From: Doug Lee dgl@xxxxxxxx
To: SkypeEnglish@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Exciting news here, news I have been waiting to share for months! I
have a fair amount to say, so here's a summary: There is a new and
more accessible Skype 4.1 public beta out, and there are scripts to go
with it. I will first describe the Skype beta, then the scripts for
it.
Details:
We have a public beta of Skype 4.1, and there are accessibility
features in it! Accessibility is still an ongoing project, but as you
will see, some of the problems are fixed, and others are promised
before the next full Skype release.
Notes on Skype 4.1 itself:
Skype 4.1 beta contains accessibility improvements, including
- More items in tab order.
- More items with meaningful names.
- The Accessibility submenu of Tools again, with Extended Keyboard
Navigation under it.
As an example, you can now set mood text just by tabbing to the proper
control in the main Skype window, pressing Space, editing your text,
and pressing Enter.
In addition, I spot the following commitment in the Skype release
notes, which is a publicly accessible document: Under "Known Issues":
Voicemail and File transfer not accessible: this will be fixed for 4.1
Gold.
So although that is not fixed now, we finally have a promise from
Skype that it will be fixed when Skype 4.1, not beta, comes out.
You can get the beta either by going to http://www.skype.com, then
Download, then "Beta versions of Skype," or by going directly to the
following link:
http://www.skype.com/intl/en/download/skype/windows/beta/
From that page, no matter how you got there, use the "Download Now"
link to get the program.
The technical info for this version, from that page:
Version 4.1.0.130 File size 22 MB. Beta release. Release date: May 27,
2009. File name: SkypeSetup-Beta.exe
One warning: After clicking "I agree Install button" in the
installer, another page will appear, probably silently, with a
checkbox asking permission to install Google Chrome. This is much
like the "Install the Google Toolbar" option we've seen in older
Skypes. It may default to checked, so I recommend tabbing around and
unchecking that box if you don't want Google Chrome, which is a
browser whose accessibility is unknown to me. The Skype installer
will remember your setting for that checkbox in future, but it's
always a good idea to watch for it.
Now, about the scripts:
There is a new script set posted at
http://www.dlee.org/skype/
for Skype 4.1 beta. It will probably also work with Skype 4.0, though
I have not tried that recently. I am calling this version 4.1a,
meaning the first Skype script release for Skype 4.1.
NOTE: I recommend restarting JAWS once after installing these
scripts, because the names of a number of global variables have
changed, and the old ones can only be cleared out of memory by a JAWS
restart..
The rest of this message will describe new features of the scripts.
First, user-visible changes:
A double JAWSKey+F1, the standard command for accessing JAWS
script help documents, will take you to an online page at my web site
describing how to use Skype 4.1 with the scripts. This feature is
long overdue, and though I'm sure the online documentation is in need
of updating, it is at least a central starting point, better than
having to fish for info among all the release notes for the various
Skype script releases.
F2, typed from within a conversation, will turn on and off JAWS'
announcement of timestamps with text messages, if you have enabled the
display of timestamps in Skype itself. This is similar to how F2
works in AIM. The virtual display of text messages will also be
affected.
Alt+Numpad5 will now say the position of the current message in
addition to its contents.
Users that sometimes heard nothing when backspacing in a text message
input box should now hear characters as usual. This script update
fixes a few possible causes of that problem.
JAWS 9 no longer beeps on arrows, SayLine, etc., in the History list.
The History list is also more appropriately named (perhaps not in
Braille though).
JAWS auto-announces questions like the one about holding the current call
to make a new one. Also, Ctrl+Shift+E deals with that window instead
of the Accounts panel when it applies. Controls in such a box can now
be reached with the Tab key, as Skype itself made this possible.
Double Ctrl+numbers no longer switch to the JAWS cursor and restrict it.
A double Ctrl+6 focuses the profile area, and it also works in more
windows.
If you leave the new Chrome menus in effect in Skype, the scripts will
try to make them speak. Turning these off is still recommended
though.
If you open the Help/About box and try to move to another window or
application without first closing it, the scripts will close it for
you to keep it from interfering with other windows and applications.
Any Braille display users who sometimes heard "Unknown function call
to JCPBrailleHelper" should no longer hear that message.
Users of JAWSKey+V may have noticed that the clipboard could get
overwritten with a funny-looking string of verbosity option info in
certain situations. This is now fixed.
The script installer includes some attempts to fix a problem wherein
some users are told they have no valid JAWS language folder.
Finally, internal changes, visible mostly to coders and curious souls
who look at the code:
This script version officially ends my use of jsl files in public
projects, which means fewer files in the script set. Any jsl files
from previous scripts will not be deleted when you install this
update, however.
The names of most functions and global variables used in the Skype
scripts have been changed to make them unique enough not to collide
with other scripts that one might have running alongside the Skype
scripts. This was not a frequent problem but did happen to some
people.
A number of functions from Skype 3 scripts no longer used in Skype 4
have been removed.
--
Doug Lee dgl@xxxxxxxx http://www.dlee.org
SSB BART Group doug.lee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.ssbbartgroup.com
"Believe, when you are most unhappy, that there is something for you
to do in the world. So long as you can sweeten another's pain, life is
not in vain." --Helen Keller
Regards Steve
Email: srp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
MSN Messenger: internetuser383@xxxxxxxxxxx
Skype: steve1963
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