Hi Cheryl, I'm still using Tiger. What I found historically is that I got the best performance in iTunes with VoiceOver when I had all my cursors tracking -- or at least, "Mouse Tracks VoiceOver Cursor" set. (Since I'm using the keyboard on a small laptop -- either a 12" PowerBook or occasionally someone else's 13" MacBook -- without a mouse, I don't worry about whether VoiceOver Cursor tracks Mouse Cursor is set. But you wouldn't want this on if you were using a desktop Mac and a mouse.) This was more necessary in the early days of iTunes access than it is now, but I still think that things work better in iTunes (not necessarily in other apps) if I have my cursors tracking. I generally haven't had a problem with playing selections in iTunes, but it is possible to run into the problems that you describe. And I've found that moving the mouse cursor to the VoiceOver cursor in iTunes is not as reliable as simply having the cursors track.
In the cases where I really run into these problems I'll quit iTunes and restart, but that's generally not a problem. One really, really neat thing about still using Tiger and iTunes is that if you use the Automator Workflow I posted about earlier today to put some of your music or podcast files in the dock, you can also navigate these files from there as though you were running through Finder, and play the tracks in iTunes. This is actually faster than going through Finder, because I think you use aliases rather than going through the actual folders. I was just trying to figure out why the shell script that Tim mentioned for putting files or folders in the dock wasn't working quite right for me -- so I couldn't actually open the files from there, even though they seemed to be placed in the dock. Anyway, the Automator action for running this as an AppleScript seems to have fixed everything. I found this solution while googling one of the Apple mailing lists on AppleScripts that used the additemtodock shell script Tim referenced. HTH Cheers, Esther On Feb 13, 2008, at 11:12AM, Cheryl Homiak wrote: >To clarify about my friend using tiger: > >when we would prss play a selection would play but not the one that was >selected, just as on mine. But on mine the fix works; on her tiger machine, >if I remember correctly, the fix had absolutely no result. > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Esther" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: "General discussions on all topics relating to the use of Mac OS X by >theblind" <[email protected]> >Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2008 12:09 PM >Subject: Re: What was the I Tunes fix? > > >> Hi Cheryl and Shaun, >> >> Marshall's instructions should work. Is it possible that the iTunes >> volume is muted or set very low? Remember that iTunes has a >> separate volume control, so if you used to have your computer's >> speaker volume set very high, and your iTunes volume at 50%, >> for example, if you've changed your computer's volume with the >> F11, F12, etc keys (or F4 and F5 keys), then your iTunes volume >> will also change. >> >> To check your iTunes volume, use Command+Option+f to move >> to the "Search Text Field", then use VO-keys+left arrow. You >> should hear the buttons for the three views: Cover Flow, Album >> List, and Text List. The next VO-keys+left arrow should take you >> to the full volume button. Try pressing that with VO-keys+space. >> You might also try going to the volume slider, with the next >> VO-keys+left arrow, and interacting. I once very weirdly found >> that although my iTunes was set to full volume, I couldn't hear >> any sound until I backed the slider down below 100% to 97% >> or so. After sound returned there was no problem resetting it >> to 100%. This was just after adding some files. If you VO-keys >> +left arrow past the slider you reach the mute button. You don't >> want to press this (smile). >> >> Sorry if the left arrowing directions are a bit odd, but the only >> easy navigation point in iTunes I've found is Command+Option+f >> to start from the Search Text Field, so I tend to use this whenever >> I want to reorient myself in iTunes. >> >> Some other things to try: check that the selected file is really a >> file that has audio content. iTunes supports PDF files. I know of >> a couple of podcasts that have included PDFs with their regular >> episodes: EscapePod and Podiobooks once included the >> text of a new book on their podcast feeds, and one of the travel >> podcast series by Rick Steves would occasionally include PDF >> files of maps or supplemental information with their episodes. >> Do a Get Info on the file either in iTunes (Command+i) or in >> its Finder directory (Command+r is the keyboard shortcut to >> show the file in a Finder window, or you can use the contextual >> menu and select "Show in Finder"). If you work in iTunes you >> want to check the Summary tab to make sure you don't have >> "Kind: PDF Document", since it has probably been tagged with >> the same keywords as a podcast file and can't be distinguished >> by keywords. It's also possible to have PDF booklets associated >> with albums in the library, although this is unlikely since iTunes >> album purchases are still inaccessible. You could also check >> whether double-clicking on the selected file (VO-keys+shift+space >> -- I hold down the control, option, and shift keys and press the >> spacebar twice quickly) works to start the file playing instead of >> using the return key. (This is the way you would open the entry >> if it were a PDF file. It would start up in its default app, which >> would be Preview, and you would have to close the window >> when you were finished reading.) >> >> If the item is a podcast, are you sure that the file has been >> downloaded? Remember that the default is to only start >> subscriptions with the most current episode. But if you >> used the contextual menu to "Update Podcast" and get >> a list of all the other episodes that are currently available >> on the podcast feed, remember that episodes you haven't >> downloaded will say "undownloaded podcast" at the end. >> If they're not on your machine you can't play them! In order >> to get these episodes you have to use the contextual >> menu (VO-keys+shift+m) and select "Download Podcast >> Episode". If the episode titles are very long, your user >> may not wait to hear "undownloaded podcast" at the end. >> >> It sometimes helps to try first using Command+L to go to the >> currently playing song, if you've previously been playing >> tracks in iTunes. Then navigate the Songs outline from there. >> >> The only other time when I lose response in iTunes is >> if I have been playing a video podcast, movie, or tv >> episode -- anything that might involve displaying an >> image on the screen and which doesn't finish. In those >> cases if you stop or pause before the track finishes, >> focus is still in the viewing screen, and can't return to >> the iTunes songs outline. Pressing escape will get you >> out of this mode. >> >> I think it's possible to press keyboard shortcut sequences >> that are equivalent to using the Apple Remote on the >> newer Macs. That would cycle you from iTunes to >> another app, like iMovie. I don't remember the sequences >> -- I'd have to sit down at a MacBook to find them out >> again -- but that's another possibility. >> >> Sorry, can't think of anything else that's likely at the present. >> Try these suggestions. >> >> Cheers, >> >> Esther >> >> On Feb 13, 2008, at 06:07AM, Cheryl Homiak wrote: >>>It appeared this fix worked for me but nor for a friend using tiger so I >>>assumed that was the important variable; maybe not. Make sure before >>>hitting >>>enter that both your voiceover cursor and your keyboard are on the item; >>>don't know if that will help but sometimes if they aren't on the same item >>>hitting enter won't work. >>> >>>----- Original Message ----- >>>From: "vashaun jones" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>>To: "General discussions on all topics relating to the use of Mac OS X by >>>theblind" <[email protected]> >>>Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2008 9:59 AM >>>Subject: Re: What was the I Tunes fix? >>> >>> >>>> This didn't work, but you can reach me at [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>> On Feb 13, 2008, at 10:50 AM, Marshall F. Scott wrote: >>>> >>>>> Hi, >>>>> Try the following: >>>>> 1. Select the appropriate item in the Sources table. >>>>> 2. Move to and interact with the Songs table. >>>>> 3. if necessary, expand the item you want to play. >>>>> 4. Make sure the item is selected. >>>>> 5. Press Enter. >>>>> If this doesn't work, e-mail me privately and we'll discusss the >>>>> problem. >>>>> >>>>> Marshall >>>>> >>>>> On Feb 12, 2008, at 8:29 AM, vashaun jones wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Listers, what was the fix for I Tunes when you can't click on a >>>>>> podcast >>>>>> or item to play it? When I press enter on a item that I want to play >>>>>> nothing happens. Can someone help? >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Marshall F. scott >>>>> University of Utah - CVRTI >>>>> 95 South 2000 East >>>>> Salt Lake City, UT 84112 >>>>> Phone: (801) 587-9523 >>>>> Fax: (801) 581-3128 >>>>> E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>>> Skype: scott9576a >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >> > > > >
