Jude DaShiell wrote: > What aApple refers to as elements or items are referred to as controls > in Windows, but usually only the more technical descriptions of windows > interfaces ever mention that term. Everyone both Microsoft and Apple > used the set of controls from universal computer interface design which > I.B.M. had a hand in originating before windows came into existence for > its own OS/2 operating system.On Sat, 28 Aug 2010, Alfredo wrote: > > > The following is a small tutorial on how to navigate with VO and > > description of the Finder. you can press command+2, to get the view > > set tot default. I do not think I wrote that information here. > > Please critic. Constructive criticism is welcome. > > Alfredo > > > > Being apple, the company created a new and ingenious way for a screen > > reader to read the information on the screen. Voice Over is a screen > > reader by all definitions but it is different in the form it access > > and navigates to information on the screen. To better understand how > > VO works, you have to understand the concept of elements. Elements, > > also refer to as items, are the different kinds of controls and > > objects VO and sighted users can access on any given screenor window. > > Elements are navigated to by pressing the VO keys in conjunction with > > any single key of the arrow keys, and include but are not limited to > > the following: > > ? Text, usually a description, label or title for another element. > > ? Buttons, activating these will perform an action as described by the > > button?s label. > > ? Checkbox, similar to a light switch, can either be toggled on or > > off, but not both. > > ? Radio button, think of this as a checkbox with multiple choices but > > only 1 can be selected. > > ? Text Field, equivalent to the Text box found on Windows, used to > > type in text. > > ? Pop Up Menu, equivalent to combo boxes found on Windows, used to > > select 1 or more options. > > ? List, equivalent to list boxes found on Windows, used to select 1 > > option from several. > > ? Menu bar, includes the persistent menu bar on top of your Mac screen > > and its submenus. > > ? Vertical Slider, is a slider that you can move right to increase or > > left to decrease it. > > ? Table, designates that the object is arrange in a column and row > > format. > > ? Tab, equivalent to tabs on Windows PC?s, allows for vieweing of > > different tabs inside a window. > > ? Toolbar, gives you access to elements inside a window?s toolbar. > > ? HTML content, used by windows that need to display web page content, > > such as web browsers. > > ? Scroll Area, designates an area that might have content that is not > > visible to the sighted user. > > ? Ruler, used on word processing applications, such as text edit, to > > set document features > > ? Group, designates a tree view structure-like area, where elements > > expand from other elements. > > Most elements can be ?interacted? with and some require that you > > ?interact? with them to gain access to them. ?interacting? with an > > element, with VO+Shift+Down-Arrow, allows you to take a closer look at > > that element and will give you access to functions or features of that > > element which are not available when not interacting with it. To > > resume normal navigation and stop interacting with an element you will > > have to press, VO+Shift+Up-Arrow. All Text elements can be interacted > > with so that you can read the text word by word, character by > > character or phonetically. On the other hand, in order to adjust a > > Vertical Slider element you have to first interact with it, then use > > the VO+Left-Arrow, VO+Shift+Left-Arrow, VO+Right-Arrow or VO+Shift > > +Right-Arrow to adjust it. Furthermore, elements can contain elements > > inside them which can be interacted with, creating a layer structure > > for interacting with elements. For example, a Table can be interacted > > with, and inside it there can reside elements of the Group or Text > > type which themselves can be interacted with. HTML content elements > > are the areas of web browsers where the web page is display and this > > element can contain many elements inside it, such as Tables, Text, > > Links, Pop Up buttons, Radio buttons, etc, which can be further > > interacted with. Most applicaitons such as the Safari web browser or > > Finder application have you interacting with the area of the window > > which it assumes you will be accessing most. For example, when Safari > > opens you are automatically place inside the HTML content area of the > > window. On the Finder you are automatically placed inside the Table > > List view when using List view or Image Browser aList when using Icon > > view since this is the element of the window you will be accessing > > most often. This is a convenient feature since it prevents you from > > having to interact with these frequently accessed areas everytime you > > open an application. > > As you might imagine being able to choose whether to interact with an > > element or bypass it and go to the next element can be beneficial and > > a time saver. This is because as you read before, some elements, such > > as Tables, Toolbar, Ruler and HTML content elements can contain many > > elements inside them which they themselves can be interacted with. It > > would have quickly become a arduous and tedious chore if you had to > > navigate pass all the elements inside one of these elements before > > getting to your target element. For example, on the Keyboard > > preferences window you have several tables each which can be populated > > with many rows which you have the option to interact with or bypass > > and move on to the next element. When you open a preference window > > from System Preferences, such as Keyboard or Energy Saver preferences, > > you will always be placed on the Toolbar element. You can opt to > > interact with the Toolbar or bypass it and go straight to the next > > element of the window. On a Text Edit window you can opt to interact > > with the Ruler element and set document creation options on your > > document or you can just bypass this element and go on to the next > > element. Apple has decided that you, not the screen reader, is smart > > enough and should determine whether or not you want to view an element > > in depth. > > To completely understand VO you should keep in mind that VO navigates > > a window or screen the same way you would read a book. We will use > > the concept of lines to understand how a window is composed. You can > > think of a windows lines as the lines of a paper or the various lines > > that are created when you are writing a document on such applications > > as Microsoft Word or Text Edit. Each window is compose of many lines > > and each line can either have none, 1, or more elements . To > > understand how VO navigates, just remember ?left to right, up to > > down?. By this I mean that it reads its starting from the upper left > > corner of the screen to the right, continuing to the line below, again > > starting on the left most section of that line and going right to the > > end of that line. This continues on until the VO cursor arrives at > > the last element, usually situated at the bottom of the window. You > > are not constricted to navigate in a strict left to right, top to > > bottom method, however understanding this method will help you best > > understand how VO navigates the screen. You are able to move to the > > next, previous, immediate top or immediate bottom elements using the > > VO keys in conjunction with the arrow keys. You should also know that > > the contents of some elements can be access and navigated using just > > the arrow keys without the need to interact or use the VO keys. > > When interacting with an element you should be aware that an element > > can be compose of one or more lines which VO reads using its left to > > right , top to bottom method, starting with the first line of that > > element. This is especially true for elements such as Tables and HTML > > contents. For example, the List View Table element of a Finder window > > might be consider to be on the third line of that window and therefor > > you are consider to be on the third line of the Finder window. If you > > interact with the List View Table you will be typically placed on the > > first line and be consider to be on the first line of that element. > > VO wil then be able to navigate in its left to right, top to bottom > > method starting from the first line of this element you are > > interacting with. Note, that if you had previously navigated or > > interacted with the List View Table the focus will be on the line > > which you were previously on. > > Understanding that there can be various lines inside elements will > > help you comprehend why a window appears to be composed of so few > > lines, even though it might be compose of many lines. For example, > > the Finder window appears to have only 4 lines, with a total of 10 > > main elements. There are however, several elements, particularly the > > Sidebar Table and List View Table that themselves can contain many > > lines. If you add all the lines of the Finder window with those of > > the List View Table or Sidebar Table you will find out that the Finder > > window is compose of many lines not just a few. We will describe and > > use the Finder as an example to better understand how VO navigates > > your Mac. > > You can think of the Finder as the mac?s version of the Windows > > explorer. It functions and looks similar to the windows explorer > > found on Windows machines. The Finder application is started > > automatically when your Mac starts, is always running in the > > background and is the tool which is use to access, manage and organize > > your folders and files. Files can be anything from mp3?s, documents, > > and applications. Folders are the containers which are used to hold > > and organize your files. You are able to have folders and files > > inside other folders to better organize and manage your files. You > > can think of the Finder as a file cabinet which you are able to > > customize at will by creating, moving and deleting your Mac?s folders > > and files. > > The Finder window is layed out similarly to the Windows XP, Vista, or > > 7 explorer window you are accustomed to. When opening a Finder > > window, it will appear below the Menu Bar as do most windows in the > > Mac OS. The menu bar changes to include the following menus, in order > > from left to right, starting after the apple menu: > > ? Finder, which include about Finder, preferences, empty trash, > > services and hide Finder. > > ? File, which include, new Folder, print, close window, move to trash, > > find, and label. > > ? Edit, which includes undo, redo, cut, copy, paste, select all and > > show clipboard. > > ? View, which includes as icons, as column, arranges by, show task bar > > and show view options. > > ? Go, which includes back, forward, desktop, documents, utilities and > > go to folder. > > ? Window, which includes minimize, zoom and a list of currently opened > > Finder windows. > > ? Help, which includes search and Mac help. > > The Finder window appears below the menu bar, as do most Mac OS > > windows. On the top most area of the Finder window there is a bar > > that spans across the window. This top bar includes the following, > > starting with the Close button on the left side, from left to right: > > ? Close button, activating this will close the window. > > ? Minimize button, activating this will hide the window from view. > > ? Zoom button, will command the window to take up all the screen real > > state when opened. > > ? Title Text element, serves as the title for the Finder window. > > ? Toolbar button, toggles the view of the Toolbar on or off. > > The Title Text element is situated on the middle section of this bar > > and serves as the name of the folder which has the focus of the Finder > > and is open. When you open a Finder window, the folder name displayed > > is usually the name of the folder which was last opened. If a Finder > > window has never been opened before the current user?s home folder, > > which has the name of the user account, will be the folder that is > > opened. For example, my computer?s user name is Alfredo, therefore > > the name that appears on the middle of the top most bars is Alfredo. > > If I had the ?Documents? folder as the focus of the Finder and opened, > > then ?Documents? would appear on the middle of the top most bar of the > > Finder window. On the right corner of the top bar the tool bar button > > is located. Below the top most bars is where the Finder?s tool bar is > > located. The tool bar is set to show by default and this setting can > > be changed by pressing the Toolbar button. The toolbar spans across > > the window below the top most bar of the Finder window. The Finder?s > > Toolbar is consider the second line of the window. If you interact > > with the tool bar you will get the following elements, starting from > > left to right: > > ? Back Group, interacting with it will show the back and forward > > buttons, used to navigate folders. > > ? View Radio Group, interacting with this will allow you to change > > between different folder views. > > ? Quick look, will allow you to preview a file that you have selected > > in the sidebar or browser. > > ? Action menu button, will allow you to perform a host of task on a > > file or folder. > > ? Search Text field, used to perform file and folder searches. > > Below the tool bar we have the tree view to the left with the folder > > list view to the right, separated by a vertical line. Note if you are > > using Icon view, you will have the Image Browser List instead of the > > List View Table. Both the Sidebar and List View are table elements, > > and thus you will be able to navigate it and get feedback akin to when > > you navigate other table elements. For example, when you are > > interacting and navigateing either the Sidebar or List View, VO will > > announce on what row and column, you are focus on. In the Sidebar you > > will have the typical drives and folders you would find on the Tree > > View of a Windows computer, from top to bottom, such as: > > ? Devices, which include your hard drive, your iDisk drive, and other > > storage devices. > > ? Places, which include your Desktop, user account, Applications and > > Documents folders. > > ? Search For, which is used to search for files and folders by type > > or date. > > The List view functions and looks similar to the Folder List View of > > Window computers. It reflects the folder which is open on the sidebar > > and You are able to view and browse your Mac?s files and folders > > here. The side bar and the List View are separated by a vertical > > line, which voice over describes as a, ?vertical splitter?. At the > > bottom of the window we have a Text element which gives information > > similar to what a status bar from Windows PC?s would bive. , This > > last bar expands horizontally across the screen. It gives you such > > information as how many items are in the selected folder and the > > amount of hard disk space available in your Mac. > > When you open a Finder window for the first time or a new instance of > > it, the List View section of the window will have the focus and the > > current user account Home Directory should be opened. Again, if you > > are using Icon view the focus will be on the Image Browser List > > instead of the List View Table. The Home Directory is a folder that > > is created for each user account on your Mac. The label given to the > > Home Directory will be the name given to the user account. For > > example, my Mac?s user account is ?Alfredo?, therefor the label given > > to my Home Directory folder is Alfredo. This folder has the following > > subfolders: > > ? Desktop, where your desktop files and folders can be found. > > ? Documents, where most of your document files can be found. > > ? Downloads, holds all files and folders you download from the > > internet. > > ? Library, where most of your Mac?s preferences files would be store. > > ? Movies, where your movie files would be stored. > > ? Music, where your music files would be store. > > ? Pictures, where your pictures files would be stored. > > ? Public, any folder inside this folder can be shared with other PC > > and Mac computers. > > ? Sites, a folder used to store web pages and related content for web > > sharing. > > The Finder is also able to remember where the focus was on when > > resuming work after enabling sleep mode or if the window focus was > > drawn away from it. For example, if I left the focus on the Sidebar > > section of the Finder, then open Safari, when I would place the focus > > back on the Finder window, the focus would be back on the Sidebar. > > There are 4 different types of views that you can set the Finder to. > > A view is a particular way the Finder application will display your > > Mac?s files and folders. A Finder?s view also affect what options are > > available to VO and how it is able to navigate folders and files. The > > 4 types of views are: > > ? As Icons, displays folders and files as graphical icons which the > > sighted can preview. > > ? As List, displays Finder contents in a Tree View. > > ? As Column, displays contets in a hierarchy where each folder is on > > its own column. > > ? As Cover Flow, shows contents as Icons on the top, and a preview of > > it on the bottom. > > Because of its visual appeal, by default Mac come preconfigured with > > Icon view as their default view. Although a VO user can navigate > > folders and files using Icon view, it is not as intuitive as with > > either view List or Column view. Cover Flow view is basically Icon > > view with the added bonus that the List View Table section of the > > Finder window, is split in half to accommodate a regular Icon view > > section on top and a preview of the file on the bottom. Between List > > and Column view, List view is better because Column view does not tell > > you what level, or how far down the folder hierarchy you are at when > > navigating folders and files. Although some may not mind this little > > inconvenience, it becomes an issue when creating subfolders inside > > other folders. Because you are not told what level or how far down > > the folder hierarchy you are and cannot see it, you might mistakenly > > create a folder in your Home directory when you meant to create a > > folder inside your Documents folder. List view also gives you more > > information about the folder or file when you are navigating in the > > Finder. It gives you such information as, when the folder or file was > > created, its file size, and the type of file it is. A file Type > > usually lets you know to which application that file belongs to or > > what type of file it is. Examples of file Types include: > > ? Text, basic text file used by most word processing programs such as > > Text Edit. > > ? Word Document, a text file formatted by MS Word. > > ? Portable Network Graphic, a picture file. > > ? MP3, a music file that is usually unprotected and can be played by > > iTunes. > > ? HTML, a file that is usually viewed with a web browser. > > It is my recommendation, because of the added information and > > announcements of levels as you are navigating through the folder > > hierarchy that List view be used. At first the extra information > > provided by List view might feel overwhelming and sometimes too much > > information, you will later be glad this is the type of view you > > learned first, since in the long run it will make you more efficient > > and productive while using your mac. > > Continuing with or understanding of how VO access and navigates on > > your Mac you should keep the following in mind. You can only navigate > > from one element to another using the VO keys in conjunction with the > > arrow keys. If you use the arrow keys by themselves, under normal > > circumstances, you will not move to the next element. Also note that > > some elements, especially Tables, do not have to be interacted with to > > be able to navigate there contents. To navigate the contents of these > > elements you have to do the following: > > ? The VO cursor should be focus on the element. > > ? Use the arrow keys without the VO keys to navigate inside them. > > Such tables include the List View Table and Sidebar Table. > > Although you are able to use any of the arrow keys, left, right, up, > > down in conjunction with the VO keys to navigate around your Mac, it > > is recommended that all those that are new to the Mac should initially > > only use the VO+Left-Arrow and VO+Right-Arrow for navigation. You use > > VO+Left-Arrow to navigate to the previous and VO+Right-Arrow to > > navigate to the next element. This will help you better understand > > how VO reads and navigates your Mac. Once you become experience you > > will be able to implement VO+Up-Arrow to navigate to the element above > > and VO+Down-Arrow to navigate to the element below with a full and > > clear understanding of how VO navigates around your Mac. > > Keeping in mind that the Menu bar is a persistent menu that is always > > on top of the screen and that an application window will always appear > > below it, you should note that in most windows the top most bar is > > consider the first line of the window. On the top most bar, as you > > have read, starting with the Close button on the left most side of the > > bar, you will find the following elements, from left to right, the > > Close button, Minimize button, Zoom button, title Text element of the > > window and Toolbar button. Below this top bar and on the second line > > of the window, you will find the window?s Toolbar element. Note that > > if you interact with the Toolbar element you will have access to more > > elements which themselves can be interacted with. Also be aware that > > all the elements except for the Action Menu Button inside the Toolbar > > are consider to be in a single line. This is important to note since > > this means that if you are on the Back group inside the Toolbar and > > want to go to the next element, View Radio Group, you will have to > > press VO+Right-Arrow. Pressing the combination VO+Down-Arrow will do > > nothing when you are on the Back group. > > Below the Toolbar and to the left side of the Window you will find the > > Sidebar Table element. Below the Toolbar and to the right, if your > > view is set to List view, you will find the List View Table. If you > > are using Icon view you will have the Image Browser List instead of > > the List View Table. Note, again, that these tables can be interacted > > with to gain access to elements inside them, which themselves can be > > interacted with. Between these 2 tables you will find a vertical > > splitter element you are able to interact with and adjust the size of > > the Table elements. The Sidebar Table, Vertical Splitter and the List > > View Table are consider to be on the same line of the window. Be > > aware, that if you interact with either the Sidebar or List View Table > > you will be on one of the lines of that element and be able to use VO > > to navigate that element in a left to right, top to bottom method. > > Below these 2 tables you will find the last bar of the window. This > > last bar is consider the last line of the window and is of the Text > > element type. > > As we progress through his lesson we will navigate using the VO keys > > in conjunction with the Up and Down arrow keys. You will notice that > > this method is more complicated as you have to learn where each > > element on the screen is at since it is not always clear which element > > is immediately to the top or bottom of the element you are moving > > from. For example, the top line of the window has 5 elements and the > > line below it, has one element. You would think it is logical that > > you will be able to move from any of the elements on the top line to > > the single element on the 2nd line, but this is not so. If you press > > VO+Down-Arrow when on the Close button on the first line of the > > window, you will end up on the Toolbar element on the 2nd line of the > > window. However, if you are on the Minimize, Zoom or Toolbar button > > you will only get a sound indicating that the combination keystroke > > you are pressing is not permitted and the VO cursor will not move. If > > you Press VO-Down-Arrow while on the title Text element of the first > > line of the window you will end up on the List View Table. However as > > you get more familiar with various windows on your mac you might find > > it useful that while you are on the List View Table you are able to > > press VO+Up-Arrow to move to the title Text element of the widnow. Or > > you can use VO+Down-Arrow to quickly move to the status bar and see > > how much disk space you have left on your hard drive. If you can > > remember that VO navigates a window in a left to right, top to bottom > > method, similar to how you read braille or printed material in real > > life you should get the hang of it. > > * > > 1. VO-D, to go to the dock. > > 2. ?f? key, to use quick key navigation and quickly navigate to the > > Finder icon on the dock. > > 3. Spacebar, to open an instance of a Finder window. > > ? You should be focus on the List View Table of your home directory. > > ? You will hear, ?List View Table, no selection?, since there is no > > currently selected item. > > ? If you press the Arrow keys you will be able to navigate your folder > > hierarchy. > > ? You are automatically interacting and inside this Table element when > > the Finder is opened. > > 4. Command-Shift-h, to make sure that the focus of the Finder is your > > Home directory. > > 5. Down-Arrow, to go to the first folder of your Home directory, > > Desktop. > > ? You will hear, ?Desktop?, then the date it was modified, and > > ?folder, row 1 of 9, collapse?. > > ? ?Folder?, lets you know this file is a folder. > > ? ?Row 1 of 9?, lets you know that you are on the first row of a total > > of 9 rows. > > ? ?Collapse?, lets you know that this folder is closed. > > 6. Down-Arrow, slowly, about 8 times, to navigate to your Sites folder > > inside your Home Directory. > > ? You cannot go beyond your Sites folder, a sound will not indicate > > this. > > 7. VO-Left-Arrow, to move to the Vertical Splitter element of the > > Finder Window. > > ? Interacting with the Splitter will allow for the size adjustments of > > the Finder?s Tables. > > 8. VO-Right-Arrow, to go back tot he Sites folder in the List View > > Table. > > ? Notice, your focus was placed back on the folder you were previously > > focus in. > > 9. VO-Left-Arrow, about 8 times, until you arrive at the window?s > > Close button. > > ? Note, you are consider to be on the first line of the window. > > ? Pressing VO-Right-Arrow should move you to the next element of this > > window. > > ? Also note that he next element is also on the first line of the > > window. > > 10. VO-Right-Arrow, once, to navigate to the next element of this > > window. > > ? Although not apparent, you are using a left to right, top to bottom > > method of navigation. > > 11. VO-Right-Arrow, to navigate to the next element of the window. > > ? You are consider to be on the first line of the window. > > ? VO-Right-Arrow, to land on the third element of the window, the Zoom > > button. > > ? You are still on the first line of the window. > > ? VO-Right-Arrow, to land on the 4th element, a Text element. > > ? You will hear the title given to your Home Directory. > > ? You are still on the first line of the window. > > 12. VO-Shift-n, to read the VO hint for the element under the VO > > cursor. > > ? This will give you the VO hint for the Text element that you are > > focused on. > > ? You will hear, ?you are currently on a text element?. > > 13. VO-Right-Arrow, to go to the Toolbar button, which is element > > number 5 of the window. > > ? You are now on the last element of the first line of the window. > > 14. VO-Right-Arrow, to go to the 6th element of the window, Toolbar. > > ? This element is consider to be on the second line of the window. > > ? Notice, you use the left to right, top to bottom method of > > navigation. > > ? This is because you went from the last element of the 1st line, to > > the first of the 2nd line. > > 15. VO-Right-Arrow, to go to the 7th element of the window, Sidebar > > Table. > > ? Note you used the left to right, top to bottom method of navigation > > again. > > ? This is because you went from the only element of the 2nd line to > > the 1st of the 3rd line. > > ? You are on the first element of the third line. > > ? Interacting with this element will place you on the first line of > > this element. > > 16. VO-Right-Arrow, to go to the 8th element of the Finder window, the > > Vertical Splitter. > > ? You are on the second element of the third line of the window. > > 17. Vo-Right-Arrow, to navigate to the 9th element of the window, > > Table List View. > > ? You are on the last element of the third line of the window. > > ? This element is located to the far right of the third line. > > ? Interacting with this element will place you on the element you were > > previously on, Sites. > > 18. VO-Right-Arrow, to navigate to the 10th and last element of this > > window, a Text element. > > ? This element is consider to be on the 4th and last line of this > > window. > > ? You cannot go beyond this element, a sound will indicate this. > > ? This Text element gives status information of the current folder and > > free disk space. > > ? > > 19. VO-Up-Arrow, to quickly navigate to the List View Table. > > ? Note, you could have performed VO-Right-Arrow, and get the same > > results. > > ? You should still have the Sites folder as your selection. > > 20. VO-Up-Arrow, to quickly go to the title Text element of the Finder > > window. > > ? You should hear the name given to your Home Directory. > > ? Notice that you bypassed the Sidebar, Toolbar and Toolbar button > > elements. > > 21. VO-Left-Arrow, to move to the element to the left of the title > > Text element, the Zoom button. > > 22. VO-Down-Arrow, to attempt to navigate to the Toolbar element > > below. > > ? A sound will alert you that you cannot perform this action and the > > VO cursor will not move. > > ? This is why you should rarely use the VO keys in conjunction with > > the up and down arrows. > > 23. VO-Left-Arrow, 2 times, to get to the 1st element of the 1st line > > of this window, the Close button. > > 24. VO-Down-Arrow, to move to the only element below the 1st line , > > Toolbar. > > ? Notice that you were able to navigate to this element from the Close > > but not the Minimize. > > 25. Vo-Down-Arrow, to move to the 1st element of the 3rd line of the > > window, Sidebar. > > ? You can easily navigate from the Sidebar Table to the close button > > to quickly close the window. > > 26. VO-Down-Arrow, to attempt to move to the last and only line on the > > bottom of the window. > > ? A sound will alert you that you cannot perform this action and the > > VO cursor will not move. > > 27. Table. > > 28. Command-W, to close the Finder window and return tot he window you > > were previously in. > > > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > "MacVisionaries" group. > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > [email protected]. > > For more options, visit this group at > > http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. > > > >
-- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en.
