[jawsscripts] Re: pesky damn combo boxes, revisited

  • From: "Jackie McBride" <abletec@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: jawsscripts@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Fri, 2 May 2008 08:01:33 -0700

Hmm, sorry if I gave the impression I didn't know what variant was--I
did--I just didn't know Jaws would accept it. & there are some other
things in there I didn't know jaws would accept, either. Obviously a
lot of undocumented stuff, which I don't quite understand cuz I'd
think fs would want their tool used to the full extent of its
capabilities. But, as w/many tools, documentation seems to be low
priority on the totem pole. If I can ever figure out bx toolbox, maybe
I'll supplement the docs, if Doug would like. But I've got a *passle*
of code to plow thru b4 that happens, if it ever does. It's 1 thing
not to document something that was basically meant for private use &
then evolved into something more extensive. It's another not to
document features that are distributed widely & meant for use by
developers as they develop scripts for applications used by a
screenreader. O well, so it goes. Some things just never change.

On 5/2/08, chad.foster@xxxxxxxxxx <chad.foster@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Jackie - Doug's BX tool is JFW scripting, but just very advanced
> concepts combined to optimize and consolidate the outer limits of the
> JAWS scripting language. He rolls MSAA-based scripting and DOM
> scripting into the tool, along with more conventional scripting such
> as window structure/navigation and attributes.
>
> Using JSL file extensions, as Doug does here, permits him to compile
> these files as source code along with the JSS file that "includes"
> them in the header section of the file, thus generating only one
> binary file across several files -- precluding the need for several
> "use" statements atop the file, and helping with overhead as fewer
> binary files are loaded into memory.
>
> Think of a variant as a string that is also a integer, that is also an
> object, that can be a handle if need-be. It is useful if you want to
> return something when you don't know exactly what that something is --
> perfect for interfacing with other, more robust programming languages.
>
>
> Hope this helps,
>
> Chad
>
>
> On 5/1/08, Doug Lee <doug.lee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > Variant is an accepted but undocumented type in JAWS scripting, and I
> > use it to get a limited form of what is called polymorphism in
> > programming circles.  Basically, it's a way to let a function return
> > any of several different types depending on what is appropriate.
> >
> > On Thu, May 01, 2008 at 05:36:53PM -0700, Jackie McBride wrote:
> > Does jaws accept that? I mean, I've seen that in other languages,
> > meaning that it could return various types depending on context or
> > whatever, but I didn't know jaws permitted it.
> >
> > On 5/1/08, Roy Nickelson <roylee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > > Actually JSL is an extention that Doug made that stands for JAWS script
> > > librayry.  Varient is a typ of function like void or int.
> > > Roy
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Jackie McBride" <abletec@xxxxxxxxx>
> > > To: <jawsscripts@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2008 8:03 PM
> > > Subject: [jawsscripts] Re: pesky damn combo boxes, revisited
> > >
> > >
> > > So, Doug, it would appear that bx toolbox is not all jfw scripting
> > > language, is that assumption correct? I was rather trying to look at
> > > the sources & see how each key performed the action it did, but so far
> > > not a great deal of success. But when I started seeing stuff like
> > > variant in front of functions & files w/.jsl extensions which I
> > > thought were java script libraries, I began to really question what it
> > > was I'm looking at. Obviously there's a jfw scripting aspect to it,
> > > but it looks like more is afoot than just that . Interesting. I guess
> > > I'll have to delve into this a lot harder. & there are a lot of lines
> > > of code here to delve into & I'm thinkin it's gonna get more
> > > convoluted b4 it gets sorted out. O, well. Smile. Thanks for the
> > > toolbox & the increased length of my nights. U really did do a great
> > > job w/this.
> > >
> > > On 5/1/08, John Robichaud <JRobichaud@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > > > That link for downloading Doug Lee's BX utility appears to be broken.
> Is
> > > > there another working link?
> > > > John Robichaud
> > > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: jawsscripts-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > > > [mailto:jawsscripts-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jackie McBride
> > > > Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 3:23 PM
> > > > To: jawsscripts@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > > > 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=3
> > > > > > 489
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > & Check out my homepage at:
> > > > > > > > > www.abletec.serverheaven.net
> > > > > > > > > __________
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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=3
> > > > > > 489>
> > > > > > & Check out my homepage at:
> > > > > > www.abletec.serverheaven.net
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> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > --
> > > > > Chad Foster
> > > > > Access Technology Solutions
> > > > > http://www.GO-ATS.net
> > > > > __________
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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
> > > > __________
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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
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> > > __________
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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
> > __________?
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> >
> > --
> > 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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> >
>
>
> --
> Chad Foster
> Access Technology Solutions
> http://www.GO-ATS.net
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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
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