionality is being offered for free for a limited time.) In a Tandem
Direct session, a one-time activation fee is required.
JAWS Tandem also maintains a log of session activity using the Windows Event
Log service. These events are used to record the beginning and end of a
session, the suspension and continuation of a session, and errors triggered
before a session starts. The advantage of having such a log is that
consultants and trainers now have a record of JAWS Tandem activity which is
useful for tracking time for billing purposes. The event log can be set up
so that only administrators can delete events. Also, users assigned any
privilege level can write events to the event log. Again, JAWS Tandem does
not record user activity; only session errors and the start, suspension,
restart, and end of a session. To learn more, see JAWS Tandem Auditing.
You can find JAWS Tandem controls under the Utilities menu of the JAWS
application window. For information and procedures describing how to use
this feature, refer to the Quick Start Guide in the JAWS Tandem submenu,
jump to the JAWS Tandem help topic, or listen to the September 2008 FSCast.
iTunes 8 Support
JAWS now provides access to iTunes® 8, including support for the iTunes
Store. Using the virtual cursor, you can browse and search the store for all
content, including music, movies, TV shows, and educational content.
Purchasing individual tracks or full albums is now accessible.
JAWS 9 and JAWS 8 users can refer to Technical Support Notice - Which JAWS
releases support iTunes 8? for a brief set of instructions describing how to
configure JAWS for use with iTunes 8.
New JAWS 10 Features Demonstrated in Two Different FSCasts
Listen to Eric Damery, Product Manager for JAWS, and Jonathan Mosen, Vice
President of Blindness Hardware Product Development, discuss the latest JAWS
10 enhancements in the August 2008 FSCast and the September 2008 FSCast. In
the September FSCast, you can learn more specifics about JAWS Tandem and the
new iTunes 8 support.
Surf's Up! Surfing the Internet with JAWS
Surf's Up!, the Freedom Scientific Web page that explains how to surf the
Web with JAWS, has been updated to help instructors and students take
advantage of the new JAWS 10 features that are mentioned on this page. Pay
particular attention to the Forms page. It gives great details for using the
new Auto Forms Mode function.
Auto Forms Mode
Traditionally, Forms Mode in JAWS has been activated manually when you
needed to type text into edit fields or select combo box values on Web pages
and Adobe Acrobat forms. By default, JAWS is in Virtual Mode which allows
you to use Navigation Quick Keys such as F for next form field or E for next
edit box. When you need to interact with a form in order to type in text,
you must manually turn on Forms Mode using the ENTER key. You can toggle off
Forms Mode using ESC or the NUM PAD PLUS key.
Auto Forms Mode will automatically turn on Forms Mode when you move into
combo box controls using TAB, or edit fields using either TAB or ARROW Keys.
This makes it far more intuitive and easy to interact with form fields found
on web pages without having to do these extra keystrokes. When you press
ARROW Keys or TAB to move to an edit field, you will hear a sound indicating
you can type at that moment without having to first press ENTER. When you
exit the control using an ARROW Key, Forms Mode turns off and will let you
easily continue to navigate in virtual mode again. This functionality can be
very useful for new and sighted JAWS users in training environments but even
long time JAWS users will quickly adapt to this new method with a little
practice. By default, Auto Forms Mode is on. There are two ways to turn it
off. First, you can press INSERT+V and then change the Auto Forms Mode
option to off. Second, you can use the new Forms Mode Options dialog located
in Configuration Manager.
Note that you can use the Forms Mode option in Personalized Settings to
customize specific Web pages so that Auto Forms Mode is off when the page is
opened. This lets you take advantage of this great new feature on most pages
you browse, but also turns it off if you have sites where you want to remain
in control of Forms Mode manually. This option is found in the Personalized
Settings dialog box, which is accessed by pressing INSERT+SHIFT+V. On is the
default setting.
RealSpeak Solo Direct Synthesizers
JAWS 10 supports RealSpeakT Solo Direct synthesizers from Nuance®
Communications. These new synthesizers work exclusively with Freedom
Scientific products. To listen to samples of languages and dialects, and
download these voices, go to the Freedom Scientific RealSpeak Solo Direct
Voices Web page.
Another way to open this page is to use the new RealSpeak Solo Direct link
available in the JAWS application window. The link is in Web Resources under
the Help menu.
Dictionary Manager Tree View
The Dictionary Manager lets you change the way JAWS speaks words, phrases,
abbreviations, or symbols to avoid any mispronunciation. In JAWS 10, the
Dictionary manager has been expanded so that you can create rules applying
to specific languages, synthesizers, or voices. Once the rule is created, it
is added to the top of the Dictionary Entries list. It is identified by
language, for example, English, and can be expanded into a tree view to show
other restrictions that apply to the rule. To open the Dictionary Manager in
any application, press INSERT+D.
Navigation Quick Key Manager
Navigation Quick Keys are convenient keystrokes that let you quickly move
around Web pages, PDF files, Word documents, and Outlook e-mail messages.
Beginning with JAWS 10, you can now change the keystroke assigned to a quick
key with any unassigned letter or number using the Navigation Quick Key
Manager. This gives you the flexibility of assigning a character that is
easy for you to remember. Any changes that you make are immediately applied
to the new quick key assignment. To open a Navigation Quick Key Manager from
within an application, press INSERT+F2, N, and then ENTER.
Navigation Quick Key Operation in Microsoft Word
When turned on, Navigation Quick Keys let you quickly and easily move
through a Word document. For example, you can press H to jump to the next
heading in a Word document, P to jump to the next paragraph, and G to jump
to the next graphic. JAWS 10 will now automatically turn off Navigation
Quick Keys when you open a Ribbon, menu, or dialog box in Word. In previous
JAWS releases, Navigation Quick Keys would remain on until toggled off using
INSERT+Z, or turned off using the Navigation Quick Keys option after
pressing INSERT+V.
Voice Profiles
The Global Voices and Individual Voices profiles in JAWS have been updated
to closely match functionality available in MAGic 11 and later. These
profiles let you create and save speech rate, pitch, synthesizer, language,
punctuation level, and other speech options. Use the Default and Application
radio buttons to apply the voice settings as new JAWS default values or as
voice settings to a specific application. For more information about these
items, select the Using JAWS book from the Table of Contents pane, and then
open the Voice Settings book.
To open the dialog box for either voice profile, choose Options (ALT+O) from
the JAWS application window, select Voices (V), and then select Global
Adjustment (G) or Individual Voice Adjustment (I). To change voice profiles
on the fly, press INSERT+CTRL+S to open the Select a Voice Profile dialog
box, and then select a profile from the list.
Language Menu Changes
The Synthesizer Language and Change Synthesizer commands have been removed
from the Language menu in the JAWS application window and been replaced by
the Voice Profiles command. This new command lets you select and instantly
switch to another synthesizer and voice combination that you set up as a
voice profile. For more about voice profiles, refer to the Global Voices and
Individual Voices dialog boxes.
Unified English Braille or Contracted English Braille Setup
JAWS can now provide contracted braille using either Contracted English
Braille, formerly known as grade 2 braille, as defined in translation rules
from the Braille Authority of North America (BANA), or Unified English
Braille (UEB) as provided by the International Council on English Braille
(ICEB). Using Braille Options in the Configuration Manager, you can
configure JAWS for either method using two new radio buttons: Contracted
English Braille (default) and Unified English Braille. The braille
translation method can be set up with or without a braille display attached
to your system so that it is ready for use when you select the Enable
Translator check box.
Reply Directly to Sender on Mailing Lists
The Reply Directly to Sender command, a JAWS command that you can use with
Microsoft Outlook, is fully functional in JAWS 10. If you subscribe to a
mailing list, this useful command lets you reply directly to the sender's
e-mail address from the open e-mail message instead of the entire mailing
list address. The keystroke for this command is INSERT+SHIFT+R.
Downloading Freedom Scientific DAISY Books with FSReader Demo
Starting with JAWS 10, you can use FSReader Demo to download DAISY books
directly from the Freedom Scientific Web site. The advantage of this feature
over earlier JAWS releases is that you no longer need the product CD to
install any of the DAISY books.
You can also use the Check for Updates command to quickly select and
download DAISY books. From the Help menu in the JAWS application window,
choose Check for Updates, select any DAISY book from the list, and then
choose the Install button.
Basic Training Updated for JAWS 10
The JAWS 10 Basic Training has been revised and includes the latest
information about the new JAWS 10 features. The training is available in
both text and audio DAISY format as well as individual MP3 modules. For more
information, visit the Freedom Scientific Training Headquarters.
ARIA Live Region Support
JAWS 10 can announce updates to live regions of Web pages when using Firefox
3 and later. Live region support will be available in Internet Explorer 8
when it is officially released. The dynamic section of a Web page that
receives constant updates, such as news headlines, business information, and
weather updates, is known as a live region. By default, JAWS announces
updates for Web pages containing ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet
Applications) Live Region markup. Web content creators add specific ARIA
tags to their pages to mark regions as "live." To stop JAWS from announcing
updates, use the Announce Live Region Updates option to temporarily turn off
this functionality. Just press INSERT+V while running your Web browser,
navigate to this option, and then press SPACEBAR.
ARIA Landmark Support
The keystroke for Select a Mouse Over Element has changed from
INSERT+CTRL+SEMICOLON to INSERT+WINDOWS Key+SEMICOLON.
The INSERT+CTRL+SEMICOLON keystroke now supports the function Select a
Landmark. Landmarks are ARIA tags that define the structure of a Web page.
This functionality provides useful information to a JAWS user when he or she
navigates pages that support ARIA landmark tags. Web content creators add
these tags to their pages. JAWS 10 and later can announce Web page landmarks
when using Firefox 3 and later. Landmark support will be available in
Internet Explorer 8 when it is officially released.
Finally, the SEMICOLON and SHIFT+SEMICOLON keystrokes no longer represent
Move to Next Mouse Over Element and Move to Previous Mouse Over Element.
These keystrokes now stand for Move to Next Landmark and Move to Previous
Landmark.
Windows Media Player 11
JAWS 10 supports Windows Media Player 11. For example, to hear the name of
the track that is playing, press INSERT+CTRL+T. Also, while navigating a
playlist, JAWS announces the track that is playing. Use auto playlist, a
Windows Media Player feature that is fully functional with JAWS 10, to
create, edit, and save playlists. Finally, with JAWS 10, the Windows Media
Player user interface is much more intuitive when using sliders and toggle
buttons to control items such as volume, crossfading, shuffle, and repeat.
Microsoft Access 2007
JAWS 10 supports Access 2007. A great deal of work has been done to make
sure that Access 2007 users find the out of the box experience working very
well for both speech and braille output. JAWS now provides the proper
information as you navigate with F6, enter and exit tables, or use Access
wizards and dialogs.
Better Performance with Microsoft Outlook Calendar
Significant performance increases have been made to the calendar in
Microsoft Outlook 2007 and Outlook 2003. Script developers will appreciate
the streamlining of scripts and internal code. This all leads to enhanced
responsiveness, easier script localization, and better handling of date and
time announcements.
AudibleManager Scripts
The scripts for AudibleManager, a program that lets you listen to and manage
audio books purchased from Audible.com, have been updated. The obsolete
keystroke CTRL+1 has been removed; problems with JAWS not speaking correctly
when you select or cancel the selection of items while in the Library list
view have been corrected; terminology referring to mobile devices has been
updated; and an issue preventing you from moving out of the list view of the
File Import dialog box has been fixed.
Run JAWS without Speech
The Run JAWS without Speech check box has been added to Basic Settings. It
is located in the Advanced Options dialog box by choosing Options (ALT+O)
from the JAWS application window, selecting Basic (B), and then selecting
the Advanced button (D) in the Basic Settings dialog box.
Script Manager Changes
The SelectASynthesizer script (INSERT+CTRL+S) has been changed to the
SelectAVoiceProfile script. Its purpose is to allow you to switch from one
voice profile to another. Previously, the keystroke would let you
temporarily change the speech synthesizer on the fly. It now lets you select
the voice profile from anywhere in Windows. Once you select a profile from
the Select a Voice Profile dialog box, it will become your start up voice
profile.
The SelectALanguage script (WINDOWS Key+CTRL+L) has been removed.
New Keystroke for Reading Clipboard Contents
You can now read the contents of the clipboard at anytime by pressing
WINDOWS Key+INSERT+X. This feature was adopted from MAGic where it was first
introduced.
New HTML Table Keystrokes
When in a table on a Web page, you can move between and read columns by
pressing WINDOWS Key+LEFT ARROW, which reads the previous column, and by
pressing WINDOWS Key+RIGHT ARROW, which reads the contents of the next
column. Select JAWS Commands for HTML for additional table keystrokes.
JAWS Remote Access Reminder
As a reminder, JAWS also has a Remote Access feature. It lets you connect to
another computer to access files and run programs just as if you are in
front of and using the remote computer's keyboard. This is not new JAWS
functionality and should not be confused with JAWS Tandem. JAWS Tandem
allows you, from the controller computer, to run the target computer while
the target user is also on the computer and listening to all activity. With
JAWS Remote Access, no one at the remote computer can see or hear your
activity. Refer to the Remote Access book and topics for more information.
Back
--
Chris Hallsworth
e-mail: christopherh40@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
MSN: ch9675@xxxxxxxxxxx
Skype: chrishallsworth7266
Join TAFN by visiting www.tafn.org.uk.
--------------------------------------------------
From: "onwardbob" <onwardbob@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2009 9:46 PM
To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Updates
Hi out there. I'm on 8.0217 and would like to her anyone's thoughts on the
benefits of updating to the latest version, considering the cost I mean.
Thanks...
--
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