[gui-talk] JAWS scripts for Skype 4.1 posted

Wed May 27 22:48:20 UTC 2009

Hi,

A few remarks on this.

The download page you give for the skype 4.1 beta only has the active 
setup file that is about 2 megs in size and not the full 22-meg setup 
package. i needed to find this by googling for it.

I found myself a portable version of skype 4.1 beta rather than 
installing it over my current 3.8 install.

I had a quick look and runthru of the settings and the program ad 
found it usable. I did not install the latest scripts for the program 
as I want to continue using skype 3.8 as my main version for now and 
also wantted to see how skype 4.1 fares without scripts and with such 
offerings as nvda.

I find skype 4.1 different enough from 3.8 - even with all the 
changes like switching to compact mode that make it similar to 3.8 - 
that i would like to have a tutoiral for it.
  Is there any such tutoiral or podcast out or in the works on skype 4.1?
Finally, i have a direct question on the use of 4.1: How do I delete 
entries under conversations for a given contact? I tried my delete 
key but this did not work. i called the echo service several times 
during my setup of 4.1 and wanted to get rid off those entries but 
found I could not.

Thanks much and God Bless,

Doris

At 03:23 PM 5/27/2009 -0400, you wrote:
>Exciting news here, news I have been waiting to share for months!  I
>have a fair amount to say, so here's a summary:  There is a new and
>more accessible Skype 4.1 public beta out, and there are scripts to go
>with it.  I will first describe the Skype beta, then the scripts for
>it.
>
>Details:
>
>We have a public beta of Skype 4.1, and there are accessibility
>features in it!  Accessibility is still an ongoing project, but as you
>will see, some of the problems are fixed, and others are promised
>before the next full Skype release.
>
>Notes on Skype 4.1 itself:
>
>Skype 4.1 beta contains accessibility improvements, including
>
>         - More items in tab order.
>
>         - More items with meaningful names.
>
>         - The Accessibility submenu of Tools again, with Extended 
> Keyboard Navigation under it.
>
>As an example, you can now set mood text just by tabbing to the proper
>control in the main Skype window, pressing Space, editing your text,
>and pressing Enter.
>
>In addition, I spot the following commitment in the Skype release
>notes, which is a publicly accessible document:  Under "Known Issues":
>
>         Voicemail and File transfer not accessible:  this will be 
> fixed for 4.1 Gold.
>
>So although that is not fixed now, we finally have a promise from
>Skype that it will be fixed when Skype 4.1, not beta, comes out.
>
>You can get the beta either by going to http://www.skype.com, then
>Download, then "Beta versions of Skype," or by going directly to the
>following link:
>
>         http://www.skype.com/intl/en/download/skype/windows/beta/
>
> >>From that page, no matter how you got there, use the "Download Now"
>link to get the program.
>
>The technical info for this version, from that page:
>
>         Version 4.1.0.130 File size 22 MB. Beta release. Release 
> date: May 27, 2009. File name: SkypeSetup-Beta.exe
>
>One warning:  After clicking "I agree Install button" in the
>installer, another page will appear, probably silently, with a
>checkbox asking permission to install Google Chrome.  This is much
>like the "Install the Google Toolbar" option we've seen in older
>Skypes.  It may default to checked, so I recommend tabbing around and
>unchecking that box if you don't want Google Chrome, which is a
>browser whose accessibility is unknown to me.  The Skype installer
>will remember your setting for that checkbox in future, but it's
>always a good idea to watch for it.
>
>Now, about the scripts:
>
>There is a new script set posted at
>
>         http://www.dlee.org/skype/
>
>for Skype 4.1 beta.  It will probably also work with Skype 4.0, though
>I have not tried that recently.  I am calling this version 4.1a,
>meaning the first Skype script release for Skype 4.1.
>
>NOTE:  I recommend restarting JAWS once after installing these
>scripts, because the names of a number of global variables have
>changed, and the old ones can only be cleared out of memory by a JAWS
>restart..
>
>The rest of this message will describe new features of the scripts.
>
>First, user-visible changes:
>
>A double JAWSKey+F1, the standard command for accessing JAWS
>script help documents, will take you to an online page at my web site
>describing how to use Skype 4.1 with the scripts.  This feature is
>long overdue, and though I'm sure the online documentation is in need
>of updating, it is at least a central starting point, better than
>having to fish for info among all the release notes for the various
>Skype script releases.
>
>F2, typed from within a conversation, will turn on and off JAWS'
>announcement of timestamps with text messages, if you have enabled the
>display of timestamps in Skype itself.  This is similar to how F2
>works in AIM.  The virtual display of text messages will also be
>affected.
>
>Alt+Numpad5 will now say the position of the current message in
>addition to its contents.
>
>Users that sometimes heard nothing when backspacing in a text message
>input box should now hear characters as usual.  This script update
>fixes a few possible causes of that problem.
>
>JAWS 9 no longer beeps on arrows, SayLine, etc., in the History list.
>The History list is also more appropriately named (perhaps not in
>Braille though).
>
>JAWS auto-announces questions like the one about holding the current call
>to make a new one.  Also, Ctrl+Shift+E deals with that window instead
>of the Accounts panel when it applies.  Controls in such a box can now
>be reached with the Tab key, as Skype itself made this possible.
>
>Double Ctrl+numbers no longer switch to the JAWS cursor and restrict it.
>A double Ctrl+6 focuses the profile area, and it also works in more
>windows.
>
>If you leave the new Chrome menus in effect in Skype, the scripts will
>try to make them speak.  Turning these off is still recommended
>though.
>
>If you open the Help/About box and try to move to another window or
>application without first closing it, the scripts will close it for
>you to keep it from interfering with other windows and applications.
>
>Any Braille display users who sometimes heard "Unknown function call
>to JCPBrailleHelper" should no longer hear that message.
>
>Users of JAWSKey+V may have noticed that the clipboard could get
>overwritten with a funny-looking string of verbosity option info in
>certain situations.  This is now fixed.
>
>The script installer includes some attempts to fix a problem wherein
>some users are told they have no valid JAWS language folder.
>
>Finally, internal changes, visible mostly to coders and curious souls
>who look at the code:
>
>This script version officially ends my use of jsl files in public
>projects, which means fewer files in the script set.  Any jsl files
>from previous scripts will not be deleted when you install this
>update, however.
>
>The names of most functions and global variables used in the Skype
>scripts have been changed to make them unique enough not to collide
>with other scripts that one might have running alongside the Skype
>scripts.  This was not a frequent problem but did happen to some
>people.
>
>A number of functions from Skype 3 scripts no longer used in Skype 4
>have been removed.
>
>
>--
>Doug Lee                 dgl at dlee.org                http://www.dlee.org
>SSB BART 
>Group           doug.lee at ssbbartgroup.com   http://www.ssbbartgroup.com
>"Believe, when you are most unhappy, that there is something for you
>to do in the world. So long as you can sweeten another's pain, life is
>not in vain." --Helen Keller
>
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