Donny and anyone else interested in this subject -
What follows is not trivial information and should be read completely
before
starting to manually move customized files from an older to a newer
JAWS
version. I realize that it's not going to make for the most exciting
(and
maybe not even the easiest) reading, but it's absolutely essential
information and faioling to understand it and follow the instructions
may
result in major JAWS problems.
Let's begin by defining some terms:
Shared files - These are the files that are installed whenever you
install a
new version of JAWS. They are placed into a different folder than are
the
user files and should _never_ be changed or altered. Similarly, the
contents
of the shared files folder should never be changed in any way by
either
adding new (third party) files or by removing files you don't think
you'll
ever use. Doing either can break the installation or repair routines.
User files - These are any files you've changed using Script Manager,
Keyboard Manager, Configuration Manager, etc.; as well as any third
party
files (files not supplied by Freedom Scientific). Any time you
install third
party files, you must place them into the user files folder.
Okay, let's find the two user files folders first:
Note: it may be helpful to you as you proceed if you have Windows
Explorer
configured to announce the full path whenever you change from one
folder to
another as you'll be doing below. This is set by way of Control
Panel>Folder
Options and is found under the View tab. The specific items are
Display the
Full Path in the Address Bar and Display the Full Path in the Title
Bar.
Both of these should be checked or indicated as "on."
1. Press Windows Key to get to the Start Menu.
2. Press the letter P to move to the Programs submenu.
3. Press the letter J to move to the version of JAWS you've been
using--the
one whose files you want to copy.
4. Press RIGHT ARROW twice until you hear "Explore My Settings" and
press
ENTER. This will open the user files folder for the source version of
JAWS.
5. Now, repeat steps 1 through 4, except that in step 3, you want the
version of JAWS you just installed--the version to which you want to
copy
the files.
Next, some general things to be aware of:
1. You should move any third party files of _any_ type (that is, any
file
extension) that you find in the source folder. Third party files are
files
that are _not_ part of the set of files that are supplied with the
JAWS
package. For example, Ad-Aware, Nero, etc.; that is, files that you've
downloaded from somewhere else (like JFWlite.com) and installed
yourself.
2. You are responsible for making any changes to JAWS-supplied
scripts on
your own. Even if you used the Merge tool, it doesn't update script
files,
so if you've changed something in Default.jss, Internet Explorer.jss,
Outlook Express.jss, etc., you'll have to make those same changes all
over
again with the new versions of the same scripts. You should _never_,
under
any circumstances whatever, copy entire JAWS-supplied script files
(files
with an extension of .jkm, .jss, .jsb, .jsd, .jsh, or .jsm) from one
JAWS
version to another. Scripts are unique to each JAWS version and
cannot be
used across versions. As previously indicated, this may or may not be
true
for third party script files, but when FS releases a new version of
JAWS,
the scripts receive as much work and as many changes as any part of
the
program, particularly those scripts for major applications like
Outlook and
Outlook Express, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Word, Excel, etc. This
same
prohibition applies equally to configuration files (files with an
extension
of .jcf): these should _never_ be copied from an older version of
JAWS to a
newer one.
3. You must be aware that the names of some files have changed and
that
because of this, you must rename them if you copy them. For example,
in JAWS
7.0, files for Outlook Express were named Outlook Express 5-6.*, but
in
7.10, the name was changed to Outlook Express.*. Similarly, the
Internet
Explorer files names were also changed, but I think this took place
between
6.20 and 7.0. In any case, the JAWS Merge tool does _not_ always
catch these
name changes, so that's yet another good reason not to rely on it.
4. While you can move customized graphics files (with an extension of
.jgf)
from older versions of JAWS to newer versions, don't do this when the
new
version is 8.0. Beginning with 8.0, FS began to make some major
changes in
some applications (Outlook and Outlook Express, for example) in terms
of how
various characteristics (such as whether or not a message contains an
attachment) were recognized and announced and they're not relying on
graphics as much as they used to, so older .jgf files may not work as
they
once did. If you have customized graphics files for JAWS-supplied
applications, try re-creating the graphics labels from the beginning
if
you're working with 8.0.
5. As JAWS has evolved, some of the customized files found in the
user files
folder have become supplemental as opposed to additive. By this, I
mean that
in older versions of JAWS, if you created, let's say, a new dictionary
entry, the entire dictionary file was first copied from the shared
files
folder to the user files folder and then, your new entry was added.
Now,
_only_ your new entry is added to the dictionary file in your user
files
folder and dictionary processing by JAWS uses _both_ the dictionary
files;
the one in the shared settings folder and the one in the user files
folder;
combining them into a single virtual file.
Now, let's select the files to copy:
1. In the Windows Explorer window of the _source_ user files folder,
choose
all of the dictionary files. These have a file extension of .jdf. Use
standard Windows techniques to select the files one at a time or as a
group.
Press CTRL+C to copy the file or files to the clipboard.
2. Now, use ALT+TAB to navigate to the Windows Explorer window of the
_target_ JAWS version. Press CTRL+V to paste the file or files you
selected
above.
I think that's about it. I realize this is relatively technical and
might
seem difficult for some, but it's the only way to safely move
existing files
between JAWS versions.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Donnie Parrett" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "JAWS-Users" <jaws-users-list@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 04, 2007 4:44 PM
Subject: [JAWS-Users] Copying JAWS Files
Hey Walt,
Could you please let me know how to copy and transfer my JAWS
settings from
7.0 to 7.1? I need to
know how to find the changes that I made in 7.0 so I can transfer all
of
those changes to 7.1. I
guess I could just go ahead and use the Merge feature...but, you know
how
that goes. Ha ha. Thanks
again for all of your help.
See ya,
Scooter
