Introduction

This is a set of powerful utilities which performs functions similar, but significantly superior to, the home row utilities in jaws, intended for use by script developers, who understand the hierarchical relationships in which windows are arranged, and are comfortable withusing window handles, and peer, or parent/child relationships, to navigate from one window to the next. They allow you to explore even windows which are not presently visible, to rapidly traverse the windows hierarchy, learning all the key attributes of each window, and to determine the routing path to follow to get between two windows of interest, as well as many other very handy features, including the ability to set your utility window to a window containing your mouse cursor, set application focus to a window, and explore "chunks". You can even explore the windows hierarchy outside the application, or just mouse around the screen, being notified when you cross a window boundary, or when color changes, or a graphic appears.

Version 4.1 added an MSAA object exploration mode, which allows you to navigate the tree of MSAA objects, and query each object for it's various attributes.

All this information is useful when writing custom scripts, or when making advanced use of HotSpotClicker but can also be used simply to more efectively operate your computer.

Installation

To install these scripts, it is necessary to add keys to your default.jkm file, and to add statements to your default.jss and recompile the default script file. This is mostly a manual process, as described below. Please make backup copies of any existing files prior to making your modifications.

First, Download the JLS_Utilities421.zip here: Download JLS_Utilities version 4.21 .ZIP file

This .zip file contains the script files for JLS_Utilities, along with three internal .zip files:

JLS_Audio.zip - contains the sound files used to create audible feedback, highly recommended
JLS_ScriptManager.zip - Contains a set of scripts used to operate the script manager, allowing setting and returning to bookmarks - Optional.
JLS_enumerate.zip - scripts used to capture a window report from a remote computer. - Optional.

Unzip the files in JLS_Utilities41.zip to your user-specific settings\enu folder. One of the files installed is called jls_audio.zip. This extra archive contains a set of small .WAV files used by the various sounders in the utility set. You must create a folder in the user-specific settings\enu folder, called jls_audio. Place all the files in the jls_audio.zip file into the jls_audio folder.

If you want to use the alternate scripts for the script manager, which let you set and return to bookmarks, unzip file JLS_ScriptManager.zip to your user-specific settings\enu folder. this will replace the script manager scripts which were shipped with jaws. The original files will still reside in the shared settings\enu folder, in case you need to revert to original scripts.

File JLS_enumerate.zip is necessary only if you are debugging something on a remote computer, and you want to have your friend generate a database of windows on their machine, which you can then mavigate and explore on your own machine. Your friend would install those scripts, and generate the database, which they would send to you.

In recent versions of jaws, you need to make sure there is a file in your user-specific settings\enu folder called default.jkm. Normally, this file resides only in the shared settings area. If you already have default.jkm in the user-specific settings\enu folder, then make a copy of that file before you install this utility. That will provide the best means of easily uninstalling these utilities if desired. If default.jkm exists only in the shared settings area, then copy that file to the user-specific settings area before performing the installation.

Then go to the user-specific settings\enu folder with explorer, and execute the visual basic script called jls_key_installer.vbs. This will bring up a dialog box, and will activate user32.jsb. depending on whether you say OK or Cancel, the user scripts will add the hot keys to your default.jkm, and will also set the option in default.jcf which allows differentiation between numpad and extended keys. Be sure to press enter on the okay button, rather than space bar. It seems to work better on more systems. Press OK to install the utilities, or Cancel to cancel installation and leave your system unchanged. This will take most of a full minute, and will add a significant number of default hotkey assignments, all tied to the combination of alt+control+windows modifiers, along with a few keys tied to the shift+alt+control+windows modifiers, and will replace the assignments currently tied to alt+shift+Arrow keys.

If, for some reason, this does not work on your system, you can install the hotkeys manually. Open file jls keys.txt with notepad or other text editor. There are two sections in here. The first section belongs in the [desktop] section of default.jkm. the second section is for laptop keys, and must be placed in the [laptop] section of default.jkm.

You should manually remove the existing assignments for shift+alt+up down left and right arrows. These are assigned to function HRMouseUp, down left and right. respectively in the jls keys.txt file by default, and your additions should replace the existing default assignments.

If installing hotkeys manually, remember to go to the default configuration file, and enable the keyboard option to differentiate between numPad and extended keys. In some cases with other applications, that may affect which cursor keys you must use in order to interact properly with the application.

The installation installs default key assignments for a desktop and a laptop layout. You can change the assignments to your own preference, and the hot key help will track along. But, the help documentation won't change. Sorry about that.

Next, you must open default.jss and add the following statements. Make sure you do these exactly as shown. You can compile correctly, while still having mistyped these lines, and the results are very annoying until you get it corrected:

Add the statement: Use "jls_utilities.jsb" with the other use statements near the top of the file. Make sure the file actually exists first, or jaws will complain insessantly about not being able to locate it.
Add a call to function HRCaptureNewWindow(hWindow) to your WindowCreatedEvent.

Then, recompile the default scripts. Your utility scripts are now installed. It's definitely a good idea to restart jaws, to get it to read the default key map.

Detailed documentation will be in file JLS_Utilities.html in your user_specific settings\enu folder.

these scripts are now free of charge, which means you will also have the script source, and are primarily responsible for debugging any strange behavior on your computer. You can submit questions to the Snowman by writing to the e-mail address listed below.

Send e-mail to: Snowman@SnowManRadio.com.

Use your backspace key to browse the rest of the JAWS scripts offered by The SnowMan.

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