Hello JAWS List,
We have been working for months on an update for JAWS 12 which includes
a great deal of work in the area of IE 9, Excel, Java 64 bit, Visual
Studio, Thunderbird, and much more. At this time, we are in the process
of completing the final testing with the new MAGic Low Vision Keyboard
that is scheduled to start shipping in the next week or two along with
the MAGic 11 update. Once the testing is complete, the Automatic Updates
feature of JAWS will be turned on for this update and all JAWS 12
English users will get this 1158 build.
In the meantime, we wanted to take this opportunity for users to get
this build early if they would like so we have posted it as the Download
version on our web site. I have included the details of the changes in
the release below. I have provided the download links at the bottom of
this message.
Regards,
Eric Damery
Freedom Scientific, Inc.
JAWS 12 Features and Enhancements as of April 2011
JAWS Support for New MAGic Large Print Keyboard
The MAGic Large Print Keyboard is a new accessory that contains extra
keys assigned to the most commonly used MAGic functions. Its large and
contrasting letters also make it easier to type and use MAGic hot keys.
Using the MAGic Keyboard Manager, you can assign different MAGic
functions to these keys. For example, if you do not use dual monitors,
you can change the Jump to Next Display key to any other feature item
such as mute system sounds.
The keyboard also allows the assignment of shortcuts to keys. With a
shortcut, the keys can launch applications, open files on your computer
or in a network folder, or open a favorite Web site. For example, you
can assign the M1 key (available along the top of the MAGic Large Print
Keyboard) to open a document that you need to regularly access.
Another benefit is that you can use the keyboard with JAWS screen
reading software. Similar to MAGic, you can assign hot keys to JAWS
functions while also using the keyboard with or without running MAGic.
Note that when running the two applications together, the JAWS
functionality will override the MAGic functionality.
Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 Support
JAWS 12 has been further enhanced for Internet Explorer 9 which is
available for users of Windows 7 and Vista. These enhancements include
Braille and the JAWS cursor being able to properly navigate and read
pages. Please note that with the release of Internet Explorer 9,
Microsoft has made significant changes which prevent commercial screen
magnification products from smoothing fonts as we had previously. If
font smoothing is important for users of MAGic on your computer, we
recommend that you remain with Internet Explorer 8 on your machine until
a solution has been worked out.
Microsoft Excel Improvements
The interface to the Excel Object Model has been rewritten. You will
experience a more responsive and accurate interface to Excel.
Visual Studio 2010 Professional Support
Visual Studio 2010 Professional is a development environment from
Microsoft that enables application developers to develop software using
a wide variety of languages including C++, C#, Visual Basic.net, and
more. JAWS 12 now provides robust support with both speech and braille
for various areas of the Visual Studio system, including:
* IntelliSense, similar to auto completion, which gives
suggestions for what to type next based on what you have already entered
* Editor Adornments such as bookmarks and break points
* WPF and Forms Designers for laying out dialog boxes and other
windows; as well as the Code, XML, Text, and Macro Editors
* As you develop your applications, you will even be able to use
the Debugger to step through your program to locate errors
UTF-8 File Support
JAWS script files now support UTF-8 format. In Script Manager, the File
menu has the new UTF-8 Format command. When you open a UTF-8 encoded
script file (JSS), the command has a check mark. If you open an ANSI
encoded script file, the command does not have a check mark.
You can save an ANSI encoded file as UTF-8 by simply selecting, or
checking, the UTF-8 Format command in the File menu. Likewise, to save a
UTF-8 formatted file as ANSI, clear, or uncheck, the command. Note that
the script's header and message files (JSH and JSM) can be in a
different format. This means that a UTF-8 script file can include ANSI
header and message files or vice versa.
ARIA Support
Improvements continue to be made to JAWS and its support of ARIA and
industry standard ARIA tool kits.
Mozilla Thunderbird Script Support
JAWS 12 includes full support for the Thunderbird e-mail application. It
offers users an alternative to Windows Live Mail.
Conversation View in Outlook 2010
JAWS now supports the new conversation view found in Microsoft Outlook
2010. This view is different than prior versions of Outlook. The
conversation view allows you to view all of the messages associated with
a particular subject in one group.
Enhancements in JAWS 12.0.1158 (April 2011)
The following is a list of items addressed or added between the final
JAWS 12.0.525 and the JAWS 12.0.1158 posting.
JAWS
* JAWS now works with Java applications under 64-bit. Users will
need to download and install Java Access Bridge 2.02 in order to take
advantage of this new support.
* Virtual Ribbons now work in the thumb drive version of JAWS.
* Worked with IBM to enhance JAWS support for Lotus Notes. Users
will notice greatly improved functionality.
* You can now use DOTS 1-2-4-5-7 CHORD on a Focus braille display
to toggle the contracted braille setting between off, on for display,
and on for input.
* The German version of JAWS no longer leaves braille
configuration files on the computer during an uninstall.
* Resolved an issue where JAWS would speak the previous word while
pressing the braille BACKSPACE command with Typing Echo set to Words and
Contracted Braille set to Input and Output.
* Resolved an issue with third-party braille displays where Type
Keys Mode would not remain active when switching between applications.
* The default for the Include Images option in Settings Center is
now Labeled Images. This option is located in the Images / Graphics
group under Web / HTML / PDFs.
* Resolved an issue in the thumb drive version of JAWS 12 when
performing non-contiguous selection in Windows Explorer. JAWS now reads
the selected item as you navigate.
* Resolved an issue where pressing CAPS LOCK+SHIFT+B was not
reading the battery status when using a laptop or notebook computer.
* Resolved a reported issue where JAWS was not correctly
recognizing the language variants for two of the Infovox voices.
* Resolved a customer reported issue using JAWS over a remote
connection with Citrix Zen Desktop.
* Resolved a customer reported issue with the JAWS Script Manager
where documentation was not synchronizing when compiling.
* Resolved several issues with braille translation when typing and
displaying text in contracted braille.
* The Text Analyzer now indicates extra spaces between words in a
document when it encounters at least two spaces instead of three.
* Resolved an issue where the beginning of a line in multi-line
edit fields was sometimes not shown in braille when using JAWS and a
Focus braille display.
* Resolved an issue where pressing F1 in the Keyboard Manager was
not launching Help on a 64-bit system.
* As you navigate across the taskbar in Windows 7, the selected
item is now shown on the braille display.
* When using the JAWS Merge utility to merge settings from a prior
version of JAWS to version 12, keyboard echo and contracted braille
settings are now retained.
Microsoft Internet Explorer
* Pressing CTRL+INSERT+SEMICOLON to open a list of landmarks on
the current Web page, now places you on the currently selected landmark.
* Resolved an issue where JAWS would read the ARIA label on a list
box instead of the currently selected item when navigating the list box.
* Resolved an issue where pressing the braille prior line then
braille next line commands on a braille display was not returning to the
same line as expected.
* Resolved several issues navigating ARIA tree views in both
Microsoft Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.
* Resolved an issue when pressing CTRL+A to select all of the text
in a form field, dots 7 and 8 on the braille display was not indicating
that text was selected.
* Resolved an issue where labels for form fields were appearing
twice on certain Web sites.
* Resolved an issue selecting buttons such as Delete, Move to, and
More Actions in the standard Gmail interface using the virtual cursor.
* JAWS now recognizes HTML 5 audio and video tags when navigating
using the virtual cursor in Internet Explorer 9 and Firefox 4.
* Resolved a reported issue with JAWS not reading certain buttons
correctly when tabbing through a Web page with Auto Forms Mode off.
* Resolved a customer reported issue where JAWS was not speaking
the labels for radio buttons on some Web pages while in Forms Mode. For
example, http://www.nfbnewsline.net.
* Resolved issues in both Internet Explorer and Firefox where
using INSERT+F7 to bring up a list of links on very large Web pages, was
not displaying all of the links on the page.
* Resolved a reported issue where JAWS was not correctly speaking
elements on a Web page as they visually appeared on the page when
Documentation Presentation Mode was set to Screen Layout.
* Resolved an issue when attempting to add attachments to a
Hotmail message.
* Resolved an issue where pressing TAB on some Web pages was not
correctly announcing OnMouseOver links.
* Resolved an issue where JAWS was not reading the labels for some
links. This made it difficult to know what selecting the link would do.
* JAWS no longer speaks unlabeled graphics on Web pages.
Mozilla Firefox
* Updated the help information that is displayed when pressing
INSERT+H while in Forms Mode.
* Resolved an issue where JAWS was not speaking correctly when
moving between list boxes with nothing selected.
* Enhanced support for ARIA grids containing edit controls. As you
navigate around a grid, JAWS now indicates when a cell contains an edit
control. You can then interact with the control if this functionality is
enabled by the developer.
* JAWS now recognizes and will move to HTML 5 landmarks using the
SEMICOLON and SHIFT+SEMICOLON navigation quick keys. These elements are
supported in Firefox 4 and Internet Explorer 9.
* JAWS now indicates if an edit field supports auto complete.
* Resolved an issue where place markers were not being virtualized
even when the custom page summary was configured to virtualize place
markers when opening the Web page where they are set.
* Resolved issues where JAWS was not listing all of the links on
certain Web sites in the Links List dialog box (INSERT+F7).
Adobe Acrobat
* Resolved an issue when using the CTRL+SHIFT+PAGE UP keystroke to
select text up by one page in a PDF document.
* Resolved an issue where copying text to the clipboard only
worked after selecting an entire work.
* JAWS now correctly reads table headers in PDF documents.
* JAWS will now read the current line when moving to a location in
a document after selecting a link.
Research It
* The Stock Quotes lookup source now gives correct percentages for
the Dow Jones and S&P.
Microsoft Outlook
* In Outlook 2007 or later, if you are reading an e-mail message
that contains a graphic, JAWS no longer announces the dimensions of the
graphic. JAWS will only read the alt text if available.
* Resolved an issue when reading using Say All in an Outlook 2007
or 2010 message. If you set a different synthesizer, such as SAPI 5, as
your Say All voice, JAWS would continue to use your primary Synthesizer
instead of the voice you selected.
* Resolved an issue in Outlook 2010 where pressing F6 would not
work correctly after performing a search and the Virtual Ribbon is
enabled.
Microsoft Word
* Resolved an issue when using Virtual Ribbons and first letter
navigation on the Upper Ribbon. For example, in Word 2010, there are two
options that start with the letter R. Pressing R when on the upper
ribbon, now cycles between the two.
* Resolved an issue where JAWS would announce the heading level
twice in a Word document containing headings.
* Creating an auto-numbered list with Contracted Braille set to
Input and Output no longer randomly inserts text.
* Resolved an issue in Word 2010 where the braille cursor was not
always in the same location as the PC cursor.
* Resolved a reported issue in Word 2007 and Word 2010 documents
containing links where the Text Analyzer keystroke, ALT+WINDOWS Key+I,
would not move to the next inconsistency in the document if it was
currently on a link.
* Resolved an issue where typing a few spaces at the beginning of
a line could cause the braille cursor to not be in the same position as
the PC cursor.
* JAWS no longer gets stuck in certain documents during a Say All.
* Resolved an issue in Word 2010 where changes made in the Adjust
JAWS Options dialog box (INSERT+V) were not being saved even though JAWS
announced that the settings were saved.
* Resolved an issue where braille was not properly updating when
moving up or down in a table.
Microsoft Excel
* JAWS now saves workbook specific settings the first time a JSI
file is created using the Best Match option.
* Resolved an issue with Excel 2007 or later where JAWS failed to
announce either the control type or the prompt text for the first
control when opening the dialog box to edit a conditional formatting
rule.
* Resolved an issue where JAWS was double speaking decimal places
in the Format Cells dialog box.
* JAWS is now much more responsive when navigating around an Excel
document. Users will notice major improvements especially when working
in very large spreadsheets.
Mozilla Thunderbird
* Enhanced support for the Mozilla Thunderbird e-mail client.
Users now have a usable alternative to Windows Live Mail.
* When navigating through the message list, JAWS now announces the
message status, such as unread, and message flags, such as important.
Winamp
* The keystrokes, ALT+CTRL+M, COMMA, PERIOD, and SLASH, for
adjusting the volume in larger increments, now work correctly in Windows
7 64-bit.
Windows Explorer
* Resolved an issue where pressing INSERT+A would not read the
address bar in Windows Explorer on Windows 7.
Windows Live Messenger
* Resolved a customer reported issue where JAWS was speaking each
message twice when sending messages in Windows Live Messenger 2011.
GroupWise
* JAWS now reads appointment notifications while arrowing through
the inbox in GroupWise 8.
* Resolved an issue where JAWS did not automatically read
auto-completed addresses.
JAWS 12.0.1158 32-bit - April 2011 English (101 MB)
<ftp://ftp.freedomscientific.com/users/hj/private/WebFiles/JAWS/J12.0.11
58-32bit.exe>
JAWS 12.0.1158 64-bit - April 2011 English (105 MB)
<ftp://ftp.freedomscientific.com/users/hj/private/WebFiles/JAWS/J12.0.11
58-64bit.exe>
