Viena 64 and screen readers

All about the SoundFont editor Viena
mcox
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Sep 03, 2019 2:31 pm

Viena 64 and screen readers

Post by mcox »

Hello,
This is quite a specialized question, but I hope someone can help anyway.
I'm blind, and therefore use a screen reader, both the free NVDA and JAWS 2019 (August update)
I've been using Viena for a number of years on a HP Pavilion windows 7 home, service pack 1, 32-bit system, with 4 GB of ram and 1.6 GHZ processor, AMD Apu with Radiom TM graphic, with no discernable problems with regards to what the screen reader reads.
I have recently switched to a Dell XPS 13 Intel 1.88 GHZ, 8 GB ram, and Intel 620 Graphics, windows 10 1803 64-bit system.
When using the latest Viena 32-bit on my old system, accessing the list of presets is easy. I press f1, and the screen reader focuses on it. using up and down arrow keys, and left and right, I can navigate through instruments, presets, preset layers and samples individually.
using the 64-bit version on windows 10, however, gives a different result even though the program layout seems to be the same.
f1 no longer focuses on the tree view, and even when I focus on the presets panel buy tabbing to find it nothing is read. It's also hit and miss as to wether f4 focuses on the keyboard or not. Sometimes it doesn't work.
I was wondering if this was a 64-bit coding error, or something to do with the screen reader, or something else.
I contacted freedom scientific and NVDA support and have been advised that it's your issue not there's.
Just for fun I added Viena 32-bit to windows 10 and focus seems to be ok here.
Is there any way to re-exammmin this as switching thru presets or doing pretty much anything doesn't happen here.
Thanks and apologies for the long winded post.
Regards.
Melissa Cox
PS to be fare, accessing the preset list with NVDA is kind of an issue with NVDA too. is there any way to fix this or maybe add a specific thing for screen reader use?
Melissa Cox
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Re: Viena 64 and screen readers

Post by Admin »

Hi Melissa,
Thanks for this information.
It looks like the 64 bit version behaves differently - in a poor way. This is pretty odd, as the high level code used to compile both the 32 bit and the 62 bit version is 99.99% the same. It is only two different compilers creating the machine code. Hence, I cannot immediately see what could be done. As you will probably never really need to use the 64 bit version I suggest you stick to the 32 bit one. Who would need the 64 bit version actually? SoundFonts cannot be of larger than 4 GB and the 32 bit version already manages files up to 4 GB. I provide the 64 bit version for future compatibility reasons.
mcox
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Sep 03, 2019 2:31 pm

Re: Viena 64 and screen readers

Post by mcox »

Actually, the problem is also in the 32-bit version.
On windows 7, it's fine, it reads the entire list. But using windows 10 1803 no joy.
I tried this just after I posted the message.
I emailed freedom scientific, and the NVDA creaters, and they basicly told me it was your problem... sorry.
Using NVDA (Just google the screenreder to find it, it reads everything except the preset, instruments and samples list.
Sorry to be a pain, but I use this like every day, and it would be helpfull if something could be figured out.
Thanks so much.
Ps:
Actually thank you for responding at all. Most people I contact about suggestions or queries regarding accessability tell me to get lost, because I'm in the minority.
I may be blind, but I'm also a musician and educator, so...
Regards.
Melissa Cox.
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Re: Viena 64 and screen readers

Post by Admin »

Correct me if I am wrong: the 32 bit version works on Windows 7 but not on Windows 10? As it is the same Viena code in both cases I would be inclined to think that the problem is Windows 10. That is, Microsoft has screwed something up.

Next week I'll try and set NVDA up on my Windows 10 machine. I do not have Windows 7, though. I have Windows XP and Vista.
Admin
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Re: Viena 64 and screen readers

Post by Admin »

Correction: found one with Windows 7!
Admin
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Re: Viena 64 and screen readers

Post by Admin »

Update 1: Installed NVDA on my standard Windows 10 PC. It works well with both the 32 bit version of Viena and the 64 bit version. It reads to me everything in the tree list to the left; samples, instruments and presets. This is what has been your problem, I presume. Also, the F1 works in both versions. Hence, there must be an issue with your particular Windows 10 setup. Can't help you there, sorry!
Kilgore
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Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2020 11:05 am

Re: Viena 64 and screen readers

Post by Kilgore »

What windows version did you use that NVDA worked perfectly on btw?
Admin
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Re: Viena 64 and screen readers

Post by Admin »

Windows 10
mcox
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Joined: Tue Sep 03, 2019 2:31 pm

Re: Viena 64 and screen readers

Post by mcox »

Hello Again,
I'm now having problems with Viena on all system.
I'll get rid of the windows 7 machine soon, but in this case it doesn't matter because Viena is no longer read by any of the 3 Screen readers I use.
The last completely accessible version I think was 0.9.6.
The preset tre view isn't accessible.
I can tab to an area that I think contains them, and I might get samples header read out but nothing more.
further more, all the menues, Context/main menue/edit/help ETC are no longer read. I just get the first letter of each acction and have to work out what this is ment to be.
Could you please look in to this? because it's making Viena completely useless to me and I'd quite like it back.
Thank you so much.
Kind Regards.
Melissa Cox.
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Re: Viena 64 and screen readers

Post by Admin »

Hi Melissa, I'll look into it - mainly using the Windows' Narrator
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