[nvda] Re: Chancing key maps

On Sun, 2006-11-26 at 15:54 +1100, Michael Curran wrote:

> To represent a key, we usually use the function from keyboardHandler
> called key... key takes one parameter which is a string that
> represents a key press, made up of individual keys separated by
> pluses.
> 
> For example: key("insert+n")

How do you differentiate, in this example, between the numberpad insert
and the "extended" insert? Are the relevant strings listed somewhere (is
it, for example, "right alt" or "altgr")?

> I guess if its only the problem of the insert key, then perhaps we can make 
> an "NVDA key" which can be changed, but I can't really see how you could 
> completely ignore the number pad all together.

After much debate, Orca recently settled on caps lock as the typical
modifier for laptops. Apparently JAWS uses this too. Thinking in terms
of an NVDA key analogous to the JAWS key is a very good idea, as you can
almost always find a weird layout without a given modifier key. For
instance, even in its awkward numberpad mode, my Thinkpad has no
numberpad insert key.

Why do you say the number pad must always be required? Nobody, as far as
I can remember, ever suggested this in a similar discussions on the Orca
list. I can't think of any other program which has /required/ me to
switch in and out of number pad mode for basic functionality. With a
program like NVDA, where you need to stop and direct the live flow of
words, it really would be tortuous. Imagine pressing Shift + Numpad,
then pressing the NVDA key plus some QWERTY key, then pressing Shift +
Numpad to escape number pad mode, every time you wanted to do something
basic.

Although some of the discussion is X and Gnome specific, you might find
the recent debates about Orca key maps useful comparative material:

http://mail.gnome.org/archives/orca-list/2006-November/msg00032.html

http://mail.gnome.org/archives/orca-list/2006-November/msg00117.html

http://mail.gnome.org/archives/orca-list/2006-November/msg00127.html

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