lynx-dev Fwd: Re: lynx_w32 and screen review

[Lloyd G. Rasmussen]

Has anyone compiled Lynx/32 lately on compilers other than Borland C 
4.52, with the objective of making a console version of Lynx?  If Mike 
Lawler's assertion is correct, a lot of blind Lynx users would be 
happy to have a better method of keyboard handling.  We would probably 
not mind if that version didn't support the mouse, if mouse handling 
somehow is interfering with keyboard handling.  We need something to 
test, besides Wayne's version and the Japanese version.  The 
Japanese version seems to have the same keyboard problems as 
Wayne's.  Any takers? 

----- Forwarded message begins here -----
From: Michael D. Lawler  <address@hidden>
To: <address@hidden>
Date: Tue, 09 Mar 1999 21:16:56 -0500
Subject: Re: lynx_w32 and screen review
The problem of keys not being ignored is not a problem with conagent rather 
it is a problem with the compiler that compiled these DOS console 
apps.  Try to get a version of Lynx compiled with sigwin or with Visual C++ 
and this should solve the problem so actually the compiler vendors need to 
fix the problem not Microsoft.

At 10:26 AM 3/9/1999 -0500, you wrote:
>I use Lynx/32 with Vocal-Eyes 3.0, and can send you a SET file.  It's
>far from perfect, but I and several others use Lynx/32 with V E, ASAP
>and other screen readers.
>
>The fundamental problem, I think, falls at Microsoft's door, and they
>are not likely to fix it because it was created so long ago.  When
>Lynx and many other 32-bit console applications run in a DOS box
>inside Win95, they are running a program called Conagent.exe.  If you
>ask Vocal-Eyes to tell you the name of the running application, "show
>application name" under the "files" section of the control panel, VE
>will say that Conagent is the running application.  Conagent passes
>hotkeys which you struck back into Lynx.  If Vocal-Eyes ate these
>keys, Conagent should butt out and not tell Lynx about them.
>
>You can partially solve the problem as follows:  Create a batch file
>which loads Vocal-Eyes, CD's into your Lynx/32 directory, and starts
>Lynx.  Put a Conagent.set file in your Lynx directory so Vocal-Eyes
>knows to load it, and does not use this SET file in some other
>applications like the Windows FTP client or the Fraunhofer MP3
>encoder.  This is one SET file that should not go in the \speech
>subdirectory for universal use.
>
>In the Conagent.set file, Revector Check needs to be turned on.  This
>allows Lynx to ignore stuff typed in Review and also the VE cursor.
>Things typed in the VE control panel, and many hotkeys, will still go
>to Lynx.  You have to make sure that any hotkeys you use do not have
>undesired side effects when interpreted by Lynx.  Getting the VE
>cursor out of the way helps a lot, and makes using Lynx tolerable.
>Your batch file which starts Lynx needs to end with the Exit command,
>so when you close Lynx you close that DOS box.  You don't want to run
>other DOS applications in the same DOS box after Lynx is quit, because
>Revector Check messes up keyboard handling for successive apps.  But
>you can start new DOS boxes, simultaneously with Lynx or after
>quitting Lynx, and they will be OK.
>
>I am hoping to work with Lynx developers to find better ways to remap
>the keyboard and get more hotkeys out of the way.  But this is where
>we are at the moment.  I'll try and send you my Conagent.set file from
>home, but it may be a day or two.  I run Lynx with links and form
>fields not numbered, and in Intermediate or Advanced mode.  I use a
>hyperactive window to read the status line when the first 4 characters
>change.  It may be quite different from the way you are used to
>hearing Lynx.  You may want to run Text2Set on the conagent file I
>send you in order to see what keys I have mapped.
>
>
>On Mon, 08 Mar 1999 23:45:20 +0600,
>Bill Reif   <address@hidden> wrote:
>
>>I have seen the following question posed here before, but have never
>>seen an answer; so I guess it's my turn to ask.  If there is someone
>>who has solved this problem, please let me and others on the list know
>>how it was done.
>>
>>I am a blind computer user, who uses a speech synthesizer to access
>>the screen.  The program permits one to navigate the screen using key
>>combinations.  I am using Vocal Eyes, which permits both a review mode
>>and what is called a VE cursor using the numpad keys.  These keys
>>aren't supposed to effect the underlying application.  However, I have
>>found that when running Lynx and Vocal Eyes under a dos shell, (which
>>is the only way lynx_w32 can be run) I can't do anything without
>>either Windows or Lynx intercepting the keystroke and changing to a
>>new screen and/or replacing the URL at the status line with an error
>>message.
>>
>>Can this problem be solved?  If not, are there inexpensive screen
>>readers that don't exhibit this behavior?
>>
>>
>>
>>Bill Reif
>>Springfield, Illinois
>>
>>Net-Tamer V 1.11.2 - Test Drive
>>
>
>-- Lloyd Rasmussen
>Senior Staff Engineer, Engineering Section
>National Library Service for the  Blind and Physically Handicapped
>Library of Congress          202-707-0535
>(work)       address@hidden    http://www.loc.gov/nls/
>(home) address@hidden http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/lras/


Michael D. Lawler
FIDO Michael.Lawler at 1:236/55 Voice 219-489-3671
Fax 219-489-2608 BBS 219-489-5281
Internet address@hidden
GW Micro, Inc., Product Support and Development


------ Forwarded message ends here ------

-- Lloyd Rasmussen
Senior Staff Engineer, Engineering Section
National Library Service for the  Blind and Physically Handicapped
Library of Congress          202-707-0535
(work)       address@hidden    http://www.loc.gov/nls/
(home) address@hidden http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/lras/