JAWS V16 Keystroke Search

Search for a Keystroke Feature in JAWS V16

Increasingly these days I find myself feeling more than a little underwhelmed as I greet the next AT software upgrade. Once upon a time I might have read through the release notes with some excitement, these days... not so much. Partly, this is due to some fairly mediocre updates - I think everyone gets a bit jaded when software updates aren't as sparkly as the hype suggests. But it's also increasingly about the downside of upgrades, being more concerned with what might get broken in the process and really thinking about whether any update is worth the risk now.

Having said all of that, I made the jump to JAWS V16 recently and, one of the new features I've been playing around with, is the JAWS command keystroke search feature. Actually, it's pretty good. Finally, a convenient way of making sense of the sheer mountain of JAWS keystrokes built into the software!

What is the JAWS Command Search?

Anyone who uses assistive technology such as JAWS will be all too aware of the cognitive payload involved in learning and using that software. Put simply, there's a huge amount of stuff to remember and think about. Now, while it is true that in programs such as MS Word you can fluff about a bit and get reasonable results. It's also true that when you move to a more challenging software environment, you'll soon hit the point where your JAWS experience relates directly to how much hotkey functionality you know.

This isn't just an AT thing. Over the last few years we've started to see complexity being hit in diffrerent ways. The "live" searching used in Windows and "Dash" in Ubuntu to name but two together with the rise of the voice input PA such as Siri and Cortana, are all designed to streamline the strain rather than let it spill over the edges. Even JAWS itself has dabbled with a live search style of interface, as anyone who has worked in the Settings Centre can tell you. So it comes as no suprise really that JAWS V16 finally unveils a feature designed to give you meaningful hotkey information at the point you actually require it.

But what about the old hotkey and windows key help systems? Well, the JAWS Help systems we all know and love are still there but, while they've always been and continue to be very comprehensive, they've never been particularly flexible or even friendly. Often what is required is a helping hand or quick memory aid, not a window containing a whole catalogue of hotkeys. By comparison, the new JAWS Command Search is effectively a built-in search engine for JAWS keystrokes. For example, maybe you can't recall the hotkey to list all the footnotes in the current Word document? Type in "footnote" and instantly a list of keystrokes with matching descriptions appears. Or maybe you're in Excel and can't recall the keystroke to list all the visible cells with data, once again type in "data" and "list" and you're on your way. Or what about JAWS hotkeys that relate to charts? Just type in "chart" and you're good to go.

Launching and Navigating the JAWS Command Search

I'm going to base the following walkthrough on an example I mentioned earlier - listing visible cells with data in Excel.

1. With JAWS V16 running and focus in Excel, launch the new command search with INSERT SPACEBAR then J. (Hold down INSERT then SPACEBAR - at which point you will hear a sharp clicking sound - then use letter J.)
2. JAWS will announce "Search For JAWS Commands dialog" with your specific focus in the "Search For: edit" field.
3. Now type in what you are looking for. (I'm using "data" and "list" but try out whatever you want.) As you type, a results list will appear and automatically adjust with matches relevant to your search string.
4. Use the DOWN ARROW to move the virtual cursor as you would in any webpage and read the results.

NOTE: The command search page is HTML, so you can use the usual web page navigation keys to move through the results that appear. For example, the H quick key or the number 3 key (each keystroke heading link title is level 3) both work well. Or, if you prefer, you can launch your list of headings with INSERT F6 or you can choose to navigate using the trusty list of links (INSERT F7).

5. Each entry in the results list has a title followed by a description of the hotkey and its function. For example, in my search using "data" and "list" I receive the following feedback:

List Visible Cells With Data.
Control + Shift + D
Lists cells with data visible in the active window and allows the user to move to the selected cell.

6. When you have found the information you need, either run the chosen command using the heading link or close the HTML search page using the ESCAPE key.
7. To run another search, move back up to the edit field, make sure you are in Forms Mode and type in your new search terms.

Pretty neat isn't it? Let's run with another example.

Column Titles in Excel with Command Search

Here's another approach you can take with the new command search. Not only is it great for getting the information in the first place - it can also help out with those tricky three and four finger keystrokes. Manually assigning column titles in an Excel worksheet I'm looking at you...

1. Open a new worksheet in Excel and type a column title in cell A1, B1 and C1.
2. For some added drama, enter some data in cell A2, B2 and C2.
3. Move the cursor to a cell in row one.
4. Launch the command search feature with INSERT SPACEBAR, J and type "Set Column" in the edit field.
5. DOWN ARROW to the "Set Column Titles to Row Range" heading link and use ENTER to activate the command.
6. Focus will now return to the Excel worksheet and JAWS will indicate that the headings are set.

Hey, I know - I'm lazy! But it's not a bad way to go, especially as some JAWS keystrokes of the three and four finger variety can be pretty tricky to use.

So there you go, if you've upgraded recently to JAWS V16, go into your main Office programs and give the new command search feature a spin. Until next time, have fun!