NVDA Class Four
by
CathyAnne Murtha

cathy@blindtraining.com

www.blind.training

 

Copyright Notice

© Copyright 2024 CathyAnne Murtha. All Rights Reserved.

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cathy@blind.training
www.blind.training

 

Introduction 

In this lesson, we'll discuss punctuation and symbol settings, NVDA Add-ons, and Input Gestures.

 

These features further fine-tune NVDA to suit your needs.


 

Contents

Copyright Notice. 1

Introduction. 1

Punctuation/Symbol Pronunciation. 3

Add Punctuation or a Symbol 3

Edit Punctuation or a Symbol 4

Remove Punctuation or a Symbol 5

NVDA Add-ons. 5

Add-on Store Property Sheets. 7

Search for Add-ons. 7

Install Add-ons. 7

Add-on Help. 8

Remove Add-ons. 9

Enable and Disable Add-ons. 9

Update Add-ons. 10

Input Gestures. 10

Add an Input Gesture. 12

Remove an Input Gesture. 12

Restore Input Gesture Factory Defaults. 13

Conclusion. 13

 


 

 

Punctuation/Symbol Pronunciation

Configure when punctuation and symbols are echoed and how they are pronounced in the “Symbol Pronunciation” dialog.

 

Open the Symbol Pronunciation dialog:

Open the NVDA menu "Preferences” submenu and Activate “Punctuation/symbol pronunciation.”

 

The Symbol Pronunciation dialog opens.

 

Configure the following:

 

Let’s discuss punctuation and symbols in detail.

 

Add Punctuation or a Symbol

To add punctuation or a symbol to NVDA:

 

The "Add Symbol" dialog has an edit box and buttons:

 

Activate the OK button to save the symbol and exit the “Add Symbol” dialog

 

Activate the Cancel button to cancel the changes and exit the “Add Symbol” dialog

 

The symbol is added to the list box. Focus is placed on the symbol.

 

Configure additional settings with the dialog controls:

 

Activate the OK button to save the changes and exit the dialog.

 

Activate the Cancel button to cancel the changes and exit the dialog.

 

Edit Punctuation or a Symbol

Edit punctuation or a symbol in the Symbol Pronunciation dialog.

 

Configure the following:

 

Activate the OK button to save the changes and exit the dialog.

 

Activate the Cancel button to cancel the changes and exit the dialog.

 

Remove Punctuation or a Symbol

Remove punctuation or a symbol in the Symbol pronunciation dialog.

 

Default punctuation and symbols can't be removed. Custom punctuation or symbols can be removed.

 

To remove punctuation or a symbol:

 

The symbol is removed.

 

Activate the OK button to save the changes and exit the dialog.

 

Activate the Cancel button to cancel the changes and exit the dialog.

NVDA Add-ons

The NVDA community creates Add-ons that enhance NVDA functionality.

 

Add-ons add features to NVDA or provide access to applications or devices.

 

To access Add-ons, use the Add-ons Store. The Add-ons Store is in the NVDA menu. Open the NVDA "Tools" submenu and activate “Add-ons Store.”

 

A warning screen opens. NVDA is an open-source application. Community members write most Add-ons.

 

NVDA warns that some may contain suspicious code. I have never experienced malware, but NVDA wants you to be aware of the possibility.

 

This warning screen has two controls:

 

After acknowledging the warning, the NVDA Add-ons store dialog opens.

 

The following are available:

 

Let’s discuss Add-ons in detail.

 

Add-on Store Property Sheets

The Add-on store has property sheets. Property sheet tabs are at the top of the Add-on Store dialog.

 

Add-on store property sheets are:

 

Each property sheet has a list box listing relevant add-ons.

 

All property sheets have similar controls with one exception.

 

The "Updateable Add-ons" and "Available Add-ons property sheets have a "Include incompatible add-ons" checkbox.

 

The "installed Add-ons" and "Installed Incompatible Add-ons" property sheets have a combo box that filters the list box to show:

 

Let's discuss Add-on management.

 

Search for Add-ons

Search for Add-ons in the Add-ons store search edit box.

 

Clear the search box to restore the add-ons list.

 

Install Add-ons

Install add-ons in the NVDA Add-on store.

 

To install an add-on from a downloaded file:

 

NVDA installs the add-on or add-ons. Each installation step is announced.

 

Activate the Close button to exit the Add-ons Manager.

 

If an installed add-on requires an NVDA restart, NVDA opens a restart prompt Window.

 

Download some Add-ons and enjoy NVDA’s new functionality!

 

Add-on Help

Many Add-ons have custom help documentation.

 

Access help documentation on the Add-ons Homepage.

 

To review Add-on help:

 

A web page opens with Add-on file downloads and documentation.

 

Review the webpage to access help documentation.

 

Some add-ons don't provide help documentation as they provide obvious functionality, or the developer opted not to provide documentation.

 

Remove Add-ons

Remove add-ons in the Add-ons Store.

 

To remove an Add-on:

  

Removed add-ons are uninstalled and removed from the computer and add-on list.

 

Removed add-ons can be re-installed in the "Available" property sheet list box.

 

Activate Close the button to exit the Add-ons Store.

 

If a removed add-on requires an NVDA restart, NVDA opens a restart prompt Window.

 

Enable and Disable Add-ons 

Enable and disable add-ons in the Add-ons Store.

To enable or disable Add-ons:

 

The action is taken

 

Activate the Close the button to exit the Add-ons Store.

 

If an enabled or disabled add-on requires an NVDA restart, NVDA opens a restart prompt Window.

 

Update Add-ons

Update add-ons in the Add-ons Store "Updateable Add-ons" property sheet:

 

NVDA updates the add-on or add-ons.

 

Activate the Close button to exit the Add-ons Store.

 

If an updated add-on requires an NVDA restart, NVDA opens a restart prompt Window.

Input Gestures

 The Input Gestures dialog configures NVDA keyboard commands, braille display input, and touch gestures.

 

In the Input Gestures dialog:

 

Focus must be in an application with which NVDA commands are associated to use the Input Gesture dialog.

 

To configure gestures for Browse mode, focus in a browser. To configure gestures for Microsoft Word, focus in Microsoft Word.

 

The Input Gestures dialog is in the NVDA menu.

 

Open the NVDA menu "Preferences” submenu and activate “Input Gestures.”

 

The Input Gestures dialog opens.

 

Only focused application commands are displayed.

 

Dialog controls are:

 

Navigate the tree view with Windows tree view navigation.

 

Listen carefully as you navigate the tree view.

 

The remaining commands are buttons:

 

Practice navigating the dialog and listen to the tree view options. Expand the actions associated with commands.

 

Ensure you understand the dialog layout and how to access dialog controls before managing input gestures.

 

Add an Input Gesture

Add commands in the Input Gestures dialog. Add commands to actions.

 

Multiple commands can be added to a single action.

 

To add an Input Gesture:

 

The command is added to the tree view.

 

Activate the OK button to save the changes and exit the dialog.

 

Activate the Cancel button to cancel the changes and exit the dialog.

 

Remove an Input Gesture

Remove an Input Gesture in the Input Gestures dialog.

 

To remove a gesture:

 

The command is removed from the action.

 

Activate the OK button to save the changes and exit the dialog.

 

Activate the Cancel button to cancel the changes and exit the dialog.

 

Restore Input Gesture Factory Defaults

Restore factory defaults in the Input Gestures dialog.

 

Answer yes, and Input Gesture factory defaults are restored.

Conclusion

Using the skills in this lesson, you can interact with and enable a variety of powerful NVDA and add-on features.

 

NVDA configurations are easily reset to factory defaults And the Add-on store provides complete control over Add-ons.

 

The ability to quickly restore factory defaults makes NVDA a safe screen reader to explore and try new features.

 

Exercises

1.   Open the Symbol Pronunciation dialog and configure the punctuation and symbol settings to suit your needs.

2.   Add a new symbol to NVDA using the Symbol Pronunciation dialog.

3.   Edit an existing symbol in the Symbol Pronunciation dialog.

4.   Remove a custom symbol from the Symbol Pronunciation dialog.

5.   Explore the NVDA Add-ons store and find an Add-on that enhances NVDA functionality.

6.   Install an Add-on from the NVDA Add-ons store.

7.   Search for an Add-on in the NVDA Add-ons store.

8.   Filter the Add-ons list in the NVDA Add-ons store to show only Add-ons matching a selected option.

9.   Use the Add-on store property sheets to manage your Add-ons.

10.                Install an Add-on from an external source.

 

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