Vad är nytt i JAWS 2023

Publicerad: 22/6, 2023

Smart blickfångare

Webbsidesutvecklare använder ofta text- och bakgrundsfärger, olika typsnitt eller särskilda textattribut för att dra uppmärksamheten till text på en sida. Till exempel kan olika typsnitt eller färger tillämpas på specifik text som är del av ett diagram eller en instrumentpanel för att indikera statusen för ett alternativ. Den nya funktionen Smart blickfångare analyserar sidan och rankar textinnehåll i omvänd ordning baserat på hur sällsynt användningen av färg, textattribut eller typsnitt är på sidan. Färger, typsnitt eller attribut som används minst kommer att rankas högst som potentiella intressepunkter, vilka kallas blickfångare.

När en webbsida laddas meddelar JAWS nu först antalet blickfångare tillsammans med antalet länkar, regioner samt formulärfält. Dessutom kan du konfigurera JAWS att spela upp ett ljud för att indikera en blickfångare när du navigerar tecken för tecken, ord för ord, rad för rad, mening för mening, stycke för stycke eller när du läser med löpande läsning. Om en sida innehåller blickfångare är följande nya snabbnavigeringstangenter tillgängliga:

  • Flytta till nästa blickfångare: Y
  • Flytta till föregående blickfångare: SKIFT+Y
  • Visa en lista med alla blickfångare på sidan: INSERT+CTRL+Y

Exempel på blickfångare återfinns på Amazons webbsida. Om du till exempel går till Amazon.com och söker efter en produkt så kommer sökresultatsidan med produkter att innehålla flera smarta blickfångare inom vissa områden på sidan, inklusive "Resultat", "Populära varumärken" och "Behöver du hjälp". I det här fallet ser dessa objekt visuellt ut som rubriker men rubrikattributet används inte. Du kan använda Y för att förflytta dig mellan de smarta blickfångarna eller visa en lista genom att trycka INSERT+CTRL+Y där du kan välja en att förflytta dig till.

För att konfigurera inställningarna för smarta blickfångare, öppna Inställningscenter (INSERT+6), expandera gruppen Webb/HTML/PDF och expandera sedan gruppen Smarta blickfångare. Du kan sedan konfigurera följande:

  • Indikera smarta blickfångare: Låter dig bestämma hur JAWS indikerar blickfångare Du kan välja att få JAWS att meddela antalet blickfångare när sidan laddas (valt som standard), meddela dig om blickfångare när du navigerar genom att spela upp ett ljud, indikera blickfångare både när sidan laddas samt medan du navigerar eller att slå av all indikering av blickfångare.
  • Känslighet: Ställ in det här alternativet på Hög för att öka känsligheten vid fastställning av en blickfångare. Vid en hög känslighet fås fler resultat genom att också analysera mindre textsegment efter speciella textattribut.
  • Inkludera objekt: Låter dig välja huruvida länkar, rubriker eller formulärfält är inkluderade när sidor analyseras efter smarta blickfångare. Även om det finns snabbnavigeringstangenter för att förflytta dig till dessa specifika objekt så kanske du vill inkludera dessa så att du kan använda ett enda tangentbordskommando för att snabbt förflytta dig mellan alla användbara objekt på sidan. Som standard inkluderas endast fält som markerats som ogiltiga eller att de krävs.

Du kan också trycka INSERT+V när du är på en webbsida för att öppna Snabbinställningar och ändra indikeringsalternativet för smarta blickfångare.

Förbättringar av aviseringshistoriken

JAWS-funktionen aviseringshistorik introducerades i juniuppdateringen av JAWS 2022 och hjälper dig att hantera den stora mängden aviseringar som på daglig basis kan tas emot från Windows och program. När du trycker INSERT+MELLANSLAG följt av N så öppnas en dialogruta som visar en historik över alla aviseringar som tagits emot under de senaste 24 timmarna medan JAWS eller Fusion kördes. I den här dialogrutan kan du välja att exkludera valda aviseringar från att visas i historiken i framtiden såväl som skapa regler som anger hur framtida aviseringar ska läsas upp eller visas i punktskrift. Till exempel kanske du vill att JAWS endast ska läsa upp aviseringar från ett program om de inkluderar specifik text eller spela upp ett ljud istället för att avbryta dig med ett talat meddelande.

JAWS och Fusion 2023 erbjuder många förbättringar för att hantera aviseringar baserat på återkoppling från kunder. Några nyckelförbättringar inkluderar:

  • Slå på eller av meddelanden om toast-aviseringar: Genom att använda det nya skiktade tangentbordskommandot INSERT+MELLANSLAG följt av CTRL+N kan du slå på och av de automatiska meddelandena om inkommande toast-aviseringar, vilket är en typ av aviseringar som används av vissa program inklusive Microsoft Outlook. Om du till exempel tar emot mycket e-post och du inte vill att JAWS automatiskt ska läsa upp aviseringarna varje gång du tar emot ett meddelande så kan du använda detta kommando för att snabbt tysta alla dessa meddelanden istället för att skapa en regel. Avisreingarna kommer fortfarande att läggas till i aviseringshistoriken, så du kan fortfarande granska dem om du behöver. Meddelanden om toast-aviseringar förblir av tills du utför detta kommando igen eller startar om JAWS.

Observera: Kommandot INSERT+MELLANSLAG, CTRL+N slår endast av och på meddelandena om toast-aviseringar. Det kommer inte att fungera för program såsom Teams som använder UIA (User Interface Automation) för att visa aviseringar. För dessa program kan du skapa en regel i dialogrutan för JAWS aviseringshistorik för att tysta dem eller slå av dem med hjälp av inställningarna i programmet.

  • Rensa aviseringshistoriken: Efter att du har tryckt INSERT+MELLANSLAG, N för att öppna dialogrutan Aviseringshistorik, välj den nya knappen Rensa historik för att radera alla aviseringar från listan Senaste aviseringarna.
  • Granska aviseringsdetaljer: Tryckning av ENTER när fokus är på en avisering i listan Senaste aviseringarna visar nu detaljer om den valda aviseringen. Dessa inkluderar aviseringstexten, programmet som den kom ifrån samt tiden då den togs emot.
  • Specificera typ av regel: När du väljer att skapa en ny regel för en vald avisering i listan Senaste aviseringarna så börjar du nu i kombinationsrutan Typ av regel. Det här nya alternativet låter dig bestämma hur den ursprungliga aviseringstexten i skrivfältet omedelbart efter denna kombinationsruta ska behandlas. Följande val finns:
    • Innehåller - Skapar en regel som reagerar på en avisering som innehåler specifik text. Om du till exempel vill skapa en regel för en avisering från Outlook som innehåller ordet “Förslag:” någonstans i aviseringen så kan du radera allting förutom “Förslag:” från aviseringstexten i det följande skrivfältet.
    • Börjar med - Skapar en regel som reagerar på en avisering som börjar med specifik text. Om du till exempel vill skapa en regel för en avisering från Outlook som börjar med ordet "Förslag:" följt av någon text så kan du radera allting förutom "Förslag:" från aviseringstexten i det följande skrivfältet.
    • Slutar med - Skapar en regel som reagerar på en avisering som slutar med specifik text. Om du till exempel vill skapa en regel för en avisering från Teams som slutar med orden "Tryck CTRL+SKIFT+J för att gå med" som föregås av någon text så kan du radera allt förutom "Tryck CTRL+SKIFT+J för att gå med" från aviseringstexten i det följande skrivfältet.
    • Matchar mönster - Låter dig skapa ett reguljärt uttryck som alla inkommande aviseringar kommer att matchas emot. Även om det följande skrivfältet innehåller texten för den valda aviseringen så rekommenderas det att du ändrar den till ett reguljärt uttryck genom att använda delar från aviseringen. Om du vill använda aviseringstexten som den är, eller delar av den, överväg att använda en av de andra regeltyperna. Som ett exempel på ett reguljärt uttryck, ta en titt på det reguljära uttrycket för att plocka ut namnet på avsändaren från en Outlook-avisering: "^Nytt meddelande från Outlook, (.*?)," utan citattecknen.
  • Döpa regler: När du skapar en regel för en vald avisering så kan du nu ange ett namn på regeln. Dialogrutan Hantera aviseringsregler inkluderar nu dessutom ett alternativ för att byta namn på en existerande regel.

Vänd dig till hjälpavsnittet Aviseringshistorik för mer information.

Lösning för problem med Dell Waves Max Audio

En ändring som fixar problemet med den ökade minnesanvändningen som förorsakades av programmet Waves Max Audio som ofta används på Dell-datorer har gjorts i JAWS, ZoomText och Fusion och den berör talsynteserna Eloquence, Vocalizer Expressive samt Microsoft Mobile. Om du tidigare har inaktiverat programmet Waves Max för att lösa dessa prestandaproblem så kan du nu återaktivera det om du vill att din dator automatiskt ska börja använda en specifik ljudutmatningsenhet, såsom ett par hörlurar, när du ansluter den.

Förbättrad åtkomst till ILM-aktivering

Lagringsplatsen för ILM-aktiveringsfiler för JAWS, ZoomText samt Fusion har flyttats till en plats där användare inte längre behöver administratörsrättigheter för att aktivera på deras egna system.

Nya alternativ Endast tabeller vid Smart navigering

Användare möts av ett ökat behov av att arbeta med komplexa webbformulär, tabeller och även program som körs inuti en webbläsare. Våran existerande funktion Smart navigering erbjuder ett mera effektivt sätt att navigera i webbaserade program med den virtuella markören eftersom kommandona PIL VÄNSTER och PIL HÖGER samt CTRL+PIL VÄNSTER och CTRL+PIL HÖGER förflyttar kontroll för kontroll istället för tecken för tecken och ord för ord. Detta gör navigering såsom förflyttning över verktygsfält, flikfält och navigeringslänkar mera likt att navigera runt i ett skrivbordsprogram. För närvarande är de olika alternativen för denna inställning Kontroller, Kontroller och tabeller eller Av. Detta betyder att du endast kunde aktivera Smart navigering för tabeller tillsammans med kontroller.

I JAWS och Fusion 2023 så finns nu ett nytt alternativ Tabeller som endast aktiverar Smart navigering när du har fokus inuti en tabell. Du kan justera inställningarna för Smart navigering via Uppstartsguiden, Inställningscenter eller Snabbinställningar. Det nya alternativet Tabeller erbjuder samma upplevelse med Smart navigering inuti tabeller som när den är inställd på Kontroller och tabeller medan den vanliga navigeringen behålls utanför tabeller.

När fokus är inuti en tabell så förflyttar tangenterna PIL HÖGER och PIL VÄNSTER mellan kolumner medan tangenterna PIL UPP och PIL NER förflyttar mellan rader. I fall du trycker PIL HÖGER för att förflytta dig från sista kolumnen på den nuvarande raden till den första kolumnen på nästa rad, eller PIL VÄNSTER för att flytta från första kolumnen på den nuvarande raden till den sista kolumnen på den föregående raden så spelar JAWS upp ett ljud för att indikera den nya raden. När fokus förflyttas utanför tabellen så förflyttar tangenterna PIL VÄNSTER och PIL HÖGER eller CTRL+PIL VÄNSTER och CTRL+PIL HÖGER tecken för tecken eller ord för ord, som de alltid har gjort.

Stöd för ARM64

Stöd för ARM64 tillhandahålls nu officiellt i JAWS 2023. Installationsprogrammet för JAWS 2023 kommer att känna av i fall du använder en enhet med en ARM-processor såsom Microsoft Surface Pro X och kommer automatiskt att installera ARM-versionen av JAWS. ARM-stöd för ZoomText och Fusion kommer vid ett senare tillfälle. Följande är några vanliga frågor.

Kan jag använda ZoomText eller Fusion på min ARM64-enhet?

Nej. ARM64 stöds för närvarande endast av JAWS. ZoomText och Fusion (förstoringsprogramvara) för synsvaga användare stöds ännu inte.

Vilken enhet krävs?

En ARM64-baserad enhet, vilket är en dator med en ARM64-processor. Ett exempel är Microsoft Surface Pro X.

Vilket operativsystem krävs?

Windows 11 är minimikravet vad gäller operativsystem som stöds.

Vilka punktskriftsenheter stöds för närvarande?

I dagsläget stöds endast Focus-punktdisplayerna från Freedom Scientific. Ytterligare stöd för punktdisplayer kommer att läggas till vartefter vi arbetar med våra tredjepartspartners.

Vilka talsynteser stöds för närvarande?

I dagsläget stöds talsynteserna Eloquence, Vocalizer Expressive, SAPI 5x, SAPI 5x 64-bitars samt Microsoft Mobile. Stöd för ytterligare talsynteser kommer att läggas till vartefter vi arbetar med våra tredjepartspartners.

Vilka funktioner är förnärvarande inte tillgängliga?

Följande funktioner är fortfarande under utveckling:

  • Citrix fjärrskrivbord
  • Skanna med OCR från en skanner eller kamera
  • Aktivering med dongel

Vilka program stöds för närvarande inte?

När det körs på ARM64-enheter så stödjer JAWS för närvarande inte program som kompilerats för 32-bitars ARM. För ögonblicket har Microsoft fortfarande några program som det ännu inte har tagits itu med, men vi förväntar oss att detta ska lösas i framtida uppdateringar från Microsoft och Freedom Scientific.

Följande är exempel på dessa program:

  • Windows E-post
  • Windows Kalkylator
  • Windows Väder
  • Windows Nyheter

Vilken version av Office 365 rekommenderas?

Office 365 installerades ursprungligen på ARM-enheter som 32-bitars. Denna 32-bitarsversion kan uppleva en del tröghet. För bästa prestanda rekommenderar vi att installera den senaste 64-bitarsversionen av Office utformat speciellt för ARM64-enheter.

För tyska användare, är Grade 2-punktskrift nu tillgängligt som standard?

Standardinställningen i JAWS är att använda FSBrailleTranslator för punktskriftsöversättning på tyska. En ARM64-version av denna översättare är nu inkluderad i JAWS 2023.

 

Ytterligare ändringar

  • Liblouis-punktskriftsöversättaren som används av JAWS och Fusion har uppdaterats till version 3.23.0 och är nu vald som standard.
  • För tyska användare inkluderar JAWS nu den tyska punktskriftsöversättaren RTFC för all förkortad punktskrift såsom Basisschrift, Vollschrift och Kurzschrift (Dessa är de tyska namnen för Grade 0-2). Denna översättare är standard när JAWS-språket ställs in på tyska.
  • Om-rutan i JAWS och Fusion inkluderar nu fältet Systemtyp som visar huruvida du använder X64 eller ARM64. Denna information kan också fås genom att trycka CTRL+INSERT+V när fokus är på skrivbordet.

 

Enhancements in JAWS 2023.2212.23 (December 2022)


The following is a list of improvements made between the Initial 2023 release and the December 2022 update.

To download the latest release, visit the Downloads web page. You must be logged on as an administrator to install this software.

  • In Adobe Acrobat, we discovered that the JAWS Smart Glance feature was causing longer than usual load times for larger PDF documents. To resolve this issue, we have turned off Smart Glance only in Adobe. Note that if you press Y or SHIFT+Y in Adobe, JAWS still announces "there are no glance highlights on this page."
  • In the Notification History dialog box, there is now an option to disable individual rules. To disable a rule, press INSERT+SPACEBAR followed by N to open the Notification History, choose Manage Rules, select the rule you want to disable in the list, press the APPLICATIONS Key, and choose Disable.
  • PictureSmart can now describe images saved using Apple's HEIC format.
  • Added a new Quick Settings (INSERT+V) option, Cell Header and Content, which lets you choose whether table headers are announced before or after reading cell content. This setting is available in Office 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel), supported web browsers (Edge, Chrome, Firefox), and Google Docs and Sheets. By default, headers are announced before content.
  • If you are in a Teams meeting or call with your microphone muted, JAWS now supports the "push to talk" functionality in Teams where you can press and hold CTRL+SPACEBAR to temporarily unmute, and then release to mute again.
  • Addressed an issue where JAWS was not announcing the current microphone or camera state in newer Teams updates.
  • When pressing CTRL+HOME or CTRL+END inside a modal dialog box on a web page, JAWS is now restricted to only moving to the beginning or end of the dialog. JAWS also now properly indicates when a nested modal dialog box opens.
  • When activating a link in a dropdown menu that changes information on the current page, JAWS now announces the region on the page that was updated.
  • If JAWS verbosity is set to Beginner, the "not pressed" state of toggle buttons on web pages is announced in addition to the "pressed" state as you navigate.
  • Resolved issues interacting with radio button groups that use the aria-activedescendant property.
  • Addressed an issue where JAWS was announcing page information twice when selecting a link that was displayed after expanding a button.
  • Resolved an issue with combo boxes that allow you to select multiple items where JAWS was not indicating which items were selected.
  • In Adobe, resolved a reported issue where JAWS was not reading as expected in a multi-page table.
  • When pressing ALT+F to open the File menu in an Office 365 application such as Word, resolved an issue where JAWS was saying "leaving menus" even though the menu remained open.
  • Resolved a reported issue where JAWS would become unresponsive when attempting to select colors in an Excel spreadsheet.
  • In response to customer feedback, the JAWS Tandem option has been moved back to the top of the Utilities menu in the JAWS main window.
  • When the Spell Checker displays as you attempt to send an email in Outlook, addressed a reported issue where the first incorrect word was not automatically read.
  • If the Show Hotkey setting was enabled in Settings Center for Braille Structured Mode, resolved an issue where hotkeys for some items on the Office ribbons were not being displayed in Braille.
  • When editing a Speech and Sounds scheme, resolved an issue where there was no label for the Smart Glance Highlight option on the Attributes tab.
  • Resolved an issue where JAWS was not reading all of the information for a restore point when attempting to perform a system restore.
  • Addressed translation issues with various commands in the Italian version of JAWS when using Keyboard Help or Command Search.
    Addressed several issues related to stability and performance.

 

Enhancements in JAWS 2023.2302.15 (Februari 2023)

Improved Support for WhatsApp

JAWS now includes Scripts for the popular WhatsApp messaging application. This support is for the desktop app available from the Microsoft Store on Windows 10 and later. For more information about WhatsApp and its features, visit WhatsApp.com.

JAWS offers several new features that improve the experience when interacting with messages as well as making and receiving audio and video calls. Some of these include:

  • Automatically announce incoming chat messages and play a sound when a contact is typing. Additionally, new Quick Settings (INSERT+V) options are now available to turn off these automatic announcements if needed.
  • Use ALT+1 through 9 on the number row to review the most recent nine messages. Add SHIFT to display the message in the Virtual Viewer.
  • New keystrokes for quickly moving to the chat edit field (ALT+E), the chat list (ALT+C), or the chat history (ALT+H).

For a complete list of available JAWS keystrokes for WhatsApp, press INSERT+H.

For a complete list of WhatsApp keystrokes, press INSERT+W.

Updated FSDN Now Available

For those who create JAWS scripts to help improve performance with various applications, the Freedom Scientific Developer Network (FSDN) is a complete scripting reference manual documenting all scripts, user-defined functions, and built-in functions found in JAWS. This update includes documentation for all the latest scripts and functions as of JAWS 2023 and also contains new topics on ZoomText scripting. Visit the FSDN web page to download the latest FSDN reference guide.

Other Changes

  • In the JAWS Notification History, you can now customize the order of user created notification rules. To reorder rules, press INSERT+SPACEBAR followed by N to open the Notification History, choose Manage Rules, select the rule you want to reorder, and then press CTRL+SHIFT+UP or DOWN ARROW to move it up or down in the list. Reordering rules is especially useful for conflicting rules since the first rule that matches the incoming notification is always applied. Changing the order allows you to move rules that apply to very specific situations to the top of the list, followed by more generic rules with less strict criteria.
  • In PowerPoint, resolved an issue where JAWS was not correctly respecting the reading order of slide content as defined by the author.
  • If Outlook is configured to show messages by conversation and you press ENTER on a message thread, resolved an issue where JAWS was not indicating the expanded or collapsed state of the conversation.
  • Resolved an issue where pressing INSERT+F11 was not listing all of the System Tray items in Windows 11.
  • Addressed an issue in BARD Express where JAWS was truncating long entries like book titles and annotations, making it difficult to read all the details for a book.
  • Addressed an issue where the braille cursor was not displayed in the correct location in the Visual Studio Code editor.
  • Addressed an issue in Visual Studio Code where JAWS was not speaking autocomplete results as you typed.
  • Addressed an issue with multiple ARIA live region updates that use the aria-atomic attribute where JAWS was announcing all updates instead of the most recent one.
  • Addressed issues where Forms Mode would not activate as expected on certain edit controls. For example, the Search edit box on play.google.com.
  • When adding items to a list in Google Docs, resolved an issue where JAWS was announcing the total number of items in the list each Time ENTER was pressed to add a new item. JAWS should now only announce the number of list items when navigating into a list.
  • Resolved an issue in Google Sheets where JAWS was not speaking cell coordinates like "A1" or "B1" while navigating a spreadsheet.
  • When JAWS Tutor Messages are enabled and focus moves to the tab strip in a Teams chat or channel, resolved an issue where JAWS was not announcing the ALT+1 through 5 keystrokes for switching between the various tabs.
  • Resolved an issue with LibreOffice Calc crashing when attempting to navigate a spreadsheet with JAWS and a braille display.
  • It is no longer necessary to make changes in the Windows registry in order to use JAWS and Fusion with Citrix Virtual Delivery Agent (VDA). For more details, refer to the following TSN: Issues with authorizing JAWS, ZoomText, or Fusion in newer versions of Citrix.
  • In response to customer feedback, Braille Structured Mode now handles the display of hot keys as it did prior to the December 2022 update.
  • The Liblouis braille translator used by JAWS and Fusion has been updated to version 3.24.0 and is now selected by default.
  • In the English version of JAWS, resolved an issue where Dutch Belgium was incorrectly using Liblouis for Computer Braille.
  • Added support for the Russian NewFon SAPI5 voice.
  •  

Enhancements in JAWS 2023.2303.144 (Mars 2023)

  • In WhatsApp, JAWS now continuously plays the sound to indicate when a contact is typing until the other user sends the message or stops typing.
  • Addressed an issue where pressing CTRL+DELETE or CTRL+BACKSPACE was not speaking the current word in WhatsApp.
  • When pressing ALT+H in WhatsApp to move to the chat history, JAWS now places focus on the most recent message.
  • In Edge and Chrome, when selecting a button on a web page that displays a dialog box, resolved an issue where the dialog content was not being automatically read by JAWS.
  • Resolved an issue in certain tables on web pages where JAWS was incorrectly reading table headers for column headers.
  • Addressed an issue where JAWS was not indicating the expanded or collapsed state of tree view items on web pages unless focus was moved away and back.
  • Resolved issues with JAWS not properly announcing updates for live regions that use aria-atomic=false.
  • Resolved an issue in Chrome and Edge where JAWS was not announcing autocomplete suggestions while typing in the address bar.
  • Resolved an issue with the content of objects not always being read while navigating in Google Slides.
  • Resolved an issue where JAWS was not automatically reading announcements from Gmail with the Virtual Cursor off.
  • When inserting a table in Google Docs, addressed an issue where JAWS was not reading as expected while navigating the menu where you choose the specific columns and rows for the table.
  • Addressed issues navigating tables in Google Docs using JAWS table reading commands (ALT+CTRL+ARROW keys).
  • In Google Sheets, JAWS now indicates in braille when a cell has a formula.
  • Addressed an issue in Google Sheets where input validation errors for cells were not being shown in braille.
  • In Windows 11, resolved an issue where the selected item in the navigation pane of the Word 365 Open and Save As dialog boxes was not being shown in braille.
  • When navigating a list of files in the Office 365 Open and Save As dialog boxes, resolved an issue where info in various columns was not being shown in braille.
  • Addressed an issue where JAWS was not reading as expected when navigating combo boxes in Excel's Conditional Formatting Rules manager.
  • When renaming a worksheet in Excel, resolved an issue where JAWS was not indicating focus was in an edit field. This also addresses an issue where deleted characters were not being announced when using the DELETE key.
  • When sending a message in Outlook to someone in your organization and Teams is also running, resolved an issue where JAWS was not announcing the recipient's status.
  • Addressed issues with JAWS not working as expected on the Windows 11 lock screen in some situations.
  • Addressed an issue in File Explorer where JAWS was not announcing the selected item when using CTRL+SPACEBAR to select files non-contiguously.
  • When launching a Command Prompt as an Administrator, resolved an issue where JAWS was not reading anything in speech or braille.
  • Updated the sample MSI scripts that are included when running the setup package with the /layout command-line argument.

Enhancements in JAWS 2023.2306.38 (Juni 2023)

Message Center

The Message Center is your hub for timely announcements from Freedom Scientific to help maximize your experience with JAWS, ZoomText, and Fusion. The messages cover various topics, including:

  • Product-specific training tips to explore key features.
  • Information about new features and changes in updates.
  • Details about upcoming webinars and additional training opportunities.
  • Notifications about new FSCast podcast episodes.

The Message Center is currently available for English and Dutch. Support for additional languages will be added in future updates.

By default, a notification is spoken and displayed when new messages are available. This is a standard Windows background notification, similar to those received from other apps such as Outlook. To access your messages, do one of the following:

  • Choose Message Center from the Help menu in JAWS, or the main application menu in ZoomText or Fusion. This menu item also includes the number of unread messages.
  • Use the layered keystroke, INSERT+SPACEBAR, followed by SHIFT+M in JAWS or Fusion.
  • Use the Voice Assistant. For example, "Hey Sharky, open message center."

When Message Center opens, you are placed in the list of messages. Pressing ENTER on the currently selected message displays additional details, such as release notes for an update, step-by-step instructions for a training tip, or an overview of an FSCast episode. If the message includes links to external content, pressing ENTER opens the resource in the appropriate app on your computer. For instance, links to web pages open in your default web browser.

The Message Center also offers the following options:

  • Filter the list by entering a category like “podcast” into the Search edit box to only show specific messages.
  • Use the Settings dialog box to choose whether or not you are notified when new messages arrive. You can also configure what types of messages you receive. For example, you may only want to receive announcements about upcoming training opportunities and software updates.
  • Delete messages you no longer need.

Improved Braille Display Auto Detection

Connecting a braille display to JAWS is now easier than ever with the new auto detection feature. JAWS now automatically configures most braille displays at startup, whether you use USB or Bluetooth. You no longer have to manually add your Braille display using the Synthesizer and Braille Manager, making setup easier and faster.

For braille displays connected over USB or Bluetooth, JAWS automatically detects and begins using the display at startup. If JAWS is currently running, braille displays are also detected when connected over USB or Bluetooth. However, in order for JAWS to detect Bluetooth displays while running, the Auto detect braille display using Bluetooth option must be enabled in Settings Center.

Note: While auto detection over USB is very quick, connecting over Bluetooth can take up to approximately 10 seconds.

While JAWS detects most braille displays automatically, certain displays may not yet be compatible with this feature. We are working with manufacturers to support as many displays as possible.

Aria and Web

  • Resolved an issue where JAWS was not reading the buttons on the page for sharing a YouTube video.
  • Resolved an issue where it was not possible to manually turn off Forms Mode when focused on certain menu items.
  • Addressed issues using table reading commands (ALT+CTRL+ARROWS) in tables that include a colspan attribute.
  • If focus moves to a toolbar in a web app, resolved an issue where JAWS would begin reading the entire page.
  • Resolved an issue where JAWS was sometimes announcing extraneous information when navigating to buttons on some web pages.
  • Addressed an issue where JAWS was too verbose when accessing menus in some web apps like Azure DevOps.
  • Addressed an issue with navigating radio button groups that use the aria-activedescendant attribute.
  • Resolved issues navigating aria grids with the Virtual Cursor off. This includes reading the current row and column position as well as the header row being ignored.
  • Resolved an issue where JAWS was incorrectly indicating buttons that open dialogs as menu buttons.
  • Addressed an issue with certain color picker input boxes not working as expected with JAWS.
  • When navigating a table or grid such as the Gmail Inbox, addressed an issue where only the text "row" was being shown in braille if the status cells were disabled.
  • In Gmail, JAWS no longer says "grid with 0 columns and 0 rows."
  • When navigating a group of radio buttons, addressed an issue where JAWS was not always announcing the current radio button when moving to it with TAB.
  • Addressed issues with sluggishness on some pages in Firefox.
  • Resolved an issue where JAWS was not reading placeholder text in an HTML text area.
  • In the Google Chrome Address Bar, JAWS now alerts you when an address becomes unselected.
  • Addressed issues with JAWS not reading in context menus for links in Google Chrome.
  • Resolved an issue where JAWS was not announcing the selected item when navigating tree views on some web pages.
  • Added keyboard help for the ALT+INSERT+D keystroke which moves to the details of an element that says "has details." This command is now also listed in Command Search (INSERT+SPACEBAR, J).
  • Resolved an issue where JAWS was not working as expected in tables that include a row of check boxes, which when checked, also allow you to edit the contents of the current cell.
  • In Google Docs, resolved an issue where JAWS notification of a comment was off by one character.
  • In Google Sheets, JAWS now indicates in braille if the current cell contains a comment or formula.
  • When editing a cell in Google Sheets using Microsoft Edge, resolved an issue where JAWS repeated the first character in the cell as you navigated.

Office Apps

  • Resolved an issue in Outlook where JAWS was too verbose when switching to the Calendar in Day View. JAWS now also speaks the correct number of appointments for the current day.
  • Resolved an issue where JAWS was not reading the reminder column in the Outlook Calendar.
  • Resolved an issue in PowerPoint where JAWS would continuously repeat image information when a braille display was connected.
  • Addressed an issue where JAWS and Fusion Mouse Echo was not reading sheet names or column and row headers in Excel.
  • Improved JAWS performance with creating formulas in Excel.
  • When entering a formula in Excel, addressed an issue where the currently selected function in the list of functions continued to be shown in braille, even after pressing TAB to start adding parameters to your chosen function.
  • Resolved an issue with JAWS not reading text entered into a document in LibreOffice Writer.

JAWS Application Fixes

  • The Liblouis braille translator used by JAWS and Fusion has been updated to version 3.25.
  • Tandem now offers increased stability with fewer dropped connections and hangs.
  • Unified keyboard processing is now turned on by default. This is a new method of processing keystrokes that aims to bring consistency across all three products. Turning off the Use unified keyboard processing method option in Settings Center switches to the legacy method for processing keystrokes. The following improvements are only available when this option is enabled:
  • Added support for multimedia keys found on some keyboards. This includes more speech feedback when pressing these extra keys as well as the ability to assign scripts to multimedia keys.
  • Added Support to toggle F-Lock State for Microsoft Surface Keyboards.
  • When reading with Say All and the volume buttons are pressed on a multimedia keyboard, addressed an issue where the volume was not adjusted as expected.
  • Added the latest braille display drivers from HelpTech.
  • When opening the Speech History (INSERT+SPACEBAR, H), the visual focus is now correctly positioned on the most recent message at the bottom of the window, along with the Virtual Cursor.
  • If the Insert Key Mode option is enabled in Settings Center, resolved an issue where commands that include the INSERT key were not working.
  • Addressed an issue where the ALT+CAPS LOCK keystroke was not toggling the state of caps lock as expected.
  • Resolved an issue with the Profivox speech synthesizer where text received after a long pause was not spoken.
  • Addressed an issue with JAWS not always announcing the name of some multi-column list views.

Other Fixes

  • In iTunes, you can now use ALT+CTRL+RIGHT ARROW to fast forward, ALT+CTRL+LEFT ARROW to rewind, or ALT+CTRL+DOWN ARROW to mute the current track as long as focus is not in a table.
  • Improved JAWS performance with Microsoft Loop when run in Windowless mode, including editing in Outlook.
  • Addressed issues setting up iCloud while JAWS was running.
  • Resolved an issue using JAWS with the Windows Weather app.
  • Resolved issues navigating the Zoom Audio Settings menu.
  • Addressed an issue where JAWS sometimes reported a menu was active when it wasn't.
  • If Dropbox is installed in Windows 11, addressed an issue where first letter navigation was not moving to the app in the Select a System Tray Icon dialog box (INSERT+F11).

 

Enhancements in JAWS 2023.2307.37 (Augusti 2023)

Braille Support Improvements

  • The Liblouis braille translator used by JAWS and Fusion has been updated to version 3.26.
  • JAWS now supports Humanware braille displays on ARM64 devices.
  • Added the latest drivers and configurations for EuroBraille displays.
  • JAWS now automatically detects the Orbit Reader 20 and Orbit Reader 40 braille displays over Bluetooth.
  • The Autodetect braille display using Bluetooth option in Settings Center is now unavailable if there is currently an active braille display connection.
  • If the Braille Viewer is enabled at JAWS startup, addressed an issue where braille displays were not being autodetected.

JAWS Application Fixes

  • Resolved an issue where JAWS was not automatically reading the content of a message opened in Message Center when running as Fusion.
  • Resolved an issue where JAWS was not correctly handling focus changes when switching languages in Windows 10.
  • Addressed an issue enabling the Screen Shade feature with unified keyboard processing enabled.
  • Resolved an issue where Insert Key Mode was not working correctly with unified keyboard processing enabled. When Insert Key Mode is turned on in Settings Center, the INSERT key functions as a sticky key.
  • Addressed an issue using AutoHotkey software with JAWS and unified keyboard processing.
  • Resolved an issue with JAWS and InnoSetup where extraneous text was being announced.
  • When INSERT+NUM PAD 5 is pressed three times to read the Unicode value of a character, resolved an issue where navigating with LEFT or RIGHT ARROW in some editors was one character behind the actual cursor location.
  • When using the Convenient OCR feature to recognize text using some hardware scanners, resolved an issue where the Open in Word link was not always appearing at the bottom of the results. This also addresses an issue where the Open in Word link would sometimes do nothing when selected.

Aria and Web

  • Addressed an issue in Chrome and Edge where JAWS was not reading the contents of edit fields under the Directions heading in Google Maps. This also fixes JAWS reading in any edit field that contains a placeholder.
  • Resolved an issue with disabled buttons on web pages having incorrect tutor help.
  • Addressed an issue with certain color picker input boxes not working as expected with JAWS.
  • If a bulleted item in a Google Docs file covered multiple lines, addressed an issue where only the first line was read by JAWS.
  • Resolved an issue in Google Docs where empty list items were not being spoken when navigating using CTRL+UP or DOWN ARROW. For example, for numbered lists with empty items, you should now hear the number.
  • Addressed an issue in Google Docs where JAWS was not indicating if a line contained multiple comments.
  • Addressed an issue where JAWS was not automatically indicating the checked or unchecked state in grids that support selection using the SPACEBAR.
  • Addressed an issue with navigating tree views on some web pages where JAWS was not indicating when the level changed.
  • If Typing Echo is set to Words, resolved an issue where extra letters were being included when typing in an edit field.
  • Resolved an issue where JAWS was not announcing labels for radio buttons that include an accesskey attribute.

Office Apps

  • If the Virtual Ribbon Menu option is enabled in Settings Center or Quick Settings, resolved an issue where JAWS would only say “blank” when attempting to navigate the Virtual Ribbon in Microsoft Office 365 apps.
  • Addressed an issue in Outlook where JAWS would incorrectly delete two attachments when forwarding a message.
  • You can now press INSERT+F8 in Outlook to display a list of toolbar buttons.
  • Addressed an issue in Excel where cells containing autofill items were not being displayed in Braille.

Other Fixes

  • If ALT+R was pressed in Winamp to move to the end of a track, addressed an issue where Speech On Demand (INSERT+SPACEBAR, S) would no longer work as expected.
  • When viewing the properties for a folder or file in File Explorer, resolved an issue where JAWS was not announcing the current page when using CTRL+TAB.
  • Resolved an issue where the Virtual Cursor was incorrectly getting enabled when editing a windowless Loop component in Outlook.

 

Enhancements in JAWS 2023.2311.34 (December 2023)

ARIA and Web

  • Addressed an issue where JAWS was not announcing the start or end of tab panels.
  • When pressing the AT key in a Google Docs file to display the @mentions menu, resolved an issue where JAWS was not indicating the menu had opened.
  • When moving into a group of tabs on a web page, resolved an issue where JAWS was too verbose when the first tab gained focus.
  • JAWS now supports the “strong,” “emphasis,” “insertion,” and “deletion” ARIA roles.
  • Resolved an issue where JAWS would unexpectedly activate Forms Mode in some situations on elements that were not form controls.
  • If HTML entity codes (&) were used in an aria-label for a role of "group" or "radiogroup," addressed an issue where selecting options was not working as expected.
  • For edit fields on web pages containing placeholder text, resolved an issue where this text was not being announced when moving focus to the edit field.
  • Resolved an issue where JAWS was ignoring the aria-roledescription attribute on textarea elements.
  • If an ARIA live region is inside a table, removed extraneous messages that were spoken when the region updated.
  • If multiple elements include an aria-describedby attribute, addressed an issue where the items were not read in the expected order by JAWS.
  • Resolved an issue where headings containing expanded buttons were not being announced by JAWS when navigating with H or SHIFT+H.
  • JAWS now indicates if a check box is read-only in both speech and Braille.
  • When navigating a toolbar in a web app and focus moves to a check box, resolved an issue where JAWS would unexpectedly exit Forms Mode.
  • Resolved issues using the ALT+INSERT+D command to jump to elements that include the aria-details attribute.
  • If you tab from an edit field to a group of radio buttons with Forms Mode active, addressed an issue where the label for the radio button group was not automatically announced.
  • JAWS now provides additional info about menu items when using INSERT+TAB.
  • Resolved an issue where JAWS was not reading all of the info for slider controls when using INSERT+UP ARROW.
  • Addressed issues in some web apps where JAWS was not indicating submenus. This includes menu navigation bars as well as items that use the aria-haspopup attribute.
  • Resolved an issue where the Virtual Cursor was not automatically activating when moving to a document inside of an application region.
  • In Chromium-based browsers, addressed an issue where JAWS table navigation was not working as expected if aria-colindex values in a row were not contiguous.
  • Resolved an issue with tables that use the aria-rowcount="-1" attribute where the table was not scrolling to show additional content when navigating with JAWS.
  • Resolved an issue in Chrome where pressing PAGE DOWN was not visually scrolling the page with JAWS running.
  • Addressed an issue with form fields on certain websites not being read by JAWS.
  • Resolved an issue in Google Calendar where content in various edit fields was not being announced.
  • When composing a new message in Gmail, addressed issues with excessive speech in the To and CC fields.
  • In Google Sheets, resolved an issue where JAWS was speaking the Google Sheets document page title while navigating the list of sheets in the current workbook.

Office Apps

  • Resolved issues with reading protected documents in Word.
  • When pressing ENTER on a link in an Outlook message, addressed an issue where the wrong link was sometimes activated.
  • Resolved an issue with JAWS not reading correctly in the Outlook Calendar when using ALT+PAGE UP or ALT+PAGE DOWN.
  • Resolved an issue in Excel where JAWS and Fusion mouse echo was not reading column and row headers or sheet names.
  • Resolved an issue where JAWS was only speaking partial file names when navigating the recent files list in Excel.
  • Resolved issues with LibreOffice Writer becoming unresponsive when used with JAWS.

JAWS Application Fixes

  • Removed some redundant and unnecessary categories from Message Center.
  • Addressed an issue where pressing ENTER on a link in the Results Viewer was not opening the specific page in the default web browser as expected. Results Viewer is used for certain JAWS features such as the Clipboard Viewer (INSERT+SPACEBAR, C), Speech History (INSERT+SPACEBAR, H), and Research It (INSERT+SPACEBAR, R).
  • When choosing the Create Summary button from the Skim Reading dialog (CTRL+INSERT+SHIFT+DOWN ARROW), resolved an issue where the Skim Reading summary was incomplete.
  • After running Picture Smart on an image file, resolved an issue where an erroneous message was being displayed at the top of the results.
  • Resolved an issue where custom scripts could not be assigned to the APPLICATIONS key with unified keyboard processing enabled.
  • Resolved an issue where keystrokes would no longer work as expected after canceling a Windows logout, shutdown, or reboot with Unified Keyboard Processing enabled.
  • Addressed an issue in the Spanish version of JAWS where pressing ALT was not activating ribbons with Unified Keyboard Processing enabled.

Other Fixes

  • In WhatsApp, resolved an issue where replies to messages were being cut off during reading.
  • In WhatsApp, resolved an issue where JAWS was not correctly reading the time at the end of messages. Also, removed extra characters that were appearing in speech and Braille when using ALT+1 through 9 to review the most recent messages.
  • When pressing ALT+S in a WhatsApp conversation for status information, resolved an issue where the contact’s name was not announced.
  • Addressed an issue where the window title was not automatically announced in some instances when an application gained focus.
  • If you’ve created virtual desktops using CTRL+WINDOWS+D, JAWS now indicates when you move between desktops using CTRL+WINDOWS+LEFT or Right ARROW.
  • Corrected the Keyboard Help message for the WINDOWS+SPACEBAR keystroke which changes the Windows input language and keyboard layout.
  • When routing the JAWS Cursor to the PC Cursor location in Notepad for Windows 11, resolved an issue where the JAWS Cursor was positioned one character to the left.
  • Addressed an issue where JAWS was not reading as expected in the non-elevated Windows Terminal.

 

Senast uppdaterad December 2023

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