[vip_students] Re: gw connect
- From: "albert brown" <albertbrown@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <vip_students@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:48:32 +0100
hello Susan,
I am copying the manual below for gwConnect since you can't put attachments
on the VIP list.
Bert
Introduction
Welcome to GWSkype. GWSkype is an accessible, stand-alone interface to the
Skype communication service from www.skype.com/ written by GW Micro. This
document describes the major features of GWSkype and answers some of the
most frequently asked questions from its users.
Why Another Skype Client?
Ever since the initial release of the Skype client in mid 2003, people from
all around the world have used it to initiate high-quality voice and text
conversations, send and receive files, and stay in touch with one another.
The visually impaired community, likewise, has used Skype since then to
facilitate equal communication with each other and their sighted
counterparts. However, as the service has grown, so too has the program. For
years, screen reader users have kept up with Skype's ever-morphing interface
either with custom patches, scripts, or apps. While largely successful, such
utilities must be constantly maintained as any new version of Skype can, and
often will, cause previously working scripts or apps to stop functioning
properly.
In mid 2011, Skype announced its SkypeKit developer program. This service
allows program developers to directly access nearly all Skype services
without the additional need of traversing its user interface. Developers,
therefore, can create their own interface to Skype and seamlessly integrate
it into their own products. And, because the underlying Skype services are
much less likely to change on a whim, GW Micro decided to take advantage of
this service and create a simple, elegant, fully accessible interface to
Skype which is designed with the visually impaired community in mind. Having
full control of the user interface also means that unlike the official Skype
client, GWSkype's interface will not dramatically change from version to
version. When you learn how to use GWSkype today, you can be confident that
your knowledge will continue to apply in the future as new versions are
released.
Installation
To install GWSkype, first download the latest release from
www.gwmicro.com/apps/GWSkype. If you have ever installed software before,
then the GWSkype setup should be a simple, straight-forward process. Note
that an end user license agreement (EULA) will be presented when you begin.
Installing the software constitutes your acceptance of the license
agreement; carefully read through it before proceeding.
A Note About Firewalls
If you have a firewall or malware scanner installed, you may be presented
with dialogs asking if either gwskype.exe or
windows-x86-skypekit-novideo.exe should be granted internet access. It is
important to allow both of these processes through for GWSkype to function
correctly. Additionally, some antivirus scanners may flag one or both of
these processes as containing viruses or trojans. GW Micro assures you that
if you received this package from us, then you need not worry about these
messages as they are false positives and can safely be ignored. In addition,
GWSkype verifies it has not been tampered with before it runs as an added
layer of protection.
Getting Started
Initial Startup and Signing In
The first time you launch GWSkype, one of two things will happen. First, if
you are a Window-Eyes user, you will see a thank you message which will only
appear once. Otherwise, a brief advertisement will be displayed which can be
dismissed after a few seconds. Next, when the main GWSkype program runs, you
will be presented with a sign in dialog. If you have an existing Skype
account, enter your username and password here. If you do not, click the
"Create Account" button to be directed to Skype's website where you can make
a new account. Additionally, if you have forgotten your password, click the
"Forgot Password" button to be taken to the password retrieval form on
Skype's website. Should you decide to sign at a later time, click "Cancel."
The Main Window
The GWSkype window contains two sections. The contact list, which is where
your keyboard focus is placed by default, holds a list of all of your Skype
contacts. It is laid out in three columns. The first holds each contact's
display name such as "John Smith." The second column displays the user's
status, such as "Online," "Away," "Offline," etc. The third and final column
holds the user's mood text (if any). If you are familiar with other
messaging programs such as Windows Live or AIM, Skype's mood text is
equivalent to the status message options in these programs. Use your Up and
Down arrow keys to navigate the contact list one contact at a time. Your
screen reader will announce the newly focused contact's name, status, and
mood text. To move to the top of the list, press Home. Likewise, press End
to move to the bottom of the list. Because the contact list is a standard
Windows list view, you can additionally select multiple contacts with the
Shift and Arrow keys. GWSkype permits certain operations to be performed on
multiple contacts while others can only be applied to individual contacts.
This document will address each operation and its applicability later.
Finally, right-clicking a contact or pressing the Applications key on your
keyboard will cause a context menu to appear. Most of the resulting menu
items that appear are also accessible via the Contact menu (discussed
later). It is up to you as to which menu you use.
The menu bar, which is accessible with the Alt key, provides seven menus to
control various aspects of GWSkype. They are as follows:
a.. Skype -- Contains options for signing in to an account, modifying your
password, updating your profile, setting GWSkype's options, etc.
b.. Status -- Allows you to adjust your online availability to other Skype
users.
c.. View -- Lets you set which type of contacts will be shown in the
contact list.
d.. Contact -- Contains options for calling, chatting, leaving voicemails,
viewing profiles, etc.
e.. Call -- Allows you to control an active call.
f.. Help -- Holds resources for obtaining help with GWSkype, checking for
program updates, and determining the program version information.
g.. System -- Allows you to size, minimize, maximize, restore, and close
the GWSkype window.
Each of these menus is discussed in more detail later in this manual.
Changing Your Status
When you are signed in to your Skype account, you will likely want to change
your availability to other users at some point. This is easily done by
accessing the items under the Status menu or by pressing one of the status
shortcut keys while GWSkype is focused. The available items are:
a.. Online (Control-1)
b.. Away (Control-2)
c.. Do Not Disturb (Control-3)
d.. Invisible (Control-4)
e.. Offline (Control-0)
When your status is set to "Online," then all of your Skype contacts will be
able to see you. "Online" also indicates that you are at your computer and
are available to chat. "Away" is similar to "Online" because all of your
contacts can see you, but it indicates that you are away from the computer
and cannot be reached. "Do Not Disturb" means that you are online but do not
wish to be contacted. When your status is set to "Invisible," you will still
be signed in to Skype and can place calls, file transfers, text chats, and
so on. However, you will appear as being offline to your Skype contacts.
Finally, "Offline" will leave you signed in, but you will not be able to see
anybody in the contact list or perform contact-related actions.
Regardless of how you change your status (either via the Status menu or by
one of the shortcut keys), GWSkype will announce your new availability.
Notice that the title bar also changes to reflect your current status.
Finally, your active status will persist even when signing out and back in
to the same account.
Contact Views
The "View" menu in GWSkype allows you to adjust which contacts are displayed
in the contact list. The different views are:
a.. All Contacts
b.. Skype Contacts
c.. Skype Out Contacts
d.. Online Contacts
e.. Unknown Contacts
f.. Recently Contacted Contacts
g.. Contacts Waiting my Authorization
h.. Contacts Authorized by Me
i.. Contacts Blocked by Me
j.. Ungrouped Contacts
k.. External Contacts
By default, GWSkype is set to show you Skype contacts only. In other words,
you will only see other people signed in to the Skype service itself--
whether through GWSkype, the official Skype client, or from a mobile client
of some kind. "All Contacts" encompasses Skype users as well as any phone
numbers which have been added through the Skype Out service. "Skype Out
Contact," as its name suggests, displays phone numbers which you have added
as Skype Out contacts; traditional Skype users are not included in this
group. "Online Contacts" causes only those contacts whose availability is
anything other than offline to appear. "Unknown Contacts" shows contacts
whose status cannot be determined. "Recently Contacted Contacts" filters the
contact list to show the people with whom you have had the most recent
contact. "Contacts Authorized by Me" lets you see who has requested to
authorize you as a Skype contact. Similarly, "Contacts Blocked by Me" shows
you whom you have blocked from contacting you. "Ungrouped Contacts" shows
you all contacts which have not been placed into custom groups, and
"External Contacts" holds a list of all contacts which may have been
imported from other sources. Note that managing custom contact groups and
importing contacts from other sources are not supported in this version but
are planned for a future release.
Searching for Contacts
GWSkype provides a simple, easy-to-use facility for looking up and adding
contacts to your Skype contact list. To access the search feature, open the
GWSkype window and choose the "Search for Contact" item under the Contact
menu, or press Control-F. The search window will open, and your keyboard
focus will be placed in the "Skype Name" edit box. In addition to being able
to look up a contact via his/her Skype name, you can also search by the
contact's full name or email address. Use the Tab key to navigate through
the dialog and enter your search terms. When at least one of the edit boxes
are filled in, click the Search button or press Enter to begin the search.
When a search has begun, your keyboard focus will move to the results list,
and GWSkype will speak the status of the search. When the search completes,
you can use your Up and Down arrows to review the list of results. By
default, the list displays the contact's Skype name, full name, and email
address (if available). To view the selected contact's profile, click the
"View Profile" button. This will display the contact's information in a
separate window for easy review.
Once you find the contact you want to add to your contact list, either press
Enter or click the "Add" button. If this contact is not already in your
list, a window will open which asks you to enter a message to send to the
contact. While you are free to leave this blank, it is generally recommended
to enter an introductory message and/or reason for your authorization
request. When you are satisfied with the message, press Enter or click OK to
send it. The contact will then be added to your contact list with a status
of "Pending Authorization," and you will be returned to the search window.
You may perform another search at this point or close the dialog to return
to the main GWSkype window.
If you attempt to add someone to your list who has already authorized you or
whom you have blocked, GWSkype will add the contact back to your buddy list
and/or unblock him/her as necessary. In either case, you will not be asked
to send another authorization request unless the selected contact has
blocked you.
Adding Skype Out Contacts
Skype Out is a service to place voice calls directly to landline or mobile
phones. Unlike Skype to Skype calls, Skype Out is not free. To use Skype
Out, you must have added Skype Out credit to your account. To enable this
feature, check your balance, or add funds to your account, visit Skype's
website at www.skype.com. Note that you may still add Skype Out numbers to
your contact list, but you will be unable to place calls until you have
Skype Out credit in your account.
To add a Skype Out recipient to your contact list, choose the "Add Skype Out
Contact" option from the Contact menu, or press Control-K. Enter the phone
number of the contact you wish to add in the box provided. If the target
phone number resides in the country designated as the default inside the
GWSkype options window, you need only enter the area code, prefix, and
extension. If you wish to add a number outside your default country code,
then you must begin the number with the plus (+) sign followed by the target
country code, area code, prefix, and extension. For example, GWSkype is set
to use the United States of America as the default country code. Thus, if
you wish to add GW Micro to your Skype Out contacts, you need enter only
2604893671. If you have changed the default country code or wish to add GW
Micro along with its country code, then you would enter +12604893671.
When you have entered the phone number, click either OK or press Enter.
GWSkype will attempt to convert the number into a form that the Skype
service understands. If successful, the phone number will be added to your
contact list. If there is a problem, GWSkype will display an error detailing
what went wrong and offer you the chance to enter the number again. If you
decide to cancel the attempt, press Escape or click the Cancel button.
Handling Incoming Authorization Requests
Just as you are able to send contact authorization requests to others on the
Skype network, so too can you receive them. GWSkype watches for
authorization requests, and when one is received, an alert sound is heard,
and the "Incoming Authorization" dialog opens. The text of the window
includes the name of the person requesting authorization along with any
message he/she may have supplied. In addition, buttons are provided to allow
you to view the contact's profile, accept the authorization, deny it, and
ignore all future requests from the user. When a contact is accepted, he/she
is added to your Skype contact list. If the request is denied, then the
contact is not added. If you also choose to ignore future requests from the
user, you essentially prevent him/her from contacting you again through
Skype. When the authorization has been acknowledged, the window closes, and
you are returned to GWSkype.
Placing and Receiving Skype Calls
GWSkype provides a simple, convenient means of placing and receiving Skype
voice calls either with other Skype users or, if you have Skype Out credit,
with landline or mobile telephone numbers. Note that due to a limitation in
the publically available Skype runtime, video calls are not yet possible.
Full video calling support is planned for a future version of GWSkype.
Calling Contacts
To place a call to one or more people who are already in your contact list,
follow these steps:
1.. In GWSkype, select the person(s) you wish to call.
2.. From the Call or right-click context menus, choose "Call Selected
Contact" or press Control-L.
3.. A phone ringing sound will be heard.
4.. If the contact answers, then the status bar changes to indicate the
number of participants in the call as well as its duration.
5.. When you wish to end the call, choose "Hang Up" from the Call menu or
press Control-H. If you are inside another application, you may also press
the GWSkype Reject Call hotkey (which is Alt-Page Down by default).
Calling a Custom Contact or Phone Number
If you wish to call someone who is either not on your contact list or a
telephone number, follow these steps:
1.. Choose "Call Custom Contact" from the Call Menu, or press Control-U.
2.. In the dialog which opens, either enter the Skype username of the
person you wish to call, or in the case of a phone number, enter the country
code (if outside your default calling area) and the telephone number. Click
OK to place the call or Cancel to abort the attempt.
3.. A phone ringing sound will be heard.
4.. If the contact answers, then the status bar changes to indicate the
number of participants in the call as well as its duration.
5.. When you wish to end the call, choose "Hang Up" from the Call menu or
press Control-H. If you are inside another application, you may also press
the GWSkype Reject Call hotkey (which is Alt-Page Down by default).
Receiving Calls
When a call is received, GWSkype will display the "Incoming Call" dialog.
This window displays who is calling and allows you to accept or reject the
call. Either click on your desired option or use the GWSkype Accept/Reject
Call hotkeys (which are Alt-Page Up and Alt-Page Down respectively).
Some Notes on Conference Calls
Rather than maintain separate active calls, GWSkype will always merge
multiple active calls into a single conference. Thus, if you are in a voice
chat with someone and place a call to another user, the two calls will
become a single conference when the recipient of the second call answers.
Similarly, if you are in a call with someone and receive an incoming call
from another user, the two calls will merge if you answer the second
request. Hanging up while a call is ringing will cancel it, and clicking
"Reject" when receiving a call will cancel the request without also ending
the active call. Otherwise, hanging up on a call will end it--regardless of
whether it is a conference. If you are the creator of the active conference
call, you can drop selected users from the conference by first selecting
them in the contact list and then activating the "Drop from Conference"
option from under the Call menu. This item will do nothing if you are in a
one-on-one chat, the selected person is not already in the conference, or if
you did not originate the conference call.
Voicemails
Sending Voicemails
Like the answering service provided by your phone system, Skype supports the
sending and receiving of voicemails. There are two ways to send a voicemail
in GWSkype. If you place a call to someone who has voicemail enabled on
his/her account and he/she fails to answer after several rings, Skype may
direct you to the person's voicemail. If this is the case, you will hear a
brief message stating that the person is not available followed by a beep.
Once the beep sounds, begin speaking your message. When finished, end the
call by hanging up with the respective option in the Call menu, by pressing
Control-H, or by pressing the Reject Call hotkey (which is Alt-Page Down by
default) if you are in another application.
If you choose to leave a voicemail for someone without first attempting a
call, select the contact in your contact list and either activate the "Leave
Voicemail" item from the Contact or context menus or press Control-V. If the
contact's account is able to send and receive voicemails, the voicemail
window opens, and the voicemail greeting begins playing. Like above, begin
speaking after the greeting completes and the tone is heard. Click the "Stop
and Send" button when you have finished your message. The voicemail will be
transmitted, and when complete, the window will close. If you decide to
cancel the voicemail, simply click the Cancel button or press Escape.
Receiving Voicemails
When a voicemail is received, the "Incoming Voicemail" window is displayed
which lets you play the message, delete it, or close the window and handle
the message at a later time. Note that closing a message merely dismisses
the voicemail window; the message will remain in your account until you
delete it. To access all of your voicemails, use the Voicemails option in
the Skype menu. If you have any voicemails, a list of the messages will
appear. Select one and click OK to cause the voicemails window to open and
begin playback of the message.
Text Conversations
While one of GWSkype's advantages is its clear, high-quality voice call
service, there are times when voice chats are neither possible nor optimal.
In such cases, GWSkype supports a rich set of text chat features which
complement its voice capabilities.
Initiating a Chat
To start a conversation with one or more of your Skype contacts, select them
in the contact list and either press Enter or choose "Chat" from the Contact
menu. Note that you cannot have a text chat with a Skype Out contact. A
conversation window will open which displays the conversation's participants
in the title bar, an area representing the conversation history, an edit box
where you can enter text, and buttons to let you send messages, call the
conversation's participants, send files, invite additional users, and close
the window.
Your keyboard focus lands in the typing area when the conversation window
first opens. To send a message, simply type it and click the Send button or
press the Enter key to send it. The text you typed will appear in the
message history as will incoming messages from the other chat participants.
By default, GWSkype displays the time each message was received next to each
entry in the history, but this can be disabled under the Message Log tab of
GWSkype's options window (discussed later). GWSkype will also read messages
as they are received, so you need not use your screen reader's review
capabilities to do so unless, of course, you wish to do so.
Message Review Hotkeys
While you can manually review messages either by Tabbing to the message
history or invoking your screen reader's review functions, GWSkype provides
an easy way to access up to the ten most recent messages without ever having
to move away from the typing area. The keys F1 through F10 will cause
GWSkype to speak the respective first to tenth most recent message in the
message history. If the given message number does not exist, GWSkype will
speak something like, "Message 5 not found."
Placing Calls from Within Text Conversations
For your convenience, each conversation window is equipped with the ability
to begin or end a Skype voice call with the other members of the active
chat. To place a call, click the "Call" button or press Alt-L. A ringing
sound will be heard, and each participant will receive an incoming call
request. When the participants answer, you will then be able to speak as
well as type to one another. Notice, too, that the "Call" button now reads,
"Hang Up." Activate the button when you wish to end the voice portion of the
conversation and return to text only mode. See the earlier section on
placing Skype calls for more information on this feature.
Sending Files
The "Send File" button inside the conversation window enables you to share a
file with the other members of the active chat. File transfers are described
in more detail later in this guide.
Inviting Additional Users to the Conversation
When activated, The "Invite Additional Users" button inside the text
conversation window causes a list of your Skype contacts and their status to
appear. From here, select a user you wish to add to the existing
conversation and press Enter. When a user is added to the conversation, the
invitation window will close, and your focus will be placed in a new text
chat between the existing participants in addition to the contact you just
added.
File Transfers
In addition to being a versatile voice and text chat application, GWSkype
provides a straight-forward method for allowing you to send and receive
files to and from your Skype contacts. The following paragraphs briefly
explain how each aspect of file transfers is handled.
Sending Files
To send a file to one of your contacts when he/she has been selected in the
contact list, choose the "Send File" option from either the Call or context
menus. A standard "File Open" dialog appears to allow you to browse for the
file to send. Once you have chosen a file, activate the "Open' button. The
dialog will close, the transfer request will be sent to the selected
contact, and a window holding information pertaining to the transfer will
open. The dialog displays the status of the transfer, the file's size, and
when the contact accepts the request, the speed and overall progress of the
transmission. To cancel the transfer, press the Cancel button. Note that
when the file has finished sending, the Cancel button will change to a Close
button. For transfers to succeed, ensure that any firewalls which may be
filtering network traffic on both the sending and receiving machines are set
to allow both gwskype.exe and windows-x86-skypekit-novideo.exe through.
Receiving Files
When a Skype contact sends you a file, a notification sound will play, and
the "Incoming File" dialog will appear. The dialog will display who is
requesting the transfer along with the name of the file being sent. Activate
the "Accept" button if you wish to accept the file or "Deny" if you do not.
If you accept the transfer and the file does not already exist, a window
detailing information pertaining to the transfer will open. Otherwise, if
the file exists, you will be asked if you wish to overwrite it. If you do,
then a standard "File Save As" dialog will open to allow you to choose a new
name for the file to be received. Once done, the file transfer window will
open. The dialog displays the status of the transfer, the file's size, and
when the transfer begins, the speed and overall progress of the
transmission. To cancel the transfer, press the Cancel button. Note that
when the file has been fully received, the Cancel button will change to a
Close button. In addition, an "Open" button will become enabled which lets
you conveniently open the file just received. For transfers to succeed,
ensure that any firewalls which may be filtering network traffic on both the
sending and receiving machines are set to allow both gwskype.exe and
windows-x86-skypekit-novideo.exe through.
Deleting Skype Contacts
To remove one or more Skype contacts from your contact list, select the
entries, and either choose "Delete Contact" from the Contact or context
menus or press the Delete key. A dialog will open asking if you are sure you
wish to remove the selected contacts. Press "Yes" if you wish to continue or
"No" if you do not. Note that deleting contacts merely removes the entries
from your contact list. Said contacts will still be able to communicate with
you. If you wish to prevent someone from also communicating with you, use
the block feature (discussed next).
Blocking Contacts
If you wish to block someone from being able to see your status, send you
messages, calls, etc., you can use GWSkype's convenient block feature. To
block the selected contact, choose "Block Contact" from the Contact or
context menus or press Control-B. You will be asked if you wish to block the
contact. Answer "Yes" if you do or "No" if you do not. If the selected
contact has already been blocked, accessing this option will allow you to
unblock the contact. Due to the context-sensitive nature of this feature, it
must be performed on a contact-by-contact basis. Note, too, that blocking
someone still leaves them on your contact list. If you no longer wish to see
the contact in your list after he/she has been blocked, you must then delete
entry. The previous section describes how to delete contacts from GWSkype.
Reviewing Recent Events
Should you ever want to review a chronological log of your recent
Skype-related activity, GWSkype's recent events window, accessed under the
Skype menu or via Control-R, will let you do just that. The window contains
a list of activity sorted in descending order; that is, the list shows the
most recent events at the top and the events farthest in the past at the
bottom. Each event contains a description, whom the event effected, and the
date and time it was generated. Display names will be used where possible,
but in cases where a display name cannot be retrieved for a given event, the
Skype user name will be shown instead. Finally, keep in mind that the recent
events window shows only an activity log; it currently does not allow you to
do more than see when each event occured. More functionality for this area
of the program is planned in the future.
Opening Existing Conversations
When you are involved in a text chat and close the conversation window, it
may not always be a simple matter to return to it especially if the
conversation involves multiple participants. With this eventuality in mind,
GWSkype includes a way to access a list of all conversations which contain
text messages. Use the "Conversations" option from under the Skype menu to
access this dialog. If any text-based conversations are found, GWSkype will
display them. Simply use your arrow keys to select a conversation and click
the "OK" button or press Enter to open it. The conversation window will
open, and the message history will populate with as many messages as GWSkype
can retrieve.
Running GWSkype from the Notification Area
When GWSkype is first installed, it is configured to reside in the taskbar
and be accessible via Alt-Tab. If you would prefer to keep GWSkype running
in the background but stay out of the way, it can run equally well from the
notification area (also known as the system tray). Use the "Show/Hide"
hotkey (which is Control-Alt-Home by default) to toggle GWSkype's placement
between the taskbar and notification area. When GWSkype is in the
notification area, you can return it to the foreground by left-clicking its
icon. Right-clicking the icon causes a menu to appear where you can open the
main window, change your status, and close GWSkype. The options window
(discussed later) provides additional settings for controlling GWSkype's
placement at startup as well as what happens when its window is minimized.
Updating Your Account
This section briefly describes the changes you can make to your Skype
account from within GWSkype. Most, but not all, account management features
have been implemented in GWSkype. If you must change a setting which GWSkype
does not currently support, visit your account section on www.skype.com
until the feature is added to a GWSkype update.
Editing Your Profile
Your Skype profile holds information about you which can make it easier for
your colleagues, family, and friends to locate you on the Skype network.
Should you wish to edit any of this optional information, choose the "Edit
Profile" item from the Skype menu.
The edit profile window which opens contains 14 fields which you can fill
with as much or as little data as you wish. While most of the items should
be self-explanatory, the birthday field requires some discussion. If you
decide to fill in your birthday, you must do so in the form YYYY-MM-DD
(where YYYY represents four digits for the year, MM represents two digits
for the month, and DD represents two digits for the day). For example, if
you were born on April 5, 1980, you would enter "1980-04-05." This format is
how Skype natively accepts dates, and GWSkype presently honors this scheme
so as not to impose any locale-specific date formats on its users. Leave the
birthday field empty if you do not want to share this with other Skype
users.
When you have updated your profile to your liking, activate the "Save"
button to send the changes to Skype. GWSkype will alert you to any problems
and ask you to correct them before continuing. Otherwise, your profile will
be updated, and the Edit Profile window will close. Click the "Cancel"
button if you decide not to update your profile.
Updating Your Mood
As described earlier in this guide, one's mood text is a brief message which
is displayed next alongside his or her name in a Skype contact list. As you
move through your own contact list in GWSkype, you will likely encounter
mood messages which your contacts have set for themselves. You, too, can set
a mood text for your own account by choosing the "Set Mood Text" option
inside the Skype menu. Enter your mood text in the dialog which opens, and
click the "OK" button or press Enter to accept the change. The "Cancel"
button or Escape key will close the dialog and leave your mood text
unchanged. Note that your mood text may be no greater than 300 characters.
GWSkype will display an error if your mood text exceeds this length and
allow you to correct it.
Changing your Password
If you wish to change the password for your Skype account, use the "Change
Password" item under the Skype menu. A dialog will open which prompts you
for your original password, the desired replacement, and a confirmation for
your new password. Take Note that the new password must differ from the
original, and the values in the "New Password" and "Confirm New Password"
edit boxes must match. Once all three fields have been entered, activate the
"Change Password" button to submit the changes to Skype. A confirmation
dialog will appear when the operation completes. If something is wrong with
any of the password fields, or if Skype does not accept the new password, an
error dialog will appear which details the problem. When it closes, your
focus will return to the field which must be corrected. Press the "Cancel"
button at any point to abort the change to your account.
Configuring GWSkype Options
The GWSkype options window (located in the Skype menu) is the central
location for customizing the program's behavior to your liking. The dialog
is organized in to seven pages. Use Control-Tab and Control-Shift-Tab to
move through each page of the dialog, and press Tab and Shift-Tab to
navigate through each setting within the page. Press Enter or click "OK" to
apply any changes you have made, or press Escape or click "Cancel" to abort.
The following sections detail each setting and describe how GWSkype's
behavior changes.
General
The "General" page contains options related to GWSkype's overall behavior.
It includes the following options:
a.. Minimize GWSkype to the Notification Area on Startup -- When checked,
GWSkype will appear in the notification area when it first starts. If
unchecked (which is the default setting), GWSkype will load in the taskbar.
b.. Minimize GWSkype when Escape is Pressed -- When checked, you can press
the Escape key from the GWSkype window to minimize it. If unchecked (which
is the default setting), pressing Escape from the main window does nothing.
c.. Put GWSkype in the Notification Area when Minimized -- When checked,
minimizing GWSkype in any way will cause it to move from the taskbar to the
notification area. If unchecked (which is the default setting), minimizing
GWSkype will leave it in a minimized state on the taskbar.
d.. Check for Updates When GWSkype Starts -- When checked (which is the
default setting), GWSkype will go online to see if a newer version is
available. If there is, you will be asked if you wish to download and
install it. If the option is unchecked, then GWSkype will not look for new
versions when it loads. Note: you can manually check for new versions by
choosing "Check for Updates" from under the Help menu.
e.. Automatically Login When Program Starts -- When checked (which is the
default setting), GWSkype will attempt to login with the most recently
active Skype account. If unchecked, GWSkype will not try to login when it
loads.
f.. Show Unread Conversations When Program Starts -- When checked (which
is the default), GWSkype will display any unread messages you received while
you were offline when you login. Otherwise, unread messages must be manually
looked up in the "Conversations" window described earlier.
g.. Warn Before Blocking and Deleting Contacts -- When checked (which is
the default setting), GWSkype will ask you if you want to block or delete
contacts before doing so. If unchecked, GWSkype will not ask for
confirmation and will block or delete the selected contact(s) immediately.
h.. When I Press Enter on a Contact -- This item is set to open a chat
window by default. You may also elect to cause GWSkype to place a call to
the selected contact when Enter is pressed or do nothing at all.
i.. Default Country Code -- This setting controls which country code
GWSkype should use by default when placing Skype Out calls. By default, the
country code is set to the United States of America.
Speech
The speech page allows you to configure the types of messages GWSkype speaks
and whether such messages will be routed to your screen reader or to SAPI.
If you do not use a screen reader or do not wish to hear any
program-generated speech, uncheck all of the settings in this page. The
speech page includes the following options:
a.. Speak Program-Generated Messages -- When checked (which is the
default), GWSkype will speak general program information such as your sign
in status, when calls start and end, and when you change your online
availability. No such messages will be spoken when this option is unchecked.
b.. Speak User Status Changes -- When checked (which is the default
setting), GWSkype will announce when any of your contacts' statuses change.
This includes when contacts sign in and out, are set to away, do not
disturb, etc. Uncheck this item if you do not want to hear this information
spoken.
c.. Speak Incoming and Outgoing Chat Messages -- When checked (which is
the default setting), GWSkype will speak any incoming and outgoing text
messages as they are sent and received. Uncheck this option if you would
prefer not to hear these voiced.
d.. Always Speak Using SAPI 5 -- When unchecked (which is the default
setting), GWSkype will attempt to speak using any active screen reader; it
will only send speech through the default SAPI 5 synthesizer if no supported
screen reader is detected. If this option is checked, then GWSkype will
always speak through SAPI 5 even if a supported screen reader is running.
Message Log
The message log page holds information pertaining to how messages are
displayed in text conversation windows. It includes the following option:
a.. Show Timestamps -- When checked (which is the default setting), all
messages displayed inside conversation windows will include the date and/or
time the message was sent or received. When this option is unchecked, the
date and time of messages will not be displayed.
Hotkeys
The hotkeys page allows you to review and update the global hotkey
assignments for GWSkype. Unlike most of the GWSkype shortcut keys, the items
listed in the hotkeys page can be executed from within anywhere in Windows
as long as GWSkype is running. To change a hotkey:
1.. Choose a command to modify from the Hotkeys combo box. The available
items are "Answer Call," "Reject Call," "Show/Hide GWSkype," and
"Mute/Unmute Microphone."
2.. Tab to the "Value" read-only edit box to review the hotkey associated
with the selected command. For example, the default command to answer a call
is "Alt-Page Up."
3.. Tab to the "Enable" checkbox and set whether you want the selected
command to be active.
4.. If you wish to change the hotkey assignment, press the "Capture Key"
button. You will next be prompted to press the new hotkey. You can use any
combination of Alt, Control, and Shift keys in addition to any letter,
number, or directional key. If the captured command does not conflict with
an existing assignment, then the change will be accepted. You will be asked
what you want to do in the event of a conflict. Choose "Replace Key" to
redefine the hotkey as you had intended and leave the old hotkey undefined.
Choose "Replace and Redefine Key" to replace the hotkey and additionally
select the old command so you can assign it to another key.
5.. Repeat the above steps as necessary until you are satisfied with your
changes.
The hotkey changes will take effect once you click the "OK" button and close
the options window.
Files
The files page contains options for adjusting external file preferences. It
contains the following items:
a.. Received Files -- By default, this is set to a subfolder of your
documents directory called "Received Files." Any files you receive from
GWSkype will be placed in this folder.
b.. Browse -- Activate this button to pick a new location for files that
you receive with GWSkype.
Sounds
The sounds page allows you to review, listen to, and redefine the sounds
which play in response to specific GWSkype events. To modify a sound:
1.. Select an event in the sounds combo box. The available events are
"Sign In," "Sign Out," "Incoming Call," "Outgoing Call," "Answer Call,"
"Hang Up," "Incoming Message," "Outgoing Message," "Incoming Request," and
"Contact Online."
2.. Use the "Play" button to hear the sound associated with the selected
event.
3.. The "Value" edit box contains the full path to the sound. Clear this
field if you do not wish to hear a sound for the selected event.
4.. If you would prefer to browse for a new file rather than enter its
path manually, use the Browse button.
5.. Repeat the above steps as desired to change the sound assignments.
Like native Skype, GWSkype requires that all sound files be in raw,
uncompressed mono WAVE format. Any sound assignments you change will not
take effect until you click the "OK" button and close the options window.
Devices
If you have more than one audio device connected to your computer such as a
Skype phone, headset, etc., you can configure GWSkype to use it instead of
your default sound card for voice input, output, and sound effect playback.
This page has the following options:
a.. Default Input Device -- This combo box contains a list of all
available voice input devices (such as microphones) that are connected to
your computer. Select which input you want GWSkype to use for capturing your
voice during Skype calls.
b.. Default Output Device -- This combo box contains a list of all
available output devices (such as speakers) that are connected to your
computer. Choose where you want incoming audio from Skype calls and
voicemails to be directed.
c.. Default Sound Device -- This combo box also contains a list of all
available output devices (such as speakers) which are connected to your
computer. Unlike the default output device combo box, this option lets you
select where any sound effects (such as ringing sounds) will be played.
Note that any changes to your audio preferences will not take effect until
you press the "OK" button and exit the options window.
Frequently Asked Questions
The following are some frequently asked questions and answers regarding
GWSkype. If you continue to have questions or require assistance after
reading this section, please use the information in the "Contact
Information" section to reach a GW Micro support specialist.
Do I have to install the official Skype client to use GWSkype?
No. The GWSkype setup contains everything required to interact with the
Skype service. You may, however, install the official Skype client and
switch between the two programs at your own discression.
Do I have to be a Window-Eyes user to run GWSkype?
No. GWSkype will work with all recent versions of Windows screen readers and
magnifiers. GWSkype is written to allow all blind and visually impaired
people, regardless of screen reader preference, to have an easy, accessible
Skype experience.
How much does GWSkype cost?
GWSkype costs nothing. It is available for free at
http://www.gwmicro.com/apps/GWSkype.
Can I sign up for the Skype service with GWSkype?
Absolutely. To sign up for Skype, simply open the "Sign In" window from
under the Skype menu and click the "Sign up for Skype" button. You will be
taken to the account sign up web page at Skype.com where you can create a
new account. When your account has been successfully created, enter your new
Skype username and password into the sign in window, click "Sign In," and
you can begin using Skype immediately.
Why does my password disappear when I open the sign in window?
The part of GWSkype responsible for handling communication between the
GWSkype user interface and the Skype service handles all password storage
and management. As such, GWSkype itself never stores your password for any
reason. Thus, if you have GWSkype set to automatically sign in to your
account and you have instructed it to remember your password, the program
will do so until you manually sign out.
Whenever I talk to someone, the rest of my Windows audio gets turned down.
How do I fix this?
Windows Vista and Windows 7 include a feature where the operating system
automatically ducks any background audio whenever services such as GWSkype
are used. This has the unfortunate consequence of also turning down your
software speech synthesizer. To disable this:
1.. Press the Windows key to open the Start Menu.
2.. Enter "sound," and press the Down Arrow until you reach the Control
Panel applet.
3.. Control-Tab until you reach the "Communications" tab.
4.. Your keyboard focus lands in a group of radio buttons. Press the Down
Arrow until you reach "Do Nothing."
5.. Press Alt-A to activate the "Apply" button.
6.. Press Enter to close the dialog.
Now, when you make or receive Skype calls, your Windows audio settings will
be left alone.
Why can't I send or receive video calls?
The version of the Windows Skype runtime which we are permitted to ship does
not support either sending or receiving video calls. Skype has promised to
make an updated version of the runtime available in the first half of 2012
which will support video calls. GWSkype will be updated to support these
features when the new runtime is available.
Can I run GWSkype and the official Skype client at the same time?
Certainly. However, be aware that you must be logged in to separate accounts
for each client if you intend to run both versions of Skype on the same
computer. If you attempt to sign in to your account on both GWSkype and the
official Skype client, one or both programs will generate a database IO
error. You may, however, sign in to your account on multiple machines with
no issue.
Will I be able to use third-party plugins (such as call recorders) with
GWSkype?
No. Third-party plugins which utilize the Skype desktop API are currently
not compatible with custom Skype clients-- including GWSkype.
Do others on my contact list have to also run GWSkype before I can call
them?
No. Your contacts may use any Skype client which supports voice calls and/or
text chatting such as GWSkype, the official Skype client for Windows, or
even Skype for other operating systems such as Mac OSX, iOS, Android, and
Linux. In the end, GWSkype is simply an accessible front-end to the same
Skype service used by millions of people around the globe every day.
Contact Information
GW Micro, Inc.
725 Airport North Office Park
Fort Wayne, IN 46825
Phone: 260-489-3671
FAX: 260-489-2608
WWW: www.gwmicro.com
FTP: ftp.gwmicro.com
E-MAIL: support@xxxxxxxxxxx
Twitter: www.twitter.com/gwmicro
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/GW-Micro-Inc/63367531676?sid=f63ac65bba367c1334daa8b4d73678cf&ref=search
Copyright (c) 2011, GW Micro, INC. All rights reserved. Portions copyright
(c) 2003-2011, Skype, LTD. All rights reserved. Sound effects provided
courtesy of Andre Louis.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Susan Curry" <SusanCurry@xxxxxxx>
To: <vip_students@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 10:59 PM
Subject: [vip_students] gw connect
hi folks,
we are just trying to get set up with skype , well we are set up but does
any one know any jaws keystrokes for it?
we have gw connect
susan
best wishes
susan
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