Fta Vision User Guide

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NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA) is a free and open source screen reader for the Microsoft Windows operating system.Providing feedback via synthetic speech and Braille, it enables blind or vision impaired people to access computers running Windows for no more cost than a sighted person.NVDA is developed by NV Access, with contributions from the community.

Apart from providing its messages and interface in several languages, NVDA can also enable the user to read content in any language, as long as they have a speech synthesizer that can speak that language.

For users that own a refreshable braille display, NVDA can output its information in braille.NVDA uses the open source braille translator LibLouis to generate braille sequences from text.Both uncontracted and contracted braille input via a braille keyboard is also supported.Furthermore, NVDA will detect many braille displays automatically by default.Please see the Supported Braille Displays section for information about the supported braille displays.

NVDA is available under the GNU General Public License version 2, with two special exceptions.The exceptions are outlined in the license document under the sections "Non-GPL Components in Plugins and Drivers" and "Microsoft Distributable Code".NVDA also includes and uses components which are made available under different free and open source licenses.You are free to share or change this software in any way you like as long as it is accompanied by the license and you make all source code available to anyone who wants it.This applies to both original and modified copies of this software, plus any derivative works.

This quick start guide contains three main sections: downloading, initial setup, and running NVDA.These are followed by information on adjusting preferences, using add-ons, participating in the community and getting help.The information in this guide is condensed from other parts of the NVDA User Guide.Please refer to the full User Guide for more detailed information on each topic.

NVDA is completely free for anyone to use.There is no license key to worry about or expensive subscription to pay.NVDA is updated, on average, four times per year.The latest version of NVDA is always available from the "Download" page of the NV Access website.

If you plan to always use NVDA on this computer, you will want to choose to install NVDA.Installing NVDA will allow for additional functionality such as automatic starting after sign-in, the ability to read the Windows sign-in and secure screens.These cannot be done with portable and temporary copies.For full details of the limitations when running a portable or temporary copy of NVDA, please see Portable and temporary copy restrictions.

The full NVDA user guide has all the NVDA commands, split up into different sections for reference.The tables of commands are also available in the "Commands Quick Reference".The "Basic Training for NVDA" NVDA training module has each command in more depth with step-by-step activities."Basic Training for NVDA" is available from the NV Access Shop.

To learn and practice the location of keys, press NVDA+1 to turn Input help on.While in input help mode, performing any input gesture (such as pressing a key or performing a touch gesture) will report the action and describe what it does (if anything).The actual commands will not execute while in input help mode.

It is also possible to set the first or last value of the current synth setting by assign custom gestures in Input Gestures dialog, under the speech category.This means, for example, when you're on a rate setting, it will set the rate to 0 or 100.When you're on a voice setting, it will set the first or last voice.

Most NVDA functions can be enabled or changed via the NVDA settings.Settings, and other options, are available via NVDA's menu.To open NVDA's menu, press NVDA+n.To open NVDA's general settings dialog directly, press NVDA+control+g.Many settings screens have keystrokes to open them directly, such as NVDA+control+s for synthesizer, or NVDA+control+v for other voice options.

Add-ons are programs which provide new or changed functionality for NVDA.Add-ons are developed by the NVDA community, or external companies and are unaffiliated with NV Access.As with any software, it is important to trust the developer of an add-on before using it.Please refer to Installing Add-ons for ways to verify add-ons prior to installation.

The first time the Add-on Store is opened, NVDA displays a warning about add-ons.Add-ons are not vetted by NV Access and may have unrestricted functionality and access to information.Press spacebar if you have read the warning and do not need to see it next time.Press tab to reach the "OK" button, then enter to accept the warning and proceed to the Add-on Store.The "Add-ons and the Add-on Store" section of the User Guide contains information about every feature of the Add-on Store.

The Add-on Store is available from the Tools menu.Press NVDA+n to open the NVDA menu, then t for tools, then a for Add-on Store.When the Add-on Store opens, it shows "Available add-ons" if no add-ons are installed.When add-ons are installed, the Add-on Store opens to the "Installed add-ons" tab.

When the window first opens, add-ons may take a few seconds to load.NVDA will read the name of the first add-on once the list of add-ons finishes loading.Available add-ons are listed alphabetically in a multi-column list.To browse the list and find out about a specific add-on:

As well as browsing all available add-ons, it is possible to filter the add-ons shown.To search, press alt+s to jump to the "Search" field and type the text to search for.Searching checks for matches in the add-on ID, display name, publisher, author and description fields.The list updates while typing the search terms.Once done, press tab to go to the filtered list of add-ons and browse the results.

Press control+tab to move between the tabs of the Add-on Store.The tabs include: "Installed add-ons", "Updatable add-ons", "Available add-ons" and "Installed incompatible add-ons".Each of the tabs are set out similar to each other, as a list of add-ons, a panel for more details on the selected add-on, and a button to perform actions for the selected add-on.The actions menu of installed add-ons includes "Disable" and "Remove" rather than "Install".Disabling an add-on stops NVDA from loading it, but leaves it installed.To re-enable a disabled add-on, activate "Enable" from the actions menu.After enabling, disabling, or removing add-ons, you will be prompted to restart NVDA when closing the Add-on Store.These changes will only take effect once NVDA is restarted.Note that in the Add-on Store window escape works the same as the Close button.

When an update to an add-on you have installed is available, it will be listed in the "Updatable add-ons" tab.Press control+tab to get to this tab from anywhere in the Add-on Store.The status of the add-on will be listed as "Update available".The list will display the currently installed version and the available version.Press enter on the add-on to open the actions list; choose "Update".

NVDA has a vibrant user community.There is a main English language email list and a page full of local language groups.NV Access, makers of NVDA, are active on Twitter and Facebook.NV Access also have a regular In-Process blog.

To get help for NVDA, press NVDA+n to open the menu, then h for help.From this submenu you can access the User Guide, a quick reference of commands, history of new features and more.These first three options open in the default web browser.There is also more comprehensive Training Material available in the NV Access Shop.

If installing NVDA directly from the downloaded NVDA launcher, press the Install NVDA button.If you have already closed this dialog or are wanting to install from a portable copy, please choose the Install NVDA menu item found under Tools in the NVDA menu.

The installation dialog that appears will confirm whether you wish to install NVDA and will also tell you whether this installation will be updating a previous install.Pressing the Continue button will start installing NVDA.There are also a few options in this dialog which are explained below.Once the installation has completed, a message will appear telling you that it was successful.Pressing OK at this point will restart the newly installed copy of NVDA.

If you have add-ons already installed there may also be a warning that incompatible add-ons will be disabled.Before you're able to press the Continue button you will have to use the checkbox to confirm that you understand that these add-ons will be disabled.There will also be a button present to review the add-ons that will be disabled.Refer to the incompatible add-ons dialog section for more help on this button.After installation, you are able to re-enable incompatible add-ons at your own risk from within the Add-on Store.

This option allows you to choose whether or not NVDA should automatically start while at the Windows sign-in screen, before you have entered a password.This also includes User Account Control and other secure screens.This option is enabled by default for fresh installations.

This option allows you to choose whether or not NVDA should create a shortcut on the desktop to start NVDA.If created, this shortcut will also be assigned a shortcut key of control+alt+n, allowing you to start NVDA at any time with this keystroke.

This option allows you to choose whether or not NVDA should copy the user configuration from the currently running NVDA into the configuration for the currently logged on user, for the installed copy of NVDA.This will not copy the configuration for any other users of this system nor to the system configuration for use during Windows sign-in and other secure screens.This option is only available when installing from a portable copy, not when installing directly from the downloaded Launcher package.

If creating a portable copy directly from the NVDA download package, press the Create Portable Copy button.If you have already closed this dialog or you are running an installed copy of NVDA, choose the Create Portable copy menu item found under Tools in the NVDA menu.