Gold68 Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 Hi all. My neighbour is blind and uses the JAWS program on a new Dell with XP Home. With the JAWS, evertime he hits a key, it reads it to him,and same with the applications that he uses. When I went there last night, he has to go thru a few functions to get his dial-up to shut down. I said I thought there was a way to make a hot key? to just close the dial-up connection without going thru 3-4 steps of the program reading back to him where he is at. I am not that familiar with writing commands or whatever to do this. Even tho I GOOGLED this, sometimes it just doesn't sink in the way it used to!(mmmm,getting old maybe?) Anyone know of an EASY way to solve this for him, and myself?Thanks Gold68 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Parrotgeek7 Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 No answer but worthy of a bump to the top. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CurlingSteve Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 (edited) First, see if you can write a script or batch file to automate the procedure.If that works, you can create a shortcut to the script that will allow you to assign a hot key combo to it.------------If that doesn't work there are keystroke and mouse click macro recorders available that may automate the task.For example Mouse and Key Recorder Edited August 29, 2005 by CurlingSteve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JDoors Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 What command or action does it take to close his dial-up connection? Is he running something like AOL, where closing the program essentially closes the connection? Or is there a Taskbar icon that needs to be closed? Or what? I'd search shareware sites for utilities that can close running programs and see if they can be modified to have a shortcut icon close a particular program, then I would program that icon's properties to use a shortcut key combination. You'd wind up with a Windows shortcut that reacts to a particular key combination and closes the necessary program. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gold68 Posted August 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 Thanks for the 'Bump' Parrotgeek!CurlingSteve, thanks for the link.He and I will look and listen to it a little later.As for writing scipts....well, that's a wee bit over our heads!...heh heh heh We are just 'Users' of these machines that make things easier for us!JDoors right now, when he wants to disconnect, he hits Alt-F4, and waits for the program to read everything that is open. He then waits for the Dial-up properties to "speak', before he presses enter. So you see, it would be a big help to him if we can find a simple way to come up with a key combo.Again thanks for the 'Bump' Parrotgeek, and the other replies. Has both of us thinking now. (can't ya smell something burning?...heh heh heh Gold68 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stupefiedgenius Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 I used this program a few years back. Ghost Mouse 2.0 http://www.freewareweb.com/cgi-bin/archive.cgi?ID=375thats a mirror I found quickly with google, anyways, what you can do is run the program which setups a "macro", and "record" it to close the stuff and press and buttons on dialog buttons and such. The problem comes when the windows are moved around, because it just follows the mouse and clicks on a timer. I got it to work to connect to the internet through AOL a few years back, I don't know if this will help but worth a try. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JDoors Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 It's gonna be tough without actually seeing what's onscreen to figure out a shortcut. Alt+F4 is the Windows shortcut for closing "a" program ... I got that (though it might help if I knew what program he's closing). Then there's a wait for ... what? ... to "read"? Alt+F4 doesn't immediately close that program? Is it just a confirmation dialog he's waiting for? Does he wind up with a large number of windows or subprograms open? Then there's the "Dial-up Properties." Is this the Windows dial-up properties applet/program/folder? Or the name of a dialog box specific to the program he's using (which just happens to have the same name as the Windows component)? Can he just "disconnect" using the Dial-up Properties, then worry about what's onscreen after that? Will the program allow him to disconnect without "closing" it first? Arrghh ... Guess finding a macro or scripting program would be the best bet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gold68 Posted August 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 Thanks Stuptifiedgenious for the suggestion. But my neighbour doesn't use a mouse.it's all with his keys. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gold68 Posted August 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 arrghhh is right JDoors....lol When he gets on his computer, he gets his desktop read to him when the shortcut(icon) is read, he will hit enter and it will open. When he hits the shortcut for his isp, it starts his dial-up. When he is finished with the internet, he has to go thru the desktop reading back to him and then hit enter to bring up the dial-up applet. Then hitenter, and again the program reads what is on the applet he waits for it to say disconnect. What he(we) are after, is just one key to shut down the internet and the dial-up applet. Can anyone make sense of this? Just thought maybe there was an easy way for him. It is rather time consuming to have everything read to you. ThanksGold68 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
blim Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 (edited) This is fascinating reading, Gold!!! I'm of no help but I did find this site (you probably already know about this, but just in case....) I clicked on Internet Explorer 6 and it suggested "ctrl w" to close the window (and maybe, just maybe it'll disconnect without all the trouble?)--it's likely too simple a suggestion, but maybe some of the experts here can analyse this list of shortcuts and figure something out within windows instead of the JAWS program??. "JAWS depends upon the same keyboard shortcuts that any sighted user would turn to if he didn't want to use the mouse, and its synthesized speech can be adjusted for pitch and speed." clickyFound another one--tip #15 is "how to make your own shortcut", might be easier than creating a script-thing.another clickyI'm keeping an eye on this thread, again, it's fascinating!!!Liz Edited August 30, 2005 by blim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JDoors Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 My brain hurts. I can't think of a way to do this quickly using Windows' built-in features (reach around and unplug the modem?). Darn "graphical interface!" I haven't used macros or scripts in a long time, as I recall they can get quite complicated when you have to add pauses (how long? does the delay need to change?) and/or 'click' on a particular spot onscreen (will it always be the exact same spot? what if the resolution changes?). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gold68 Posted August 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 Thanks JDoors, the icons will always be in the same spot. If they move for some reason JAWS will still read them. I kind of thought this wouldn't be so easy after I mentioned it to him. Oh how we tend to say things we shouldn't when we think we know a bit eh?!Thanks Liz, I don't know if it is facinating or not...heh heh heh I looked thru your links(thanks) and unless I missed something, they all go along the same likes as JAWS. What we would like to have, is just to hit a key, or series of keys, to shut the dial-up down, without having JAWS read thru all the text that is in the dial-up applet., and still leave the computer on. Like I said to JDoors....me and my big mouth!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JDoors Posted August 31, 2005 Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 Ooo, ooo! How about Ctrl+Alt+Del? In Task Manager you can then hit the first letter of the program you wish to end, then the key combo for End Program. For me it would be:Ctrl+Alt+DelTAlt+E I haven't test it <g> but I suspect I'd get an Are You Sure type of dialog that'd just require one more key combo (or Enter, depending on the default button in that dialog). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gold68 Posted August 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 Hey JDoors...Thanks for the suggestions! Unfortunately that idea didn't work for him. I think it is time to close this. Many THANKS to all that contributed their ideas for my hair-brained venture!!Stay tuned for more questions from me, as I have been duly delegated to help all the 'SENIORS' around my neighborhood!Oh woe is me!....heh heh heh heh heh Gold68 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete_C Posted August 31, 2005 Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 Have you considered going to tools / internet options/ connectionsSelect the connection/ click on settings/ click on advancedCheck the box "Disconnect when no longer needed"It will now disconnect when you close all open browsers / email clients. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gold68 Posted August 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 Thank you Pete, We never thought of that! Have always seen that little box to check in the options, but never paid any attention to it. Good grief a really easy fix eh? THANKS!!Gold68pssst!....I KNEW we could do it.....heh heh heh heh Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gold68 Posted August 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 Arrrrggghhhh! Silly me. I just talked to my neighbour, and he said that would work great for just E-Mail. But it still leaves the matter of closing the dial-up applet when he goes online to sites that he uses for banking and such Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JDoors Posted August 31, 2005 Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 And I have to wonder about all the other background applets that look for updates and such: How does Windows determine that you no longer need a connection? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete_C Posted August 31, 2005 Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 It should work for browsers as well as email; and there is also a time out feature where you can set it to shut the connection if not used in x minutes.But I would just try it. Also, there should be no problem shutting down the PC with the dialup still connected. It will just be disconnected when the modem closes down. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JDoors Posted August 31, 2005 Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 THAT might be the way to go: Disconnect after X minutes of inactivity (funny, I can't find that setting right now). It's OK to leave the dialup dialog on screen as long as it states it's disconnected (unless there's a reason it must be closed). Of course that's not quite the same as closing it rightnow ... but it's another option. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gold68 Posted September 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2005 Again We THANK you! JDoors, I think that setting is in the dial-up properties in the set up of the modem. No need for that in cable. But I remember now when I did have dial-up, that's where it was. I have the 'SENIORS' 'Googling' for answers to their questions, but like some of the noobies, they 'prefer' their answers right now! heh heh heh I thought we got more patient as we got older!Gold68 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JDoors Posted September 1, 2005 Report Share Posted September 1, 2005 So you think Ms. Taylor was wrong here?:It is very strange that the years teach us patience - that the shorter our time, the greater our capacity for waiting.--Elizabeth Taylor Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gold68 Posted September 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2005 I think Ms Taylor has not had the opportunity to work with 'SENIORS' who have just received a new hand-me-down computer from their kids!When they ask questions, they want the answers right NOW! They do not want to be computer illiterate in the eyes of their kids. Sooooooo, they want it all now!!!!! heh heh heh Gold68 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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