hi darcy, maybe it can work from the extras menu with universal access showing up there. I just use shift tab in system prefs by the way, it should take you to the universal prefs.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Darcy Burnard" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "General discussions on all topics relating to the use of Mac OS X by theblind" <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2007 3:59 PM Subject: Re: Extremely Useful Tip When VoiceOver Stops Talking [Re:Command-F5/Restarting Computer does not turn VO on] Hi everyone. I've not had this happen myself, but because it has happened to others, I thought I would try and create an automator application that would perform the steps. So far, I haven't had much luck, but if I do have success with it, I'll make it available for anyone who wants it. Darcy On 15-Dec-07, at 6:04 AM, Scott Howell wrote: > This does work in Leopard and thanks for sharing this info. I > encourage everyone to try this and more than once, make a note of > the steps and just periodically try them out so you will remember > them or write them down. This might really help you out in a jam one > day. > > On Dec 14, 2007, at 3:16 PM, Esther wrote: > >> Hi Lou, >> >> This is very useful infomration, indeed, that can help people. I've >> retitled the thread in hopes that more people will read it. >> >> I didn't realize there was this reproducible, testable way of >> dealing with VoiceOver when it stopped speaking and getting >> it restarted, and that the standard things we try might not work. >> >> Thanks on behalf of everyone.! >> >> Cheers, >> >> Esther >> >> On Dec 14, 2007, at 10:08AM, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>> Hello! >>> >>> I know this problem has already been resolved for Simon, but this >>> info might help others experiencing the problem of VO not talking... >>> It did not dawn on me to provide this info previously until I heard >>> Simon's solution was, with sighted assistance, to physically turn on >>> VO using the mouse. >>> >>> Ever since I installed Mac OS X 10.4.11, this problem has been >>> cropping up for me. I will be working in Safari, Mail or Vienna and >>> the Mac becomes "busy." After clearing the application's "busy" >>> state >>> in one of the many ways described in this forum, Voice Over >>> occasionally stops speaking and cannot be turned back on again with >>> Command-F5 (generates the "invalid" beep) -- or even restarting the >>> computer. >>> With sighted assistance, I discovered that: >>> - the "Command-F5 check box in "KeyboArd Shortcuts" was, indeed, >>> checked (even tried unchecking and rechecking this box to see if it >>> had any affect), >>> - the Voice Over "Off" radio button was selected in the Universal >>> Access/Seeing Pane of System Preferences. >>> >>> Because the computer was not accepting the Command-F5 keyboard >>> command, the only way to turn VO back on was to use the mouse to >>> click the VO "On" button. >>> >>> This happened several times while I had no sighted assistance around >>> -- *** VERY FRUSTRATING! *** I figured there must be a way to turn >>> VO back on again without sighted assistance. Here is what I did: >>> 1. Press Control-F2 to move the mouse to the Menu Bar. >>> 2. Press the Down Arrow to open the Apple Menu. >>> 3. Quickly type "sy" to jump to System Preferences. >>> 4. Press Return to open System Preferences. >>> 5. Press Control-F2 to return to the Menu Bar. >>> 6. Press "v" to jump to the "View" menu. >>> 7. Press Down Arrow to open the View Menu. >>> 8. Press "u" to jump to "Universal Access." >>> 9. Press Return to open the Universal Access Pane of System >>> Preferences. >>> 10. Press Tab twice to select the Voice Over On/Off controls. >>> 12. Press Left Arrow to select the Voice Over "On" radio button. >>> >>> At this point, Voice Over starts talking again and (miraculously) >>> Command-F5 starts working again. >>> >>> Notes: >>> - I am running Tiger 10.4.11, so I do not know if these steps will >>> be >>> the same under Leopard. >>> - In step 11, the first time you press the Tab key takes you to the >>> "tab bar" where the various tabs for Universal Access sections are >>> located. I have the "Seeing" Tab already selected, so I do not have >>> to mess with it. If the "Seeing" tab is not selected for you, you >>> will have to move to a different Tab with the Left and/or Right >>> Arrows -- but, because there is no feedback, I think this may have >>> the potential of causing some problems... I suggest setting the tab >>> to "Seeing" while you have VO working as a precaution. This way, >>> you, >>> too, could just press the TAB key twice like I did and not worry >>> about it. >>> - Maybe, one of you Apple Script/Automater geniuses might be able to >>> create an app that could, in emergencies, do this for us >>> automatically. >>> >>> Hope this helps someone... >>> >>> Lou. >>> >>> === Original Messages === >>> >>> Dear Simon, >>> >>> Delighted to hear that you are connected and that Voiceover is up >>> and >>> running. Thank you for providing us with the details of what >>> happened. >>> >>> <snip> >>> Dear Esther and All, >>> >>> I have finally got my Voceover back!!! I'm delighted, relieved and >>> very very >>> excited at the quality of the default voice in Leopard. A sighted >>> friend of >>> mine came over a couple of hours ago, and using the mouse, activated >>> Voceover in the system preferences. It works! >>> >>> <snip> >>> >>> >>> >>> >> > > Scott Howell > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >
