Tom,

thanks for your feedback.


Sure, the one and only reason for me to bring Notepad plus-plus to my 
computer, was to get an environment for learning Python.


Now, there would be two main avenues for learning a new programming 
language. You could decide for a given project, and learn your ways, as 
you taylor your coding directly into that project. Like when a person 
wants to build add-ons for say NVDA. You then learn exactly how to do 
that kind of coding, and it might have many benefits if you let NVDA be 
the screen reader when you operate the code and the editor - as well as 
the testing environment. Drawback of this approach, of course, is that 
you only learn what to do in connection with that kind of projects. Much 
like if you concentrate on learning to bake breads, getting really good 
at that kind of bakery, but leaving out the rest of the cooking skills 
of grandma.


The other approach, would be to learn general programming in that 
language. That is, start out with small coding, of tiny tools, that 
might come in handy for your daily projects. For eaxample, learning to 
code a tiny currency calculator, or some kind of an automated file 
handling program. Benefit of this approach, mainly sits in the fact that 
you learn the basics of the language, end up falling into numerous 
pitfalls in your coding, and generally grow in experience - all while 
your coding could be kept somehow affordable, and likely won't crash 
either your screen reader, or your computer. Then, when you feel 
comfortable with the new programming language, and think you have got 
the grasp of it, it is time to move on to the really big projects like 
NVDA coding. And then you will be prepared that your big prject is going 
to take you all down. Smiles. To me, it always have seemed most 
effecient to take this latter approach.


So, I got Notepad double-plus installed, and found the solution to my 
initial trouble. Under the View menu, I had to check the box that said 
"Always on top". Now Win-Eyes will read to me what I write in the editor.


But my next issue is, that I want to test my code. Notepad Plus does 
offer me the chance of doing this, by calling the Python Shell, and test 
run my code there. Unfortunately, here I ran into the next bundle of 
snakes.


The Python shell seem to be inaccessible. And I cannot seem to find any 
place to perform settings that would make it more readable to me. That 
is, I did find my way into the Options screen of the Shell, but no 
matter what I have tried, the shell screen seem just as blank to 
WinEyes. And without reading the shell screen, how will I know what 
results my code produces?


So, I brought out Jaws, hoping for it to read the screen of the Python 
Shell a bit better. Oh, it did not really bring me anything further. 
Good enough, my Jaws is version 18, and maybe they have come up with 
better functionality in later versions.


Tom, you suggested NVDA, so why not give that a run. But sorry to let 
you be informed, not even NVDA would read the Shell screen. Meaning, I 
was unable to see any results from my code.


If you, or anyone else, have some idea of what I might need to adjust, 
in order to have my screen reader tell me what is in the Shell window of 
Python - I would be very much pleased. Or, is there any other way of 
testing my code, where the screen reader will let me know the results? 
Any other testing environment for my Python code?


Sure, since I am not programming for NVDA, that is, not making code that 
will drill itself into NVDA and control the behavior of the screen 
reader, I cannot just send my code to NVDA and say: "hey what do you 
want to do with this piece of a cake?" In that way, building general 
applications slightly differs from what a developer of add-ons will be 
doing. If you build for the screen reader, well then the screen reader 
is your testing environment. The behavior of your screen reader, will 
prove to you whether or not you have succeeded in your coding. But when 
you code for the computer, your screen reader needs to act as your eyes, 
letting you know what results your computer produces. And that is where 
I am stuck.


I know this would have belonged on the Scripting list, which we enjoyed 
in the former days. To my knowledge though, that one has been 
discontinued, or noone has at least been posting there for a couple of 
years.


Again, all ears for whatever experience someone has. Even, does anyone 
know of a mailing list, or other resource, that deals with blind 
programmers - Python or more generally?


Thanks, and to all who did not make sense of this techie stuff, sorry 
for the clutter.



David

On 7/1/2019 2:10 PM, Tom Kingston via Talk wrote:
> Hi David,
>
> I use Notepad++ for NVDA programming. And that's really what it's 
> designed for. You can choose your programming language and options 
> relative to programming.
> Of course you can use it for a Notepad replacement. But I'm not really 
> sure what the benefit would be other than the fact that it's a 
> multi-document editor.
>
> I am able to use it with Window-Eyes. Although it is a bit funky. But 
> I only installed it to use as a Python editor for NVDA. So I haven't 
> plowed through all the options trying to get it to work optimally with 
> Window-Eyes.
>
> If you're looking for something between MS Word and Notepad there is 
> Jarte. It's basically an extended version of Wordpad that adds spell 
> checking and other features. And it is specifically designed with a 
> screen-reader support mode. I don't really use it all that much, so I 
> can't comment from the perspective of it being my main word processor.
>
> There are free and paid versions of it. I forget the difference now, 
> but here's the homepage.
> http://www.jarte.com/?so=j&ed=p&ve=61
>
> Hth,
> Tom
>
>
> On 7/1/2019 2:11 AM, David via Talk wrote:
>> Does anyone here have any experience with the alternative Notepad
>> program, named Notepad Plus Plus?
>>
>>
>> I seem to remember users suggesting it for certain projects, back in
>> time. I now decided to just give it a short go. Got it installed, and it
>> opens just fine. WinEyes reads all the menus fine.
>>
>>
>> But whenever I try to write something, things seem to jam. Sure, the
>> text I am writing, does get spoken by the screen reader, since I have
>> the key echo set to words. But if I try to arrow through the text,
>> nothing happens. I can press the arrows as much as I want, WinEyes has
>> gone for his coffee break. And if I try the Ctrl-Shift-W, to have the
>> complete window read out, it reads the menu bar, but nothing of my
>> entered text.
>>
>>
>> Just wondering, is there any settings that needs be done - either in
>> Notepad Double Plus, or in WinEyes? Is there any set file for this
>> editor? Or, is this software accessible for blind usage at all?
>>
>>
>> Thanks for any feedback.
>>
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