home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Gold Medal Software 2
/
Gold Medal Software Volume 2 (Gold Medal) (1994).iso
/
utils
/
dos62sp.arj
/
ADOS.TX_
/
ADOS.bin
Wrap
Text File
|
1993-09-30
|
116KB
|
2,777 lines
User's Guide for AccessDOS
A package of public domain MS-DOS extensions for keyboard, mouse and
sound access
Developed by:
The Trace Research and Development Center
Madison, WI
Version 1.1
March, 1993
Software
Mark E. Novak
Joseph M. Schauer
Jay D. Hinkens
Gregg C. Vanderheiden
Manual
Peter A. Borden
Revised by Microsoft Corporation
Support for work on AccessDOS was provided in part by IBM Corporation
and by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation
Research (NIDRR), U.S. Dept. of Education, under grant #H133E80021.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice, and
does not represent a commitment on the part of the Trace Center or
the University of Wisconsin. The software may be used or copied and
distributed to others without charge. If the program is copied, all
parts of the program must be distributed along with it, including the
manual. This program may not be modified in any way without the
express written permission of the Trace Center, University of
Wisconsin-Madison.
Copyright (c) 1991, 1992, 1993 Board of Regents,
University of Wisconsin System.
All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America
IBM and PS/2 are registered trademarks of International Business
Machines Corporation. MS-DOS and Microsoft are registered trademarks
of Microsoft Corporation. WordPerfect is a registered trademark of
WordPerfect Corporation.
User's Guide for AccessDOS
Part 1: Getting Started
1-1: What AccessDOS is all about
Since computers are used by many different people, they have been designed
overall for the "average" user. But everyone's abilities are different,
and some people have enough trouble operating computers that they need some
special accommodations.
AccessDOS provides some of these accommodations. AccessDOS does not
address all of the problems that someone with a disability might encounter
in using a computer. Rather, it tackles some of the most common
difficulties that people with physical disabilities encounter in using the
computer's input devices--that is the keyboard and the mouse. It also can
assist some people with hearing impairments.
AccessDOS is similar to the curbcuts used on street corners. The
computer itself, like the sidewalk, stays basically unchanged, and
can still be used by anyone. But just as curbcuts allow people in
wheelchairs to get up on to the sidewalk and use it, AccessDOS lets
the computer user with a disability operate the keyboard and mouse in
a slightly different way, so that he or she can gain access to the
computer. Once that person has access to the computer, he or she can
operate the same software that everyone else uses, and can use the
computer to accomplished all the same things at home, at school or on
the job.
AccessDOS extends the MS-DOS operating system, which runs in the
background while you are operating other software such as a word
processor. That means that you can make use of AccessDOS's special
adaptive functions at any time while you're using the computer.
This User's Guide will explain all you need to know to operate the
functions of AccessDOS. We've also tried to explain why you might
want to use certain functions. However, we encourage you to look
beyond our basic suggestions. Look at the instructions to find out
what the program does, then think about what it could do for you.
Many of the functions are adjustable, and you may want to play around
with them until you get them just the way you want them.
The next section ("A quick look at AccessDOS functions") gives brief
descriptions of each of the AccessDOS's main functions. Reading this
section will help you figure out which sections of the manual you might
need to turn to. Next to the name of each function is the number of the
section in Part 2 which tells you how to use it.
Be sure also to read Sections 1-3 and 1-4 of this manual ("How to set up
AccessDOS on to your disk" and "How to start up and install AccessDOS")
before you try to operate AccessDOS.
1-2: A quick look at AccessDOS functions
There are seven basic functions in AccessDOS. Here, in brief, is a
description of each one. (After the name of each function is the
number of the section in Part 2 which tells you how to use it.)
WARNING: Be sure you have read and followed the instructions in
Sections 1-3 ("How to copy AccessDOS on to your disk") and 1-4 ("How
to start up and install AccessDOS") before you turn to Part 2 and try
to use any of the seven AccessDOS functions.
StickyKeys (See Section 2-2)
Operating a computer often requires pressing two keys at once--for
example, pressing the shift key and the 8 key to make an asterisk (*).
Some people find it difficult or even impossible to do this because
they type with a single finger, or with a stick attached to their
head or hand.
StickyKeys solves this problem by letting you first type one key, then
the other. For instance, to get an asterisk, you could press the
shift key, release it, and then press the 8 key. You can use
StickyKeys with the shift, control and alternate keys on your
keyboard.
MouseKeys (See Section 2-3)
The mouse can be a difficult device for some people to handle. For
instance, people may have difficulty controlling fine movements of
their hand, or they may have difficulty grasping the mouse and
pressing the buttons, or they may be using a typing stick rather than
their hands to operate the computer.
MouseKeys allows people who can't handle the mouse, but who can press
keys on the keyboard, to perform all the functions of the mouse.
MouseKeys lets you use the keys on the numeric keypad (the group of
number and math keys usually on the far right side of the keyboard)
to control all of the mouse functions, including moving around the
screen and clicking the mouse buttons.
ToggleKeys (See Section 2-4)
Many keyboards have small lights on them to indicate the status of
keys that can be "on" or "off," such as caps lock. There are usually
three lights, one for caps lock, one for num lock and one for scroll
lock. Some people can't see these status lights, including people
who are visually impaired and people who are performing keyboard
functions from some device other than the standard keyboard (more
information on the second situation is given under SerialKeys).
ToggleKeys tells you when one of the three keys is turned on or off
by giving a beep. Different beeps are used for on and off.
ToggleKeys will work the same way with keyboards that don't have the
little indicator lights.
Keyboard Response Group:
RepeatKeys, SlowKeys and BounceKeys (See Section 2-5)
Keyboards have several features that are based on the assumption that
the user can press a key accurately, and release it at a precise
time. These features can pose obstacles to people who have physical
impairments that prevent them from pressing keys accurately, or
releasing them in time. The Keyboard Response Group has three
adjustments which let you adjust the keyboard: RepeatKeys, SlowKeys
and BounceKeys.
RepeatKeys: Most keyboards have a feature called auto-repeat: when
you hold down a key for longer than a certain period of time, the
keyboard begins repeating that key over and over again. This feature
of keyboards is meant as a convenience for most users, but can be an
inconvenience to users with physical impairments. They may get
repeated keys when they don't want them. RepeatKeys lets you adjust
how fast the auto-repeat works or turn it off entirely.
SlowKeys: Some people who have physical impairments may accidently
bump keys while they are moving their hand or typing stick toward the
key they want. Usually, the keys that are bumped accidentally will
just be hit for a very short period of time. SlowKeys lets you tell
the computer not to accept a key as "pressed" unless it's held down
for a certain length of time. The user can then bump any number of
keys on their way to the one they want without accidentally getting
those characters. They can then hold the desired key long enough for
the computer to accept it.
BounceKeys: Some people with physical impairments will accidentally
"bounce" on a key when they press it--that is, they'll press it once,
then accidentally press it again right away. BounceKeys lets you
tell the computer "don't accept two presses on the same key in a row,
unless they are far enough apart in time." Using BounceKeys, if a
person presses the T key, then bounces on it (hits it again right
away), the computer will just accept one letter T, not two. The user
can deliberately get two T's by waiting a little while before
pressing the T key again.
SerialKeys (See Section 2-6)
Some people cannot use the keyboard and mouse at all due to a
physical impairment, and must use some specially designed input
device (a communication aid, an eyegaze-operated keyboard, etc.) to
perform the functions of the keyboard and the mouse. In some cases
these special input devices can be connected to a computer's serial
port (the connector commonly used for attaching a modem or printer).
Simply connecting the special input device to the computer's serial
port, however, is not enough to allow you to control keyboard and
mouse functions. The computer is designed to receive keyboard and
mouse signals through its keyboard and mouse connections, not through
its serial port.
SerialKeys allows you to control the keyboard and mouse functions of
the computer from a special input device hooked up to the computer's
serial port. This is done by sending the proper series of commands
and characters from the special input device to the computer's serial
port.
ShowSounds (See Section 2-7)
The computer often signals errors or warnings to the user with beep
sounds. However, users who have hearing impairments or who work in a
noisy environment may be unable to hear these sounds.
ShowSounds, gives you a visual indicator of when the computer has
beeped at you. Whenever there is a sound, special symbols will
appear in the upper left-hand corner of the screen, telling you the
kind of sound that was made. For a more obvious alert, you can make
the whole screen flash briefly off and on instead.
The ShowSounds feature in AccessDOS would be more properly referred
to as SoundSentry, because it tries to detect applications making
sounds, rather than cooperating with those applications. However,
the term ShowSounds will continue to be used here to follow the
convention used in earlier version of AccessDOS.
TimeOut (See Section 2-8)
You may want to use AccessDOS on a computer which is also shared by
people who don't need to use AccessDOS. The other users may not
understand how to operate AccessDOS, or how to turn off its various
functions.
TimeOut lets you set AccessDOS to shut off after the keyboard and
mouse have been unused for a certain period of time. If a person who
needs AccessDOS turns AccessDOS on and then leaves the computer,
someone coming up and using the computer later will not encounter
AccessDOS, since it will have turned itself off. If you want to have
AccessDOS on all the time, you can turn off the TimeOut function.
1-3: How to set up AccessDOS on to your disk
To install AccessDOS from your Supplemental disk, carry out the
following steps:
Step 1: Make sure you're at the MS-DOS prompt, on the same disk
drive and directory that contains your Supplemental disk files.
You shouldn't be in any application program (word processor,
spreadsheet, etc.) but just in MS-DOS. The MS-DOS prompt is normally
letter of the disk drive you're logged on to (A, B, C, etc.),
followed in some cases by a colon (:), and usually by a forward
arrow (>), and then a flashing cursor. Here's an example of a MS-DOS
prompt:
C:>_
If the drive you are logged onto is not the drive containing the
Supplemental files, you must log onto that drive by typing the
drive letter followed by a colon.
For example, if your prompt is C:>_ and you have inserted the
diskette containing your Supplemental files into your "A:" floppy
drive, you would type the letter "A" followed by a colon, then
press the Enter key. You would then see your MS-DOS prompt showing
the correct drive letter.
Step 2: Type the Setup command. This consists of:
1) the word setup
2) a space
3) the letter of the disk drive you're copying files to (that
is, the disk drive where you wish to place AccessDOS files)
4) a colon
5) a back slash ("\")
6) the name of the directory into which you want to copy the
AccessDOS files.
For example, if your Supplemental disk is in drive A, and you want
to install the files on drive C in your DOS directory, type the
following:
setup c:\dos
Step 3: When the Setup program starts, choose A if you want install
the all Supplemental disk files. This includes many files in
addition to AccessDOS. Choose S if you want to install only some of
the files--for example, just the AccessDOS files.
If you choose to install some of the files, Setup will prompt
you to install groups of files, including AccessDOS.
When AccessDOS prompts you to answer a question, you can answer by
pressing a single key. In most cases your choices will to type
Y to intall a group of files, N to skip a group of files, or X to
abort the setup procedure.
When you install AccessDOS, Setup will be copying six files:
ADOS.COM A program file required to use AccessDOS
ADOS.OVL Also required
ADOS.CFG Also required (stores AccessDOS settings)
ADOS.TXT A text file of the AccessDOS manual
AREADME.TXT A file of additional instructions, including
information on compatibility of particular hardware and software
with AccessDOS.
FAKEMOUS.COM An IBM PS/2 mouse utility
When you have completed the setup procedure, you will have copies
of these six files in the directory you specified on the setup
command line. You can now read the on-line documentation, and
then procede to start up AccessDOS.
How to read the AReadMe.txt document:
1) load it in a word processor and read and/or print it
2) print it from MS-DOS by typing Print AREADME.TXT
3) read it on the screen by typing Type AREADME.TXT |more
If you need more disk space
If you are running out of space on your disk, you can remove ADOS.TXT
and AREADME.TXT from your disk. However, you must copy ADOS.COM,
ADOS.OVL and ADOS.CFG in order to use AccessDOS.
Memory requirements
AccessDOS does require a certain amount of RAM (random access memory)
in order to operate. This should be no problem for most people with
at least 256K in their computer. If you have less than 256K, or if
you use several TSR (terminate-stay-resident, sometimes know as
"RAM-resident") programs, you may find that you don't have enough
memory for AccessDOS. So you know what you need, here are
AccessDOS's memory requirements:
While loading: 160K
Once installed: 10K if you don't use SerialKeys
25K if you use SerialKeys
System and hardware requirements
AccessDOS requires that you use version 3.3 or higher of MS-DOS.
In order for SerialKeys to work, you must have an available serial
port.
In order for MouseKeys to work, you must have an IBM PS/2 mouse or
Microsoft serial or PS/2 style mouse. The mouse must be connected,
with the proper mouse driver software loaded. (There is one
exception; see Section 2-3 on MouseKeys for details.)
1-4: How to start up and install AccessDOS
Once you've copied the AccessDOS files on to your own disk you must
start it up and install it. You must install it before you can use
its functions.
Starting up AccessDOS
Step 1: Make sure you're at the MS-DOS prompt. You shouldn't be in
any application program (word processor, spreadsheet, etc.) but just
in MS-DOS. You'll see the letter of the disk drive you're logged on
to (A, B, C, etc.), followed in some cases by a colon (:) and usually
by a forward arrow (>) and then a flashing cursor. Here's an example
of a MS-DOS prompt:
C:>_
You must be on the same disk drive and in the same directory that you
copied your AccessDOS files into; see Section 1-3. (You can start
AccessDOS from another directory by typing the full path name, if you
know how to do that.)
Step 2: Type "ados" (without quotation marks).
Step 3: Type the appropriate command line switch after the word
"ados". (See "Starting with command line switches," below).
Step 4: Press the enter key.
Once you've started AccessDOS, you'll see the AccessDOS menu bar.
Starting with command line switches
In many cases you will be able to run AccessDOS in its default mode,
simply be typing ADOS and pressing the Enter key. There are times,
however, when you may need to modify the way AccessDOS runs. This can
be done by using command line switches.
A command line switch consist of a space, a forward slash (/) and a
letter. Here is a list of the available command line switches:
Type If you want to. . .
ADOS /? Show this list of command line switches
ADOS /C Use a color display on your computer.
ADOS /M Use a monochrome (black and white) display
ADOS /L Use an LCD display on your computer.
ADOS /A Install AccessDOS automatically with option to use menus
ADOS /X Install AccessDOS automatically without option to use menus
A command line switch must be typed after you type ADOS and before
you press the Enter key. You may use more than one command line
switch at a time. For example:
ADOS /L /A
Command line switches /C, /M, /L
AccessDOS attempts to determine what type of video display system you
have attached to your computer. In most cases AccessDOS determines
this correctly, but occasionally it does not. Specifically,
AccessDOS has problems with monochrome displays attached to color
hardware. This is the case on many laptop computers, and when you
have a monochrome monitor attached to an IBM PS/2 computer. In these
situations, the computers make AccessDOS think it is running on a
color system, even though the monitor is unable to display different
colors.
If you experience difficulty reading the display on your computer, you
may want to try the appropriate command line switch for your computer
display. Use:
/C if you have a color monitor;
/M if you have monochrome monitor;
/L if you have a laptop with and LCD display.
Command line switch /A
If you want AccessDOS to automatically install, using whatever
settings you have made and saved before, you must use the /A command
line switch. You can just type it, following ADOS, but it is mainly
intended to be put into your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, a file your computer
uses to know how to start up. If you put ADOS /A in your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file, it will give you a chance to install it each time
you start up your computer.
When you start up AccessDOS with the /A command line switch, you will
see a message on the screen. You have four options:
1) Press the Escape (Esc) key within 20 seconds to abort the
install process. If then you wanted to see the AccessDOS menus, you
would have to type ADOS and press the Enter key.
2) Press the Enter key within 20 seconds, to stop AccessDOS from
installing, and to go into the AccessDOS menus. If you do this,
AccessDOS will ignore any settings you've made before and use its
default settings for all the AccessDOS functions. AccessDOS has not
"forgotten" your old settings, it just isn't using them. If you
press Enter by accident, just quit the AccessDOS menus and type ADOS
/A again.
3) Press any key except Escape or Enter within 20 seconds, to
make AccessDOS install automatically. AccessDOS will use whatever
settings you made last time you saved settings. You will not see the
AccessDOS menus.
4) Wait for 20 seconds without pressing any key. This has the
same effect as #3 above.
WARNING: Please notice that the only way to get AccessDOS to use
your previously saved settings is to use the /A or /X command line
switch. If you just type ADOS, you will always get AccessDOS's
default settings.
Command line switch /X
If you are using a computer with an 80386 microprocessor and you are
using a high MS-DOS memory manager program, you may want to read
about the /X command line switch. If not, just skip this
explanation.
MS-DOS is able to access any memory location whose address is less
than 1 megabyte. High DOS memory managers use special instructions
built into the 80386 CPU to map memory from 1 megabyte to available
space below 1 megabyte. These memory managers can then load
terminate-stay-resident (TSR) programs and device drivers in low
memory so MS-DOS can use them. Most TSR programs are much smaller
when they are resident than when they are loading. AccessDOS, for
instance, uses about 160 KB to load, but only 10-25 KB while resident.
In order for a TSR to be loaded by memory managers, there must be
enough free memory to load and run the program. We have provided the
/X command line switch to reduce the amount of memory required to
load AccessDOS. The /X command line switch in no way affects
functionality or resident size of AccessDOS; it simply installs
AccessDOS with your previously saved settings (just like /A), but
without the option of choosing to use the menus. This reduces the
amount of memory required to load AccessDOS from 160 KB to about 31
KB.
To load AccessDOS in high DOS memory, follow the instructions for
your specific high DOS memory manager and include the /X command line
switch after you type ADOS.
Before you use any AccessDOS functions: Install it!
If you want to use AccessDOS, you will have to install it each time
you boot up (turn on) your computer. Installing it allows its
various functions (StickyKeys, MouseKeys, etc.) to run "in the
background" while you are using other programs such as word
processors. If you don't install AccessDOS, its functions won't be
available to you. If you are working with AccessDOS for the first
time, you should probably install it before you do anything else.
There are two ways to install AccessDOS:
Option 1: Start up the AccessDOS program (see "Starting up
AccessDOS," above) and then install AccessDOS using the Install/Run
command. This will install AccessDOS with AccessDOS's default
settings, rather than any settings you may have made and saved
before. Here's how to do it:
Step 1: Start the AccessDOS program, if you haven't already.
Step 2: Pull down the file menu. Do this by pressing the left arrow
key until you see a list of choices appear under the word "File." One
choice should be highlighted.
Step 3: Move the highlight, using the up or down arrow key, until it
rests on the command install/run.
Step 4: Press the enter key on the keyboard. You should then see
the AccessDOS menus.
Option 2: When you type "ados" to start the program, type a slash-A
(/A) or slash-X (/X) after the "ados." See "Starting up AccessDOS,"
above, for details on this way of installing AccessDOS. This gives
you a chance to install AccessDOS with whatever settings you last
saved. See "Starting with command line switches," above, for a full
explanation of /A and /X.
Part 2 of this manual explains each of the functions of AccessDOS.
All of the functions can be activated and adjusted by typing "ados"
and using the commands on the screen. Some can also be activated
from the keyboard while you are using another program, such as a word
processor.
Making AccessDOS load automatically at start-up
You may want to have AccessDOS automatically load itself each time
your restart or re-boot your computer. In shared computer
situations, this shouldn't pose a problem, since AccessDOS can be
running in the background and be inactive until a user who needs the
features comes along and presses the proper keys.
To make AccessDOS install or load automatically each time the computer
is restarted, you should insert the command ADOS /A into your
autoexec.bat file. If you are using a mouse, ADOS /A should be
located after the command to load the mouse driver.
If you don't know how to change your autoexec.bat file, check your
MS-DOS manual or have a knowledgeable person assist you.
Troubleshooting
If you have difficulty using AccessDOS be sure to consult the
AREADME.TXT file. This text file contains information about
known compatibility issues and helpful hints for making the best
use of AccessDOS.
User's Guide for AccessDOS
Part 2: Using AccessDOS
Part 2 of this manual explains how each of the different functions of
AccessDOS work. You can read through all of the instructions, or just
turn to the section you want. You will also want to read the short
section below on "The Basics" so you will understand how to make
things happen in AccessDOS, and how to get help information on the
screen.
2-1: The Basics
If you are using AccessDOS for the first time, and especially if
you've never used a program with "pull-down" menus before, you should
read the two sections below: "How to make things happen in
AccessDOS" and "How to get help in AccessDOS."
How to make things happen in AccessDOS
When you first start AccessDOS (as described in Section 1-3), you will
see the AccessDOS menu bar.
The three words at the upper left on the screen--file, adjust and
help--are called the menu bar. Each of the words in the menu bar has
a pull-down menu, like the one you see below the word Adjust. In
AccessDOS, you make things happen by selecting choices from these
pull-down menus.
When you first enter AccessDOS, you should see that the Adjust menu
is "pulled down," that is, you can see the list of choices.
The File and Help menus can also be pulled down. Just press the right
or left arrow (cursor) keys on the keyboard. For example, try
pressing the right arrow key. Notice that the Adjust menu closes up,
and the Help menu pulls down.
There are two ways to select from menus: with the arrow (cursor) keys
and with "hot" keys.
To select with the arrow keys: first move the highlight bar to the
choice you want, using the up and down arrow (cursor) keys, then
press the Enter key.
You can also select an item by pressing the hot key for that item.
The hot key for each menu item is the character that is displayed in
a different color from or brighter than the rest. If you told
AccessDOS that you have an LCD screen on your computer, (by typing
/L; see Section 1-4), the hot key will be the letter that is
capitalized.
As an example, try pulling down the Adjust menu and moving the
highlight to StickyKeys. Then press the Enter key. You will see the
StickyKeys adjustment dialog box.
Notice that the dialog box gives you another set of choices. These
are all the adjustments you can make to the StickyKeys function.
Notice that there are two arrows pointing at the first line (which
says "StickyKeys On"). These arrows are like the highlight on the
Adjust menu: they show you what feature you are currently on. And
like the highlight, they can be moved up and down with the up and
down arrow (cursor) keys.
When the arrows are pointing at the first line ("StickyKeys On") that
means that you can now select "Yes" or "No" to turn StickyKeys on or
off. When you move the arrows to the second line ("Sound when turned
on or off"), you can choose "Yes" or "No" for that command.
You select "Yes" or "No" by moving the highlight back and forth with
the right and left arrow (cursor) keys.
In order to leave the dialog box, press the Enter key or the Escape
(Esc) key.
If you press the Enter key, AccessDOS will "remember" any changes you
made in the various settings in the dialog box. If you press the
Escape key, AccessDOS will discard any new settings you made and go
back to whatever the settings were before. (If you've never altered
the settings, AccessDOS uses its own default settings.)
WARNING: If you change settings in a dialog box, pressing the Enter
key will only cause your new settings to be remembered until next
time you turn off or re-boot your computer. If you want AccessDOS to
remember your new settings even after your computer has been turned
off and on again, you must also save your settings. See Section 2-10
to find out how to do this. Also keep in mind that your saved
settings will not be used unless you start AccessDOS with the /A or
/X switches.
In summary, here are all the keys you need to use to make things
happen in the AccessDOS program:
Up and down arrow keys
- Move up and down on a menu
- Move up and down in a dialog box
Right and left arrow keys
- Pull down the next menu over
- Move right and left in a dialog box
Enter key
- Select a command from the File, Adjust or Help menus
- Close a dialog box and tell AccessDOS to "remember" any changes you
just made in the settings.
Escape key
- Close a dialog box without changing anything
- Close a "help" box
Hot keys
- Select a menu item automatically
How to get help in AccessDOS
There are three ways to get on-screen help (instructions) in
AccessDOS:
1. Go to the help menu.
When you first enter AccessDOS, you will see the file, adjust and
help menus. If you pull down the help menu, you will see a list of
the functions of AccessDOS. Just select the one you want, and help
information for that function will appear on the screen.
2. Press the F1 key.
You can press the F1 key at any time while you are in AccessDOS in
order to see help information about the functions you are currently
working with.
If, for instance, you are in the process of adjusting StickyKeys and
want some help, pressing the F1 key will give you information about
adjusting StickyKeys.