[nvda] Re: Audacity problem

I should address your specific question. You may have to ask G W Micro why their screen-reader has this behavior. I have found, through further testing, that JAWS, when the virtual pc cursor is turned off, does not allow you to use the space bar to follow a link. We can therefore conclude that screen-readers which allow the space bar to be used do so because of how commands work in whatever virtual cursor they are using. It is not a Windows command and enter is the real Windows command. Therefore, Window-eyes is technically correct in having the command rejected. It would gbe interesting to know how Hal treats this command. While I understand your question and why you are puzzled, the best answer I can give you is that enter is the real and documented Windows command for following links and that if you were using Windows without a screen-reader, the space bar wouldn't work.
I therefore must withdraw what I said in my earlier message. The space bar is not an alternative command unless a screen-reader's virtual cursor accepts and acts on it. It is therefore, not the correct command to use since it is based on how specific screen-readers handle it and has no basis in Windows. 

Gene.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Gene" <gsasner@xxxxxxxxx> 
To: <nvda@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, September 30, 2007 1:05 PM
Subject: [nvda] Re: Audacity problem
the subject is a bit complicated. After seeing your message, I tried NVDA and System Access and both allow the space to be used. However, as a general statement, it is not correct that the space bar is equivalent to a left click. Keyboard commands vary in function depending on where you are. I'm talking about Windows and Windows programs now, not just the Internet.
In a list such as of files and folders in My Computer, the space bar is equivalent to a single left click. It will select the item you are on if it is not currently selected. Pressing enter is equivalent more or less to a left double click. However, this is not really correct either because if the item is not selected, pressing enter won't select the item and then open it. So, what we need to say is more or less this, In a list, the space bar is equivalent to a left mouse single click while enter is more or less equivalent to the rest of the double click. Up and down arrowing in a list selects the item you move to. So when in a list, these keys are equivalent to a left single click as well.
When you are in a dialog, pressing the space bar on a button activates it. This is equivalent to a left single click. In dialogs, when you aren't on a button, enter activates the default button in the dialog most of the time. There is no mouse equivalent for this. It is strictly a keyboard command. For consistency and to avoid confusion between different programs, it makes sense to tell people to use enter on links. I said a few days ago that the space bar is not the correct command to open links. It certainly isn't the documented command even if it works. In any tutorial or other instructions I've seen from anywhere, enter is always the command taught for opening links. While you appear to be correct that the space bar will generally work, it's understandable why it isn't taught. People generally thing of enter as taking actions like opening documents or files. On the Internet when following a link, enter is the nearest equivalent.
So my earlier comments about the space bar not being a command that would generally work in this context are incorrect. However, for consistency, using enter is the far better choice. 

Gene
----- Original Message ----- From: "Trenton Matthews" <afrang150@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
To: <nvda@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, September 30, 2007 11:27 AM
Subject: [nvda] Re: Audacity problem
I suppose what's confusing me about it, is that "space" is equivalent to pressing the "left-mouse" button, why couldn't every screen reader have both. All screen readers use the space bar can activate link,s except Window-Eyes. Correct me if I'm wrong 
there...
Trenton Matthews 

To post messages to the list send email to
nvda@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
To modify your NVDA Email settings go to:
http://www.freelists.org/list/nvda
Thank you for your continued support of Nonvisual Desktop Access, an open 
source free screen reader for Microsoft Windows:
http://www.nvda-project.org/
To get the latest NVDA snapshot:
http://www.nvda-project.org/snapshots/
Report bugs or make feature requests at:
http://trac.nvda-project.org/
Message Archive:
http://www.freelists.org/archives/nvda

Other related posts: