COBRA October 1, 2010 by BAUM Retec AG In der Au 22 D-69257 WIESENBACH DEUTSCHLAND / GERMANY Tel: +49 6223 4909-0 E-Mail: info@baum.de Support: cobrasupport@baum.de Contents ======== 1 Introduction 1.1 Tips on using this handbook 1.2 System requirements for COBRA 1.3 Function overview 1.4 Support and Contact information 2 Installing COBRA 2.1 The installation process 2.2 Install the Braille display 2.3 Installing COBRA onto a Windows Terminal Server 2.4 Un-install COBRA 3 Introduction to COBRA 3.1 Display on the Braille display and speech output 3.2 Using COBRA with combinations of COBRA keys 3.3 Navigation with the Screen Keys 3.4 Using COBRA with the Keypad 3.5 Navigating around the screen with keypad commands 3.6 Working with the COBRA-Explorer 3.7 The COBRA Menu 4 Using COBRA 4.1 Tips on COBRA commands 4.1.1 Cursorrouting 4.1.2 Navigation Pointer 4.1.3 Quick Messages 4.1.4 Segments 4.2 Using the TASO-Module and CeBox 4.3 COBRA Menu 4.3.1 Braille 4.3.2 Braille, Advanced Braille settings 4.3.3 COBRA-Explorer 4.3.3.1 COBRA-Explorer, extended 4.3.3.2 COBRA-Explorer, Object infos 4.3.4 File, Restore defaults 4.3.5 Info 4.3.6 Key assignment 4.3.6.1 Key Assignment, New Key 4.3.7 Magnification 4.3.8 Options 4.3.9 Preferences 4.3.10 Presentation 4.3.11 Program list 4.3.12 Sounds 4.3.13 Speech 4.3.14 Speech, advanced Speech settings 4.3.15 Speech, Dictionary 4.3.16 Speech, Keyboard echo 4.4 CobraController 4.4.1 left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F10: end COBRA and CobraController 4.4.2 left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F1: update COBRA 4.4.3 left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F6: stop COBRA 4.4.4 left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F7: reboot COBRA 4.4.5 left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F8: Switch Metronome on 4.4.6 left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F9: Switch Metronome off 5 Key combinations with the COBRA Key 5.1 COBRA-Key+End: Navigation to the last line 5.2 COBRA-Key+Home: Navigation in the title bar or the Start bar 5.3 COBRA-Key+Shift+End: Go to the end of the whole screen 5.4 COBRA-Key+Shift+Home: Go to the beginning of the window 5.5 Double right Shift key: Screen wizard on/off 5.6 left CTRL+Numlock-key: Switch keypad from COBRA usage to normal functions 5.7 Press the left Shift key twice: open the COBRA Menu 5.8 CTRL-key: Cancel speech 5.9 COBRA-Key+Return: Switch speech on and off 5.10 COBRA-Key+Shift+Space bar: Read out entire screen 5.11 COBRA-Key+Space bar: Read text continuously from cursor position 5.12 COBRA-Key+Shift+TAB: Show the last 10 Braille messages 5.13 COBRA-Key+TAB: Replay the last 10 messages 5.14 COBRA-Key+B: Give battery charge in percent 5.15 COBRA-Key+Shift+B: Give battery status 5.16 COBRA-Key+C: Copy clipboard to COBRA 5.17 COBRA-Key+Shift+C: Add window text to Windows clipboard 5.18 COBRA-Key+F: Focus tracking on/off 5.19 COBRA-Key+G: Show/hide unnamed graphics 5.20 COBRA-Key+Shift+G: Label graphics 5.21 COBRA-Key+Shift+H: Switch keyboard help for COBRA-functions on/off 5.22 COBRA-Key+L: Switch focus tracking between Element Mode and Line Mode 5.23 COBRA-Key+Shift+L: Switch navigation between Line Mode and Element Mode 5.24 COBRA-Key+M: Mobile Phone Monitor (MPM) on/off 5.25 COBRA-Key+O: launch screen text recognition 5.26 COBRA-Key+Q: Show/hide Quick menu 5.27 COBRA-Key+S: next document speaker 5.28 COBRA-Key+Shift+S: Switch to next speaker language 5.29 COBRA-Key+Shift+T: Edit COBRA text modules 5.30 COBRA-Key+T: Call up COBRA text modules 5.31 COBRA-Key+Page down: reduce speech speed 5.32 COBRA-Key+Page up: Increase the speech speed 5.33 COBRA-Key+Shift+Page down: Reduce volume of speech output 5.34 COBRA-Key+Shift+Page up: Increase speech output volume 5.35 COBRA-Key+F5: Refresh screen data 5.36 COBRA-Key+F10: Display program list 5.37 COBRA-Key+Shift+F10: Call up program list in the Systray 5.38 COBRA-key+F12: Tell the time 5.39 COBRA-Key+Shift+F12: Give the date 6 Using the keypad 6.1 Level 0: Basic functions 6.1.1 0, Minus: Screen wizard on/off 6.1.2 0, CTRL+Enter: go to the end of the window 6.1.3 0, CTRL+Divide: Navigation – switch between Line- and Element Mode 6.1.4 0, CTRL+Shift+Divide: Navigation in Element Mode 6.1.5 0, Divide: move navigation to the focus 6.1.6 0, 1: Continuous reading 6.1.7 0, 2: Next element or down 6.1.8 0, Shift+2: Next element or down (skip blank lines) 6.1.9 0, 3: Read out current foreground window 6.1.10 0, 4=Navigation pointer to previous word and speak 6.1.11 0, CTRL+4=Navigation pointer to the left and speak 6.1.12 0, 5=Navigation pointer: read entire line 6.1.13 0, CTRL+5=Information about the character at the cursor or navigation pointer 6.1.14 0, 6=Navigation pointer to next word and speak 6.1.15 0, CTRL+6=Navigation pointer one character to the right and speak 6.1.16 0, 7: Braillezeile nach links bewegen 6.1.17 0, 8: Previous element or up 6.1.18 0, Shift+8: Previous element or up (skip blank lines) 6.1.19 0, 9: Scroll Braille display to the right 6.1.20 0, CTRL+Decimal point: move mouse to navigate 6.1.21 0, Decimal point=open/close COBRA Quick menu 6.1.22 0, Enter: go to the end of the foreground window 6.1.23 0, CTRL+Star: Focus tracking – switch between Element- and Line Mode 6.2 Level 1: Help functions 1 6.2.1 0+1, +=Help for COBRA command keys on/off 6.2.2 0+1, Divide: give current date 6.2.3 0+1, 1: Show Braille Monitor window 6.2.4 0+1, 2: Hide Braille Monitor window 6.2.5 0+1, 4: Update COBRA data 6.2.6 0+1, 5=Move navigation to mouse pointer 6.2.7 0+1, Star: give current time 6.3 Level 2: Help functions 2 6.3.1 0+2, /=Show serial number of graphics on/off 6.3.2 0+2, 2=Show attributes on/off 6.3.3 0+2, 3=Display Grade 2 Braille with upper case letters on/off 6.3.4 0+2, 4: Inputting Braille on a PC keyboard 6.3.5 0+2, 5=Grade 2 Braille on/off 6.3.6 0+2, 6: 6-dot Braille 6.3.7 0+2, 7=Show and hide the cursor 6.3.8 0+2, 8: 8-dot Braille 6.3.9 0+2, Star=Show/hide unlabelled graphics 6.4 Level 3: Display commands 6.4.1 0+3, CTRL++=Display all blank lines 6.4.2 0+3, CTRL+Minus=Hide all blank lines 6.4.3 0+3, +=Show all spaces in the line 6.4.4 0+3, Minus=Hide all spaces in the line 6.4.5 0+3, *=Show spaces next setting 6.4.6 0+3, CTRL+*=Display blank lines, next value 6.5 Level 5: Mouse functions 6.5.1 0+5, 1=Press left mouse key (and hold) 6.5.2 0+5, 3=Press right mouse key (and hold) 6.5.3 0+5, 4=Left mouse click (press and release) 6.5.4 0+5, 5=Right mouse click (press and hold) 6.5.5 0+5, 7=Left mouse key up (release) 6.5.6 0+5, 8=Middle mouse key up (release) 6.5.7 0+5, 9=Right mouse key up (release) 6.6 Level 8: Speech commands 6.7 Level 9, COBRA clipboard 6.8 Level Decimal point: Windows functions 6.8.1 0+Decimal point, 8: Call up program list 6.9 Level Divide: Script 6.10 Level Enter: Key simulations 6.11 Level Minus: Magnification 6.11.1 0+-, /=Magnification switch on/off 6.12 Level Star: Service 6.12.1 0+*, 1=Dump the current foreground window 6.12.2 0+*, 2=Debugging window on/off 6.12.3 0+*, 3=timestamp in Sync.log 7 Tips on configuring and using the Windows operating system 7.1 Tips on Windows XP 7.1.1 Configuration of Windows XP 7.2 Tips on Windows Vista 7.2.1 Introduction to using Windows Vista 7.2.2 Configuration of Microsoft Windows Vista 7.2.3 Key combinations in Windows Vista 8 Configuration of Microsoft Office 8.1 Using Microsoft Office 2007 8.1.1 Tips on Word 2007 8.1.2 Tips on Excel 2007 8.2 Konfiguration von Office 2003 8.2.1 Configuration of Outlook 2003 8.2.2 Configuration of Word 2003 8.3 Configuration of Outlook Express 9 Tips and Tricks for your programs 9.1 Microsoft Encarta 9.2 Microsoft Excel 9.3 Windows Explorer 9.4 Tips on using Skype 9.5 Tips on using TAPIR 9.6 Tips on using the calculator 9.7 Tips on using Total Commander 9.8 Tips on using Wordpad 10 FAQ, Frequently asked questions 10.1 How can I uninstall COBRA? 10.2 How do I disconnect COBRA? 10.3 What does COBRA’s OCR do? 1 Introduction *************** Welcome to COBRA 9, the next generation of the modern Screen reader from BAUM Retec AG. COBRA, the best of two worlds, that is our motto. And in COBRA 9 we made a big step forward with the integrated magnification and the new COBRA-Explorer to view web pages, PDF-Files and all other HTML-Elements This handbook will answer all your questions about COBRA. It can be used as a reference work or just for browsing. If you have any questions about the handbook, we would very much like to hear from you - please contact Günter Christmann at g.christmann@baum.de. The BAUM Retec AG team hopes you enjoy using COBRA. 1.1 Tips on using this handbook ================================ This handbook is an HTML text. It can be opened in Internet Explorer and read with WebFormator. The text is thus very easy to use and navigation within the chapters is straightforward. Within the Help sections, links to other topics appear with the help of keywords. At the top and bottom of each Help page you will find links to the previous and following chapters. To return to your starting point when you have followed a link, use Internet Explorer’s Back function – ALT+Left arrow. At the bottom of the screen you will also find links to the subchapters of the current topic, the table of contents and the most frequently asked questions (FAQ). You can also download the entire Help file onto your computer and mail the current chapter to yourself. This handbook can be found on your PC’s hard disk, and the most up- to-date version can be consulted on our website. If you are consulting the offline version on your hard disk, at the top of the page you will find a link to the online version on the Internet. If you are consulting the online version on the Internet, at the bottom of the screen you will find a link to download the current version of the handbook as a ZIP file. Download this file and unzip it in the LNG subfolder in the COBRA directory. This will overwrite the old versions of the Handbook. Emailing the current chapter can be useful when you find a text with the search function or when browsing. At the very bottom you can select a translation of the text, assuming that the text is written in a foreign language. We would be very pleased to hear your criticisms and suggestions – please email your comments about this handbook to g.christmann@baum.de. 1.2 System requirements for COBRA ================================== The system requirements for COBRA 9 are as follows: . COBRA can be run under - Windows 7 32 and 64-Bit Version - Windows Vista, 32-Bit Version with Service Pack 2 (SP 2) - Windows XP, 32-Bit Version with Service Pack 2 or higher . it must be installed by someone who has at least local administrator rights . PC configuration - Frequency: 2Ghz minimum; dual core and higher frequency recommended - Memory: * Windows XP minimum 1 GB RAM, 2 GB or higher recommended * Windows Vista minimum 2GB RAM, 3 GB or higher recommended * under Windows 7 3 GB Tip: a 32-Bit operating system can support a maximum of 3GB RAM - Hard disk: a minimum of 800MB free disk space - a graphics card with the manufacturer's latest driver Minimum resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels with a high colour depth, 32-Bit colours - a sound card with the manufacturer's latest driver - CD/DVD drive; network installation is also possible - depending on the Braille display being used, a serial port (COM), USB or Bluetooth *Note:* To use a braille display connected via Bluetooth under a 64-Bit Windows you must have the 64-Bit drivers from the manufacturer. For BAUM devices they are included. For the AudioData CeBox, Column Slider and Braille Displays there will no 64-Bit drivers be available. - we recommend a keyboard with a WINDOWS key. - if you want to input Braille with the PC keyboard, you will need a keyboard that is N-key-rollover compatible . Windows-Scripting-Host (installed by default with Internet Explorer) . Internet Explorer 7 or 8 or FireFox from 3.5 upwards . If you use Microsoft Office 2003: Service Pack 3 or higher . If you use Microsoft Office 2007: Service Pack 1 or higher . NB: Microsoft Office 2000 and 2002 (Office XP) are not supported. They whould not run under Vista or Windows 7. . Adobe Reader 9 withthe appropriate version with MSAA will be required 1.3 Function overview ====================== COBRA has the following important features: . it can be run under the 32 and 64-Bit versions of Windows 7 and the 32-Bit Version of Windows Vista and Windows XP . it can support Microsoft’s standard programs . it can support many other programs . it allows scripts to be written and thus programs to be adapted so that they are easier to use . it provides free scripts for popular programs . it supports all popular Braille displays . it supports Adobe Reader 9 Encrypted documents can also be read. . it supports Microsoft Active Accessibility (MSAA) . it supports SUN Java Access Bridge 1i it supports Internet Explorer 7 and 8 . it supports FireFox 3.5 and higher . it supports Document Object Models (DOM) in Microsoft Office . it supports the SAP-Accessibility interface . it supports the Windows Terminal Server (WTS) and Citrix XEN APP, Citrix Presentation Manager and Citrix Metaframe . it supports SAPI 5 speech output . it supports AUDIODATA’s patented TASO system (Tactile Acoustic Sound Orientation) . it has a compressed presentation on the Braille display . it has a two-dimensional text screen in which Windows Screen 1 becomes 1 in Help . it has an acoustic hour-glass – the metronome ticks when the PC is working at full stretch . it has a Mobile Phone Monitor (MPM) to display and use a mobile telephone with TALKS and TBI connected via Bluetooth . it has a straightforward menu-led screen to configure all your personal settings . it has screen OCR to capture the text from graphics containing text . it has centrally-saved COBRA text modules which can be added to each text or input field 1.4 Support and Contact information ==================================== If you have any questions about COBRA or how to use it with your programs, please contact Steffen König and his support team. Tel: +49 35753/69880 E-Mail: cobrasupport@baum.de There is also a german COBRA mailing list. This deals with all issues relating to COBRA. It is read by experienced users and our support team. To subscribe, send a blank email to listserv@listserv.baum.de The subject line must be blank the body of the message must contain subscribe cobra first name surname where you substitute ‘first name’ and ‘surname’ for your own first name and surname. 2 Installing COBRA ******************* This chapter and its subchapters deal with the installation of COBRA. The first subchapter describes the installation process step-by- step. The second contains instructions on how to add one or more Braille displays to COBRA. The third subchapter contains important information about installing COBRA onto a Windows Terminal Server (WTS) or Citrix. 2.1 The installation process ============================= COBRA is installed onto your PC via a complex installation program. COBRA runs under the 32- and 64-Bit versions of Windows 7 and the 32- Bit Versions of Windows XP and Windows Vista; please read the system requirements before installing it. Before installing COBRA, close all other programs - virus detection software in particular. These can hinder or seriously disrupt the installation process. The installation must be carried out by an administrator or a user with local administrator rights. Graphics drivers, device drivers for the Braille display, and system components must be installed. The install process goes in the following way. 1. if you have downloaded the installation file from our web page with Internet Explorer there will be a dialog asking you if you want to proced with the executing of this file. Please answer execute to this question. 2. Once the installation process has begun, please wait until the entire program has been loaded. 3. Without support from the speech output you will be asked in which directory the installation program is to be unpacked. Press Return to skip this question. The C:\Cobra90temp directory will be selected and the installation program launched. After you have installed COBRA completely you can delete this directory with all subdirectories. 4. The COBRA start melody will begin after a short while and the metronome will tick. Any running COBRA will now be shut down and a mini-COBRA loaded, which will accompany you throughout the installation process. This install reader and the setup will be loaded in your language or, if not available, in english. 5. the Welcome screen will then appear. You will be asked again to shut down all applications and virus scanners. Press Return or click on “Next” to proceed to the next page. 6. the licensing agreement will now be displayed. Use the Up and Down arrows to read through the text. We remind you once again that you should only install COBRA if you agree with the terms and conditions of this licence. Press Return or click on “Next” to proceed to the next page. 7. Here you can select the type of installation process. The following are available: . Standard: the application will be loaded with the default settings and no further questions will be asked. Please select this, if you like COBRA to be started before Windows Logon Screen and after you have logged in automatically. . User-defined: select this option if you wish to make any changes to the default settings such as the installation directory, Start menu or the magnification. 8. If you have selected the Standard installation process, here you can jump five steps forwards (see "The installation process"). 9. If you have selected the User-defined option you will be taken to the first settings screen. Here you will make the basic adjustments. The following options are available: . decide for whom the settings are to be valid. If you select “All users”, COBRA will be installed for all users and, if desired, launched. Otherwise COBRA will only be activated for the user, who is currently logged in. . Support for WINDOWS logon screen: with two separate fields you can determine whether or not COBRA should be loaded with speech output and/or the Braille display before logging on to a network. . the option “Install WebFormator” determines whether or not WebFormator (the Internet Explorer plug-in) is to be installed. We advise users of speech and/or Braille to install WebFormator. WebFormator will be installed but not activated automatically. If you want to use WebFormator in Internet Explorer simply press F12 or in Internet Explorer 8 F12 twice to activate it. Press Return or click on “Next” to proceed to the next page. 10. On the next screen select the directory into which COBRA is to be installed and whether or not a link from the Desktop should be set up. On this page you will find the following settings: . Installation directory: type in the directory into which COBRA should be installed or click on “Search” to select a directory. By default, COBRA will installed in the C:\Programs\BAUM Retec\COBRA\9.0 directory. You should only change the directory if absolutely necessary. This will make things more difficult when support is needed. . The “Set up Desktop link” option creates a COBRA icon on the Desktop, if required. . Use the “Create Desktop icon with shortcut” option to record the shortcut on the Desktop with CTRL+ALT+C or ALT GR+C. If a shortcut is recorded, you can launch COBRA from anywhere with ALT GR+C or CTRL+ALT+C. Press Return or click on “Next” to proceed to the next page. 11. On the next page determine if and where a shortcut to COBRA is to appear in the Start menu. You will find the following settings: . Start Menu directory: type the directory into which the Start Menu shortcut for COBRA is to be saved. You can also click on “Search” to select a directory. The shortcut is created in the following directory by default: Start, Program files BAUM Retec, COBRA, COBRA 8.0. . The option “Create no directory in Start menu” is switched off by default. If it is switched off, a directory will be created for COBRA in the Start menu. If it is activated, no directory will be created for COBRA in the Start menu. In the Start Menu you will find add-in programs for COBRA, and the Handbook. You will find, for example, SysInfo, which sends a report to COBRA Support when required; you can find out which components have been installed on your PC and how it is equipped. You will also find the Braille Control Panel for setting up and selecting Braille displays. Press Return or click on “Next” to proceed to the next page. . *+* CobraVid Setup *+* . You will now be taken to the “Ready to install” screen. All the settings will be displayed once again in a text field. Use the arrow keys to browse through them. Please check the settings and where necessary click on “Back” to make any changes. To install, click on “Install” or press ALT+I. . The installation process will now start. It will take several minutes. Please allow it all the time it needs. . You will now be asked for the Braille display. The installation program is trying automatically to recognize any plugged-in Braille display. Unfortunately this is not possible with every device. With all other Braille displays, you must select the one being used and set up the port to which you have connected it. . To complete the process you will asked to reboot. You can choose to reboot immediately or when you have finished working. *NB:* You must reboot the PC for the installation to work. COBRA can only be used after the PC has been rebooted. . Click on “Finish” to complete the installation process and reboot. . After rebooting, you must first contact the person who has local administrator rights to acquire the latest updates. COBRA can then be used. 2.2 Install the Braille display ================================ If you want to install a new Braille display for COBRA, or use an existing display from a different port, proceed as follows. From the Start Menu, select Programs, BAUM Retec, Braille Server, then “Control Panel”. This application allows you to configure Braille displays, ancillary modules and a CeBox. To install a new Braille display, proceed as follows: . Select “Active devices”. The list contains all existing Braille displays. Use the Up and Down arrow keys to browse through the list. *TIP:* An AUDIODATA Braille display or CeBox will not appear in this application, as they are recognized and used automatically. . If you want to delete a Braille display from this list, click on “Delete”. . If you want to add a Braille display, click on “Add device”. . Select the desired display from the list and type the port to which it is connected. . Click on “OK” to reboot the Braille Server. . Please also reboot COBRA, so that it can recognize the new Braille display. Start COBRA by pressing left CTRL+ALT+Shift+F7 again. This combination must be held for at least one second. With the “Port Cleaner” option in the main screen of the BrailleServer Control Panel, you can no longer search for attached Braille displays and automatically delete them from the BrailleServer. Press “Exit” or Escape on the PC keyboard to end the program. 2.3 Installing COBRA onto a Windows Terminal Server ==================================================== To install COBRA onto a Windows Terminal Server such as Citrix Presentation Manager, Citrix XEN App or Citrix Metaframe, additional components for COBRA are required. These are delivered with COBRA. We strongly advise you to have COBRA installed onto the Windows Terminal Server or CITRIX Server by our experienced technicians. *Tip for using COBRA in conjunction with Windows Terminal Server (WTS)* *and Citrix XEN APP, Citrix Presentation Manager and Citrix Metaframe* In order for COBRA users to access applications on a Windows Terminal Server or Citrix, the COBRA screen reader must have been loaded onto the Terminal Server. This is necessary because the Server contains only that information which appears on the screen. Our graphics driver is thus installed on the Server alongside the existing graphics driver. Similarly, the components for analysing the text content of the screen and transferring it to the Braille display (Braille-output) and speech output will be installed on the Server. A normal COBRA is installed on the client’s system. On the Server, under Windows Terminal Server, COBRA communicates with the client via the RDP-channel, and under Citrix via the ICA-channel. Changes to the screen content are prepared and sent to the client from the Server. User interaction (e.g. screen navigation) will be sent from the client to COBRA on the Server and executed. As many blind and severely visually impaired users also use Windows Sounds as a source of information, Windows Sounds output is also routed to the client. The speech output, however, is not generally produced on the Server and then sent to the client as a stream, as this would be too slow and involve too much data transfer. Instead, the texts to be spoken are sent to a speech output DLL on the Server, which then transmits them via RDP or ICA to the client’s computer where the speech output will then be activated. This is the same for the transfer of Braille display data from and to the Server. *NB:* COBRA must be fully installed on each Terminal Server to be accessed by blind and visually impaired users. For example, if Software A has been loaded onto Server 1, Software B onto Server 2 and Software C onto Server 3, and the COBRA user needs to access all three programs, COBRA must be loaded onto all three servers with graphics drivers etc. As many administrators shy away from loading third-party software (even graphics drivers) onto the “holy” Terminal Server, the following options are available: . You set up a separate Terminal Server specially for COBRA users. This will have all the programs required by blind users. COBRA would thus not need to be loaded onto all the servers. Stability for sighted users is also thus guaranteed. . Where client and server are in the same building, the user software can be loaded directly onto the client with the user accessing databases directly via the network. . Alternatively, where the client is further away, VPN could be used with the user software installed on the client – data will then be routed to the data server via VPN. In both these cases, COBRA does not have to be loaded onto the servers, as the user does not need any terminal sessions. *COBRA Licence:* for installation on a Terminal Server only an individual COBRA user licence is required for each user. Server licences are free of charge. *NB:* Please note the following: We must install and configure programs on the server as administrators. It is thus essential that for the entire period during which COBRA is installed on the server, an administrator from your house be present to provide us with the information we require. For further information on using COBRA with Windows Terminal Server or CITRIX, please contact COBRA Support. 2.4 Un-install COBRA ===================== If you want to delete COBRA from your PC, proceed as follows: . Go to Start, Settings, Control Panel, Software and then to the dialog for deleting applications . COBRA must be shut down now, otherwise you will not be able to un-install it. . from the list select the following applications and then click on “Delete”. - BAUM Retec Speech Server - BAUM Retec Braille Server - BAUM Retec COBRA . when all three elements have been un-installed, the PC must be rebooted. . You can now delete the following directories – these are not deleted by the un-install program as they can contain user- specific settings. - with Windows XP you can delete the following folders and sub-folders. * C:\Program files\BAUM Retec\COBRA\8.0 * C:\Program files\Common files\BAUM Retec\Braille Server * C:\Program files\Common files\BAUM Retec\Speech Server * C:\Documents and Settings\\Application data\BAUM Retec * the folder C:\Program files\Common files\BAUM Retec\USB Driver should not be deleted, as the USB drivers for the Braille display, CeBox or TASO-modules will be needed by another screen reader. - with Windows Vista the following can be deleted: * C:\Program Files\BAUM Retec\COBRA\8.0 * C:\Program Files\Common Files\BAUM Retec\Braille Server * C:\Program Files\Common Files\BAUM Retec\Speech Server * C:\Users\\Appdata\Localo\BAUM Retec * the folder C:\Program Files\Common files\BAUM Retec\USB Driver must not be deleted as the USB drivers for the Braille display, CeBox or TASO-modules will be needed by another screen reader. 3 Introduction to COBRA ************************ In this chapter we offer a step-by-step guide to using COBRA. We will go through the basics, explain the different types of commands and then talk briefly about the COBRA menu. In the next main chapter we will explain every single COBRA command and describe the COBRA menu and all its settings in detail. So, now for the basics. COBRA is operated with the keypad on the PC’s keyboard, and with key combinations with the so-called COBRA keys. Its functions can also be accessed via a plugged-in Braille display, a TASO module or CeBox. 3.1 Display on the Braille display and speech output ===================================================== In any application, COBRA always follows the focus or the most important area – the place where something must be input or selected. *Speech output:* The speech output will announce the current position and, where appropriate, will provide further information such as the type or, in a list for example, the running number or total number of elements. *Braille display:* You have a choice of two modes. *Element display:* This is activated by default, and only the focused object is displayed. In addition to text, a short code will first appear describing the type of element. “EF” stands for Input field; “MEF” for a multi-line input field; “LI” for an element in a list; “BS” for command key, i.e. a button; “KF” for control field; “AS” for a key; “BAE” for an element in a tree structure; “RK” for an index card, and “ME” for a menu element. If you come across a code that you do not understand, simply press a cursor-routing key on one of the letters, and the type of element will be announced and shown on the Braille display. *Line display:* Unlike Element Display in which only one element is ever displayed, Line Display offers a view showing all those elements on the Braille display which can be found in the same position on the screen. Instead of the above-mentioned code, the elements will be “decorated” with small symbols so that you can immediately tell what type of element it is. Here are some examples of the different types of element: . E [ Document1.doc ]: an input field . : a button . [X] Active speech: an activated control field . [ ] Active speech: a non-activated control field . (x) Monday: an activated key . ( ) Monday: a non-activated key . [General]: an index card *Focus tracking and Navigation:* With regard to speech and Braille presentation, COBRA distinguishes between Focus Tracking, where you move around in the application, and Navigation, where you “have a look around” (move around) the screen with COBRA. For Focus Tracking, Element Display is activated after installation, and for Navigation, Line Display is activated. You can change both to suit your needs in the COBRA Menu under “General”. *Details:* You can determine if, and in what order, information is to be announced over the speech output and displayed in Element Display on the Braille display, in the COBRA menu under “Display”. 3.2 Using COBRA with combinations of COBRA keys ================================================ First of all, we will explain what a COBRA key is and how it is used. The COBRA key is usually the Capslock key. You can find it on a normal keyboard immediately above the left Shift key, i.e. it is the outermost key on the left of the third row from the bottom. The COBRA key is used in conjunction with another key on the keyboard, whereby the COBRA key is always pressed first, followed by the other key, before both are then released. There are also a few combinations where the COBRA key is pressed together with the Shift or CTRL key and another key. For example: to activate the command COBRA key+O, press and hold the COBRA key (Capslock), then press the O key briefly, and then release both. This particular combination will launch the OCR – the recognition of text in graphics. 3.3 Navigation with the Screen Keys ==================================== To move around the screen using Navigation, the following key combinations involving the COBRA key and the Windows key are available in COBRA. Windows-Key+Up arrow – navigates to the previous element or previous line. Windows-Key+Down arrow – navigates to the next element or next line. COBRA-key+Home – navigates to the title bar, i.e. the line with the name of the application. COBRA-key+End – navigates to the last line in the window. 3.4 Using COBRA with the Keypad ================================ It is also possible to use COBRA with the PC’s keypad. The keypad is divided into different levels; use the 0 [zero] key in conjunction with another key on the keypad to move from level to level. Once you have toggled to a particular level, simply press a key on the keypad to call up your desired function. Only the 0 is unavailable as a function within the level structure, because the 0 key can only be used to move from level to level. If you press 0 on its own you will be taken to level 0. If you require a function from a different level, you must first toggle to that level before you can call up the desired function. In the COBRA Handbook the functions are described according to how the keys must be pressed on the keypad. For example, 0+2 means Level 2, Function 2. To call up 0+2, you must first toggle to Level 2 – press the 0 key together with the 2. Release both keys; you will hear “Level 2, Help Function 2” and you will have toggled to Level 2. You can now call up the function by pressing the 2 key. 3.5 Navigating around the screen with keypad commands ====================================================== You can also use the keypad commands to navigate around the screen. The required functions can all be found in Level 0 – Basic Functions. Go to Level 0 by simply pressing, and then releasing, the 0 key on the keypad. 0, 8 navigates to the previous element or previous line. 0, 2 navigates to the next element or next line. 0, Plus [+] navigates to the beginning of the window, and 0, Return to the end of the window. 3.6 Working with the COBRA-Explorer ==================================== The COBRA-Explorer is used when reading web pages in Internet Explorer or FireFox from version 3.5, in new help files (CHM-Files), in Adobe Reader, in HTML-Mails in Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express, in some dialogs in the control panel and other programs that uses the HTML control of Internet Explorer. You can adjust, if COBRA-Explorer will be activated automatically or not together with other settings in COBRA-Menu, Menu Extras, COBRA- Explorer. You can activate COBRA-Explorer with COBRA+P and with the same command it can be switched off. You can either use ESC to switch COBRA- Explorer off. You'll hear a decreasing drop tone when COBRA-Explorer is activated and a increasing dropping tone when switched off. You can walk in the document with the normal cursor arrow keys. There are additional commands to jump to specific elements, to get an overview over the current document and some other usefull functions. As soon as the cursor is on an edit field or listbox, you'll hear a click tone to inform you about that. By standard the formula mode will not be activated automatically. You have to press Enter on such a field to enter text or select an item in the list. When the formula mode is activated in COBRA-Menu, Menu Extras, COBRA- Explorer, after the desired time the formula mode will be activated automatically. You'll be informed about that you now can enter text or select an item in a list by an drum tone. After you have entered text or selected an item in a list you simply press TAB to get to the next form field. If that is again an edit field or list box the formula mode will stil be activated, if not the formula mode will be switched off. You can follow a link by pressing Enter. With the same key you can also press a button. Radio buttons and checkboxes can be selected/switched by either pressing space bar or enter. COBRA-Explorer will not be shown on the screen. Only the Braille monitor of COBRA on the top of the screen will, if activated, show the current line. When you move the cursor within COBRA-Explorer, the selected text will also be shown on the original screen. But where it is on the screen depends on the web page. The following general commands are available: . COBRA-Explorer off/on: COBRA+P With this key combination you'll switch COBRA-Explorer off and on. If you hear "COBRA-Explorer has no text" please move the cursor into the content of the web page or inside the HTML-Mail. . jump to next textblock without links: Shift+Page down Jumps to the next textbloxk without links. COBRA searches for the next text, where 40 characters are no links. So you'll normally jump ofer menues to the next text part. . jump to previous textblock without links: Shift+Page up Same command but in other direction. . Click on current item: Enter Clicks on the element, where the cursor is currently. If this click will not work, please first move the cursor to this element by CTRL+Shift+Enter and than click with Enter. . double click on current item: Shift+Enter . right click on current item: CTRL+Enter . move focus to current item: CTRL+Shift+Enter . show name of document: F9 . Shows the name of the document. On web pages it is the title of the web page, in HTML-Mails in Outlook or Outlook express it is the original subject. In COBRA-Menu, Menu Extras, COBRA-Explorer you can also select to present the name of the document in the first line of the document. . show address: CTRL+Shift+F9 Shows the address of the document. On web pages it is the internet address (url), in HTML-Mails in Outlook and Outlook Express it is a not important temporary file name. You can setup COBRA-Explorer to shwo the address inside the document in COBRA-Menu, Menu Extras, COBRA-Expllorer. . show summary of page: Shift+F9 The summary presents the number of links, form fields, of pages, paragraphs, lines, words and characters. . start selecting: F8 Press F8 to start the selection. Than go to the end of the textblock and press Shift+F8 to set the end of selection. . stop selecting: Shift+F8 With Shift+F8 you set the end of the selection. To copy the selected text to windows clipboard press CTRL+C. . Detail info: F11 Presents detailed information about the current item. . Search: CTRL+F Opens a window to enter text to search. After you have entered the text simply press Enter to start the search. The cursor will be set to the first place where the string was found. You'll hear also how many the string is found in the whole document. . Search next: F3 . search in other direction: Shift+F3 searches backwards to the previous place. . Stop-mode: S With s you can switch on the stop mode. When stop mode is activated COBRA-Explorer will not activate the page anymore. This function can be used, when a page is updated in short periods automatically to stop this. Before you want to click on an element you have to switch off Stop mode with S again. The following keys can be used to jump directly to the specific item. If you Press Shift together with that key it jumps backwards to the previous item. With CTRL+Shift and the key you jump to the first element of this type. ALT+Shift with that key jumps to the last item. And with CTRL+ALT+Shift and the key you'll open a list of the items of this type: . Link: U All links, visited and not visited links. . visited links: V Only visited links. . Edit field: E . list box: O . Button: B . Checkbox: X . radio button: R . all kind of form fields: N . Heading of level 1: 1 . Heading level 2: 2 . Heading Level 3: 3 . Heading Level 4: 4 . Heading Level 5: 5 . Heading Level 6: 6 . Heading independent of level: H Jumps simply to the next heading, doesn't metter of which level it is. . Frame: M . Paragraph: P . Start of an list: L . point in the list: I . Graphic: G . Quoting: Q 3.7 The COBRA Menu =================== The COBRA Menu allows you to change all COBRA settings on the screen. The settings you change with COBRA commands, however, will not be saved. Only when you change the settings from the COBRA Menu will they be saved and be available the next time you log on. Press the left Shift key twice in rapid succession to open the COBRA Menu. Close the COBRA Menu in the same way. Alternatively you can close the COBRA Menu with the Escape key, or by going to the “File” menu and selecting “Close”. With a TASO-Module or CeBox, the COBRA Menu can also be opened and closed with the key combination *+0 [Star key + 0]. All dialogs are available over the menu. You can also go to every of the main menu points with the arrow keys left and right. After you have selected the right point please press Enter to open the submenu. See Chapter 4.5 for a detailed description of the COBRA Menu. 4 Using COBRA ************** In this chapter we will describe step-by-step how to use COBRA. 4.1 Tips on COBRA commands =========================== There follows some important information about COBRA. We will then explain all COBRA’s commands in detail. 4.1.1 Cursorrouting -------------------- We will now give you some general information about Cursor routing in COBRA’s Element Mode. In Element Mode, further information will appear alongside the screen element text, such as a description of the title of the input fields, control fields, buttons and hotkeys, as well as the element type, which will appear at the very beginning. If you press a cursor-routing key above the text in the element, left click on the element. If you press a cursor-routing key above an ancillary displayed element, this segment or description will be announced. (*)Example 1:(*) On your Braille display the following list appears: LI Language 3/7 . ‘LI’ means List element . ‘Language’ is the text of the element . 3/7 is the running number of the element in this list – it is the third of a total of 7 elements. With the cursor-routing key, click on LI, and “List element” will be spoken, as will the description of the element. (*)Example 2(*) In a message window in Word, the following appears on the Braille display: BS OK O Do you want to save the changes to Document1.DOC? . ‘BS’ means Command key, i.e. a key . ‘OK’ is the text assigned to the key . O is the hotkey for this key . The text “Do you want to save the changes to Document1.DOC?” is the message displayed above the key. If you press a cursor-routing key above “BS”, the BS will be explained and you will hear “Command key”. Click on “OK” and the “OK” button will be clicked. (*)Example 3(*) In a control field, the following appears on the Braille display: KF Grade II Braille active ( ) K Grade II Braille options . KF means Control Field, i.e. the type of element. . ‘Grade II Braille active’ is the element’s text . ( ) the space in round brackets stands for a non-selected control field; a selected control field would show as (g), i.e. a ‘g’ in round brackets. . K stands for Hotkey. In the dialog, ALT+K will take you straight to this control field. . ‘Grade II Braille options’ is the heading for this group of settings. (*)Example 4(*) In a menu element, the following appears: ME New>... CTRL+N N [File] 1/17 . ME is the abbreviation for Menu Element, i.e. an entry in a menu . New... CTRL+N is the text assigned to this menu entry . N is the hotkey . [File] is the entry in the main menu, under which this menu element is stored. You must open the File menu to access the subentry ‘New’. COBRA will always display a menu path where a menu or tree structure is concerned. This allows you to tell immediately when you have reached the current element. . 1/17 is the running number in the menu – in this example, the first of 17 menu entries. 4.1.2 Navigation Pointer ------------------------- In COBRA, by “Navigation pointer” we mean the position to which you have moved in Navigation. You can regard the Navigation pointer as a cursor, or position at which you want to read something. The cursor or focus of the program is also a point at which text can be input. In BLINDOWS the Navigation pointer is also called the Eye, and in VIRGO - Navigation. If focus tracking is activated, the Navigation pointer is automatically positioned on the current element. The Navigation pointer can be moved around the screen as follows: . on the keypad – Level 0 with 8 to go up, and 2 to go down. . with the Windows-key+Up arrow to go up, and Windows-key+Down arrow to go down . with the navigation keys on the Braille display - up and down. . on the TASO-module or CeBox, with key 8 to go up and 2 to go down; similarly, 4 and 6 to move sideways left and right, character-by-character, and Plus-4 and Plus-6 left and right, word-by-word. 4.1.3 Quick Messages --------------------- COBRA uses Quick Messages to provide status information on the Braille display and speech output. Quick Messages are thus always used in COBRA when you switch commands and ask for values and information. Quick Messages are read out and appear on the Braille display. The messages will automatically disappear from the Braille display after a certain length of time. If you would prefer to read the Quick Message in your own time, you can freeze the message by pressing the very first cursor-routing key on your Braille display, or the left Shift key on your PC’s keyboard. To get rid of the Quick Message sooner, you can delete it by pressing one of the other cursor-routing keys with the exception of the very first one, or one of the keys on your PC’s keyboard. You can read a frozen Quick Message in your own time and can move to the right and left within it with the Navigation keys. Navigation around the screen with a frozen Quick Message is not possible. To quit a frozen Quick Message, simply press any cursor-routing key on the Braille display, or a key on the PC. *Exercise:* Classic examples of Quick Messages are the date and time, which you can consult with COBRA-key+F12, and COBRA-key+Shift+F12. When pressing COBRA-key+F12 for the time or COBRA-key+Shift+F12 for the date, the Quick Message will be spoken and the time or date respectively will appear on the Braille display. Wait until the message automatically disappears from the Braille display. Now call up the function once more, and before the message disappears again, press the very first cursor-routing key on the Braille display or the left Shift key on the PC’s keyboard. This will freeze the message. You can now read it in your own time on the Braille display, and browse left and right with the keys to read through the full text of a longer message. To quit a frozen Quick Message, press any cursor-routing key, or a key on the PC’s keyboard. *Tip:* The time between the moment a Quick Message is displayed on the Braille display and the moment it disappears, can be set in the COBRA Menu’s “General” dialog. 4.1.4 Segments --------------- COBRA uses so-called segments for displays on the Braille display and announcements made over the speech output. Each segment contains information about a screen element. Segments can be amended independently for the Braille output and speech output in the COBRA Menu’s “Display” dialog. Each segment can be switched on or off, and the order in which they will appear on the Braille display or be spoken over the speech output changed. The following segments are accessible via a key: . MSAANAMEORTEXT the name of the key . Hotkey: the appropriate letter . Window title: the title or name of the window. . Window message: any message, which sits above the button. . Role: the type of element in abbreviated form, e.g. “BS” for Command button. . Role: the type of element, spelled out for the speech output *Tip:* You can adapt the segments as you wish in the COBRA Menu’s “Display” dialog. 4.2 Using the TASO-Module and CeBox ==================================== If you use a TASO-Module, an AUDIODATA CeBox or a TASO-Module as a plug-in for a BAUM VarioPro, extra functionality (borrowed) from BLINDOWS is offered. A TASO-Module has a numeric 12-key keypad, with three small keys A, B and C, and a wheel above, with a vertical slider to the side on the right. AUDIODATA’s CeBox has a 12-key number pad at the bottom, with two wheels above. On the right of each wheel, at roughly half past four, there is a small round key. This is called Shift A for the upper wheel (Wheel A), and Shift B for the lower wheel. The TASO-Module and CeBox keypads have a star key at the bottom left; the 0 is alongside, and the + key is at the bottom right. The row above has the 1, 2 and 3 keys; the row above that the 4, 5 and 6 keys, and the top line has the 7, 8 and 9 keys. The order is the same as the keypad on your PC or pocket calculator. The sliders on the TASO-Module and CeBox steer the individual lines on the screen. When you move the sliders you will hear different tones for a full line and a blank line. Press the button on the slider, and the line to which you have moved will be read out until you release the button. An optional column slider is available for the front of the device. It steers the characters within the selected line. You will hear different tones for upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, punctuation, special characters and spaces. Press the column slider and the word will be spelled out from the current character until the end of the word. If you are on a space, the line will be read out from the current word until the end of the line. The TASO-Module’s wheel and the upper wheel on the CeBox perform the same functions as the column slider. Turn the wheel anti-clockwise and you will move character-by-character to the left; turn it clockwise and you will go to the right. If you press the wheel within a word, the word will be spelled out from the current position to the end of the word – press it between words and the rest of the line will be read out. Key functions: . The individual numbers have the basic navigation functions assigned to them. . the numbers in conjunction with the PLUS key (bottom right) offer further navigation and mouse functions. . the numbers in conjunction with the Star key (bottom left) have further functions assigned. In the Basic level, the keys are assigned as follows: . 0: Stop speech output, restart from beginning . 1: Move Navigation pointer to the left margin, and read out the line When you press 1 again, the Pointer will first jump to the right to the front of the next word and the reading will begin here. . 2: Navigation pointer one line down . 3: Move Navigation pointer to column-slider position and read out from there . 4: Move Navigation pointer one character left . 5: Speak: if the Navigation pointer is within a word, the word will be spelled out from the current position; if it is between two words the text will be read out from there to the end of the line. . 6: Move Navigation pointer one character right . 7: Move Navigation pointer back to the Focus . 8: Move Navigation pointer one line up . 9: Move Navigation pointer to the last spoken word. Each time the function is repeated, the Navigation pointer will move one word further to the left. On this level the following functions are available in conjunction with the Plus key: . Plus-0: Switch magnification on/off . Plus-1: Move mouse pointer to Navigation pointer position . Plus-2: Move Navigation pointer to last line . Plus-3: Currently unassigned . Plus-4: Move Navigation pointer to front of word or front of previous word . Plus-5: Read out further information about the element . Plus-6: Move Navigation pointer to front of next word . Plus-7: Left mouse click on the Navigation pointer position . Plus-8: Double left click on the Navigation pointer position . Plus-9: Right click on the Navigation pointer position On this level the following are available in conjunction with the Star key: . Star-0: Open and close the COBRA Menu . Star-2: Move Navigation pointer to last line . Star-3: Continuous reading of the text from the cursor . Star-7: Move Navigation pointer to title bar . Star-8: Move Navigation pointer to uppermost line . Star-9: Move Navigation pointer to toolbar 4.3 COBRA Menu =============== The COBRA Menu can be opened by pressing the left Shift key twice in rapid succession; it can also be closed with this same combination. Alternatively, the COBRA Menu can be opened and closed on the TASO- Module or AUDIODATA CeBox with the combination Star and 0. *Tip:* Before changing your settings, you must decide if they are to be applied globally (for all applications) or just for a single program. By default all settings are changed for all programs that have no specific setting. In all dialogs you can press F8 to switch to make teh changes for this program only. Without pressing F8 or if you select "Global" in the list Settings at the top of every dialog the changes are made for all programs. Exception is the dialog "Global settings" in Extras menu. This screen is global and can not be program specific, it whould make no sense. To create or adapt a setting just for one single program please do the following: . close the COBRA menu, if it was opened . open the program you want to adapt the settings for . from this program please open the COBRA menu (for example with double left shift key) . open the desired dialog of the COBRA menu . press F8 to select the program in the list "Settings". Now the settings for this program are loaded and will be presented in this dialog. If there are allready special settings they will be presented, otherwise the standard settings will be shown. . now you can start to change the settings. Please do not change settings before you have pressed F8! Any changes made will apply only to the program selected. The settings will be loaded automatically as soon as you launch this program. In the main screen of the COBRA menu you'll find the following points: . in menu File (ALT+F) you'll find the following entries: - Restore defaults: yu can delete the special settings for a single program or the global settings. - Close menu: closes only the COBRA menu. You'll be taken to the application you were before. - Exit COBRA: stops COBRA. After you have stopped COBRA you can either click on the link to COBRA on the desktop, Press ALT GR+C or press and hold left CTRL+Alt+Shift+F7 for at least 2 seconds. . Braille (ALT+_B): here you'll find the dialogs that are configuring the braille output. The two submenu entries are: - Braille settings: select 6- or 8-Dot Braille, determine whether attributes should be displayed on the Braille display, how the Cursor should look like, and whether output should also be displayed in Grade II (contracted Braille). - Advanced Braille settings: select the 6 and 8 dot braille table, adjust the left and right margin on the braille display and configure the braille splitting with the left and right braille status part as well as other advanced braille settings. . Speech (ALT+S): Here you can configure how and what to speak. The three items in the submenu are: - Speech settings: switch speech on and off, select the voice and change its speed, volume, pitch and stress according to your preferences. You can also determine if and how punctuation, special characters and numbers are to be read out. - advanced Speech settings: select in which language and with which voice the document, the menues and dialogues oof the program and the additional informations from COBRA should be given. - Keyboard echo: use this to change the settings for keyboard echo when inputting or deleting. Use the “Speech settings” dialog to determine if and how punctuation and special characters are to be read out. - Dictionary: gives you the chance to edit the user dictionary COBRA uses for the speech output. . Magnification (ALT+M): opens the menu to configure the magnification. It has only one single item: - Magnifier setting: Here you can switch magnification on and off and adapt size, layout and colors of it. . Extras (ALT+X): here you'll find the following entries: - Preferences: select the type of presentation, cursor tracking, Braille input over the PC’s keyboard, the length of time Quick Messages are to displayed, graphics display, how the number pad should work, and the language for the onscreen OCR function. Go to the “Keyboard Echo” dialog to determine if, what and how much COBRA should read out automatically when keys are pressed. Go to the “Presentation” dialog to determine what (and in what order) COBRA should read out and present on the braille display when the focus moves. - Key assignment: keys on the PC’s keyboard, keypad, and the Braille display, and keys used in conjunction with the COBRA key can be amended or assigned new functions. - Presentation: in this powerful dialog you can adjust for braille and speech separately what and in which order to present. this can be done for every single windows object type and program specific as well, if you like. - COBRA-Explorer: opens the dialog to configure the COBRA- Explorer. The COBRA-Explorer is new in COBRA 9. It is to easy read web pages in Internet Explorer and FireFox, PDF Files in Adobe Reader, HTML Mails in Outlook and Outlook Express, Help files (CHM) and other dialogs that contain the HTML control of Microsoft. - Sounds: opens the dialog to configure if and which sounds should be played from COBRA and as well the volume of the COBRA navigation tones. Since COBRA 9 you can also decide for which attributes the second highest tone should be played. - Program List: opens the list of all open windows. You can switch to the selected program, minimize and maximize from here and stop the program. It is the same list as if you press COBRA+F10. - Global settings: this dialog is the one and only dialog that can not be program specific. The settings here are always global. You can select the language of the COBRA menu, which key should be the COBRA key, if languages that write from right to left like hebrew and arabic should be supported and which is the main braille display and which is the second one. You'll also find the mouse garage, on which sound card the speech output should be played and for notebooks if changes of battery state and power supply should be presented automatically. . Help: opens the different versions of the hand book, the file with the latest changes and the detailled information abut the COBRA version. The elements in the menu are: - New in this version: opens a text file with the changes of the current COBRA version - COBRA help: The entry accesses the contents page of the COBRA Handbook. The Handbook will be opened in Internet Explorer and can be read with COBRA-Explorer or WebFormator. - Online Help: opens also the hand book but the latest version in internet. - Manual as Text: opens one single file with the whole manual of COBRA in a Text editor. - COBRA web page: opens the BAUM web page about COBRA. - About: opens a dialog that presents detailed information about the currently running COBRA version, your operating system and the version numbers of all COBRA files. The following chapters contain a detailed description of the individual dialogs – open the appropriate dialog and call up Help with F1. 4.3.1 Braille -------------- Use the “Braille, , Braille settings” dialog to amend the Braille display as you wish. The following settings are available: . Braille: select 6- or 8-dot Braille. You can set up a Braille table for both 6- and 8-Dot script. You will find this setting in Menu “Braille” in “Braille, advanced”. . Cursor: determine how the cursor will be displayed on the Braille display. . Navigation cursor: from the list, determine how the Navigation pointer will be displayed on the Braille display. The navigation pointer is used in screen viewer, when you walk around the screen with the different navigation functions or when you are using a TASO-Module or CeBox to present the position of the navigation. . Cursor is visible on braille display: decide if you want to see the cursor on the braille display or not. If you have selected all 8 dots set for presenting the cursor on the braille display it is not possible to read the character underneath. To see the character at the cursor use 0+2, 7. . show attributes: decide whether or not any attributes through dots 7 and 8 should be shown on the Braille display. By ‘attributes’ we mean formatting like selected, highlighted, or underlined text etc. If this option is activated, dots 7 and 8 will be used to display any formatting. . Braille Tracking: when you are browsing with the cursor, decide whether or not the Braille display should follow the cursor either by jumping or sliding. ‘Jumping’ means that the Braille display jumps to the end of the display to show the next part, i.e. it jumps the full length of the braille display to the right or to the left. ‘Sliding’ means that it will be pushed one single character to the right or to the left. The Braille display is almost dragged along with it. Set the left- and right-hand margins in the ‘Braille’ menu, under “Advanced”. . Show spaces in lines: when navigating around the screen, decide whether you want the space characters to appear at the beginning, end or in the middle of the line, or whether they should be hidden. The drop-down list has all the possible combinations of settings. . Show empty lines: when navigating around the screen, should COBRA display blank lines at the top, bottom or middle of the screen, or should they be hidden? The drop-down list has all the possible combinations of settings. . Grade II Braille active: use the field to activate or deactivate contracted or literary braille. The following three settings are only visible if Grade II Braille is activated. . Type of Grade II Braille: select the rules to be followed by Grade II Braille conversion. In addition to German conversions for Grade I and Grade II Braille, conversions for other countries are available. The following are available: - Grade 1 German - Grade 2 German - Computerbraille US English: US Computer Braille. - Grade 1 English - Grade 2 English UK - Grade 2 English US - Grade 2 Welsh - Grade 1 Norwegian - Grade 2 Norwegian - Grade 3 Norwegian - Grade 2 French - Grade 2 French Canada Grade 1 is for Grade I Braille, Grades 2 and 3 for Grade II Braille. . how to handle the word, where the cursor is: select if the word where the cursor is should be contracted or expanded. you'll have the following settings: - expanded: if the cursor is within a word this word will not be contracted. this is useful to see which character you are editing. - contracted: if the cursor is within a word this word will also be contracted. This means you can not see where the cursor is when you edit a word. The speech will tell but on the braille display the word will also be contracted. This is useful wehn you more read than edit text. - contract till cursor: if the cursor is within a word the part before the cursor will be contracted, the part after it not. So when you walk within a word you'll see which contractions will be generated. This is useful when you are learning grade I or II braille and want to see it in real how words will be contracted. *Note:* the complete contraction may differ from the parts you'll see when you walk along the word. . Show grade ii in lower-case letters: determine whether Grade II Braille should display the indicators for upper-case letters, or if Grade II Braille should only be displayed in lower case. . “Save” saves the settings and takes you back to the main screen of the COBRA Menu. . “Cancel” takes you back to the main screen of the COBRA Menu without saving the changes. . "Save temporarly" takes you to the main screen of the COBRA menu but the settings are not saved but stay active for this session only. After a restart they will be lost. *Tip:* Further settings for the Braille display are available in the “Advanced Braille” dialog. They can only be accessed from the “Braille” option of the menu. 4.3.2 Braille, Advanced Braille settings ----------------------------------------- The “Advanced Braille” dialog can be accessed from the “Braille” menu of the main screen of the COBRA Menu. It contains the following elements: . scroll left action: decide which segments the Braille display should show when jumping left at the beginning of the line. The following settings are available: - Line up, considers space characters: the Braille display jumps to the end of the previous line. - Line up, skip blank line, considers space characters: the Braille display jumps to the end of the previous line, but blank lines are missed out. - Line up, skip blank lines, start on left: the Braille display jumps up to the next line with text and appears on the extreme left at the beginning of the line. - Line up, begin on left: the Braille display jumps to the left margin of the previous line, even if the line is blank. - Line up, skip blank lines, retain position: the Braille display is shifted up to the next line with text, and the position within the line does not change. - Line up, retain position: the Braille display is shifted one line up, and the position within the line does not change. . Action when scrolling right: decide which segments the Braille display should show when jumping right at the end of the line The settings are similar to those for scrolling left. The following settings are available: - Line down, considers space characters: the Braille line is shifted to the next line, whether it is blank or not. - Line down, skip blank lines, considers space characters: the Braille display is shifted to the next line. - Line down, skip blank lines, start on left: the Braille display is shifted to the left-hand margin of the next line. - Line down, start on left: the Braille display is shifted to the left-hand margin of the next line even if it is blank. - Line down, skip blank lines, retain position: the Braille display is shifted down to the next line, and the position within the line does not change. - Line down, retain position: the Braille display is shifted to the next line, even if it is blank, and the position within the line does not change. . left-hand margin on the Braille display: decide how many characters the left-hand margin should have. When the focus (cursor) enters this area, the line will be shifted left. . Right-hand margin on the Braille display: decide how many characters the right-hand margin should have. When the focus (cursor) enters this area, the line will be shifted right. In the “Braille” dialog, then “Braille Tracking”, determine whether the Braille display should then be pulled along character-by-character (dragged tracking) or whether it should be shifted the whole length to the right, or if on the left-hand margin to the left (jump tracking). . B-keys are working as: select if the braille input keys (-B-keys) on your braille device should work as braille input or as command keys. Command keys mean that you can use every of them alone or with another key to perform commands. Braille input means that all Braille keys are working only together to input braille text into the PC. You'll find B-Keys at BAUM Conny, VarioConnect and Pronto!18 or Pronto!18 and also on some Handy Tech and other braille devices. . enable VarioPro rollbars: determine if the rollbars at the front of an BAUM VarioPro should work or not. The 3 rollbars at the front of the BAUM VarioPro 64 and the four at the VarioPro 80 can have different functions. Some users touch this rollbars accidently so we decided you can deactivate them. . Length of left status: determine if and how many characters should be reserved on the left-hand margin on your braille display for a separate area. What is to appear in this section can be determined in the following drop-down list. . Content of left status: from the list, choose what is to be displayed in the left-hand section. The left-hand status uses the number of braille elements you set up above to display special informations. If you type 5, for example, the first five Braille elements will be reserved for the left-hand status section. The following settings are available for the left- and right-hand Braille status: - Character position: the position of the character in pixels, from the left. - Progress indicator bar: if a progress indicator bar appears on the screen, its value will be displayed. If none is shown, two question marks will appear. - Hotkey: if the element to which you have navigated has a hotkey assigned, it will be displayed (ALT+ the appropriate letter). - Hotkey, letter only: the hotkey will be displayed but without the ALT+. You have of curse to press the ALT-key to access this element but it will not be shown here. - Left caption: the caption on the left of, or above the element - Right caption: a caption on the right-hand side of an element. - Minimum value: the lower limit. - Maximum value: the upper limit. - Font style: the status section will display information about the character on which the focus (cursor) has already come to rest. The character will be displayed again in the first module, followed by one or more of the following letters to describe the different formatting: * N: Normal, no particular formatting * B: Bold * I: Italic * U: Underlined * V: invers (Reverse video) * H: Highlighted * G: Greyed-out, not clickable * 3: 3D-effect * S: striked out * D: Double striked out * W: Wavy underlinined in Word. Word shows an green or red waved line underneath the word which is misspelled or where grammer is not used correctly. - Time HHMM: the time in hours:minutes - Time MMSS: the time in minutes:seconds - Line number: the number of the line on the screen. - Information No. 1-3 coming from the script. A script can fill these segments with information. . length of right-hand status:: determine how many characters should be reserved on the right-hand margin of your braille display for a separate Braille status area. What is to appear in this section can be determined in the drop- down list below. The entries in the list are the same to those for the left-hand section. The Braille section will be displayed at the end of the Braille display is as many Braille modules as above for the right-hand braille status section. . Status module content: determines what should be displayed in the status module of your Braille display. If your Braille display has no separate status modules, you can still insert status information over the left- and right-hand Braille areas above. The following settings are available: - None: the status modules remain empty - Cursor: the status modules will display the cursor position within the window in pixels. - Font style: the status modules will display information about the character on which the focus (cursor) is already resting. The first status module displays the letter once again, followed by the following letters to describe the different script characteristics: * N: normal, no particular formatting * B: Bold * I: Italic * U: Underlined * V: inverted (Reverse video ) * H: Highlighted * G: Greyed-out, not clickable * 3: 3D-effect * S: striked out * D: Double striked out * W: Wavy underlinined. Word shows a wave underline underneath the text which you have to spell check or which is to be checked gramatically.word - Time HHMM: the hours and minutes For 12:30, 1230 will be displayed. - Time MMSS: the minutes and seconds of the current time will be given. For 12:30:22, 3022 will be given, i.e. just the minutes and seconds. . 6-Dot-Table: this sets the Braille table to be used when you activate the 6-Dot display. A Braille table defines which character is to be displayed with which dots on the Braille display. On the one hand, punctuation and special characters will be displayed differently for other languages, but on the other hand, 8-dot script already has various definitions for the German umlaut. . 8-Dot-Table: this sets the Braille table to be used when you activate the 8-Dot display. . “Save” will save the changes you have made and return to the main screen of the COBRA Menu. . “Cancel” will take you back to the main screen of the COBRA Menu, without saving the changes. . "Save temporarly": the changed settings will stay active but will not be saved. So they will be lost after a restart of COBRA. 4.3.3 COBRA-Explorer --------------------- The dialog COBRA-Explorer can be opened from the COBRA Menu by clicking Extras and than COBRA-Explorer. Here and in the three subdialogs you can adapt the COBRA-Explorer to your needs. The COBRA-Explorer is used in Web pages viewed with Internet Expllorer or FireFox, in PDF Files in Adobe Reader, in HTML Mails in Outlook and Outlook Express, in HTML Help files (CHM) and in all other programs that use the Internet explorer window to present HTML content. The following options are available: . Mode: select the sheme you want to use or adapt. COBRA-Explorer uses four different shemes that configure how to present the different items in a document. The following shemes can be selected: - Speech and Braille: is the standard sheme. In braille the items are written short and the speech will announce the important items. - Predominantly Braille: the speech will not tell so much. - Predominantly Speech: the speech will tell more in this sheme. - for web developers:All kind of elements will be shown in braille and as well with the speech. After you have selected an sheme you can click on "Enhanced" to see and configure the settings for every single element separately. . automatic start: select, if the COBRA-Explorer should be started automatically when the cursor comes to such an text or not. If you disable this option you can activate COBRA-Explorer by pressing COBRA+P. . automatically start reading: select if the reading mode should be started automatically when COBRA-Explorer is activated. . Show url in document: select if the first line of the document should present the url. In Internet Explorer and FireFox the url (internet web address) will be shown, in PDF files the file name. In HTML Mails in Outlook or Outlook Express you'll see a temporary file name of the mail, this is not useful. . Show Title in document: select if COBRA-Explorer should present the title of the document as one of the first lines in the document. In Internet Explorer and FireFox you'll see the title of the document, in HTML mails you'll see the subject or the first line as title. . Show active element in browser: select, if a colored rectangle should be put around the element where the COBRA-Explorer is. *Note:* the rectangle can only be shown when the magnification is enabled. You can, if you don't want a magnification, select the magnification to 1 which is original size. . Decoration for Braille: determine if on the braille display the abreviations for the different elements should be presented or not. If selected you'll see LNK for a link and so on. If you don't like this disable this checkbox. . Decoration for speech: decide if the speech should tell you what kind of elements it is or not. If selected the speech will announce Link, Link visited, checkbox and so on. . Time to enter edit mode: select how many milliseconds COBRA should wait till the edit mode should be activated automatically. When you walk through the document and come to an edit field or listbox and you stay on this element COBRA will wait the entered amount of milliseconds to activate the edit mode automatically. In Edit mode you can enter text in an edit field or select an item in a listbox. If you set this time to 0 the edit mode will not be activated automatically. You have to press Enter to activate the edit mode then. . Move cursor while speaking: Select if the braille display should show the words which the speech is currently speaking. If you are an fast braille reader you can follow the speech while reading. Other users can get confused when the braille display moves while speaking. . when speech is interrupted: select where to put the cursor to when you interrupt the speech for example with CTRL key or the 0 on the TASO-Module/CeBox. You can select from the following options: - Cursor to entry position: the cursor will be placed on the position where COBRA-Explorer started to show this page. - Cursor to first character of last spoken text: the cursor will be placed on the first character of the last spoken text. This means for example to the first word of the last spoken paragraph. - Cursor to first character, with spaces: the cursor will be put on the first character. - Cursor to last character of last spoken: the cursor will be placed at the last character which was spoken. - Cursor to last spoken word: the cursor will be placed infront of the last spoken word. - do nothing: the cursor will not be moved. . When speech is done: select what to do when the speech has finished. You can select simmilar entries as in the listbox before. . when youmping word wise: what should COBRA show on the braille display when you walk through the document character by character. The entries with braille show the braille text with the short textes for the different elements. The elements with speech will show what you hear on the speech on the braille display. If you for example select braille, word you'll only see the word where you are currently on the braille display. So if you select Braille, Character you'll only see the character where you are at the moment. . when jumping character wise: what should be presented on the braille display when you walk in the document word by word. The entries in this list are simmilar to those before. . Characters per line: select after how many characters a line should be swaped to the next line. . Lines per page: select how many lines a page has. This setting is important when jumping from page to page. . When reaching the top or bottom: select if a sound and/or a quick message shuld be given out when you come to the begin or end of the document. You can select from the following settings: - No hint: nothing is done when yu reach the top or bottom. - play a sound: a sound will be given out. You can hear and adjust this sound in COBRA Menu, Extras, Sound when you select the sounds "COBRA-Explorer, start of document" and "COBRA-Explorer, end of document". - Quick Message: only a quick message will be presented on braille and speech when you reach the top or bottom. - Sound and quick message: a sound and a quick message will be presented. . Key Assignment: takes you to the dialog where you can see and edit the key assignment of COBRA-Explorer. . Enhanced: will take you to a dialog where you can make further settings. This settings are special adaptations if and how to present some standardized things. Please find detailed information about it in the next subchapters. . Object Info: takes you to a dialog where you can set which and how to speak and present on braille every kind of Element. Please look into the separate chapter to find out more about it. . "Save" will save your settings and take you back to the main screen. . "Cancel" will go back to the main screen and the changes will be discharged. . "Save Temporary": the settings stay active, you'll be taken to the main screen but the settings will not be saved. So they are lost after a restart. 4.3.3.1 COBRA-Explorer, extended On the extended page you can adjust further settings of COBRA-Explorer to your needs. You open this dialog by clicking on the button "Extended" on the COBRA-Explorer dialog. with t You'll find the following options: . Order of informations of an link: decide which and in what order informations should be presented for a link. The parts have the following meaning: - Linkpath: the name of the document/web page the link is refering to. - Linktitle: the additional title of an link - Graphic alt: the alternative text of an graphic - Graphic title: the additional title of an graphic In the next listbox you can select how many of the informations should be presented. . Number of shown link infos: decide how many informations for a link should be presented. You can select 1 up to 4 of the informations. In which order they should be presented can be selected in the listbox above. . Show graphics: decide if graphics should be presented within COBRA-Explorer. You can select from the following options: - No: no graphics will be presented, no labeled ones either. - Labeled ones: only graphics which are correctly labeled will be presented - All: all graphics will be presented, labeled and unlabeled ones. . Extract file names: determine how file names of unlabeled graphics should be presented. The following options are available: - No: the extension of unlabeled graphics will not be shown - Yes: the extensions will be shown in any case. - When extension is known: COBRA-Explorer will eliminate the extensions for known file extensions like .GIF, .PNG, .JPG and so on. for unlabeled links: decide if the file name should be presented on a unlabled link or not. . Order of informations for unlabeled links: decide in which order the informations about an unlabeled link should be presented. The elements in this list have the following meaning: - Link path: the name of the document or web page the link is refering to - Graphics file name: the name of the graphic . show only visible objects: select if invisible objects should be presented or not. On some web pages informations that are extra for blind people will be presented invisible. If you check this option these links especially for the blind will not be shown anymore. On the other hand some informations that should not be shown will either not be presented in this case. If this option is switched off you'll see some disturbing informations that can irritate you for example on www.amazon.com.. . Show objects with very small size: select if very small objects should be presented or not. Such objects are normally used for internal use only and they are not very helpful. . Show empty frames: determine if empty frames should be presented or not. Normally empty frames are not of interest for you because there is no information in it. Especially pages with many frames can be much easier if empty frames are eliminated. 4.3.3.2 COBRA-Explorer, Object infos In this dialog you can adjust for COBRA-Explorer for which elements what to present on speech and braille and where to make a line break. You can open this screen from the Dialog COBRA-Explorer by clicking on "Object infos" at the bottom. You'll find the following elements on the screen: . Mode: select for which COBRA-Explorer sheme you like to change the settings for. Please refer to the chapter about the Dialog COBRA-Explorer to learn more about the different modes. . Element: select the element you like to change the settings for. In this list you'll find all possible elements of web pages and PDF documents. *+*+ 4.3.4 File, Restore defaults ----------------------------- In The dialog File, Restore defaults you can either restore the program specific settings or the major settings of COBRA to the defaults. Select the "Reset selected application" to restore the settings for one specific program to the defaults. Press TAB to come to the list of programs you allready have settings for. Press Cursor upwards to select "Reset the entire user profile" to restore the major settings of COBRA to the defaults. In both cases after a message box you have to confirm. After that the selected setting will be deleted and restored to the defaults. 4.3.5 Info ----------- In the Dialog Help, Info you can see which version of COBRA you are using exactly. You'll also be informed about the operating system you are running at the moment. 4.3.6 Key assignment --------------------- In the “Key assignment” dialog of the COBRA Menu you can view and amend the existing key assignments, and assign functions to new keys. You'll find this dialog in Extras menu of COBRA as Key assignment. The dialog contains the following elements: . Type of Key: choose between COBRA key, keypad, computer keys or Braille display keys. - Select “COBRA Key” when your desired key combination is to be pressed together with the COBRA key: - Select “Keypad keys” when keys on the PC’s keypad are to be used in the assignments. - Select “Computer keys” when standard keys on the PC’s keyboard are to be used either in combination with a key on the keypad or with the COBRA-key - Select “Braille display keys”, when assignments are to recorded with a key or combination of keys on the Braille display, a plug-in module on a BAUM VarioPro, or an Audiodata CeBox. . Filter: this field enables you to restrict the list of pre- defined keys to those which correspond to the string of letters you input. For example, you can produce a list of all keys and combinations of keys which involve the Braille key D3, by typing “D3” in the search field. . List of pre-defined key combinations. This list contains all the previously defined keys and combinations of keys for a particular type of key (COBRA keys, keypad keys, PC key, and Braille display keys). If you have typed a text into the filter’s search box, the list will be restricted to those entries which contain the search term. If the word “User” appears at the end of a line, it means that this key assignment has been specially made by or for you. You'll jump to a key assignment by pressing the key. *Note: * If you have selected Braille keys and you want to jump to the left and right with your braille display to see the rest or beginning of the text please use 7 and 9 in layer 0 on the number pad instead of pressing the keys to do it on your braille display. . “Amend command” allows you to assign another COBRA function to this key or combination of keys. . “Amend key” allows you assign the function of the selected key to a different key. This allows you to assign a function to a key on your Braille display easily, for example. . “Add” allows you assign another key combination. . “Delete” deletes (in the list) the key combination on which the focus is located. If this is a user-specific key combination (with the word “User” at the end), the assignment will be deleted and re-set to the factory setting. You cannot, however, delete a factory setting (one without the word “User” at the end). . “Save” saves the settings and quits the dialog . “Cancel” quits the dialog without saving the settings. . Save Temporary: quits the dialog, the changes stay active but will be lost after restart of COBRA. 4.3.6.1 Key Assignment, New Key When you click on "New Key", "Change function" or "Change key" in Dialog Key Assignment you'll come to this separate dialog. You'll find the following options in this dialog: . Type of key: select which kind of key you want to change/add. . Key: If you have clicked on "Change function" in the previous dialog, this key is allready pre-defined. . Filter: enter one or more parts of the name of the function you want to assign to the key. The filter will, if entered, restrict the elements in the list below to those elements who have all of the entered parts in their description. The more words or parts you enter the less elements will be listed to select from in the list below. . List of functions: this list contain all or if entered a filter only those functions which match to the filter. . New keybinding: here you'll see the result of your work. _The entered key and the selected function will be showed in this field. . Assign key: click on this button to add this key to the key assignment. Please ensure to click on "Save" on the next screen to save this key assignment . Cancel: takes you back to the dialog Key assignment without changing any key binding. 4.3.7 Magnification -------------------- In the “Magnification” dialog of the COBRA Menu, you can launch the magnification and reset it to suit your requirements. You can open this Dialog with Windows key+Z or from the COBRA Menu by clicking on Magnification. This dialog is only visible if you have COBRA zoom, COBRA Pro or a DEMO-Version of COBRA running. With COBRA Braille it is not available. The following elements are available in the dialog: . enable Magnification: switches the magnification function on/off. the size and the style of the magnification have to be selected below. . Zoom factor: selects the magnification factor. Values range from 1 (original size) to a current maximum of 48- times magnification. In between 1 and 4 you can also select zoom factors of 1 and a quater, 1 and a half, and so on. . Screen layout: click on this button to select how the magnification should look like. When you have clicked on this button you can select from the following styles: - full screen: the magnification will take the whole screen for the magnification. - Top magnified (Split screen): the screen will be split into two parts. The top shows the magnified part and the bottom shows the screen in original size. - bottom magnified (Split screen): like the one before but the top shows the original size and the bottom the magnification. - Left magnified (Split Screen): The left half will be magnified and the right half shows the original size. - Right magnified (Split Screen)the left half will be in original size and the right will be magnified. - Quarter top left: the left quarter at the top will be magnified and the rest will be in original size. - quarter top right: like the one before but the magnified quarter will be on the right hand top side. - Dual Monitor: This option is only of use when you have two monitors connected to your PC. One monitor will present the screen in original size and the other will show the magnification. To have more than two monitors or if you need special adaptations this will be possible with an extra script. Please ask your distributor for more details. . Enable smooting: determine if the magnification should use its own smoothin algorithm. Sometimes it can happen that with enabled smoothing graphics can not be read so easy. . Enable scroll animation: . Enable fade effect: . enable inverting mode: determines whether or not the reverse video function is on/off. If activated, the screen content will be inversed, i.e. it will be displayed like a photographic negative. If not activated, the screen content will remain positive, i.e. normal. . Enable gray scale mode: determines whether or not the screen content should be displayed only in different types of gray, black and white. If activated, the magnified screen will look like old black and white photografies. The colors are gone and you'll only see different types of gray. . Enable two color mode: select if the magnification should only use two colors or not. The color and more details can be set up if you click on the button below. . Two color settings: This button will take you to a subscreen where you can adapt the two color mode to your needs. *+* . Enable dyed mode: The dyed mode is simmilar to the grayscale mode. Instead of all kinds of gray this mode will use the selected color, black and white. You can imagine when coloring your hair you also have only one color but in every kind of lighter and darker. Please click on the button below to select the color and more details. . Dyed mode settings: this button will take you to a separate dialog where you can select the color and more details for the dyed mode. *+* . Show Mouse pointer: select if you want to see the mouse pointer in the magnification or not. If selected you can configure the style and size of the mouse pointer with clicking on Mouse pointer settings below. . Mouse pointer settings: this button takes you to a subscreen where you can adapt the muse pointer settings to your needs. *+*+* . Show Mouse locator: select if you like to see the mouse locator. This is an help to find the mouse pointer on the screen. You'll see one vertical line and one horizontal line on the scren. Where they meet is the mouse pointer currently. Please click on the button below to adjust details about the Mouse locator. . Mouse Locator settings: takes you to an separate dialog where you can adjust the mouse locator. *+* . Show Focus Locator: select if you want to see a rectangle around edit fields, list boxes, radio buttons and checkboxes. The focus locator is simmilar to the mouse and cursor locator and helps you to find the focus rectangle. With the button below you can change the settings for the focus locator (Color, thickness and so on). . Focus Locator settings: takes you to an separate dialog where you can adjust the focus locator to your needs. *+* . Show Charet locator: determine if you like to see a locator for the blinking cursor helping you to find it easily.. The charet is the blinking cursor in edit fields and multi line edit fields of word processors. To adjust the charet locator to your needs please click on the button below. . Charet Locator settings: takes you to a dialog where you can configure the charet locator to your needs. *+* . Show COBRA pointer locator: select if you like to see the COBRA pointer locator. This helps you to easy find the COBRA pointer. Please click on the button below to configure the COBRA pointer locator. . COBRA Pointer locator settings: takes you to a subscreen where you can configure the COBRA pointer locator. . Zoomer view locators: click on this button to select which of the two view locators you like to see. You can select between the following options: - !i No zoomer view locator: you'll see nor the Zoomer view rectangle either the Zoomer scrollbars. - Zoomer view Rectangle: You'll see a rectangle in the original view that shows the position of the magnified area. - Zoomer view Scrollbars: You'll see scrollbars at the right and the bottom that shows you in which region of the original size the magnified area is currently. - Zoomer view rectangle and scrollbars: You'll see the Zoomer view rectangle and as well the Zoomer view scrollbars. . Zoomer view locator settings: takes you to a separate screen where you can select more details about the zoomer view locators. Please select first which kind of zoomer view locator you want to see by clicking the button "Zoomer view locator" above. *+* *+*+*+*+* . if the Black/White mode is activated, you can use the slider to set the contrast. *NB:* This controller must be used with caution, as it can lead to white script on a white background and black script on a black background, if set at the lowest rate (0%) or the highest (100 %). . “Save” will save the settings and quit the dialog . “Cancel” quits the dialog without saving the changes. . "Save temporary" will take you back to the main screen, the changed settings stay active but will not be saved. So they are lost after a restart of COBRA. 4.3.8 Options -------------- "alias Dialog "General Settings" The “Global Settings” dialog can be accessed from the “Tools” menu. All the settings made here will apply to all programs. Program- specific amendment of the values displayed here is not possible. The dialog contains the following elements: . COBRA language: select the language to be used for COBRA messages and the COBRA Menu. The languages into which COBRA has already been translated are available. *Tip:* Please note that here you are selecting the language to be used for messages and the COBRA Menu, not the language to be used to read out program texts – select this in the Speech Advanced dialog. . enable support for right to left languages: If this checkbox is enabled COBRA also supports hebrew (for Israel) and arabic. Those languages are written from right to left on the screen but on the braille display they are also from left to right. . COBRA Key: select which key is to be the COBRA key. If you want a key other than the Caps Lock key to become the COBRA Key, you must press this key rather than Caps Lock in COBRA key combinations. The following keys can become the COBRA key: - Caps Lock: the Caps Lock key above the left Shift key. - Print: the print key is the far left key of the group of three next to the F12 key. - Insert: the Insert key is the extreme left key on the top row of the block of 6 keys immediately above the arrow keys. - Num Lock: the Num Lock key is on the extreme left of the top row of the keypad. - Scroll Lock: the Scroll Lock key is the middle key of the set of three next to the F12 key. . Navigation walks in: please select if the navigation commands should go around the current focus window in a virtual text screen or if the navigation commands move the mouse pointer directly to move the magnification area on the screen. Please select "Text Screen" if you want to move the navigation in the text representation of the screen. This is usefu if you are using Baille or Speech. If you are using Magnification only you shuld select "Mouse pointer" here. . activate COBRA in Windows Logon screen: determines if COBRA is started right before the login screen of COBRA. This enables you to have full support (Magnification, Braille and Speech) to log in to the computer. *Note* After normal installation a shortcut to COBRA will also be in the All Users folder of the Windows start menu. This will not be deleted or created, if you check or uncheck this option. . Braille Display 1/2:if you have connected several Braille displays, you can define the first two here. The screen content will be presented on both braille displays. If one of the two Braille displays has a keyboard for inputting Braille, this can be used directly for inputting, and for controlling the PC. COBRA Script can be used to display other output on the second Braille display, e.g. to display status information in the word processor and a TAPIR telephone plugged into the PC. . Show Braille monitor: determine whether or not the Braille monitor should be visible or not. The Braille monitor is a window visible on the screen, featuring whatever is displayed on the Braille display. The Braille monitor is thus helpful for sighted colleagues as they can see what you are reading on the Braille display. If no braille display is connected to the PC and you want to have the Braille Monitor please add a serial braille display (Like VARiO 40 orVario80) in Braille Control Panel and select "Sim1" as port. This creates a simulated braille display. With that you'll also see the Braille Monitor on the screen. *Tip:* To activate the Magnification function, go to the “Magnification” option in the COBRA Menu. . automatically show battery status changes: determine whether or not COBRA should announce when there is a change in the battery charge on your laptop. You'll be informed when the battery goes below 66 % and 33 % and when the state comes over 33 %, 66 % and to 100 %. . automatically show power supply changes: determine whether or not COBRA should announce when you insert or remove the power cable from your laptop. . Park mouse pointer: select, if COBRA moves the mouse pointer to the upper left edge just outside the screen. If enabled, the mouse pointer will be taken to outside the screen 1,5 seconds after a click that is produced by COBRA. It will not affect any mouse movements with the real mouse. This is useful if you are not using the mouse and the mouse pointer is laying accedently ontop a image and Windows presents a tooltip for that object. . Audio Chanel: If more than one sound card is installed, you can select over which the speech output will be processed. *Note* only the speech output, but not all other sounds of COBRA will be routed to the selected sound card. . “Save” saves your settings and quits the dialog. . “Cancel” quits the dialog but without saving your settings. . "Save temporary" will take you back to the main screen, the changes stay active but will not be saved. So tey are lost after a reboot of COBRA. 4.3.9 Preferences ------------------ The "Preferences" dialog of the COBRA Menu is used for making the basic settings. It can be opened from the Extras menu of COBRA. These basic settings can also be made program-specific. The following entries are available: . Focus mode: in cursor tracking, decide if the pointer should follow element-by-element or line-by-line on the Braille display. When element oriented is selected, only one element is ever shown on the Braille display, but all the available information about it, such as the type of element, its assigned letter and running number (if in a list), will be displayed side by side on the braille display. With message windows, the text of the message will be displayed right behind the selected button and the type of element will be also displayed where it can be read without navigating around. Is line oriented selected, however, all elements which appear next to each other on the same line are displayed together. You can thus click on an element which is visible in the line but is not focused, and without having to focus it first. In Focus mode, Element oriented is loaded as default. . Focus Tracking: decide whether or not COBRA should follow the focus (cursor) and always display the focused element when the focus moves. If Focus Tracking is switched off, COBRA will not follow the focus. *Note:* If you switch off focus tracking by COBRA+F the focus tracking will only be switched off within this window. As soon as you change the program, a new window is opened the focus tracking will be switched on again automatically. . Navigation mode: this determines the display to be used when browsing around the screen. You have the choice of line-by-line or element-by-element. Is Element oriented selected, only one element will be displayed, but with all the available information about it. Browsing to the previous or next element will be on an element-by-element basis rather than line-by-line. If, for example, you find yourself on the middle of three elements on the screen and you browse to the previous element, you will first jump to the first element in the line and then to the previous line. Is line oriented selected, however, the entire text content of the line is displayed. The different types of element (input fields, buttons, keys etc) are clearly indicated by being ‘decorated’. For Navigation mode, Line oriented is loaded as default. . Speaking when navigating: select if and how COBRA should speak when you are walking around the screen and the content of the line is changing while you are staying on this line. You can select from the following list: - do not announce screen updates: the line is spoken only one time when youreach the line. If the line is changing no updates will be spoken. - announce full update emediately: as soon as the line is changing, the speech will be interrupted and COBRA starts to speak the whole line again. - announce full update after previous speech: when the speech has finished, the whole line will be spoken, if it changes. - announce updated text emediately: as soon as there is an change in the line COBRA will speak only that part that has changed. It will interrupt the previous speech first. That means for example when you copy files and the file names are allmost the same, COBRA will only speak the difference to the file before. It starts with File1.txt, and when file2.txt is copied COBRA will only speak 2, than 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 for file10.txt and it goes on with 1 because the difference between file10.txt and file11.txt is only the last 1. - announce only updated text after previous speech: is like the last one but cobra will not interrupt the speech before telling the next changed text. . Time out for Quick Messages: decide how long a Quick Message should remain on your Braille display before it automatically disappears. Quick Messages are always used in COBRA when information has to be communicated, for example when reading out parameters or informing you that settings have been changed. . show windows tooltips via Quick Message: decide if you want to be informed about upcoming Windows tooltips emediately or not. Windows Tooltips (also known as bouble help) are little textes that display a help for icons. Also if this checkbox is unchecked you can get the last Tooltip by pressing COBRA+U. . Use sounds for Windows Tooltips: if checked you will hear a little click whenever a Windows tooltip apears. You can then ask for this by pressing COBRA+U. By default the previous checkbox is off and this is on. So you will only hear this decent klick when a Tooltip comes up. . show graphics: decide whether or not unlabelled graphics should be displayed. If this option is switched on, “UG” will appear on the Braille display and “Graphic” will be read out over the speech output. Otherwise unlabelled graphics will not be displayed. Pre-defined graphics, however, will always be displayed. With COBRA-key+Shift+G, you can open a dialog where unlabelled graphics can be labelled. . show checksum for unlabeled graphics: Instead of UG and Graphic you will get a unique hexadecimal number to identify different graphics. *Note:* Show graphics and show checksum for graphics both will show unlabeled graphics if one of it is switched on. . Braille input via PC keyboard: decide whether or not you want to input Braille on the PC keyboard with the ASDF and JKL: keys. You can, however, always input Braille on a Braille keyboard attached to your Braille display. *Important:'* You will need to have an n-key-rollover compatible keyboard for this. . Numpad mode: Please select what the numeric pad on the normal keyboard should behave like. You can select from the following entries: - PC numpad: the number pad can be used for programs to enter numbers. - COBRA commands: the number pad is used by COBRA. For a detailed description how to use the number pad for commands in COBRA please see chapter 3.4 Using the keypad. - CeBox simulation: the number pad works like the numeric keypad on an TASO-Module or a CeBox. The Multiply key will work as Star and the Plus as the Plus or hash key. For a detailed description please see chapter 4.2 Using the TASO-Module and CeBox. You can switch between the COBRA or CeBox mode and the PC numberpad by pressing CTRL+Numlock. . OCR languages: select the languages in which a text recognized with Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is written. Text Recognition is launched with COBRA-key+O – it identifies graphic texts on the screen. To improve its functionality, where possible set the language in which the text is displayed. With cursor arrow up and down you can select the language and with space you can activate or deactivate the checkbox. . “Save” saves the settings and takes you back to the main screen of the COBRA Menu. . “Cancel” takes you back to the main screen of the COBRA Menu without saving the changes. . "Save temporarly": the settings stay active but will not be saved. So they will be lost after a restart of COBRA. 4.3.10 Presentation -------------------- In the "Presentation" dialog of the COBRA Menu, for each screen element you can determine what is to be displayed on the Braille display and read out over the speech output, and in what order. To access the “Display” dialog, you must go the “Tools” menu and then “Display”. For ‘screen element’ we mean the various types of input field, buttons, keys, control fields, drop-down lists, lists, tree structures, cells in a grid etc. To alter a screen element, close the COBRA Menu, open the application and go to the element whose Braille- or speech display you wish to amend. Call up the COBRA Menu, call up the Extras, Presentation Dialog and confirm (if necessary) that this setting is only to be valid for this program by pressing F8. You can at every time switch back to the Application where you come from for example with ALT+TAB to see how it looks like now. You should not click on Save before you have confirmed that the presentation is correct now. The ”Presentation” dialog contains the following elements: . Windows Element: the type of element (input field, list etc.). The element displayed is the one that was focused when the COBRA Menu was opened. You can, however, select another element and edit its settings. . Define for: choose whether you want to change the speech or Braille output. . The list contains all the available information in the order in which they are output. If the word “Off” appears after a particular piece of information, it will not be read out. To switch on an item that has been switched off, and vice versa, simply press the space bar. . “Move up”: use this to move a piece of information which has the focus resting on it in the list, one place forwards. On the Braille display this will now appear further to the left, and it will be read out sooner over the speech output. . “Move down” s to move a piece of information which has the focus resting on it in the list, one place backwards. On the Braille display this will now appear further back, and it will be read out later over the speech output. . “On/off”: switches on a piece of information that has been switched off, and vice versa. If a piece of information has been switched off, it will no longer be output. It will remain in the list but will no longer appear on the Braille display or be read out over the speech output. . “Save” saves the settings and takes you back to the main screen of the COBRA Menu. . “Cancel” takes you back to the main screen of the COBRA Menu without saving the settings. . "Save temporary" will take you back to the main screen, the changed settings stay active but will not be saved. So after a restart of COBRA they will be lost. 4.3.11 Program list -------------------- To call up the Task list, go to the COBRA Menu, “Tools” menu then “Task list” and select "Program list". It can also be accessed by pressing COBRA-Key+F10 or 0+Decimal point, 8. A list of all available windows will appear on the screen. Within the list use the Up and Down arrow keys to select a program or window, and then press Return to access it. The following options are also available – use TAB to access them: . Switch to: goes to the program selected in the list. . Minimize: minimizes the program selected. It will be launched but no longer displayed. You can still switch to this program with ALT-TAB or from the Task list. . Maximize: the selected program will be maximized, i.e. expanded to fill the screen. . Quit: closes the selected program. The Task list can be used to switch to a specific program or window without having to press ALT+TAB. The other options allow you to close, maximize and minimize it. This function can also be useful if you cannot access a program or window via a different means (e.g. ALT+TAB): you can access the window via Task list and then view its content. 4.3.12 Sounds -------------- In the “Sounds” dialog you can set the various sounds COBRA uses, and adjust the MIDI volume for the TASO tones. To access it go to the “Tools” menu, then “Sounds”. The following options are available: . Activate Sounds: determine whether or not COBRA should use sounds to differentiate between specific situations The following options are only available if you activate this checkbox. . Sound: a list of all the sounds COBRA uses and their associated files. To listen to or amend the file, select one of the following options. - Play: this plays the selected Sound. - Amend: opens the dialog where you assign a different sound to the task selected from the list. . MIDI-Volume: determines the volume to be used for the TASO tones. The MIDI Tones are played when the following commands are used: - when navigating around the screen with combinations of Windows key and cursor keys. - when moving the line- or column-sliders on a TASO module or on a CeBox - when a wheel is turned on a TASO module or the upper wheel turned on a CeBox - when navigating around the screen with the number keys on a TASO module or CeBox . Action: select, for which font styles the second highest tone of the MIDI tones should be played.. This tone stands for special attributes. When you move the navigation pointer (like described above) you'll hear this high tones to show you this line or this character has special attributes. In this list you can select one or more of the following attributes. Go to the attributes with Cursor arrow up and down and press space bar to select or unselect the item. - Bold - Italic - Underlined - Inverted - Highlighted - grayed (not selectable) - effect 3d - striked out - double striked out - Wave underlined (used in Microsoft Word for misspelled words) - Focusrect (the punkted rectangle around edit boxes and checkboxes) - Charet (the blinking cursor ) . “Save” saves your settings and quits the dialog . “Cancel” quits the dialog but without saving your settings. . "Save temporary" will take you back to the main screen, the changes stay active but will not be saved. So tey are lost after a reboot of COBRA. 4.3.13 Speech -------------- In the “Speech settings” dialog of the COBRA Menu, you can set the voice to suit your requirements and determine how punctuation, special characters and numbers are to be read out. The following settings are available in the “Speech” dialog: . Speech active: switches the speech output on and off. If the field is switched off, no announcements will made over the speech synthesizer. Further down you can switch off that COBRA reads automatically when the focus is moving. If Speech active is selected but Mute speech while focus tracking is switched off no announcements will be made if the focus is moving. Other speech output e.g. when you ask for time and date, other settings or if you are useing the TASO-Sliders will be spoken. . Voice: select for which voice of COBRA you want to make changes or select "All voices" to change the settings for all. COBRA recognizes the following voices which can be selected in this drop-down list and their settings amended: - COBRA voice: this is the voice COBRA uses to make announcements. For example, when you type in a command on the keyboard and COBRA reads out the state of the setting you just have changed. - Program voice: select the voice to be used to read out menus and screen dialogs. The voice for the document itself can be set separately. - Document voice: the document voice, i.e. the one to read out the text in the text processor or E-Mail program. - Information: the voice for the additional information COBRA reads out about a particular element. In this context, by ‘Information’ we mean the type of element (input field, control field, button, hotkeys, etc), the number of elements in a list, the label of an element etc. - Character at cursor:this voice is used, when you walk around a text with the cursor keys, when you move the COBRA pointer or when you use the spelling functions of COBRA. - Key Echo voice: the voice to be used when letters, words and keystrokes are to be read out under Keyboard Echo. What COBRA reads out under Keyboard Echo can be set in the “Keyboard Echo” dialog. . Speed: determines the speed of the speech output. A low value means slow speech, and a higher value means faster speech. . Pitch: determines the pitch of the voice. Low values give a deep voice, and high values a high voice. . Volume: determines the volume of the speech output, from a low value (very quiet) to a high value (loud). . Intonation: determines how much intonation the speech output should use. 0% means none, and 100 % means overdone. . Text handling: determine whether or not punctuation and special characters are to be included when a text is read out, and whether or not mathematical symbols such as the various types of bracket should be read out. The following settings are available: - No punctuation: no punctuation or special characters will be read out. - With punctuation: standard punctuation will be read out, but quotation marks, brackets and mathematical symbols will not. - Text control: all standard punctuation including quotation marks will be read out; mathematical symbols and brackets will not be read out. - Mathematicians and programmers: all punctuation and special characters will be read out, including a whole range of brackets. . Number mode: decide how numbers are to be read out. The following settings are available: - Synthesizer:: numbers will be transferred to the speech output which will try to produce a meaningful announcement. - spell:: numbers will be spelled out, e.g. for 123 you will hear One Two Three. - In groups of three: numbers will be grouped into threes and then read out, e.g. for 1234 you will hear One Two-hundred- and-thirty-four. - In groups of two: numbers will be read out in groups of two, e.g. for 1234 you will hear Twelve Thirty­-four. This is particularly useful for telephone numbers which are read out in group of two digits. - use internal interpreter:: an internal function of COBRA will attempt to recognize the type of number and read it out correctly. So, 1234 becomes One-thousand-two-hundred-and-thirty-four. This function is not as well-developed as the announcements produced by most speech Synthesizers. But for those who have no correct number mode you can use this function. . Capital mode:: this determines if and how upper-case letters are to be read out. This setting is particularly useful if you want to hear if you have set upper-case letters correctly, and if upper-case letters have been used within words. Choose between the following values: - None: upper-case letters will not be read out when reading. - Beep: when reading, a gentle beep will be emitted before the appearance of each upper-case letter. The speech output pauses briefly to allow the tone to be emitted. - Say "Capital" beforehand: before each upper-case letter, “Capital” will be read out. - Change of voice: before each upper-case letter the voice will get higher, and will return to normal afterwards. This option is not supported by all Speech Synthesizers. . Character repetition: determine how many repeated characters are encountered before this application kicks in and reads the characters out as a block. If you select “All characters”, each character will be read out regardless of how many identical characters appear in succession. If you select a value between 3 and 7, when this set number of repeated characters is passed only the maximum number of repeated characters will be read out according to this number. If you select “Read out number”, from the third repeated character you will hear “x times [the character]”. e.g. if you have 5 consecutive dashes in the text, you will hear “5 Times dash”. If You select "None" all characters will be spoken. . Test: use this button to test your settings with an example text. You can change the text below. . Test sentence: enter the text to be spoken when you click "Test". . Configure speakers: takes you to the dialogue "Speech, advanced Speech settings". . Mute speech while focus tracking: if this is checked no speech will be given out when you use your program and the focus is moving.. This option is to enable the speech but be quiet when the focus is moving. So you can ask for the time or other settings and they will be given via braille and speech but the normal use of the program will not emit any speech output. . “Save” saves your settings and takes you back to the main screen of the COBRA Menu. . “Cancel” takes you back to the main screen of the COBRA Menu without saving the changes. . "Save temporarly": the settings will stay active but will not be saved. So they will be lost after a restart. 4.3.14 Speech, advanced Speech settings ---------------------------------------- The “Speech, advanced” dialog of the COBRA Menu can be accessed from the “Speech” menu, and then “Advanced Speech Settings”. You'll find the following elements on the screen: . Type: select which of the three main COBRA voices you want to adapt. - Application language: the language and voice name which is used in Programs. - Document Language: the language and voice name which is used for documents like the mail content in Outlook, the text in Word eg. - Info Language: the language and voice name which is used for all additional informations. . Change Language: please click on this button to open the list of languages where a speech synthesizer is installed for. . Speaker for: Here you can chooze a voice for the selected language. If you have selected english you'll only see english voices here. . use general Setting for Rate or use specific rate for: Select if you can change the rate of this voice or not. please select "use general rate for" if COBRA should use the same speed for the selected voice for every Speaker of COBRA. Select "use specific rate for" to fix this rate for all speakers of this voice. you can no longer change the pitch. . Rate: determines the speed of the speech output. A low value means slow speech, and a higher value means faster speech. . Pitch: determines the pitch of the voice. Low values give a deep voice, and high values a high voice. i Volume: determines the volume of the speech output, from a low value (very quiet) to a high value (loud). . Dynamic: determines how much intonation the speech output should use. 0% means none, and 100 % means overdone. . “Save” saves your settings and takes you back to the main screen of the COBRA Menu. . “Cancel” takes you back to the main screen of the COBRA Menu without saving the changes. . "Save temporarly": your changes stay active but will not be saved. After a restart of COBRA they will be lost. 4.3.15 Speech, Dictionary -------------------------- To add or delete a word from the user dictionary please go to Speech, Dictionary screen of COBRA. *Note:* you can see and change the global user dictionary for the selected language. This global dictionary is working for all speech synthesizers of this language. There may also be extra dictionaries for the Eloquence voices separately from this user dictionary you can not change here. DYou'll find the following elements on the Screen: . Language: is preselected by the language which is currently selected as document voice. But you can also select another language to change the word for. . Original: is the word to be changed or deleted. When you open this dialogue, the word where the cursor or navigation pointer is currently is put into this field. In the next edit field you'll see if this word is allready in the dictionary. If not the text in that field will be exactly the same as in this field. With the cursor arrow down and up you can also walk through the list of all words of the general dictionary of this language. . Replace with: please enter how to speak this word in the future. If this word was allready in the dictionary you'll see how it was written before. You should try how it sounds like before clicking on the button Set. . Case sensitive: please check this checkbox if the word should be spoken in the new way indipendent of the the writing in lowercase, uppercase or so. Otherwise the word will only spoken in the new way if it is written in exact this way. . Set: click on this button to save the setting temporary and change the pronounciation. To save the setting you also have to click on "Save" below. Otherwise the setting will not take effect. . New: use this button to write an completely new entry. The fields Original and Replace with fields are empty now and you'll find yourself in the Original field. You can, of curse, erase the text in Original and write a new word into it and enter a text in the field Replace with to have the same result. . delete: click on this button to delete this word in the dictionary. . Save: saves the settings and goes back to main menu. . Cancel: goes back to main menu 4.3.16 Speech, Keyboard echo ----------------------------- In the “Keyboard echo” dialog of the COBRA Menu you can determine which keys are to be read out when pressed, and which are to be announced when deleted with the Backspace key. You can open this dialog from the Speech menu with Keyboard echo. You will find the following elements in the Keyboard echo dialog: . Character echo: reads out every character input. When activated, this field will immediately read out every key pressed. If not activated, you can use Word echo to have the typed word announced by pressing the space bar or a punctuation key. Further down you can also determine whether the cursor keys, shift keys, function keys or special keys are to be read out or not. This is independent of the Character echo. . Stop when typing quickly: determines whether or not, when typing quickly, the reading out of the previous letter should be cancelled before the next is read out. If activated, when typing quickly you will hear only the last key pressed. If switched off, you will first hear the other keys and then those typed afterwards. . announce capitals: decide whether or not in Character echo the presence of an upper-case letter should be announced. If activated, and when Character echo is activated, the words “Upper case” will be announced whenever an upper-case letter is typed, otherwise not. . Word echo: decide whether or not a complete typed word is to be read out by pressing a punctuation key or the space bar. . Stop when typing quickly: decide whether or not, when typing quickly, Word echo should be interrupted by a newly typed word. . when using Backspace key: determines which characters are to be read out when deleted with the Backspace key. The following settings are available: - Character to the left of the cursor: the next character to be deleted with the Backspace key will be read out. - Deleted character: the deleted character will be read out. - no speech feedback: no announcement will be done. . when using Delete key: determines which characters are to be read out when deleted with the Delete key. You have the choice of three settings: - Characters at cursor position: the next character to be deleted will be read out: - Deleted character: the deleted character will be read out. - no speech feedback: no speech output will be produced when pressing DEL key. . COBRA commandkeys: determines if key combinations with the COBRA key should be announced. . Control keys: determines whether or not key combinations with the CTRL- and ALT-keys are to be announced. . Function keys: determines whether or not function keys (F keys) are to be read out when pressed alone or in combination with other keys. . additional keys: determines whether or not the special keys are to be announced or not. By ‘special keys’ we mean the following: - key combinations involving the TAB-key, such as TAB, Shift+TAB, CTRL+TAB, CTRL+Shift+TAB, ALT+TAB and ALT+Shift+TAB - the Escape key - the Return key - the Windows key . Modifier keys: determines whether or not modifier keys such as Caps Lock, Num Lock and Scroll Lock are to be read out. . Cursor keys: determines whether or not cursor keys should be read out when pressed. . “Save” will save the settings and takes you back to the main screen of the COBRA Menu. . “Cancel” will take you back to the main screen of the COBRA Menu but without saving the settings. . "Save temporary" will take you back to the main screen of COBRA, the changed settings stay active but will not be saved. So tey are lost after a restart of COBRA. 4.4 CobraController ==================== The CobraController keeps watch over COBRA and, where necessary, reloads it if it no longer reacts. It also contains the Metronome, and the acoustic hour-glass. Although COBRA.EXE is the real heart of COBRA, COBRA should always be launched via the CobraController and not directly by calling up COBRA.EXE, as the watch-over function and the metronome will not work. The CobraController can be used with key combinations involving the left Shift-, left CTRL- and left ALT-key, and a function key (F1 to F10). All 4 keys must be pressed and held for a short while (ca. 2 seconds) for the tones to be emitted. Here are the key combinations for the CobraController: . left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F1: update COBRA . left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F6: stop COBRA . left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F7: reboot COBRA . left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F8: switch on Metronome . left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F9: switch off Metronome . left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F10: end COBRA and the CobraController 4.4.1 left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F10: end COBRA and CobraController ------------------------------------------------------------- The CobraController key combination left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F10 will end COBRA and the CobraController. COBRA will end first, followed by the CobraController. Tip: All four keys must be pressed and held (for 1-2 seconds at least) until a sound is emitted and the function launched. 4.4.2 left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F1: update COBRA ------------------------------------------- The CobraController key combination left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F1 will play an update for an individual COBRA file. COBRA will first be shut down, then the update will be played and then COBRA will reboot. The Update must already be in the UPDATE folder of the COBRA Directory on your PC before you press the key combination, otherwise COBRA cannot carry out an update. When the function is called up, the UPDATE.BAT file from the COBRA Directory will be run. This will copy the files from the UPDATE folder of the COBRA Directory into the COBRA Directory and its subfolders. Once copied you must press a key. So, wait 30 seconds after the tone before pressing the space bar. COBRA will now reboot. Now look at the UPDATE.LOG file to see which files have been copied and to see if there are any errors. Tip: All four keys must be pressed and held (for about 1-2 seconds) until a sound is emitted and the function launched. 4.4.3 left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F6: stop COBRA ----------------------------------------- The CobraController key combination left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F6 stops COBRA. The CobraController remains loaded and can be restarted at any time with left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F7. To close COBRA and the CobraController, use the key combination left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F10. Tip: All four keys must be pressed and held (for about 1-2 seconds) until a sound is emitted and the command executed. 4.4.4 left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F7: reboot COBRA ------------------------------------------- The CobraController key combination left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F7 reboots COBRA. If COBRA is already running it will first be shut down and then rebooted. If it had already been shut down with left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F6 it will simply reboot. NB: All four keys must be pressed and held (for about 1-2 seconds) until a sound is emitted and the command executed. 4.4.5 left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F8: Switch Metronome on -------------------------------------------------- The combination left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F8 switches the Metronome back on. The Metronome’s ticking tells you when the PC is very busy. It is a kind of acoustic hourglass. It is switched on by default; it ticks when the PC has a lot to do and can only react to your key strokes slowly. You can use the combination left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F9RG+F9 to switch it off at any time if it disturbs you too much when working. Tip: All four keys must be pressed and held (for about 1-2 seconds) until a sound is emitted and the command executed. 4.4.6 left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F9: Switch Metronome off --------------------------------------------------- The key combination left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F9 switches the Metronome off. It will no longer tick. The Metronome’s ticking tells you when the PC is very busy. It is a kind of acoustic hourglass. You can use the combination left Shift+ALT+CTRL+F9RG+F8 to switch it on at any time. Tip: All four keys must be pressed and held (for about 1-2 seconds) until a sound is emitted and the command executed. 5 Key combinations with the COBRA Key ************************************** The following chapters contain a detailed description of each combination of keys involving the COBRA key. COBRA recognizes various types of command: . Commands with the COBRA key. The Caps Lock key is the default COBRA key but in the COBRA Menu you can select any key to act as the COBRA Key. . Commands on the PC’s keypad You can use COBRA via the keypad on your PC. The keypad is divided into different levels each with its own commands. . Commands on the keypad of the TASO Module or the AUDIODATA CeBox. . Commands with the keys on the Braille display (if available) . Commands with the keys on the PC’s keyboard A few COBRA commands are called up using other keys on the PC’s keyboard. For example, the CTRL key interrupts speech output; CTRL+Caps Lock switches the Caps Lock key on and off; and CTRL+Num Lock switches the keypad on and off when using COBRA functions. Consult the following chapters for detailed information about the individual keys and key combinations. 5.1 COBRA-Key+End: Navigation to the last line =============================================== COBRA-Key+End moves the navigation to the last line of the window. This can be the Status Bar of a window, or the last line of a dialog which has the “OK”, “Cancel”, and “Apply” buttons. COBRA-Key+Shift+End, however, moves the navigation to the end of the screen. The difference between these two functions is that COBRA-Key+End goes to the end of the foreground window, whereas COBRA-Key+Shift+End looks at the entire screen and jumps to its last line. COBRA-Key+Home takes you to the title bar of the program, Windows- Key+Up arrow takes you one line up, and Windows-Key+down arrow takes you one line down. 5.2 COBRA-Key+Home: Navigation in the title bar or the Start bar ================================================================= Use COBRA-Key+Home to navigate to the title bar of a program. The title bar contains the name of the program and often the file loaded or the user. Use COBRA-Key+End to navigate to the last line, Windows-Key+Up arrow to navigate upwards, and Windows-Key+Down arrow to navigate downwards. 5.3 COBRA-Key+Shift+End: Go to the end of the whole screen =========================================================== The command COBRA-Key+Shift+End moves the navigation to the last line in the window. The Command COBRA-Key+End, however, moves the navigation to the last line of the foreground window. *Tip:* To jump to the first line of the window, use COBRA-Key+Shift+Home. 5.4 COBRA-Key+Shift+Home: Go to the beginning of the window ============================================================ COBRA-Key+Shift+Home will take you to the first line of the window. COBRA-Key+Home, however, will take you to the beginning of the foreground window. *Tip:* To jump to the last line of the window, use COBRA-Key+Shift+End. 5.5 Double right Shift key: Screen wizard on/off ================================================= Press the right Shift key twice in rapid succession to activate the Screen Wizard. Press the right Shift twice in rapid succession once more to quit the wizard. The Screen Wizard allows you to move around the screen using the standard arrow keys on your PC as well as the Home and End keys. CTRL+Return gives technical information about the current element, and CTRL and/or Shift together with Return perform various mouse clicks. The following functions are available in Screen Wizard: . Up arrow and Down arrow move the navigation pointer one line up and one line down respectively . CTRL+Up arrow and CTRL+Down arrow move the navigation pointer to the next used line up and down respectively – blank lines are skipped . Left arrow and right arrow move the navigation pointer one character to the left and one to right respectively . CTRL+Left arrow and CTRL+right arrow move the navigation pointer one word to the left and right respectively . Page Up moves the navigation pointer to the beginning of the window . Page Down moves the navigation pointer to the last line of the window . CTRL+Space bar gives information about the current element . CTRL+Return performs one right click on the current element, i.e. it opens the Context Menu for the element. . Shift+Return performs one left click on the current element . CTRL+Shift+Return performs one double left click on the current element . ESC or double right Shift key closes the Screen Wizard All other keys are passed on to the program whose screen you have in front of you. The Screen Wizard is useful when, for example, you are using a new program and you want to get a rough idea of the screen layout. You can also use it to access screen elements which you cannot access via the keyboard. *Tip:* As an alternative to the Screen Wizard you can also use Navigation to move around the screen. Either use Windows-Key+Up arrow and Windows- Key+Down arrow, or the 0, 2 and 0, 8, commands on the keypad, i.e. in Level 0, commands 2 and 8. 5.6 left CTRL+Numlock-key: Switch keypad from COBRA usage to normal functions ============================================================================== By default the PC’s keypad is set up for the input of COBRA commands. To switch the keypad back to the input of numbers, press Left CTRL together with the Num Lock key. To go back to the input of COBRA commands, press Left CTRL+Num Lock once again. Tip: On a standard PC keyboard, the keypad is located on the extreme right, after the set of 10 keys. The upper left-hand key is designated NUM or Num Lock. On the keyboards of most laptops there is no separate keypad – a Num Lock key is usually made up with a special combination of keys using the Fn Key. 5.7 Press the left Shift key twice: open the COBRA Menu ======================================================== Press the left Shift key twice in rapid succession to open COBRA’s settings screen. Here you will find all the screens required to adjust your settings. Press F1 on a particular setting to access further information. In the Handbook, consult the “Settings screen” chapter. Tip: The left Shift key is the extreme left key on the second row from the bottom. 5.8 CTRL-key: Cancel speech ============================ Press one of the two CTRL keys at any time to cancel the speech output. Tip: On a normal PC keyboard the CTRL key is the extreme left key on the bottom row. On laptops it is usually the second key from the left on the bottom row. *Tip:* To shut down the speech output, use COBRA-Key+Return, or in the “Speech” dialog of the COBRA Menu switch off the “Active speech” button. 5.9 COBRA-Key+Return: Switch speech on and off =============================================== COBRA-Key+Return turns the speech output off; pressing it again turns it back on. This is useful if you need no speech output for a short while, or if, for example, you are using a music application which would be disturbed by the speech output. To turn the speech output off permanently, open the COBRA Menu, select Speech Output, press Return and select the “Active speech” option. Use COBRA-Key+Shift+Page up to increase the volume (louder) of the speech output, and COBRA-Key+Shift+Page down to reduce it (quieter). 5.10 COBRA-Key+Shift+Space bar: Read out entire screen ======================================================= COBRA-Key+Shift+Space bar will read out the entire screen. Press CTRL at any time to stop it. To start continuous reading, where a text must be read out beyond the screen edges use COBRA-Key+Space bar. 5.11 COBRA-Key+Space bar: Read text continuously from cursor position ====================================================================== COBRA-Key+Space bar launches the continuous reading function. It starts from the current position of the cursor. At the end of the screen, the text will be rolled over so that the entire text can be read out. Stop this at any time by pressing the CTRL key. *NB:* To read through the complete text with Braille and speech in Outlook, Outlook Express and PDF files, please use the COBRA clipboard. Highlight the entire text with CTRL+A, copy it to the Windows clipboard with CTRL+C and then copy it from the Windows clipboard to the COBRA clipboard with COBRA-Key+C. The continuous reading of the text will carry on automatically. *Tip:* COBRA-Key+Shift+Space bar will read out only the full screen. You can find continuous reading on 0, 1, i.e. level 0 Key 1 of the keypad. 5.12 COBRA-Key+Shift+TAB: Show the last 10 Braille messages ============================================================ COBRA-Key+Shift+TAB will produce a list of the last 10 Braille messages. Use the Up and Down arrows to move around within it. If you want to add the entry on which the focus has come to rest to the WINDOWS clipboard, simply press Return. Press ESC to close the list. *Tip:* To call up the last 10 spoken messages rather than Braille messages, use COBRA-Key+TAB. 5.13 COBRA-Key+TAB: Replay the last 10 messages ================================================ Press COBRA-Key+TAB to hear the last 10 spoken messages again. The focus remains on the last message. Use the Up and Down arrows to browse through the last ten messages. If you want to add the entry on which the focus has come to rest to the Windows clipboard, simply press Return. Press ESC to close the message list. *Tip* Instead of the spoken messages, if you want to call up the last 10 messages on the Braille display, press COBRA-Key+Shift+TAB. Tip: Stop the speech output by pressing CTRL; you can switch the speech output on and off by pressing COBRA-Key+Return, and adjust the volume by pressing COBRA-Key+Page up and COBRA-Key+Page down. 5.14 COBRA-Key+B: Give battery charge in percent ================================================= COBRA Key+B gives the remaining charge of the battery. The amount of power remaining in the battery is given in percent: 10%, for example, means that very little power is left, and 100% means the battery is fully charged. This function only works with a battery-driven PC, for example a laptop, Notebook or Sub-Notebook. COBRA-Key+Shift+B gives the same information but in a different manner. Instead of the current charge being given as a percentage, you will be told if the battery is full, half-full or empty. *Tip:* In the “Options” dialog of the COBRA Menu you can determine whether or not COBRA should automatically announce any changes in the battery status and make an announcement when connected to, or disconnected from, the mains supply. 5.15 COBRA-Key+Shift+B: Give battery status ============================================ Press COBRA-Key+Shift+B to check the battery status. You will be told whether or not the battery is full, half-full, or empty. This function is only available with a battery-powered PC, e.g. Laptop, Notebook or Sub-Notebook. To find out the exact value of the charge status, press COBRA-Key+B. *NB:* At the very bottom of the “Options” dialog of the COBRA Menu you can determine whether or not COBRA should automatically inform you of any changes in the battery status and if the PC has been plugged into, or unplugged from the mains supply. 5.16 COBRA-Key+C: Copy clipboard to COBRA ========================================== COBRA-Key+C copies the content of the Windows clipboard to the COBRA clipboard. Here you can access the text by using the functions of Level 9 on the keypad. This is very useful if you want to read the content of a program that uses HTML elements, or PDF files. To copy text to the COBRA clipboard, proceed as follows: . highlight the entire text with CTRL+A . copy it to the Windows clipboard with CTRL+C . Copy the text from the Windows clipboard to the COBRA clipboard with COBRA-Key+C. It will now be read out automatically. You can navigate through the text with the Level 9 functions. Press ESC to close the COBRA clipboard and return to your original program. 5.17 COBRA-Key+Shift+C: Add window text to Windows clipboard ============================================================= Use COBRA-Key+Shift+C to copy text from the visible window to the Windows clipboard as text. This is useful if you want to send screen text, a message or any other text from the screen to another person. You can also use this command to retain the current screen content of COBRA’s Line mode as text. 5.18 COBRA-Key+F: Focus tracking on/off ======================================== COBRA-Key+F switches focus (cursor) tracking off; press it again to switch it back on. COBRA normally follows the focus, i.e. the point where data is input or questions answered. With the navigation keys on the Braille display, commands 0, 2 and 0, 8, and Windows-Key+Up arrow and Windows-Key+Down arrow, you can move around the screen as you wish. As soon as the focus moves, COBRA automatically moves to it. To stop this automatic jumping to the focus, turn focus tracking off with COBRA-Key+F. COBRA will now remain at the point you have reached with the navigation keys and will not necessarily jump back to the focus. COBRA will now not track the focus until you switch focus tracking back on with COBRA-Key+F. *Tip:* Focus tracking can be switched off across the board or in specific applications in the “General” dialog of the COBRA Menu. 5.19 COBRA-Key+G: Show/hide unnamed graphics ============================================= Use COBRA-Key+G to turn the display of unnamed graphics on and off. By default COBRA does not display unnamed graphics. Graphics named both by us and by you, however, are always displayed. This command can be used to switch on the display of unnamed graphics. Unnamed graphics will then appear on the Braille display as “UG” and as “Graphic” over the speech output. To have an explicit number (serial number) displayed and read out for each graphic instead of “UG” and “Graphic”, use the command 0+2 Divide key, i.e. the Divide key on Level 2. COBRA-Key+Shift+G can be used to assign text to an unnamed graphic. *Tip:* These settings can be made permanent – go to the COBRA Menu, then the “General” dialog and “Show unnamed graphics”. As an alternative to COBRA-Key+G, you can also use 0+2, Star. 5.20 COBRA-Key+Shift+G: Label graphics ======================================= COBRA-Key+Shift+G opens a dialog where graphics can be labelled. When delivered, many graphics in standard programs are already labelled. Graphics which are not labelled are not shown in the standard settings. Only when you have activated the control field “Show unlabelled graphics” in the “General” dialog of the COBRA Menu or used COBRA-Key+G to switch on the display of unlabelled graphics, will the unlabelled graphics be displayed. The speech output will say “Graphic”, and “UG” will appear on the Braille display. Now you can use COBRA-Key+Shift+G to assign text to these unlabelled graphics. When you have typed this command a dialog will open containing all the graphics from the previously displayed screen. It contains both labelled and unlabelled graphics. Use the Up arrow and Down arrow to browse through the list of graphics. In the list the graphic itself is displayed first, followed by any existing text; at the end you will find the line and column number of the graphic. Line- and column-numbers are given in pixels from the top left. Use TAB to access the “Braille text” and “Spoken text” buttons with which you can define the text to be displayed on the Braille display or spoken over the speech output. You will also find the “Apply” button which saves the text you input. Use the “Apply to all” button further down to determine whether or not the graphic should be labelled globally (i.e. in all applications) or just for this particular program. If activated (the default setting), the graphic will be labelled for every program. 5.21 COBRA-Key+Shift+H: Switch keyboard help for COBRA-functions on/off ======================================================================== Use COBRA-Key+Shift+H to access help for COBRA commands. Use the same combination to switch the help off. Each key combination you now press will not be executed but you will be told which command lies behind this combination. It works for combinations involving the COBRA key, the keypad and keys on the Braille display, TASO Module and CeBox. *Tip:* Keyboard help for COBRA commands can also be called up with the command 0+1, Plus, i.e. Level 1 with the Plus sign. 5.22 COBRA-Key+L: Switch focus tracking between Element Mode and Line Mode =========================================================================== With COBRA-Key+L you can switch between Element mode and Line mode in focus tracking. Focus Tracking is where the focus (cursor) moves and COBRA keeps displaying it. In Focus Tracking COBRA chooses between Line- and Element Mode. Line Mode displays all the elements of the relevant line one after the other as a sighted person would see it. Element Mode, however, shows only the focused element, and in a pre- defined manner and with an assigned letter. With message windows, the actual text is displayed behind the element. Line mode can, to a certain extent, be compared to a BLINDOWS Hörschirm XX, and Element Mode to the way VIRGO is displayed on the Braille display. You can also choose between Element Mode and Line Mode when navigating around the screen, i.e. when you move around the screen using the navigation functions; use COBRA-Key+Shift+L. By default, Element Mode is activated for focus tracking, and Line Mode for navigation. To change these settings and make them permanent, go to the COBRA Menu and then the “General” dialog. 5.23 COBRA-Key+Shift+L: Switch navigation between Line Mode and Element Mode ============================================================================= Use COBRA-Key+Shift+L to switch between Line- and Element Mode when navigating. Navigation means to move around the screen to browse its content, by using the navigation functions on Level 0 of the keypad, or the Windows-Key+Up arrow and Windows-Key+Down arrow. If Element display is activated, you will be taken to one element at a time when you move around the screen. If, for example, you find yourself in the middle of three elements in a line and you move up, you will first be taken to the first element in the line. Not until you move upwards once again will you move to the previous line. This is exactly the same when you move down. In Line display, however, elements which appear in a line on the screen will be announced simultaneously in speech and Braille. When moving up and down, the line in which you are moving will always be displayed and spoken in its entirety. Instead of switching between Element- and Line Mode for navigation in cursor tracking, use the COBRA-Key+L command. These settings can be changed and made permanent in the “General” dialog of the COBRA Menu. 5.24 COBRA-Key+M: Mobile Phone Monitor (MPM) on/off ==================================================== COBRA-Key+M launches the display of the Mobile Phone Monitor (MPM). The same key combination will also hide the MPM. With the Mobile Phone Monitor (MPM) you can have a mobile telephone which is connected to your PC displayed on your screen, where you can then use it over speech output, the Braille display and in Magnification. You can also use the ‘phone from your PC’s keyboard. It is thus much easier to send an SMS or amend contacts and appointments on your ‘phone, as you can write directly onto the PC’s keyboard rather than inputting the letters on the numeric keyboard. The mobile ‘phone’s output is displayed in the MPM and then emitted in Braille, speech output and in Magnification. The following keys on the PC equate to the following mobile keys in the MPM: . – Up arrow = Joystick up . – Down arrow = Joystick down . – Left arrow = Joystick left . - Right arrow = Joystick right . - Enter = press Joystick . – Add = Menu key . - Delete = Delete . - Backspace = Delete . - Home = Accept/start Conversation (green key) . - End = End conversation (red key) . – Page up = Softkey 2 . – Page down = Softkey 1 . - Shift+Enter = Input new line in multi-line input fields *NB:* The “Delete” and “Backspace” keys both activate the mobile ‘phone’s Delete key. From the menu select one of two views on the MPM: . single line . multi-line *Requirements:* . a Symbian Series 60, 3rd edition device is required. . the ‘phone must have TALKS Version 3 or later . the mobile ‘phone must have BAUM’s free TBI (Talks Braille Interface) Version 3.1.2 or later, installed. To download TBI 3.1.2 go to download.baum-retec.info/pms/cobra/tbi312.zip . the mobile ‘phone must be connected to your PC via Bluetooth. . the “COM” index card of the Bluetooth environment on your PC must have a suitable port set up for the mobile ‘phone. 5.25 COBRA-Key+O: launch screen text recognition ================================================= When you launch screen text recognition with COBRA-Key+O, a bitmap of the screen content is transferred to the Text Recognition application which then recognizes the text. During this time you will hear successively “OCR is installed”, “load Bitmap”, “Bitmap recognized” and “Saving text”. The data will not be available until you hear “Text recognition complete”. You can browse the text on your screen with the navigation functions, the Windows key, Level 0 on the keypad or the navigation keys on your Braille display. No cursor is available here. You can also click on the text – the click will operate on exactly that letter upon which you have clicked. To return to the original screen, refresh the screen content with COBRA-Key+F5. This function is useful when applications or Internet pages contain unnamed graphics, or when you encounter a text which has been saved only as an image, e.g. screenshots or copies of the screen. You can use COBRA as a straightforward screen reader to read PDF files which have been saved as images only. You can thus use graphic installation programs or update the firmware of a Nokia mobile ’phone. *Tip:* The result is saved in the OUT.RTF file in the COBRA directory. See the chapter “Questions and answers about text recognition” for further information. 5.26 COBRA-Key+Q: Show/hide Quick menu ======================================= Use COBRA-Key+Q to call up the Quick Menu; use the same combination to quit it. The Quick Menu contains special tips and functions about the program being used. You will find tips from the application’s handbook, as well as COBRA functions and a list of the keys which are only available in this program. When you call up the Quick Menu, a list will be displayed. Where available, the first element takes you to special tips from the handbook of the program currently loaded. The remaining elements in the list are COBRA script functions which are available for this program. If a function falls on a combination of keys, the assigned keys are shown after the name of the function. Press Return to launch the function or to access the special tips from the Handbook. This allows you quickly to access any additional commands which are available in this program and the keys assigned to them, and to see if any further tips about the program are available. *Tip:* COBRA’s Quick Menu can also be accessed and closed with the Command 0, Decimal point, i.e, Level 0, Decimal point key on the keypad. 5.27 COBRA-Key+S: next document speaker ======================================== Use COBRA-Key+S to switch between available languages. Your document will then be read out in a different language. For example, use COBRA-Key+S to switch between German and English. To set up the other available languages and their assigned voice, go to the COBRA Menu, then “Speech” and then “Speaker”. To set a different language for your document (that for the program, for COBRA information or Keyboard echo), call up the “Speech” dialog in the COBRA Menu. 5.28 COBRA-Key+Shift+S: Switch to next speaker language ======================================================== Use COBRA-Key+Shift+S to switch to the next speaker language. All speakers will now be switched to the next language. *Tip:* To switch only the speaker for the document, use the COBRA-Key+S command. 5.29 COBRA-Key+Shift+T: Edit COBRA text modules ================================================ Use COBRA-Shift+Shift+T to open the list of COBRA text modules for editing. To set up a new text module, proceed as follows: . highlight the desired text, e.g. in the word processor . copy the text (in most programs this is done by using CTRL+C to copy it to the Windows clipboard) . press COBRA-Key+Shift+T to open the list of COBRA text modules for editing. . use the arrow keys to select the position to which the text module is to be saved If you select a position which already contains a text module, the new text will overwrite it. Select an empty position to add the text to the list. . then press Return, and the text will be copied from the Windows clipboard to the COBRA text modules . press ESC to quit the list of text modules. If you now wish to add a text module, press COBRA-Key+T to call up the list of available text modules. Select the desired text module and press Return. The text will now be added to the current position in the text. 5.30 COBRA-Key+T: Call up COBRA text modules ============================================= COBRA uses text modules. These can be changed and added to any program. Use COBRA-Key+T to open the list of available COBRA text modules. Select your desired text with the Up and Down arrows, the Home key or the End key. Then press Return to add this text module to your program at the current position. As an alternative to the arrow keys, you can also directly input the number of the text module so that you can jump to it. If you use a Braille display, all the numbers of the text modules are displayed on the far right. Press the cursor routing key on a number and the text module bearing that number will be added, e.g. if you press the cursor routing key above the 4, the fourth text module will be added. You can edit the text modules by highlighting a text, adding it to the Windows clipboard and then opening the Text Module Editing dialog with COBRA-Key+Shift+T. 5.31 COBRA-Key+Page down: reduce speech speed ============================================== The key combination COBRA-Key+Page down reduces the speed of the speech output, i.e. it will slow down. Each keystroke will reduce the speed by 3% points. Tip: The Page down key is the bottom right-hand key on the block of six keys above the arrow keys (cursor keys). *Tip:* To make permanent changes to the speed, go to the “Speech” dialog of the COBRA Menu. 5.32 COBRA-Key+Page up: Increase the speech speed ================================================== The key combination COBRA-Key+Page up increases the speed of the speech output, i.e. it speeds up. Each keystroke will increase the speed by 3% points. To reduce the speed, use COBRA-Key+Page down. Tip: The Page up key is the top right-hand key on the block of six keys above the arrow keys (cursor keys). *Tip:* To make permanent changes to the speed, go to the “Speech” dialog of the COBRA Menu. 5.33 COBRA-Key+Shift+Page down: Reduce volume of speech output =============================================================== Use COBRA-Key+Shift+Page down to reduce the volume of the speech output. It will thus become quieter. Each time you press this key combination the volume level will be reduced by 3% points. Tip: The Page down key is at the bottom right of the block of 6 keys above the arrow keys (cursor keys). *Tip:* To make permanent changes to the volume, go to the “Speech” dialog of the COBRA Menu. 5.34 COBRA-Key+Shift+Page up: Increase speech output volume ============================================================ Use COBRA-Key+Shift+Page up to increase the volume of the speech output. It will thus become louder. Each time you press this key combination the volume level will be increased by 3% points. To reduce the volume, press COBRA-Key+Shift+Page down Tip: The Page up key is at the top right of the block of 6 keys above the arrow keys (cursor keys). *Tip:* To make permanent changes to the volume, go to the “Speech” dialog of the COBRA Menu. 5.35 COBRA-Key+F5: Refresh screen data ======================================= COBRA-Key+F5 rebuilds the screen. This can be necessary when COBRA has not kept up with changes to the screen content. COBRA refreshes the entire content of the screen and the changes will now be shown. *Tip:* Alternatively, refresh the screen with the command 1, 4, i.e. Level 1, Key 4. 5.36 COBRA-Key+F10: Display program list ========================================= COBRA-Key+F10 calls up the program list. All programs currently in use will be displayed. The focus is on the application running in the foreground, i.e. the one you are currently using. If you want to switch to another program, use the Up and Down arrows to move through the list. Press Return on the desired program to switch to it. To quit the list without switching to another program, simply press the ESC key. The program list is useful if you cannot switch to another window with ALT+TAB. *Tip:* To call up a list of the programs which are in the Systray, use COBRA-Key+Shift+F10, or 0+Decimal point, 7 on the keypad. 5.37 COBRA-Key+Shift+F10: Call up program list in the Systray ============================================================== Use COBRA-Key+Shift+F10 to call up the program list in the Systray. The Systray displays programs which are running in the background and which display status information here so that the settings can be changed. This command will produce a list of all programs. Use the Up arrow and Down arrow to browse through the list. If you press Return on an entry, you will be given the choice of executing it with one left click, one double click or one right click. If you want to quit the list without making a choice, simply press ESC. *Tip:* To call up a list of running programs, use COBRA-Key+F10. *Tip:* You can also call up the program list in the Systray from the keypad with 0+Decimal point, 7, i.e. on the Decimal point level, key 7. 5.38 COBRA-key+F12: Tell the time ================================== COBRA-Key+F12 will read out the current time as displayed on your PC, and display it on the Braille display. COBRA-Key+Shift+F12 will read out the date as displayed on your PC. 5.39 COBRA-Key+Shift+F12: Give the date ======================================== Use COBRA-Key+Shift+F12 to consult the current date as shown on your PC. COBRA-Key+F12 will give the time. 6 Using the keypad ******************* COBRA uses the keypad for the quick input of commands. The keypad is divided into different levels. Like VIRGO, use the 0 key in conjunction with another key to switch levels. Each level has the numbers 1 to 9, the decimal point, the Enter key, and the plus-, minus-, multiply- and divide keys. The 0 key is not available within a level as it is used to switch levels. To switch to Level 0, simply press and release the 0 key on the keypad. In this handbook we write the commands as they are input on the keypad. For example, 0+2, 8 means Command 8 on Level 2 – this particular command switches to 8-dot Braille. To execute the command, you must first switch to Level 2 and then press the 8 key. Proceed as follows: . on the keypad press and hold the 0 key (bottom left) . now press 2 for Level 2 (Braille commands) . “Level 2, Help function 2” will now appear in Braille and be spoken over the speech output . now release both keys . you have now switched to Level 2. . you can now press the 8 key on the keypad to call up the command. . Level 2 will remain active until you switch to another level. To call up another command on Level 2, simply press the relevant key – you do not have to reactivate the level. COBRA has the following levels: . Level 0, Basic functions: . Level 1, Help functions 1: . Level 2, Help functions 2: . Level 3, Display commands: . Level 4, COBRA dialogs: . Level 5, Mouse commands: . Level 6, Program specific: . Level 8, Speech commands: . Level 9, COBRA clipboard: . Level Enter, Key simulations: . Level Plus, Unassigned: . Level Minus, Magnification: . Level Star, Service: . Level Divide, Script: . Level Decimal point, Windows commands: In the Key Assignment dialog of the COBRA Menu you will find the following shortcuts for the keypad commands: Command 02, 5 for function 5 on Level 2 will be written “L2N5”.The first two figures denote the Level (L=Level) and the number after the N denotes the number of the command. Alongside the keys 0 to 9, E stands for Enter, + for the plus sign, - for the minus sign, * for multiply, / for divide and a D for decimal point. For example, “LEN6” means Level Enter, Function 6; L6NE means Level 6, Enter key; and LDNE Level Decimal point, Enter. Tip: 0+1, +, (i.e. with the plus sign on Level 1), or COBRA-Key+Shift+H switches on the Help for the COBRA command keys. When you now press a key combination the command will not be executed but you will hear which command has been assigned to that combination. Pressing 0+1, Plus or COBRA-Key+Shift+H on your PC’s keyboard once again, will turn Help off. Tip: If you want to use the keypad to input numbers, use CTRL+Num Lock. Use the same command to switch the keypad back to the input of COBRA commands. 6.1 Level 0: Basic functions ============================= On Level 0 of the keypad you will find the basic COBRA functions. Here you will find commands to move around the screen; you can decide whether focus tracking and navigation should be in Element Mode or Line Mode; you can turn the Screen Wizard on and off and you can shift the Braille display to the right or left. You will find a detailed description of each function in the following chapters. 6.1.1 0, Minus: Screen wizard on/off ------------------------------------- Use 0, - (Level 0, minus key) on the keypad to switch the Screen Wizard on and off. The Screen Wizard allows you to move around the screen with the cursor keys on the PC’s keyboard. This is useful if you want to use another program or if the focus cannot be moved to all relevant spots on the screen with the keyboard. Switch the Screen Wizard on with 0, - and you can then use the Up and Down arrows to browse through the lines on the screen. Use the Left arrow and Right arrow to browse character-by-character, and CTRL+Left arrow and CTRL+Right arrow to browse word-by-word. In an activated Screen Wizard you can also click on elements with the mouse. *Tip: * You can also switch the Screen Wizard on and off by pressing the right Shift key on the PC’s keyboard twice. 6.1.2 0, CTRL+Enter: go to the end of the window ------------------------------------------------- Use 0, CTRL+Enter (Level 0, CTRL+Enter) to jump to the end of the window. Navigation will move to the last line of the window. The Enter key is the long key at the bottom right of the keypad. *Tip:* To jump to the beginning of the window use 0, CTRL+Plus. Use 0, Enter to jump to the end of the foreground window and 0, Plus to jump to the beginning of the foreground window. 6.1.3 0, CTRL+Divide: Navigation – switch between Line- and Element Mode ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Use 0, CTRL+Divide (Level 0, CTRL+Divide) to switch between Line- and Element Mode when navigating. Navigation will then activate when you move around the screen with the navigation functions. There are two settings: . Line Mode: all screen elements which appear in the same line on the screen will always be shown. You can tell the type of element by the punctuation surrounding it. Browse upwards with 0, 8 and down with 0, 2 to jump to the next line. . Element Mode: when browsing up and down only one element will ever be shown. The Braille display will also give additional information about the element, such as the type of element, its number, hotkey etc. If, for example, you are on the middle of three buttons and you browse up with 0, 8, you will browse first of all to the first button. You will not move to the previous line until you move upwards once again. This is the same when browsing downwards. With 0, 2 you will first jump from the middle to the right button; when you move again you will go to the next line. Here is a summary of the punctuation and its meaning: .