[macvoiceover] VoiceOver with Interface Builder, creating interfaces in your own programs now accessible
- From: Bryan Smart <bryansmart@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "macvoiceover@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <macvoiceover@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 7 Jan 2010 15:34:59 -0500
Hi everyone. I'm writing here to make you all aware of an exciting development
over on the MV-Dev Google Group that will impact all VoiceOver users
positively, and will impact VoiceOver users that are programmers even more so.
As some of you might know, XCode is the main software development environment
for the Mac. It is a huge system, but the two main tools are the XCode
integrated development environment (where you write your code and build the
code in to finished programs), and Interface Builder (where you design the
menus, windows, and other parts of the interface that people will use to
operate your program). Over the last few years, the accessibility of XCode has
been greatly improving, and, currently, a blind programmer can operate most
every part of it that they would need to create programs. However, Interface
Builder has been a different story. Interface Builder requires that programmers
create the new program's interface by dragging user interface objects from a
library window on to a design surface that represents the program's eventual
interface. VoiceOver's drag and drop features weren't compatible with Interface
Builder, so blind programmers weren't able to add user interface objects to
their programs.
Recently, though, a few of us on the MV-Dev Google Group have figured out an
alternative approach. We're still working out some details regarding the best
way to arrange objects, but blind programmers on the Mac can now use Interface
Builder to create their program's user interface by adding objects to menus and
windows, can position objects on design surfaces, and can edit the outlets and
other programmatic connections between objects and classes in their code.
Before our recent discovery, I'd searched the web extensively in the hope that
someone had worked out a way for blind programmers to use Interface Builder,
but all I saw was thread after thread on the Apple Accessibility list
MacVisionaries, and other forums where people had asked, but had come up empty
handed. I hope that those that were discouraged in the past will be excited
about this development, and will get involved with programming for the Mac.
If you know a VoiceOver user that is interested in programming for the Mac,
please let them know about the MV-Dev Google Group and what is now possible.
Since we can now create software, complete with graphical user interfaces, they
should join us and get up to speed. The fact that blind coders can now create
applications with interfaces will undoubtedly mean that we can expect to see an
increasing number of software tools to improve how we use Macs.
Here is the link to the Google Group:
http://groups.google.com/group/mv-dev
If someone would repost to MacVisionaries, I'd appreciate it. My membership
request has been pending for over a week on that list, so I'm unable to post
there.
Bryan
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