Window-Eyes 7.0 Revision History

Document Layout

This document is laid out as follows:

7.5.4.1

Released: 4/23/2012

Welcome to Window-Eyes 7.5.4.1

GW Micro is proud to announce the release of Window-Eyes 7.5.4.1. This version includes several improvements made after the release of Window-Eyes 7.5.4.

Braille

Internet Explorer

Miscellaneous

7.5.4

Released: 4/5/2012

Welcome to Window-Eyes 7.5.4

GW Micro is proud to announce the release of Window-Eyes 7.5.4. This version includes a number of general stability improvements, fixes for issues encountered in web, email, and Office applications, updated Braille drivers, and more.

Stability Improvements

The primary focus of Window-Eyes 7.5.4 is increased stability. Thanks to error reports from Window-Eyes 7.5.3 as well as customer feedback via our various avenues of communication, many issues have been corrected and Window-Eyes is even more stable than before. Specific issues are noted below, though the majority of corrections effect Window-Eyes as a whole. Please continue to provide feedback. It is because of our customers that Window-Eyes retains the reputation of being the most stable, dependable screen reader on the market.

Firefox

Internet Explorer

Office

Windows Live Mail

Windows Mail

Braille

Miscellaneous

Scripting

NOTE: Please refer to the updated scripting manual for detailed information about all new objects, properties, methods, and enums.

7.5.3

Released: 2/9/2012 Welcome to Window-Eyes 7.5.3

GW Micro is proud to announce the release of Window-Eyes 7.5.3. This version includes a number of stability improvements, Windows Live and Thunderbird fixes, support for the Braille Edge display from HIMS, native support for QT-based applications, and bug fixes.

Stability Improvements

The primary focus of Window-Eyes 7.5.3 is increased stability. Thanks to error reports from Window-Eyes 7.5.2 as well as customer feedback via our various avenues of communication, many issues have been corrected and Window-Eyes is even more stable than before. Specific issues are noted below, though the majority of corrections effect Window-Eyes as a whole. Please continue to provide feedback. It is because of our customers that Window-Eyes retains the reputation of being the most stable, dependable screen reader on the market.

Email

Miscellaneous

Office

QT

Braille

Scripting

NOTE: Please refer to the updated scripting manual for detailed information about all new objects, properties, methods, and enums.

7.5.2

Released: 11/21/2011

Welcome to Window-Eyes 7.5.2

GW Micro is proud to announce the release of Window-Eyes 7.5.2. This version includes improved stability, support for the latest versions of Firefox and Thunderbird, comprehensive Braille support in UIA and IA2 applications, support for the latest Braille displays, Windows XP support for the remote assistance feature, Office fixes, user interface improvements, and bug fixes.

Stability Improvements

Remote Assistance

Browse Mode

Email

Firefox

Internet Explorer

iTunes

Miscellaneous

Office

Braille

Scripting

NOTE: Please refer to the updated scripting manual for detailed information about all new objects, properties, methods, and enums.

7.5.1

Released: 6/21/2011

Welcome to Window-Eyes 7.5.1

GW Micro is proud to announce the release of Window-Eyes 7.5.1. This version includes improved support for the latest versions of Firefox, improvements to Internet Explorer 9 support, Office fixes, user interface improvements, Outlook and Thunderbird enhancements, and bug fixes found in Window-Eyes 7.5.

Email

Firefox

Internet Explorer

Miscellaneous

Office

Braille

Scripting

NOTE: Please refer to the updated scripting manual for detailed information about all new objects, properties, methods, and enums.

When applied to Window-Eyes, the Version object returns the following: Major = 7 Minor = 5 Build = 1 Revision = 0 String = “7.5.1.0”

7.5

Released: 3/16/2011

Cost: $175

Welcome to Window-Eyes 7.5

GW Micro is proud to announce the release of Window-Eyes 7.5. This version of Window-Eyes introduces several new features, including full UIA support, support for Internet Explorer 9 and Windows Live Mail/Windows Live Messenger 2011, a brand new Remote Assistance feature, plus a completely re-designed (and much more intuitive) user interface. In addition to these new features, Window-Eyes 7.5 also boasts a significant performance increase in Microsoft Office products, along with many bug fixes and stability improvements. Window-Eyes 7.5 is also the first version of Window-Eyes to re-brand the notion of scripts into a more comfortable and recognizable term: apps. Window-Eyes Apps embrace a broader sense of usage by including everything from program enhancements that deal specifically with accessibility issues to more convenience-oriented apps and everything in between. While the underlying structure of these Window-Eyes enhancements is the same industry standard that has been in place since its inception, the concept of an app is more widely known, and the use of this term will help eliminate the confusion often associated with the more technical expression.

New User Interface

The most striking difference between this version of Window-Eyes and all previous versions, is a complete redesign of the Window-Eyes user interface, also known as the Window-Eyes control panel. In the past, Window-Eyes settings were controlled by a simplistic system where individual settings had to be changed one at a time by entering and exiting various menus. Using a modernized dialog and common layout, the new Window-Eyes user interface allows you to control all settings in one window.

The new Window-Eyes dialog consists of two panes: a left hand pane with a treeview representing the various categorized groups of settings, and a right hand property page which contains various controls representing individual options. When you select an item in the treeview, the property page will update dynamically with the controls relevant to the selected group. You can press the Tab key to move between controls in the property pane, as well as to move from the property pane to the treeview. Pressing F6 will also move focus back and forth between the tree view and the property pane. The dialog also consists of three menu items. File (for managing settings), Apps (for managing and accessing apps), and Help (for accessing documentation and other support services).

Modified settings take effect immediately with the option to save the settings to disk permanently. Finding and changing settings is made easy through better organization along with more human readable names, plus additional features like being able to synchronize the Screen, Keyboard, and Mouse settings. Standard shortcuts such as Control-O to open settings, and Control-S to save, provide a level of consistency familiar among other programs. Much care has been taken to ensure an environment that is never without speech, including the ability to revert settings, an auditory prompt before switching synthesizers, and quick access to the factory default synthesizer. Beginner and Advanced options continue to exist, allowing more confident users access to all Window-Eyes settings, and keeping new users from being inundated with unnecessary options. Regardless of beginner or advanced settings, context sensitive help can be obtained at any time, on any of the controls in the Window-Eyes user interface, simply by pressing F1. Either a balloon tool tip with a brief synopsis of the selected control, or the Manual (opened to the relevant section), will be presented. In addition, all editable controls are value sensitive, meaning that if you try to type a letter into an edit box that only accepts numbers, Window-Eyes will notify you of the error, ensuring that only correct data is stored when settings are saved.

In addition to a new layout, almost all Window-Eyes settings now have their own “scope.” Scope refers to the range a setting should have, or, in other words, whether a setting should apply to a specific program or globally to all programs. In general, this behavior has existed in Window-Eyes for some time. Only now is the ability to apply a setting to all programs as simple as a push of a button. For example, you may wish to have the announcement of blank lines on for every application. You need only toggle that setting’s scope to Global, and it will immediately take effect in all programs. Even individual hot keys can be made to function globally. You no longer need to use external utilities to convert sets back and forth simply to make a setting work in all programs.

Set files have also undergone significant change. Instead of using cryptic file extensions like .000 or .001, set files now use a more meaningful file extension: .set. In addition, set files are now XML based, providing an open, standard language for storing Window-Eyes settings, as well as allowing for future extensibility. Window-Eyes also provides the ability to convert older set files to the new XML format using the Update Outdated Settings option in the File menu. During the conversion process, older set files will be backed up automatically. The Window-Eyes upgrade will automatically convert old set files to the newest format. Manually copied set files can be updated using the Update Outdated Settings in the Window-Eyes File menu.

A complete description of the new user interface can be found in the new Window-Eyes manual. In an effort to increase readability and minimize technical babble, the Window-Eyes manual has been drastically reduced in size while continuing to maintain high quality content. In addition, the level of documentation relates to the user interface. In other words, if only the beginner settings are shown in the Window-Eyes control panel, then only the beginner documentation (relating to those settings) will be provided. If the advanced settings are shown, then advanced documentation will be provided. You can access the manual at any time by opening Window-Eyes with Control-Backslash, pressing Alt-H for Help, D for Documentation, then M for Manual.

Window-Eyes 7.5 is also the first version of Window-Eyes to re-brand the notion of scripts into a more comfortable and recognizable term: apps. Window-Eyes Apps embrace a broader sense of usage by including everything from program enhancements that deal specifically with accessibility issues to more convenience-oriented apps and everything in between. While the underlying structure of these Window-Eyes enhancements is the same industry standard that has been in place since its inception, the concept of an app is more widely known, and the use of this term will help eliminate the confusion often associated with the more technical expression.

UIA

Window-Eyes 7.5 now provides full support for UI Automation (commonly referred to as UIA), a technology developed by Microsoft to provide assistive technology products with standard means to access and control parts of a program’s user interface. UIA is similar to MSAA, but contains much richer information. While UIA is a new technology, applications like Visual Studio 2010 (as well as applications built with Visual Studio 2010) are already putting it to use.

Remote Assistance

Remote Assistance support is available for Windows Vista and Windows 7 (both 32-bit and 64-bit are supported). Remote Assistance for Windows XP will be forthcoming in a free, future upgrade. To start a Remote Assistance session (as the helpee), select the Ask for Help item under Help -> Remote Assistance. Make note of the 6-digit password provided, and contact a person from whom you want to receive assistance (the helper). They will then select the Offer Help option under Help -> Remote Assistance, enter their name and the 6-digit password you provided them. After they choose to connect, you will receive a confirmation to allow the helper to have access to your computer (the name they entered will be presented in the confirmation dialog).

When a successful connection is made, the Remote Assistance screen on the helper’s side will go full screen (where all key strokes will be sent to the helpee’s machine), and speech will automatically be ported to the helper’s synthesizer. Note that the synthesizer is not changed to match the person asking for help. The person receiving help will hear speech with their same synth and the person helping will receive speech through their own synthesizer. In other words, the synthesizers do not have to match. When the helper is done assisting, the connection can be terminated by pressing Alt-Tab to the Remote Assistance dialog, and selecting the Cancel Help Request button. Both the helper, and helpee, can choose to terminate the connection at any time.

While connected, and full screen, the helper may choose to press Control-Alt-Break to switch from full screen to windowed mode. Once in windowed mode, the helper can access their machine resources like normal. Alt-tabbing back to the Remote Assistance dialog, and pressing Control-Alt-Break again will switch from windowed mode back to full screen. In windowed mode, the following hot keys can be used to provide full screen functionality:

Virtual Braille

In addition to the Virtual RDP and Virtual Citrix speech synthesizers that have been available for Terminal Services and Citrix, Window-Eyes 7.5 now offers the choice of a Virtual Braille display. When enabled, Window-Eyes will send data from the remote connection to a locally connected Braille display, providing complete Braille output.

Miscellaneous

Enhancements Between Window-Eyes 7.5 and Window-Eyes 7.5 Beta 1

UI

Web/Email

Miscellaneous

Braille

Apps

Enhancements Between Window-Eyes 7.5 Beta 1 and Window-Eyes 7.2

Email

Office

Braille

Miscellaneous

Scripting

NOTE: Please refer to the updated scripting manual for detailed information about all new objects, properties, methods, and enums.

7.2

Released: 5/5/2010

Welcome to Window-Eyes 7.2

GW Micro is proud to announce the release of Window-Eyes 7.2. This version of Window-Eyes introduces full support for Microsoft Office 2010, significant speed enhancements, and some serious stability improvements. We take our motto of performance, stability, and reliability seriously, and this version of Window-Eyes demonstrates that commitment.

Miscellaneous

Scripting

Braille

We have added support for the following Braille displays:

Set File Changes

You will need to re-install these sets from the Set File Manager to load the new versions.

7.11

Released: 9/25/2009

Welcome to Window-Eyes 7.11

GW Micro is proud to present Window-Eyes 7.11. Continuing on the success of previous versions, Window-Eyes 7.11 maintains the highest expected standard of stability, performance, reliability, and security. The goal of Window-Eyes 7.11 is to provide resolutions to several minor issues reported since the previous release. While Window-Eyes 7.11 contains no new features, the numbers of error resolutions alone make it a substantial upgrade for stability and reliability.

Microsoft Office

Internet

Scripting

Miscellaneous

7.1

Released: 6/26/2009

Welcome to Window-Eyes 7.1

GW Micro is proud to offer Window-Eyes 7.1. Window-Eyes 7.1 builds on the success of previous versions, maintaining an expected high standard of stability, performance, reliability, and security, even as additional hardware and software platforms are supported. Support for 64-bit operating systems, Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 7, and enhanced Braille and Scripting support are some of the main features that Window-Eyes 7.1 offers. You’ll also notice quite a bit of fine-tuning, including better standard edit box support, and better access to menus, creating a richer, more accurate computing experience. Keep reading to learn more about Window-Eyes 7.1, and what it can do for you.

Window-Eyes 7.1 introduces support for 64-bit versions of Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, and Windows 7. 64-bit support is identical to 32-bit. In other words, all of the functionality, performance and stability you expect from Window-Eyes will exist regardless of the operating system you choose to use.

Window-Eyes 7.1 includes support for the latest, upcoming Microsoft operating system: Windows 7. Both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 7 are supported.

The following is a complete list of supported operating systems using Window-Eyes 7.1:

Scripting (General)

Scripting (Object Model)

Set x = CreateObject(“GWSpeak.Speak”) If x.IsRunning Then ’ Window-Eyes is running End If

Braille

Enhancements Between Window-Eyes 7.01 and Window-Eyes 7.1

Set File Updates

You will need to re-install these sets from the Set File Manager to load the new versions.

Scripting

Microsoft Office

Browse Mode

Braille

7.02

Released: 10/23/2008

No information was given on the release of Window-Eyes 7.02.

7.01

Released: 10/23/2008

iTunes

We resolved several issues relating to iTunes, including support for using the Window-Eyes Find command while in the iTunes store, resolving the issue of not being able to activate links using the Insert-Tab dialog, resolving the double reading in listviews and treeviews, speaking expanded and collapsed when you open and close tree view nodes, speaking the pull down menus correctly under Windows Vista, and resolving a problem where set files could not be associated to the iTunes window (or any window whose title was null). In addition, Window-Eyes does not automatically enable Browse Mode when the iTunes Store option is selected, meaning you can successfully arrow through all of the main items without suddenly getting tossed into Browse Mode.

Scripting

7.0

Released: 9/15/2008

Cost: $175

Welcome to Window-Eyes 7.0 Congratulations!

GW Micro is proud to offer Window-Eyes 7.0, potentially the most anticipated release in the history of Window-Eyes. In addition to new powerful features like Placemarkers, enhanced control search features, inclusion of a new synthesizer, and so much more, Window-Eyes 7.0 is the first version of Window-Eyes to provide scripting capabilities. Whether you’re new to scripting, or if you’re a seasoned programmer, you will be able to take advantage of all the scripting possibilities Window-Eyes has to offer. In the past, GW Micro has stated that Window-Eyes did not include a complex, proprietary scripting language, and with this release we continue to stand by that claim. Window-Eyes 7.0 scripting uses industry standard practices to provide a scripting interface that is common and consistent, using tools that already exist in the Windows operating system. Window-Eyes scripting gives you the power to interact, not only with Window-Eyes features and options, but with other applications, with operating system features, with windows, dialogs, controls and so much more. Keep reading to learn more about all of the new features in Window-Eyes.

Scripting

Window-Eyes 7.0 is proud to offer what may be the most anticipated feature in Window-Eyes history: full scripting functionality. Using industry standard methods scripts give you the tools to make Window-Eyes do almost anything you can think of related to working with applications and the operating system itself.

What is Scripting?

Scripts, in their most basic form, are simple text files containing instructions for Window-Eyes to follow. Scripts can also be external programs that talk to Window-Eyes using a special (although industry standard) communication method.

Much like set files, scripts can be used to modify settings in Window-Eyes, monitor portions of the screen for specific kinds of activity, define hotkeys, and so on. In fact, anything a set file can do, a script can do. Instead of replacing set file functionality, scripting extends the features that set files offer, and provides even more access to the inner workings of Window-Eyes.

Window-Eyes scripting also provides the unprecedented ability to create custom dialogs using XML. In other words, visually impaired users have the power to create simple to advanced user interfaces using a text file format – visual drawing tools need not apply.

How it Works

The Window-Eyes scripting engine is a COM Automation server. COM Automation, according to Microsoft, is “a technology that allows software packages to expose their unique features to scripting tools and other applications.” That means all the guts of Window-Eyes are accessible through various objects, properties, methods, and events (these items make up the Window-Eyes Object Model). In addition, Window-Eyes embeds ActiveScript engines (including VBScript and JScript). This means that you can create scripts in VBScript, JScript (which is Microsoft’s proprietary version of JavaScript), or any language that supports COM automation.

Are you a Perl programmer, and want to use PerlScript? Be our guest. Do you prefer Python? Then why not create your scripts in ActivePython? Granted, the PerlScript, PythonScript, and similar parsing engines would need to be installed on machines where the scripts in those languages are going to be used. But if you’re only creating scripts for yourself, and you happen to be an excellent Perl programmer, you have the power. Are you a C++ programmer? Are you a Visual Basic programmer? Do you use VBA, PHP, or .NET? Regardless of the language you choose, as long as it supports COM Automation, you can make Window-Eyes sing (literally, if you want).

Another advantage to the Window-Eyes scripting model is support for future languages. If a language is released in the future that supports COM automation, it can be used to power Window-Eyes.

Unlike other scripting engines’ limited exposing of their interface to other applications and the use of proprietary languages, Window-Eyes scripting is an open server that not only hosts clients (i.e. scripts, executables, etc.), but also exposes itself through COM Automation to other applications. In other words, in addition to creating scripts that Window-Eyes can host, you can also access Window-Eyes objects from other programs. The possibilities are endless.

Getting Started

The Window-Eyes File menu contains a new pull down to help manage both scripts and set files. It is aptly named Manage Sets and Scripts (with a shortcut of M). The Manage Sets and Scripts menu contains several options, including:

The rest of the items in this pull down menu deal with set files, and are the same tools that existed in the File menu in previous versions of Window-Eyes.

Note that the Window-Eyes Menu Level option under the Global menu will affect the availability of items in the Manage Sets and Scripts menu. When the menu level is set to beginner or intermediate, only Scripting Status, Add or Remove Scripts and Sets, Script Manager, and Set File Manager will be available. All menu options become available when the menu level is set to advanced.

New Dialogs

Let’s examine each of the new dialogs that Window-Eyes scripting support provides for managing scripts.

Add or Remove Sets and Scripts

As mentioned previously, this dialog lets you control the installation of script packages that were created using the Window-Eyes Package Manager. Many script packages can be obtained from GW Micro’s Script Central website (www.gwmicro.com/sc) – more on that later. The Add/Remove dialog contains the following controls:

Installed Scripts - List box - Displays all installed scripts, along with their version numbers (if supplied) and installation date.

Add - Button - Prompts for the name of a Window-Eyes package file. Package files use the .wepm extension, which stands for Window-Eyes Package Management. Select a package name, and press enter to begin the package installation.

Remove - Button - Removes the selected package and all associated files.

Close - Button - Closes the dialog.

Window-Eyes packages file types are registered with the operating system as belonging to the Add or Remove Sets and Scripts dialog. This means that you can select a package file in, say, Windows Explorer, press Enter on it, and the Add or Remove Sets and Scripts dialog will open, ready to install the selected package. This also means you can launch packages directly from web pages by selecting the Run option in your browser’s download dialog instead of saving the file first (although that option still exists – the choice really is up to you). In addition, if Window-Eyes is not running when a package is activated, Window-Eyes will start up, and launch the Add or Remove Scripts and Sets dialog ready to install the selected package. Once the installation is complete, Window-Eyes will remain running.

Script Manager

If you are a script user, you may find yourself in the Script Manager dialog to view running scripts, and to retrieve a script’s help and options. If you are a script developer, you will often find yourself in the Script Manager, using the start and stop options to restart your scripts during development, loading and unloading scripts for testing, setting up your default script editor for quick editing access, and more. The Script Manager dialog contains the following controls:

Scripts - List View - The scripts list view contains a list of all running scripts, based on the Display Scripts radio button selection, discussed next.

Display Scripts

Show More Options - Check box - By default, the Script Manager dialog only displays the Scripts list view, the Display Scripts radio button group, the Stop button, the Help and Options button, the Close button, and this check box (which also defaults to unchecked). If this check box is checked, several more buttons will be displayed, offering advanced options for loading/unloading, enabling/disabling, and starting/stopping scripts, along with Security options for defining what scripts should be trusted, and some other miscellaneous advanced options. The state of this check box is remembered after the dialog closes.

Load - Button - Only available when Show More Options is checked - Selecting this button prompts for the filename of a script to load. If the Application radio button was selected prior to activating the Load button, the selected script will be associated with that application (in other words, it will only run when that application runs). If the Global radio button was selected prior to activating the Load button, the selected script will be associated globally (in other words, it will run always, regardless of what applications run). If either the All (by Name) or All (by Application) radio button is selected, the Load button will be disabled. You must choose whether to have the script you want to load run globally or for a specific application by selecting the appropriate radio button before loading the script.

Unload - Button - Only available when Show More Options is checked - Unloads the selected script in the Script list view. Once a script has been unloaded, it will be removed from the Scripts list, and will no longer run automatically. This script is not, however, removed from the hard drive. It is instead simply ignored. The Add or Remove Sets and Scripts dialog should be used to uninstall and remove scripts from the hard drive.

Start/Stop - Button - If the selected script in the Scripts list view has a status of something other than running, this button will have the label Start, and when activated will cause the selected script to run, and the status of the script will switch to running (assuming there are no errors). If the selected script has a status of something other than stopped, this button will have the label Stop, and when activated will cause the selected script to stop running. After a script is stopped, it will remain in the list of scripts with a status of stopped. If the script is global, and scripting is restarted, the stopped script will attempt to run again. If the script is application specific, and the application is closed and re-opened, the stopped script will attempt to run again. If the Window-Eyes scripting status is set to manual, stopped scripts will only run if they are started manually using this button. If the Window-Eyes scripting status is set to off, this button will be disabled.

Help and Options - Button - If a script has provided help information through the ScriptHelp property of the ClientInformation object, this button will be enabled, and when activated will display information the script author provided. If this button is disabled, then the selected script did not provide any help information through the ScriptHelp property of the ClientInformation object – refer to the Window-Eyes Scripting Manual for more information on the ClientInformation object. If the Window-Eyes scripting status is set to off, this button will be disabled.

Close - Button - Activating this button closes the Script Manager dialog.

Enable/Disable - Button - Only available when Show More Options is checked - If the selected script in the Scripts list view has a status of disabled, this button will have the label Enabled. If the Window-Eyes scripting status is set to on, and a disabled script is enabled, the script will run automatically. If the Window-Eyes Scripting Status is set to Manual, and a disabled script is enabled, it will not run automatically. If the selected script in the Scripts list view has a status of anything other than disabled, this button will have the label Disable, and when activated will disable the selected script from running until it has been enabled. If the Window-Eyes scripting status is set to off, this button will be disabled.

Reload - Button - Only available when Show More Options is checked - When this button is activated, the selected script in the Scripts list view will be recycled. In other words, if the selected script is running, and this button is activated, the selected script will be stopped and then started again. If the script is already stopped, and this button is activated, the selected script will be started. If the Window-Eyes scripting status is set to off, this button will be disabled.

Edit - Button - Only available when Show More Options is checked - When this button is activated, the selected script in the Scripts list view will be opened in the editor specified in the Advanced options dialog (discussed below). If no default editor is specified, the script will open in Notepad.

Security - Button - Only available when Show More Options is checked - When this button is activated, the Script Security dialog (discussed below) will be displayed.

Advanced - Button - Only available when Show More Options is checked - When this button is activated, the Advanced Script Settings dialog (discussed below) will be displayed.

Script Security

Window-Eyes Scripting takes security very seriously, and implements several security features that will provide the most novice user to the most advanced corporate system administrator the with the tools to ensure a safe computing environment.

The Script Security dialog allows you to define how Window-Eyes should trust scripts, and if it should trust scripts, what kinds of scripts should be trusted. The Script Security dialog contains the following controls:

Security Level

Script Status - List view - This list view contains a list of all installed scripts, their publisher (if they’ve been digitally signed), and their trusted status. The Script Status list view, as well as the other controls in this dialog aside from the initial radio buttons, will only be enabled if the Allow Only Trusted Scripts radio button is selected.

Publisher Trusted - Check box - If the selected script in the Script Status list view has been digitally signed, this check box will be enabled. If this check box is checked, Window-Eyes will trust all scripts containing the same digital signature. The trusted status in the Script Status list view will update to reflect the trusted status for all scripts containing the trusted digital signature (by changing the status to Publisher Trusted). If this check box is unchecked, the selected script’s trust level will not be based on the script’s digital signature.

Script Trusted - Check box - If this check box is checked, Window-Eyes will trust the script itself, and the trusted status in the Script Status list view will update to Script Trusted. If this check box is not checked, the selected script’s trust level will not be based on the script itself.

Note that if both the Publish Trusted and Script Trusted check boxes are checked, the Script Status list view will show Both Trusted as the script’s status, meaning that the script itself has been trusted, as has the publisher who signed the script with a digital signature.

View Certificate - Button - If a selected script has been digitally signed, this button will be enabled, and when activated will display the script’s digital signature certificate.

Ok - Button - Closes the Script Security dialog, saving any changes.

Cancel - Button - Closes the Script Security dialog, canceling any changes.

If Window-Eyes is set to run only trusted scripts, and a trusted script is modified (either by the digital signature changing, or if there is no digital signature, by the script itself changing), Window-Eyes will no longer trust the script, and the script will no longer run. The script would need to be trusted again in its new form in order for Window-Eyes to run it successfully.

In addition to script security, Window-Eyes Scripting also honors any operating system software restriction policies enabled by system administrators.

Advanced Script Settings

The Advanced Script Settings dialog provides you with some miscellaneous utilities that make advanced scripting a bit easier. The dialog contains the following controls:

Script Editor - Read only edit box - This edit box displays the full path to the selected script editor.

Specify Editor - Button - When activated this button prompts for the full path to the application to be designated as the default script editor. The default script editor is Notepad.

Fast Reload Script - Read only edit box - This edit box displays the name and path of the script that will be reloaded automatically when the Reload Script hotkey (undefined, by default) is pressed. This provides a quick way to reload a script without going into the Script Manager. It is ideal for working in applications where reloading is necessary to test new script features during script development.

Assign Script - Button - When activated assigns the selected script in the Script Manager dialog to be the fast reload script.

Remove Script - Button - When activated removes the current fast reload script.

Close - Button - Closes the Advanced Script Settings dialog.

Package Manager

The Package Manager provides an easy way for script developers to package all of their files together in a single file archive for easy distribution. Unlike other utilities that provide multiple file compression (ZIP, for example), Window-Eyes packages are designed for use with the Window-Eyes Add or Remove Scripts and Sets dialog, which helps users manage the scripts they have installed. Selecting the Package Manager option from the Manage Sets and Scripts menu will result in a dialog with three buttons: Create New Package, Modify Existing Package, and Cancel. Create New Package will start the package creation from scratch. Modify Existing Package let’s you select an existing package to modify. Cancel simply closes the dialog. Regardless of whether you choose to create a new package, or modify an existing package, the Package Manager dialog includes the following controls:

Files to Package - List box - This list contains all of the files that have been added for packaging.

Associate Globally - Button - When activated this button designates the selected script or scripts in the Files to Package list box to run as global scripts.

Associate with Application - Button - When activated this button designates the selected script or scripts in the Files to Package list box to run with a specific application. When this button is activated, you will be prompted to select a .WE file to associate the scripts to. .WE files are also used to associate set files to an application. You can select an existing .WE file, or type in the name of a .WE file. The .WE file does not have to exist when creating the package. During installation of the package, if the .WE file does not exist on the end user’s machine, it will be created automatically; otherwise it will be appended to. This method allows you to provide scripts for an application that may already have set files associated to it. Alternatively, you could choose to include set files with your script files in the package so that everything is available in one place.

Remove Association - Button - When activated this button removes any association for the selected script or scripts in the Files to Package list box.

Associate With - List box - This list contains all of the associations for the selected script or scripts in the Files to Package list box. If a script has a global association, the word Global will be present. Otherwise, the name of the associated .WE file (or files) will be listed.

Version - Edit box - This edit box allows the script developer to provide a version number for the script package. This version number will be displayed in the Add or Remove Scripts and Sets dialog after a package has been installed.

Require shutdown of all scripts before installation - Check box - If this check box is checked, the user will be prompted that all scripts need to be shut down before installation of the package can continue. This is useful when installing scripts that contain shared information other scripts may rely on.

Package Details - Edit box - This edit box allows the script developer to provide important installation details or other notes that need to be displayed before a script package is installed.

License Information - Edit box - This edit box allows the script developer to provide a license that must be confirmed by the user before the script installation will take place. If this edit box is left empty, the end user will not be prompted to confirm a license agreement before installation.

Add Files - Button - When activated prompts for the file or files to be added to the final package.

Remove Files - Button - When activated removes the selected file or files from the Files to Package list box.

Create Package - Button - When activated prompts for a filename to call the final package. The default extension is .wepm. After entering a filename, and pressing Enter (or selecting the Save button), the package will be created.

Close - Button - When activated closes the Package Manager dialog.

Encrypt Scripts

Although GW Micro uses and supports the open source script model, there may be times when a script author needs to protect source code. Window-Eyes Scripting offers that ability using the Encrypt Scripts feature. When this option is selected from the Window-Eyes Manage Sets and Scripts menu item, an open dialog will appear prompting for the name of the script or scripts to be encrypted. Upon confirming the dialog, and the encryption confirmation message, the encrypted versions of the scripts will reside in the same directory as the unencrypted versions, and will contain the extension .wecrypt. For example, encrypting a script called myscript.vbs would result in an encrypted version called myscript.vbs.wecrypt.

Your First Script

To begin creating scripts, you will need knowledge of the language you’re writing your scripts in, as well as information about the Window-Eyes scripting interface (also known as the Window-Eyes object model). GW Micro scripts have been standardized in VBScript, as it is the easiest scripting language syntax to understand for both new and advanced users. The language you choose, however, is ultimately up to you. As mentioned previously, any language that supports COM automation, and all ActiveScript languages are supported.

The documentation for the Window-Eyes object model can be found in the Window-Eyes Help menu. The Window-Eyes object model documentation exists in HTML Help format, and can be navigated just like the Window-Eyes manual (i.e. navigating to the section in the table of contents you want to read, pressing Enter to open the section, pressing F6 to load the section into the Browse Mode buffer, and, when done reading, pressing F6 again to navigate back to the table of contents).

In addition to documentation and language knowledge, you’ll also want to pick an editor for writing scripts. Because Window-Eyes hosted scripts are nothing more than text files, you can choose whichever text editor you’re most comfortable with. Even something as simple as Notepad will be sufficient for creating scripts.

After reviewing the Window-Eyes Scripting Manual for syntax information, and object details, you find that Window-Eyes contains an Application object with a property called SerialNumber, which returns a string containing the serial number associated with a running copy of Window-Eyes. You also find that the Speech object contains a method called Speak, which takes a string as a parameter. Using that knowledge, you create a single line text file called speakserial.vbs, which contains:

Speak "My serial number is " & SerialNumber

Now that you have a sample script, you must decide how Window-Eyes should run the script. Should it run every time Window-Eyes loads, or should it run only when an application loads? To associate your script globally (so that it will run every time Window-Eyes launches), open the Script Manager dialog, select the Global radio button, then select the Load button. Provide the path and name of your script, and press enter. Your script will run immediately (because it’s global, and Window-Eyes is running), and your serial number will be spoken. To associate your script to an application (Notepad, for example), so that it will run every time that application runs, open the Script Manager dialog, select the application radio button, then select the Load button. Provide the path and name of your script, and press enter. Your script will run immediately, because the application you associated it with is already running. If you close the application, and then open it again, your script will also run again.

From this point on, what you decide to do with scripting is up to you. The possibilities are endless. Whether you plan on creating scripts yourself, or whether you only plan on using the scripts others create, we encourage you to join our latest email list: GW-Scripting. GW-Scripting is a discussion list designed to promote ideas and conversation about Window-Eyes scripting. The list can be used as a place to ask questions about scripts, to announce the availability of new scripts, or to request scripts. Although the GW-Info list still applies to all GW Micro related products and services, scripting related inquiries should be directed to the GW-Scripting list for more accurate responses, and to keep GW-Info related traffic to a reasonable amount.

In addition to the GW-Scripting email list, GW Micro is proud to offer Script Central (www.gwmicro.com/sc), a primary repository for Window-Eyes scripts. Script Central is free for everyone. Once you have registered with Script Central, you can log in to upload and manage your own scripts for public distribution, rate existing scripts for their usefulness, provide comments for script developers and users, keep track of your favorite scripts, receive notifications when scripts are updated, and much more.

Script Central also ties into the GW Micro Forum area, which in addition to hosting individual script discussion areas for every script posted to Script Central, also includes general script discussion forums where you can post topics regarding general scripting, script requests, script announcements, the Window-Eyes object model, VBScript, or another popular scripting language, JScript. If your favorite scripting language doesn’t have a discussion forum, and you feel others could benefit from a language specific script discussion area, please let us know.

Window-Eyes continues to pride itself in the areas of stability, performance, and reliability. Now that scripting is available, however, it is possible to get your machine into a less than optimal state (think infinite loops and such). Window-Eyes provides several command line options that can be used in a pinch to get Window-Eyes unloaded and reloaded. They are as follows:

There is no scripts:on option, as just running Window-Eyes normally will default to scripting being enabled (assuming it was not already set to Off or Manual through the Scripting Status dialog).

Scripting Errors

As you develop scripts, you’ll count on reliable error reporting to tell you what’s working and what isn’t in your scripts. Window-Eyes displays script errors in a custom script error dialog which contains the line and column number corresponding to the error, a short description of the error, and four buttons: Ignore Error (which attempts to continue running the script, despite the error), Stop Script (which stops the script from running), Edit Script (which opens the script in the default editor), and View Help (which, if enabled, will open the Window-Eyes scripting documentation to the section dealing with the object that the error occurred in). You can also press Control-C while the error dialog is being displayed to copy the contents of the error to the clipboard.

Happy scripting!

Placemarkers

Window-Eyes now offers the ability to set placemarkers on web pages. Window-Eyes Placemarkers easily outperform placemarker features found in other screen readers by offering the ability to search for specific text rather than just hard coding a placemarker to a line number. In today’s dynamic web environment, Window-Eyes Placemarkers give you quick and easy access to common web page areas.

To set a place marker, navigate to the line in the Browse Mode buffer that you want to add the placemarker to and press the Place Marker Dialog hotkey (Control-Shift-K by default). The placemarker dialog allows you to set a new placemarker, edit existing placemarkers, or even jump to an existing placemarker. The description of the dialog is as follows:

Name - Edit box - This is the name of the placemarker. This will default to the name of the item you’re on in the Browse Mode buffer. For example, if you’re on a link called “Window-Eyes” when you bring up the placemarker dialog, the placemarker name will default to “Window-Eyes.” You can change the placemarker name to be anything you want.

Hotkey Number - Combo box - This will automatically assign a hot key to the placemarker for quick jumping.

Temporary - Check box - If the temporary checkbox is checked, the placemarker you’re adding will be stored in memory until you exit Window-Eyes. If the temporary check box is unchecked, the placemarker you’re adding will be stored to disc, and will be available even after Window-Eyes restarts.

Auto Read Lines - Edit box - The Auto Read Lines edit box allows you to specify how many lines of text will be automatically read when you navigate to a placemarker. Each placemarker may have a different number of lines associated with it. The default number of lines is 5.

Apply to:

Placemarker Text - Edit box - By default, placemarkers will be associated to the line that you’re on in Browse Mode when you bring up the placemarker dialog. Because web pages are so dynamic, it’s very possible that the next time you visit the page, the line that you wanted the placemarker to associate to will have changed. The placemarker text edit box allows you to define the text that Window-Eyes will search for if the lines don’t match when trying to locate a placemarker. This is used with the second and third radio buttons below.

Position Relative To:

Add Entry - Button - Adds a placemarker. Pressing Enter will also add an entry if you’re modifying an entry’s properties.

Remove Entry - Button - Removes the selected entry in the Names list box.

Remove All - Button - Removes all the entries in the Names list box.

Jump To - Button - Jumps to the selected entry in the Names list box.

Names - List box - Lists the names of placemarkers based on the following radio buttons.

Display Names By:

Information - Read only edit box - Displays miscellaneous information regarding the selected placemarker.

Ok - Button - Confirms placemarker changes, and closes the dialog. If you are in the process of adding them, OK will add the last entry. If you are in the process of editing an existing, it will save those and all prior changes.

Cancel - Button - Cancel’s whatever you’re doing, and closes the dialog. If you added or edited any placemarkers, those changes will be lost.

Once you have defined placemarkers you can press the Next Placemarker hotkey (K by default) to jump to the next placemarker on the page. Press the Prior Placemarker hotkey (Shift-K by default) to go to the prior placemarker. If you assigned a hotkey number to a placemarker, you can type that number (1 through 9) followed by a press of the Jump to Placemarker hotkey (J by default) to have the text at the placemarker read. Pressing the Jump to Placemarker hotkey again will move the Browse Mode cursor to the placemarker line. For example, if you have a placemarker assigned to hotkey 3, you can press 3J to read the text at the placemarker, and press J again to move to the placemarker.

Placemarkers have also been added to the page navigation dialog (Insert-Tab by default).

Window-Eyes now offers Browse Mode Enhanced Control Search capabilities. When pressing either the Specified Control Next (N by default) and Specified Control Prior (Shift-N by default) key in Browse Mode, Window-Eyes announces, “In control search mode,” and will wait for the next key press, and act on it accordingly. The subsequent key press after pressing the Next/Prior Control key acts as a modifier, adding additional information to the final command.

After pressing the Next/Prior Control hotkey, and an optional modifier, the following keys represent the kind of control to navigate to:

For example, pressing N,X will find the next checkbox. Pressing N,U,X will find the next unchecked checkbox. Pressing N,C,X will find the next checked checkbox. And so on. You can also use the number keys (1-9) prior to pressing the Specified Control Next/Prior hot keys to jump from the current location the number specified for the particular control.

The Page Navigation dialog (Insert-Tab by default) now includes a “Controls” radio button. When you select this radio button, all of the controls on the page will be displayed. You type the first letter of a control to move between the control names, or type out the name to select a single control. Once you have selected a control, you can choose to either activate the control or focus it.

Additional Features

Set File Updates

Enhancements between Window-Eyes 7.0 and Window-Eyes 6.1

Internet/Browse Mode/Email

Braille

Microsoft Office

Keep reading!