ProfitPress Mega CDROM2 …eeware (MSDOS)(1992)(Eng)/ProfitPress-MegaCDROM2.B6I/MISC/HANDICAP/VEDOCS20.ZIP/SECT10.DOC

Text File | 1991-06-11 | 10.8 KB | 218 lines

SECTION TEN
THE VE CURSOR

10.1:  INTRODUCTION

You have already learned the power of Vocal-Eyes' review mode.  Once you
enter review mode, your underlying applications program is suspended while
you review the screen or make certain settings.  Once you exit review mode,
your applications program is resumed exactly where you left it.  You have no
fear of disturbing your applications program while in review mode.

Since the introduction of Vocal-Eyes version 2.0, we have added an additional
means of reviewing your screen.  This method is known as the VE cursor.

10.2:  VE CURSOR VERSUS REVIEW MODE

The VE cursor allows you to review the screen without suspending your
underlying applications program.  Also, if you press a keystroke which is not
a VE cursor command, it will be passed directly to your applications program.
This means you do not have to exit review mode once you find what you are
looking for.

Which approach is better?  Since Vocal-Eyes contains both approaches, we
obviously believe both methods have their advantages and disadvantages.  In
other words, Vocal-Eyes once again, gives you the best of both worlds.

This manual will not go into a comparison of both types.  However, the
remainder of this section is dedicated to the VE cursor.

10.3:  THE VE CURSOR

As we said before, review mode itself when entered will shut down the
underlying applications program while you review the screen or setup windows
etc.  While in review mode, you have no fear of affecting the underlying
applications program.  Once you exit review, the applications program will be
exactly were it was when you left it.

The VE cursor on the other hand is an interactive review.  This means you can
review the screen like review mode but the underlying application is still
running.  If you type a keystroke which is not a VE command, Vocal-Eyes will
allow the keystroke to pass to the applications program.  You can control the
VE cursor through the numeric keypad.  All with one hand.  If the VE cursor
is enabled, the numeric keypad is dedicated to VE cursor commands.  If you
disable the VE cursor, the underlying applications program can use the
numeric keypad.

You may have noticed option 52: VE cursor in the hotkeys menu.  This is the
keystroke to toggle the numeric keypad from the VE cursor to the applications
program.  The default for this hotkey is the gray dash on the numeric keypad.
Feel free to change this to whatever keystroke you wish.  If you press the VE
Cursor hotkey (gray dash by default) Vocal-Eyes will toggle between the VE
cursor and the applications cursor.  Once the VE cursor is enabled, the
numeric keypad can be used to review the screen as long as the numlock is
disabled.  If the numlock is on, the application program will receive the
keystrokes.  Only if the VE cursor is active and the numlock is off will the
VE cursor keys respond.  If you have a 101-key keyboard, the dedicated cursor
pad and "six-pack" (insert, home, pageup, pagedown, delete and end) will
never be affected by the VE cursor.  Your applications program will always
have control of these keys regardless of the VE cursor state.

When you enter the standard review mode, the review cursor is located at the
same point as the applications cursor.  When you first enter the VE cursor,
the VE cursor position will be at the top left of the screen.  From that
point on, the VE cursor will be at the point it was last.  This position is
even saved with the .SET file.  If you find a location you always want the VE
cursor to start at, simply move the VE cursor to that position and save the
.SET file to disk.  Now when you load the .SET file back from disk, the VE
cursor will default to your new location.

Unlike review mode, the VE cursor is not visible on the screen.  Since the VE
cursor is interactive, a large cursor could not be displayed on the screen as
this may interfere with the underlying application.

10.4:  VE CURSOR COMMANDS

As we said, in order to use the VE cursor, you must first enable the VE
cursor by pressing the VE cursor hotkey.  By default this is the gray dash
located on the numeric keypad.  This key will toggle between the applications
cursor and the VE cursor.  Press this hotkey to activate the VE cursor.

Now, make sure the numlock key is off.  If numlock is on, the numeric keypad
can be used as normal with the applications program even with the VE cursor
active.  Assuming you have the VE cursor active and the numlock off, press
the down arrow key which is also labeled the number 2.  Keep pressing this
key.  Notice Vocal-Eyes is reading the screen from the top down.  Remember,
the first time you enable the VE cursor it will start at the top left of the
screen.

If you press any of the standard hotkeys such as read current word or line,
Vocal-Eyes will always read relative to the applications cursor.  Keeping
this distinction, allows for less confusion.  With the VE cursor active, you
effectively have two points on the screen you can read relative to very
quickly.  For example, the standard hotkeys are relative to the applications
cursor and the numeric keypad is relative to the VE cursor position.  Before
we continue future, lets discuss the first set of VE cursor commands.
Remember, these are only active if the VE cursor is active and the numlock is
off.  Also, remember the VE cursor commands are relative to the full screen
regardless of the currently selected window coordinates.

- 7 or home will move the VE cursor to column 1 of the current line.

- 1 or end will move the VE cursor to the first space after the last
printable character on the current line.

- 8 or up arrow will move the VE cursor to the previous line and read it.  If
you prefer to speak the new character or word instead, you can use the 'V'
command in review mode to setup your choice.  The VE cursor is also relative
to this setting.

- 2 or down arrow will move the VE cursor to the next line and read it.  As
for the up arrow, you can use the 'V' command in review mode to change this
to read the new character or word instead.

- 9 or pageup will move the cursor to the top left of the screen.

- 3 or pagedown will move the cursor to the first column of the last line.

- 4 or left arrow will move the cursor left and read the character.

- 6 or right arrow will move the cursor right and read the character.

- 5 or center key will read the character currently under the VE cursor.  If
pressed a second time, the character will be pronounced phonetically.

- Period or delete will speak the current VE cursor position.

- Gray plus key will route the application cursor position to the VE cursor
position.  The routing technique used here is just like the technique used in
review mode.  If the application program supports the four arrow keys and
will allow you to move the application cursor to the position of the VE
cursor, Vocal-Eyes should have no problem routing the cursor.  Just like
routing the review cursor, you may have to adjust the route delay value using
option 17 in the general menu.

Notice how these keys are laid out on the keypad.  This should help you
remember what each key does.

All of these commands are nice but there are even more.  We have setup the 0
or insert key as a sort of shift key.  If you hold this key down and press
any of the keys just described, you will get new results.  The following list
describes each of the keys again assuming you are holding down the 0 or
insert key.  This is a very handy key to press and hold using your right
thumb while pressing the desired key with your right fingers.

- 7 or home will read the text from the beginning of the line up to the VE
cursor.

- 9 or pageup will read the text from the VE cursor to the end of the line.

- 8 or up arrow will read the current line.

- 4 or left arrow will move the VE cursor left by word and read the word.

- 6 or right arrow will move the VE cursor right by word and read the word.

- 5 or center key will speak the word currently under the VE cursor.
Pressing it twice will spell it and three times will spell it phonetically.
As always, while it is spelling, the speech rate will be lowered by a value
of 2.

- 1 or end will read the first line of the screen

- 3 or pagedown will read the last line of the screen

- 2 or down will read everything from the VE cursor to the end of the screen.

- period or delete will read the applications cursor position.

- Gray plus will route the VE cursor to the application cursor position.

While in VE cursor mode, you have access to the full screen.  You are not
limited by the current window coordinates.

10.5:  EXAMPLES OF THE VE CURSOR

With a few examples, the usefulness of the VE cursor may become clear.

Example 1:

Suppose you are downloading information via a modem and your communications
software.  What if you wanted to review the screen during the downloading?
If you enter review mode, your download would probably be aborted because the
communications software would be suspended.  Therefore, if you activate the
VE cursor, you can cursor around the screen during the downloading without
fear of aborting the download.

Example 2:

What if you have to locate something on the screen often but you don't want
to enter and exit review mode each time?  Once you find what you are looking
for, you want to continue on with your applications program.  This would be
a good case for using the VE cursor.  Simply move the VE cursor to the point
of interest.  With the VE cursor still active, you can type to the
applications program and use the standard hotkeys to give you information
relative to the applications cursor.  You can also use the numeric keypad to
give you information relative to your VE cursor position.  This means you can
be looking at two totally different areas of the screen at the same time as
well as being able to directly communicate with the applications program.

10.6:  SUMMARY

This section of the Vocal-Eyes owners manual discussed a second alternative
to reviewing the screen.  Unlike the standard review mode, the VE cursor
allows you to interact with your application in "real-time".  This means the
application is not suspended while reviewing the screen.

You may wish to take some time now and play with the VE cursor.  Cursor
around on the screen and then type something to your applications program.
Then when you go back to reviewing using the numeric keypad, you will see the
VE cursor is right where you left it.

Feel free to use which ever mode makes more sense for your particular needs.
You may find yourself using both the review mode and the VE cursor within the
same application program.  Both features are there for the asking.

There is still much more to Vocal-Eyes.  Lets continue on to the next
section.