[nvda] Re: HTML support

Technically, I don't know how System Access works as it does. I can tell you that you can work directly with all fields. There is no forms mode or equivalent. While it appears to be received wisdom that this is an advantage, I'm not so sure. It may avoid some confusion when people are learning but there are times when it is not an advantage and even a disadvantage. Here are the two examples I've come across from my limited trial of System Access: First, when working with combo boxes, you do have to open the combo box with control down arrow. That's fine except that you can't spell anything. If you hear an option in a combo box, you can't spell it because you have no cursor or virtual cursor. When using a screen-reader with a virtual cursor, you can move to the item in the combo box, then leave forms mode, or equivalent, then spell it to make sure it is the option you want. You may be able to use the System Access mouse to spell tthe item. I haven't used the System Access mouse much but it may be difficult to do this.
The other disadvantage to not having forms mode, or equivalent, is that it is more inconvenient to check work you do in a large edit field. There are times when I want to use a web form to write a letter to the editor or a detailed description of my evaluation of a program or a trouble shooting request. Since there is no forms mode, it's very easy to intend to move to the top of the edit field to review what I have written, use control home, move to the top of the page, and thus loose my place. When working in an edit field, the experienced user generally uses control home to move to the top of the field and that can't be done in System Access. 

Gene
----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter Beasley" <p.beasley@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
To: <nvda@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2007 5:51 PM
Subject: [nvda] Re: HTML support
how does system access manage it? you do not have to hit enter when you come accross a form field. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gene" <gsasner@xxxxxxxxx> 
To: <nvda@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2007 6:28 PM
Subject: [nvda] Re: HTML support



After playing with the buffer further in NVDA, I need to correct one
statement I made. The bypass mode isn't automatically turned on every time 
you get to an input field.  It appears to be automatically turned on only
when a page uses scripting to move you to an edit field.  this results in
inconsistent operation which will cause just the sort of confusion among
lots of users that started this thread. Lots of users will have no idea why 
they can't move through pages at times or why movement commands such as f
don't seem to work. You should need to press enter to turn on bypass mode even if you are moved to an edit field automatically. the user shouldn't be 
confronted with two completely different behaviors that vary depending on
how one moves or is moved to an input field.

As far as my other comments are concerned, I now see that you can look
through a form and not turn on bypass mode. However, if you do turn it on to enter information into a field, as far as I know, there is no command to go back to using the buffer. This means that if I am filling out a form by 
down arrowing to read it as I fill it out, I can't do so unless I tab or
shift to a place where no input field exists.  this means I must loose my
place in the form and who knows how many tabs or shift tabs might be
necessary to find a field that is not an input field.  this is not just a
problem for someone who fills out forms as I do.  What if someone looks
through a form, then starts filling it out and forgets some detail that can 
only be read while using the buffer.  For example, a field may not read
correctly while in bypass or there may be information I want to review
between fields. I should be able to issue a command and immediately leave 
bypass mode so I can review the screen in the usual way.

Gene

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To modify your NVDA Email settings go to:
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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



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

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