[jawsscripts] Re: pesky damn combo boxes, revisited

  • From: chad.foster@xxxxxxxxxx
  • To: jawsscripts@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:57:53 -0400

You can also route the JAWS or Invisible cursor to the combo box and
use CTRL+C to start with the current object - that should do the
trick.

I have rarely, if ever, seen a program where you are unable to glean a
MSAA object. Typically, you can attach to an object pointer, even if
it is a useless one.

-Chad

On 4/30/08, Jackie McBride <abletec@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Get list of objects. I finally did get it to tell me its role is a
> combo box. It does seem to have 1 child, text, which is "focusable".
> All the get object rect functions fail. Arg!
>
> On 4/30/08, Doug Lee <doug.lee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > One thing baffles me:  If you have no MSAA info for the combo box and
> > its items, how are you getting the list of items in the box now?
> > GetListOfObjects, or something else?
> >
> > On Wed, Apr 30, 2008 at 02:44:07PM -0700, Jackie McBride wrote:
> > Roy, thanks for the tip, but, no, that's not the difficulty--I did
> > that. When I said this was 1 of the most MSAA *unaware* apps I've
> > seen, I was not kidding, folks--I was serious as a heart attack.
> > Having said all that though, I will never rule out the possibility
> > that my ineptitude could & probably does play a role, but I actually
> > did the control f thing right.
> >
> > On 4/30/08, Roy Nickelson <roylee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > > I haven't been followig this thread but as a user it sounds like you
> > forgot
> > > to press ctrl+f in step 3.  make sure that the pc cursor is on the combo
> > box
> > > before following chad's instructions.
> > > Roy
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Jackie McBride" <abletec@xxxxxxxxx>
> > > To: <jawsscripts@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 3:22 PM
> > > Subject: [jawsscripts] Re: pesky damn combo boxes, revisited
> > >
> > >
> > > Chad:
> > >
> > > Ok, been there, done that, & the only message I get is "object not
> > > found", no matter what I do.
> > >
> > > So, guess it's time for plan b, huh? Aint that just a barrel of fun!
> > >
> > > On 4/30/08, chad.foster@xxxxxxxxxx <chad.foster@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > > > Try Doug Lee's BX utility found at:
> > > >
> > > > http://users.visi.com/~dgl/bx/
> > > >
> > > > Once you install it, you want to use MSAA mode by doing the following:
> > > >
> > > > 1. Turn on BX by pressing INSERT+SPACEBAR
> > > > 2. Switch to MSAA mode by pressing apostrophe (') followed by M (M)
> > > > 3. Place BX on the focused object by pressing CTRL+F
> > > > 4. Arrow up, down, right, and left to explore the object hierarchy
> > > > 5. If you find a relationship of your combo box items, then it can be
> > > > scripted using MSAA
> > > > 6. If you are unable to find your combo box items, then we'll have to
> > > > think of plan B
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > HTH,
> > > >
> > > > Chad
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On 4/30/08, Jackie McBride <abletec@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > > > > Chad, here seems to be the problem: the parent window of the combo
> box
> > > > > in question contains not only objects from the combo box being
> worked
> > > > > with, but others as well, & objects often have identical names. So
> > > > > trying to sort which object belongs to which combo box is gonna be a
> > > > > well, uh, b-word. Maybe I will be able to figure out which objects
> go
> > > > > w/which boxes, but the problem is that there are 4 combo boxes--1
> for
> > > > > soft synths, which is actually easy to figure out where they belong,
> &
> > > > > 3 identical boxes that contain names of effects which can be chained
> > > > > together. These obviously have all identical names, so trying to
> > > > > figure out which names go with which is gonna get interesting, but
> > > > > I'll play w/it some more. Thanks for the suggestion.
> > > > >
> > > > > On 4/30/08, Jackie McBride <abletec@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > > > > > In short, James, no, but it'd sure make my life easier if I could.
> > > > > > Chad, let me look a little closer at what u r saying here. This is
> 1
> > > > > > of the most MSAA *unaware* apps I've worked w/in a long, long time
> &
> > > > > > also poorly written, e.g., combo boxes & radio buttons have a
> couple
> > > > > > different window classes (e.g., comboLBox & TComboBox) even within
> > the
> > > > > > same program! I really think part of what's happened here is that
> > > > > > they've continued to add features over the years but never revised
> > the
> > > > > > code to bring it into sync w/the new tools they're using, etc.
> > Having
> > > > > > said all that, I'm not altogether certain I'm intelligent enough
> to
> > > > > > know how to do what u just said were the app the most well-written
> > in
> > > > > > the world, Chad. But I'll look at it some more & see if maybe I
> > can't
> > > > > > muddle thru.  I really do wish I could find some decent materials
> &
> > > > > > docs regarding objects, MSAA, UI automation--whatever & all of the
> > > > > > above. Any suggestions from any1 welcome. I have downloaded both
> the
> > > > > > windows & MSAA sdk, but it seems as though they kind of assume u
> > > > > > already know what you're doing--not a good assumption when it
> comes
> > to
> > > > > > lil oal me, that's a certainty.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Frustrated.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > On 4/30/08, James Dietz <James.Dietz@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > > > > > > Can't you just use alt+down to "open" the combo, choose item,
> then
> > > > > > > alt
> > > > > > > +up to "select" it?
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > James
> > > > > > > On Apr 29, 2008, at 7:01 PM, Jackie McBride wrote:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Ok, yall, as I think I explained in a previous post, I've got
> a
> > > > combo
> > > > > > > > box which, when the arrow keys are pressed, not only give the
> > item
> > > > > > > > focus but select it as well. The problem here is that, when
> one
> > > > > > > > presses a key, if the synth is not working or whatever, u get
> a
> > > > dialog
> > > > > > > > box to that effect & then u gotta go back to the combo &
> select
> > > > > > > > something else. Real pita. So I tried collecting the objects
> > > > contained
> > > > > > > > in the combo box into a list with dlgSelectItemInList. Works
> > fine
> > > > > > > > until the item is selected, e.g., I'm havin trouble matching
> the
> > > > item
> > > > > > > > selected in the list to the item selected in the combo box. I
> > was
> > > > > > > > playin around w/a whole lot of stuff--SetCurrentItem, (works
> > > > > > > > intermittently but does not select), send message (doesn't
> seem
> > to
> > > > > > > > work at all though perhaps I'm doing that wrong), click object
> > by
> > > > name
> > > > > > > > (says it works but doesn't), just trying to click it (object
> > can't
> > > > be
> > > > > > > > found).
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Any1 got any brilliant ideas? Appreciate anything any1 has to
> > > > > > > > offer.
> > > > > > > > --
> > > > > > > > Jackie McBride
> > > > > > > > Please join my fight against breast cancer
> > > > > > > >
> > > > >
> > <http://teamacs.acsevents.org/site/TR?px=1790196&pg=personal&fr_id=3489
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > & Check out my homepage at:
> > > > > > > > www.abletec.serverheaven.net
> > > > > > > > __________
> > > > > > > > View the list's information and change your settings at
> > > > > > > > //www.freelists.org/list/jawsscripts
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > __________
> > > > > > > View the list's information and change your settings at
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> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > --
> > > > > > Jackie McBride
> > > > > > Please join my fight against breast cancer
> > > > > >
> > > <http://teamacs.acsevents.org/site/TR?px=1790196&pg=personal&fr_id=3489>
> > > > > > & Check out my homepage at:
> > > > > > www.abletec.serverheaven.net
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > --
> > > > > Jackie McBride
> > > > > Please join my fight against breast cancer
> > > > >
> > <http://teamacs.acsevents.org/site/TR?px=1790196&pg=personal&fr_id=3489>
> > > > > & Check out my homepage at:
> > > > > www.abletec.serverheaven.net
> > > > > __________
> > > > > View the list's information and change your settings at
> > > > > //www.freelists.org/list/jawsscripts
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Chad Foster
> > > > Access Technology Solutions
> > > > http://www.GO-ATS.net
> > > > __________
> > > > View the list's information and change your settings at
> > > > //www.freelists.org/list/jawsscripts
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Jackie McBride
> > > Please join my fight against breast cancer
> > > <http://teamacs.acsevents.org/site/TR?px=1790196&pg=personal&fr_id=3489>
> > > & Check out my homepage at:
> > > www.abletec.serverheaven.net
> > > __________
> > > View the list's information and change your settings at
> > > //www.freelists.org/list/jawsscripts
> > >
> > > __________
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> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Jackie McBride
> > Please join my fight against breast cancer
> > <http://teamacs.acsevents.org/site/TR?px=1790196&pg=personal&fr_id=3489>
> > & Check out my homepage at:
> > www.abletec.serverheaven.net
> > __________?
> > View the list's information and change your settings at
> > //www.freelists.org/list/jawsscripts
> >
> > --
> > Doug Lee, Senior Accessibility Programmer
> > SSB BART Group
> > mailto:doug.lee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  http://www.ssbbartgroup.com
> > "While they were saying among themselves it cannot be done,
> > it was done." --Helen Keller
> > __________
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> >
> >
>
>
> --
> Jackie McBride
> Please join my fight against breast cancer
> <http://teamacs.acsevents.org/site/TR?px=1790196&pg=personal&fr_id=3489>
> & Check out my homepage at:
> www.abletec.serverheaven.net
> __________
> View the list's information and change your settings at
> //www.freelists.org/list/jawsscripts
>
>


-- 
Chad Foster
Access Technology Solutions
http://www.GO-ATS.net
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