Hi, I've had the same problems too. I never had this issue with Snow Leopard, so this is definitely a VoiceOver and Lion thing. Here is my workaround. You can try this too. If you don't get the correct menu when pressing VO-Shift-M, then first put the mouse on the link by pressing VO-CMD-F5. Next, hold down the Control key and click the mouse. This performs a control click on the item where the mouse is. This is equivalent to opening the shortcut menu. Whenever I do this, I always get the menu I need. hth
On Oct 3, 2011, at 3:12 PM, David Eagle wrote: > Hi Esther. Thank you so much for that very thorough reply. I am always > humbled by the generosity of people on the list, especially after my > massive rants. Your option return trick worked a treat. Very strange; > I don't know why it didn't recognise the link as a download link, - > weirdly the first download link on the page does work, it's just the > rest that don't - but at least I have a way round it. > > Regarding Safari Busy: I don't think I should be low on System > resources since I have loads of ram and there shouldn't be anything > else running in the background; however Safari hasn't been busy today > so that's good. > > Thanks again for taking the time to respond. It is much appreciated. I > am also very Impressed by your knowledge. It's amazing how used to > windows I am, since I have used it all my life and still use it at > work and a bit at home. I will get there eventually. > > On 03/10/2011, Esther <[email protected]> wrote: >> Hello David, >> >> First of all, I'm not sure from your description what is going on, but one >> way to force the download of linked content such as mp3 files or PDF files >> when you are focused on the link is to press Option+Enter. (A Mac purist >> would call this key combination Option+"Return", which is how VoiceOver >> identifies the key that most Windows users call the "Enter" key when you >> press it while you are in Keyboard Help mode (turned on with VO+K and >> terminated by pressing the Escape key; VoiceOver announces the pressed key >> combinations and their actions but doesn't act on the keys in this mode); >> on the older Mac keyboards there was both an "Enter" key which could be >> assigned different functions and a "Return" key). For a few oddly coded >> sites like the main Blind Cool Tech web site you have to first interact with >> the link for a podcast before you can use either VO-Shift-M to bring up the >> contextual menu to select your option (copy link, download linked file, >> etc.) or press Option+Enter to force a download of the linked file. >> >> If your linked MP3 file has started playing in the browser after you >> activated the link (e.g. by pressing VO-Space or pressing the up and down >> arrow keys together with QuickNav turned on), then you can get the file to >> download by pressing Command+L to highlight the URL in the address bar >> followed by Option+Enter to force the download of your selection. These >> keyboard shortcuts work generally under Mac OS X and do not depend on >> VoiceOver. Also, it does not matter if you keep the toolbar of your web >> browser hidden. Command+L will momentarily open the toolbar and highlight >> your current address. Then, after you press your Option+Enter, it will close >> the toolbar. This also works if you want to copy your current URL or go >> directly to the Google search field with Command+Option+F to type in search >> terms and press "Return" to execute the search, but still generally keep >> your toolbar hidden. The toolbar will open for your Command+L, Command+C or >> your Command+Option+F and entry of typed search terms, and then close again >> after you press Return or perform your next action. >> >> The switch between Safari busy and Safari ready happens when you're running >> low on system resources. In some cases this can be due to insufficient >> memory, but if you see this behavior associated with certain web pages it's >> more likely that the coding for that page is putting extra stress on your >> Safari browser -- either by the use of dynamically updating javascript or >> Flash content. Since VoiceOver uses the system memory resources, too, it's >> sensitive to high usage and inefficiencies. The bigger consumers are Safari >> and iTunes, which is why you're more likely to hear the "busy" message >> associated with Safari. This is not specific to Voiceover -- sighted users >> will refer to a visual cue for "busy" as the "spinning pinwheel of death (or >> SPOD)" associated with system lockups in the same circumstances. In >> general, good system maintenance helps minimize these busy messages. You >> can try clearing out your Safari caches periodically to free up more memory. >> The "Reset Safari" menu option accessed from the menu bar (VO-M or >> Control-F2 to the menu bar; navigate to the "Safari" menu with VO-Right >> arrow or the Right Arrow key of QuickNav, or by pressing "S"; then arrow >> down to "Reset Safari" or press "r e s" to get there and press return). You >> can also get there with TrackPad Commander (two finger double tap at the top >> of the TrackPad to go to the Apple menu; flick right to "Safari" and double >> tap to select; flick down to "Reset Safari" and double tap.) On the "Reset >> Safari" menu pane there are various boxes you can check, including "Remove >> all webpage preview images", "Empty the cache", and "Remove all webpage >> icons". I always get ride of preview images, since they take up memory and >> I don't use them. >> >> For general system maintenance tools, a good freeware product is OnyX, which >> is accessible, and which has versions for all Mac OS systems: Lion, Snow >> Leopard, Leopard, and Tiger. (Make sure to download the one for your >> operating system). I usually look for programs that are not at the App >> Store by Googling for them at the MacUpdate site, which uses a standard >> format for brief description, download link, and information about the date >> and version of the latest release, along with links to the developer's web >> site. It also lets me read user comments and ratings about the current >> version. Googling "OnyX Macupdate" gives: >> http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/11582/onyx >> and the description: >> <begin quote> >> OnyX is a multifunction utility for Mac OS X. It allows you to verify the >> Startup Disk and the structure of its System files, to run miscellaneous >> tasks of system maintenance, to configure the hidden parameters of the >> Finder, Dock and of some of Apple's own applications, to delete caches, to >> remove a certain number of files and folders that may become cumbersome and >> more. >> <end quote> >> >> You can also check which processes are using most of your system resources >> by using the Activity Monitor application in your Utilities folder >> (Command-Shift-U to navigate there in FInder; press "a" or "a c" to go to >> "Activity Monitor" and press Command-Down arrow to launch). You may not >> want to get into this unless you have unusual problems, but you can monitor >> memory, disk, and CPU usage, as well as quit processes. This all works with >> VoiceOver. >> >> Since you mention visiting the BBC web site, you might want to join the >> mac-access list. That mailing list is hosted out of the UK, and the list >> owners run their mail servers on Macs. Gordon Smith did the first extensive >> podcast on setting up VMWare Fusion for ACB's Main Menu several years back. >> While it's an international list, with several of this list's members on it, >> there are a number of list members who discuss using the BBC iPlayer app, >> and there were recent discussion of the free app "Get iPlayer Automator" >> working under Lion on that list. Since some of the content to BBC web pages >> is not available to users outside of the UK, you may find a better audience >> for your questions about the BBC web pages on that list. >> >> I think the information about subscribing to the mac-access list may be >> found at: >> http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/mac-access >> >> The posts are now archived at the Mail Archive web site, and can be searched >> there: >> http://www.mail-archive.com/mac-access%40mac-access.net/ >> >> HTH. Cheers, >> >> Esther >> >> >> >> On Oct 2, 2011, at 12:21, David Eagle wrote: >> >>> It seems as if my relationship with the Mac is one really good >>> experience followed by one really annoying one. Ive just had a really >>> successful time subscribing to podcasts in iTunes. I ten went to >>> download a file from the BBC website. I press VO key shift M like I >>> would usually do to get to the list of options where I can download >>> the file. But I don't get that. I get "forward, back, reload page" >>> etc. If I press the link then it opens and starts plain so it's >>> definitely a download. Where did my ability to get into the menu that >>> says "copy link, download linked file" etc go to? I know this will be >>> sacrilege to a lot of you but I find myself having to go back to my >>> sluggish windows machine just to get something done because the Mac >>> breaks things randomly like this. O and now just to top it all off, >>> real speak Daniel is sounding like he's on steroids. What the hell are >>> you doing to me Apple? O my god and now Safari keeps saying Busy then >>> ready then busy then ready. Why can't you make your mind up? are you >>> busy or ready? Sorry for the rant, but I get very frustrated by the >>> Mac sometimes, especially since it costs a lot more and seems to just >>> do the most quirky things. And now it's making silly plopping noises >>> at me as if I've misspelt a word; but I haven't. I might start writing >>> some words that will cause you to make plopping noises at me >>> Macintosh, but they won't be misspelt words; it's just your database >>> will not have the kind of words I'll be using. I suppose on the plus >>> side the Mac does run incredibly fast, although that generally means >>> it has more time to fit more annoying things in to a shorter space of >>> time. OK, I'm off to check my date and time settings in case the Mac >>> thinks it's April the first. >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> http://www.davideagle.co.uk >>> >> >> -- >> 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. >> >> > > > -- > http://www.davideagle.co.uk > > -- > 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.
