
                          CHAPTER V
                 DEFINITIONS AND PROGRAMMING




    V-A. Definable cursors.


    V-A-1. Soft cursor.

    Keystroke:
    SH-F5

    Message:
    The speech synthesizer speaks "Soft cursor?".

    Description:
    In most cases VOXPARLE refers by default to the position
of the system cursor, that is the BIOS cursor. However, some
application software create their own cursors, leaving the
standard cursor frozen on the screeN. This facility therefore
allows you to set up a soft cursor by defining a foreground
colour, a background colour, the level of intensity, the
blinking or not and/or a particular ASCII code. When this new
cursor is activated VOXPARLE refers to it.
    That cursor can be programmed via an "attributes/code-
type" vocal table made up of six parameters. The first four
parameters (character, background, intensity, flash) allow you
to define the attributes of the cursor, that is the foreground
colour, the background colour, the level of intensity and the
blinking or not. The fifth parameter (code) allows you to
define the character representing the cursor on the screen
either by directly entering its appropriate code on the
keyboard or by scanning the ASCII table. The last parameter
(associate) allows you to specify if the soft cursor is an
"attributes-type" cursor, i.e. defined by the first four
parameters of the table, or a "character-type" cursor, i.e.
defined by the selected code in the fifth parameter, or both
of them.


    Note:
    The CR key enables you to validate the selected
parameters. The ESC key exits the function without changing
the values.


    V-A-2. System cursor.

    Keystroke:
    SH-F6

    Message:
    The speech synthesizer speaks "System cursor attribute?".

    Description:
    This facility allows you to specify the colour of thesystem cursor, that is the BIOS cursor so as to avoid
potential rendundancies of interactive services whenever that
same cursor takes on various appearances in the current
application software.
    The system cursor can be defined via an "attributes-type"
vocal table made up of four parameters: character, background,
intensity, flash.

    Note:
    The CR key enables you to validate the selected
parameters. The ESC key exits the function without changing
the values.



    V-B. Surveillance areas.


    Keystroke:
    SH-F4

    Message:
    The speech synthesizer speaks "Surveillance area to
program?". The function is waiting for you to type a number
contained between 1 and 2.
    a) The synthesizer says "Surveillance area ..." followed
by the number previously entered on the keyboard.
    b) The synthesizer says "Stability surveillance area ..."
followed by the number previously entered on the keyboard.

    Description:
    A surveillance area represents a line or a portion of line
having a starting point, a given length and depending or not
on the position of the BIOS cursor. Once this area has been
defined a modification of information in this area triggers
its automatic reading. There are two stages involved in
programming a surveillance area. Firstly you have to indicate
the position of the portion of line on the screen. Secondly
you have to specify a length of time expressed in 1/18 seconds
after which new information will be taken into account and
therefore spoken.
    a) Defining the surveillance area: you have to enter six
characters, the last five ones of which can only be numbers.
The six characters go in pairs.
- The first two characters specify the surveillance line: from
01 to 25 for a fixed line on the screen; 00 for the line where
the BIOS cursor is located (that line is variable); +x or -x
where x represents the line below or above the BIOS cursor.
For instance 15 defines the surveillance area as being the
fifteenth line of the screen; +2 sets the surveillance area
two lines under the line containing the BIOS cursor.
- The third and fourth numbers specify the first column of the
portion of line to watch. For a screen of 25 rows and 80
columns the number is contained between 01 and 80.
- The fifth and sixth numbers specify the length of the
portion of line. That number depends on the first column of
the portion of line ans is contained between 01 and 80 for ascreen of 25 rows and 80 columns.
    b) Defining the stability: only two numbers are required,
contained between 01 and 99. That number expressed in 1/18
seconds represents the length of time after which the
information does not change on the screen any more and is
therefore spoken.

    Note:
    Each part is automatically validated after all required
characters have been entered on the keyboard. However you can
validate before typing all required characters via the CR key.
Once the first six characters have been entered the second
message is pronounced and the system is waiting for the
stability numbers. The ESC key enables you to exit each part
of the function without making modifications. If the
characters, i.e. the numbers you entered are incompatible the
new values are not taken into account and the setting remains
unchanged.
    You are not advised to use this facility in order to
automatically read a screen area where you enter data or to
restrict the reading to its static part.



    V-C. Context of the application software.


    V-C-1. Colour bars - menus.

    Keystroke:
    SH-F1

    Message:
    The speech synthesizer speaks "Colour bar to program?" and
VOXPARLE is waiting for you to type a number contained between
1 and 5.
    a) The synthesizer says "Attributes of colour bar ..."
followed by the number previously entered on the keyboard.
    b) The synthesizer says "Specifications of colour bar ..."
followed by the number previously entered on the keyboard.
    c) The synthesizer says "Delimiters of colour bar ..."
followed by the number previously entered on the keyboard.

    Description:
    In most cases this facility is used to automatically read
menus in the different application software. It can however be
used in other purposes. There are three stages involved in
configuring this feature of VOXPARLE. The first one is not new
since it consists for you in determining the attributes of the
colour bar via a vocal table The second stage allows you to
define the limits of the search area, a series of search
parameters and reading parameter restrictions. Lastly the
third stage allows you to specify a delimiter list, the use of
which will be covered later.
    a) Colour bar ...: here you have to define the foreground
and background colours of the menu bar or something else on
the screen, its level of intensity and the blinking or not.
The CR key enables you to validate the new values and toaccess the specifications vocal board.
    b) Specifications of colour bar ...: here you have to
choose a value via the UAR and DAR keys and the parameter to
change via the LAR and RAR keys. There are five parameters to
define:
- Window: you have to choose the window in which the colour
bar is to be found. The ten available windows are as follows:
screen, window 1, window 8 ... dynamic window. Once you have
selected the appropriate window, move on to the next parameter
via the RAR key.
- Direction: here you have to determine the direction of the
search in the previously selected window. It may be useful if
several colour bars appear in the same area. Now move on to
the next parameter via the RAR key.
- Link: here the purpose is to specify if the line containing
the colour bar being searched for also corresponds to the
current line of the application cursor or if the character is
isolated. The possible choices are therefore as follows: with
the cursor, off the cursor and isolated attribute. Now move on
to the next parameter via the RAR key.
- Reading: here you have to delimit the reading area. You can
choose between reading the whole bar, the whole line on which
the bar is, the end of the line on which the bar is from its
start and lastly reading the bar if it is delimited on each
side by a single or a double vertical line. Let's move on to
the last parameter via the RAR key.
- Delimiters: here the purpose is also to delimit the reading
area by restricting it to the portion contained between the
start of the previously selected area and the first delimiter
found, or by restricting the area to a string contained
between two delimiters identical or not. You can therefore
choose among the following options: with delimiters on the
left-hand side, on the right-hand side or on each side of the
attribute or without delimiters.
    When all the parameters have been correctly selected you
can validate this section via the CR key.
    c) List of delimiters: there are six possible delimiters,
each of which may be any character. Simply enter the required
delimiter on the keyboard and validate it via the CR key. The
order in which you enter delimiters is important. In fact
whenever a delimiter is found the others are ignored. Once the
list has been filled up the programming is finished. Even if
less than six delimiters are required the whole list must be
validated so as to be taken into account. Tapping the ESC key
when on any delimiter of the list quits the vocal table
without saving the changes.
    The default left and right borders being searched for in
the "Bar between borders" option of the "Reading" parameter
are vertical lines (ASCII 179 AND 186). You may however use
two other codes as borders by entering the character "star"
(ASCII 42) as the first delimiter of the list. Then type the
required border codes as second and third delimiters and
validate the rest of the list.

    Note:
    This function must be carefully programmed in order to
bring entire satisfaction and make the reading of menus
permanently automatic. It is possible to automatically readmost menus if the parameters are well chosen. To do so you
must acquaint yourself completely with the application
program, especially as far as the presentation and aspect of
the different menus are concerned. Each section of this
function may be abandonned without saving the values via the
ESC key.


    V-C-2. Portions of lines - pop-up boxes.

    Keystroke:
    SH-F3

    Message:
    The speech synthesizer speaks "Portion of line to
program?" and VOXPARLE is waiting for you to type a number
contained between 1 and 5.
    a) The synthesizer says "Start of portion of line ..."
followed by the number previously entered on the keyboard.
    b) The synthesizer says "End of portion of line" followed
by the number previously entered on the keyboard.
    c) The synthesizer says "Specifications of portion of line
..." followed by the number previously entered on the
keyboard.
    d) The synthesizer says "Attribute of linked cursor ..."
followed by the number previously entered on the keyboard.
    e) The synthesizer says "Coordinates and attribute of the
message box ..." followed by the number previously entered on
the keyboard.

    Description:
    This facility allows you to set up the automatic reading
of a character string between markers and of a screen area
which may precede it. Unlike the colour bar the colour of the
character string does not matter. Only the attributes and/or
the codes of the markers is relevant. The information will be
spoken if and only if the two markers are recognized such as
they will have been defined.
    a) Start of portion of line ...: the marker of the start
of the portion can be set up via an "attributes/code-type"
vocal table already come across in this chapter.
    b) End of portion of line ...: the marker of the end of
the portion can be set up via an "attributes/code-type" vocal
table already come across in this chapter.
    c) Specifications of portion of line ...: those
specifications are made up of two parameters already come
across. First of all you have to select the window (screen, 1,
2, ... 8, dynamic) in which the portion of line is to be
searched for. Then you have to determine the search direction
(downward or upward). The third parameter is relative to the
presence or not of the cursor within the portion of line. The
next parameter specifies if the characters making up the
portion markers will be read or not. The fifth parameter
allows you to indicate if a message box is linked or not to
the portion of line: "Message box to read / No message box".
    The last two parameters depend on the previously chosen
option and are available only if you selected "Message box to
read". They are therefore mostly relative to the screen areato read. The sixth parameter is called "Coordinates" and
allows you to specify if the first and last lines of the
message box are absolute, that is static on the screen, or
relative, that is linked to the line on which the portion of
line has been detected. The seventh and last parameter called
"Beginning" allows you to activate or not the detection of a
"witness character" within the message box. If this character
(which will be discussed further in this chapter) is not found
in the area its contents will be ignored. In any other case
the reading is carried out from this "witness character" to
the last line of the area.
    d) Attribute of linked cursor ...: here you must determine
through an "attributes-type" vocal board the appearance of the
cursor linked to the portion of line. It is another condition
for the detection of the portion being searched for. If the
cursor found within the portion of line is not in keeping with
the attributes defined in that table it will be ignored.
    e) Coordinates and attribute of the message box ...: this
last stage first consists in defining the coordinates of the
box to read. This is achieved by entering the eight numbers
just like when you are building a window (see chapter V-D-1).
Warning! if the first and last lines are relative the first
line corresponds to the number of lines separating the start
of the box from the portion of line. The last line corresponds
to the number of lines separating the end of the box from this
same portion.
    Then you have to define via the arrow keys the attributes
of the characters to read within the box and the "witness
character" if it has been activated.
    Once you have programmed a portion of line do not forget
to activate it via the command mode.

    Note:
    This facility can be used to automatically read framed
messages or small pop-up boxes only containing a few lines.
Each part of this function may be abandonned by tapping the
ESC key.


    V-C-3. Selection tables - intuitive interfaces.

    Keystroke:
    SH-F2

    Message:
    The speech synthesizer speaks "Selection table to
program?" and VOXPARLE is waiting for you to type a number
contained between 1 and 5.
    The synthesizer says (First code of selection table ..."
followed by the number previously entered on the keyboard.
    b) The synthesizer says "Ticked-off square of selection
table ..." followed by the number previously entered on the
keyboard.
    c) The synthesizer says "Last code of selection table ..."
followed by the number previously entered on the keyboard.
    d) The synthesizer says "Specifications of selection table..." followed by the number previously entered on the
keyboard.

    Description:
    This facility allows you to set up the automatic reading
of options and their current states in an "intuitive
interface-type" table. The principle consists in defining a
group of three consecutive characters making up the state
block of the option of the application table. The extrimity
characters make up the search base whereas the middle
character informs about the state of the option.
    a) First code of selection table ...: this code is defined
via an "attribute/code-type" vocal table and constitutes the
first character of the state block of the option. Most of the
time it is "left parenthesis" or "left square bracket"
characters.
    b) Ticked-off square of selection table ...: this
character is defined via an "attribute/code-type" vocal table
and determines the active state of the highlighted option in
the application software. Most of the time it is "CTRL-G" or
"X" characters.
    c) Last code of selection table ...: this code is defined
via an "attribute/code-type" vocal table and constitutes the
lastt character of the state block of the option. Most of the
time it is "right parenthesis" or "right square bracket"
characters.
    d) Specifications of selection table ...: the
specifications of a selection table are equivalent to the
first four parameters of the specifications of a portion of
line, i.e. Window, direction, link and reading (see chapter V-
C-2).
    Whenever VOXPARLE detects a block corresponding to your
definitions it reads out the highlighted option then
pronounces "Yes" if the middle square is ticked off, that is
if the option is selected, or "No" if it is not.

    Note:
    Each part of this function may be abandonned by tapping
the ESC key.



    V-D. Windows.


    A window is a rectangle whose dimension is given by the
first and last row and the first and last column constituting
those limits. The functions covered in this section operate
upon ten windows among which eight of them can be parametered
by the user. The last two ones - screen and dynamic window
depend on the current application program. The screen may be
compared to a window of 25 rows or less and 80 columns or
less. The dynamic window is temporary and its dimension is
variable.


    V-D-1. Building a window.
    Keystroke:
    SH-F7

    Message:
    The speech synthesizer speaks "Building a window".

    Description:
    Firstly you have to enter the number of the window to
build which is contained between 1 and 8. Once you have typed
the number the program is still waiting for eight numbers,
each group of two numbers respectively corresponding to the
top row, the left-hand column, the bottom row and the right-
hand column of the window. The function is automatically
validated once the eight numbers have been typed.

    Note:
    If the numbers entered are not coherent the new values are
not taken into account and the window keeps its previous
coordinates. The ESC key enables you to exit the function
without modifying the window.


    V-D-2. Activating a window.

    Keystroke:
SH-F9

    Message:
    The speech synthesizer speaks "New window".

    Description:
    Activating a window means limiting the dimension of the
screen to its coordinates. The reading cursor is then
"emprisoned" within the window and all the moving and reading
functions are limited to this new rectangle. The program is
waiting for you to type a number contained between 0, i.e.
screen and 9, i.e. dynamic window. If instead of typing a
number you type the character "dash", that is the minus sign
on the numeric keypad the program reactivates the previously
activated window.

    Note:
    If the reading cursor has its coordinates outside the new
window it is placed in the top left hand corner of that
window. The application cursor is not affected by those
windows. The ESC key enables you to exit the function without
activating a new window.


    V-D-3. Coordinates of the active window.

    Keystroke:
    SH-F8

    Message:
    None.

    Description:    This facility allows you to know the name of the active
window and its coordinates. Thus you can verify the
coordinates of the different windows you have built.

    Note:
    The reading cursor does not change its position.



    V-E. Other functions.


    V-E-1. Stop and call keys.

    Keystroke:
    CTRL-F10

    Message:
    The speech synthesizer speaks "Programming activation
keys".

    Description:
    VOXPARLE uses by default the left or right CTRL keys to
enter command mode and the left or right ALT keys to mute the
synthesizer. This facility enables you to reprogram one or the
other of those keys. However the possibilities are limited to
the CTRL keys, the ALT keys and the left and right SH keys.
Via the arrow keys you can select the key of your choice to
enter command mode or to mute the synthesizer.

    Note:
    The CR key allows you to validate the new configuration.
If you have selected the same key for both calls the changes
are not taken into account. The ESC key enables you to exit
the function without changing the configuration of the keys.


    V-E-2. Macros.

    Keystroke:
    CTRL-F9

    Message:
    The speech synthesizer speaks "Creating macros".

    Description:
    A macro is a series of one to fifteen keys triggering
elementary actions, all being executed by only depressing one
key on the keyboard. An elementary action is a moving command,
a reading command, a programming command etc. There are two
stages involved in creating a macro:
    - Activation key: it is the key which when depressed will
run the macro. You have to type one of the thirty keys which
are as follows: from Q to P, from A to ; (semi-colon) and from
Z to / (slash).
    - Now the function is waiting for you to type the keysused for the elementary actions. All commands within reading
mode are available.
    The macro is automatically validated if the fifteen keys
have been used. In any other case you have to press CTRL-CR
keys to do it.

    Note:
    You can thus create a set of thirty macros so as to
automatically perform actions often used.
    A macro is run within command mode. The interest of a
macro is that it enables you from live mode to execute several
actions within reading mode just by pressing two keys. So you
must think to end your macros with the function allowing to
exit reading mode. In any other case VOXPARLE would stay
within reading mode. (See the list of macros in Annex A.)


    V-E-3. Setting a monitor marker.

    Keystroke:
    CTRL-PGUP

    Message:
    The speech synthesizer speaks "Setting monitor marker?".

    Description:
    You can set ten monitor markers on the screen. VOXPARLE is
waiting for you to type the order number of the monitor marker
contained between 0 and 9. Once you have entered the number
the currend position of the reading cursor is then saved.
Subsequently it will be possible to reposition the reading
cursor by using the command designed to move on to a monitor
marker (see chapter IV-A-13).

    note:
    The ESC key enables you to exit the function without
keeping the position of the reading cursor.


    V-E-4. Programming the cursor tracking.

    Keystroke:
    CTRL-F8

    Message:
    The speech synthesizer speaks "Adjustment of cursor
tracking".

    Description:
    The vocal table allows you to adjust two parameters
offering the possibility to limit on the one hand the action
field of the cursor movement and on the other hand the
movement level.
    The field of action is by default the whole screen and the
eight windows available for the user. Using the UAR key you
may extend the field of action to dynamic windows 1 and 2 if
they exist. That possibility enables you to inhibit the cursor
movement facility whenever a dynamic window in which thecursor is also moving appears on the screen.
    The second parameter allows you to adjust the movement
level from which the character string will be pronounced.
Three levels are available which add to one another:
    - Small: only the four arrow keys are effective and the
character on which the cursor is moved is pronounced.
     - Small, medium: CTRL-LAR and CTRL-RAR become active for
word pronounciation and the UAR and DAR keys trigger the
reading of the whole line on which the cursor comes. The LAR
and RAR keys keep the same action.
    - Small, medium, large: the other keys for the cursor
movement become active.

    Note:
    The ESC key enables you to exit the function without
changing the parameters.


    V-E-5. Programming the document reading.

    Keystroke:
    CTRL-F7

    Message:
    The speech synthesizer speaks "Adjustment of document
reading".

    Description:
    The vocal table is made up of six parameters allowing you
to adjust the automatic reading of the current document.
    Automatic reading: this first parameter activates or not
the reading process, that is if the option "Not available" is
selected pressing CTRL-DAR or using the other possibilities
mentioned in chapter III-24 has no effect. It is the default
option in all profile files having nothing to do with word
processors or text editors. The option "Available" activates
the process.
    Stop control: this second parameter allows you to specify
if if the stopping of the reading process is manual, that is
by pressing any key, or manual and automatic. The automatic
stopping consists in watching a screen area (in most cases
this is the state line of the editor) and to detect the start
or the end of the document.
    Temporisation: the UAR and DAR keys increase or decrease
the value of the pause made between each cursor movement. This
value depends on the working speed of the computer and also of
the speech synthesizer used. The value is conversely
proportional to the machine speed. In addition if the
synthesizer used does not offer the possibility to set the
cursor movement in harmony with the speech speed (see chapter
III-24) by increasing this parameter, it is possible to keep a
certain coherence between the cursor position and the text
being read.
    The last parameters allow you via the arrow keys to define
the line number, the first column and the length of the stop
control area.

    Note:    The document reading is a process mostly depending on the
behaviour of the application used and the machine, and the
temporization value often determines the good working. The
PGUP and PGDN keys increase or decrease the numerical
parameter value of ten. The ESC key enables you to exit the
function without changing the parameters.
