Jim, Your guide helped me get over a hump in figuring out BARD Express, so many thanks. I do have some questions, although probably some are better directed to NLS.
First, in your guide, you mention you selected "100" instead of the default "50" books in the recents list. I think you omitted to explain how you made this choice. I discovered that once in that area, you need to press alt-v to bring up a menu, then arrow up to the relevant submenu. Press enter, arrow through the options, then press enter to confirm your choice. Second, on the BARD website, "Recently added books and magazines" stops at books issued up to midnight of the preceding day. BARD Express appears to include books issued the same day, a list that might keep evolving as the day goes on. I prefer the midnight deadline because it saves me from checking the same books more than once. I don't find any such limit at BARD Express. By any chance, have you? Finally, I wish we could eliminate selected subjects when reviewing the recently added books. I don't see that option on either the website or BARD Express. Again, I'm curious if I might be missing a nice feature. I agree that BARD Express should be useful for people who don't have a Victor Stream, but I also agree with Miriam that the Stream's method for handling NLS downloads is very good. Perhaps it's because I have little familiarity so far with BARD Express, but I think HumanWare has a simpler and more efficient process for converting and downloading multiple books at one time. -----Original Message----- From: JAWS-Users-List [mailto:jaws-users-list-boun...@jaws-users.com] On Behalf Of Jim Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2016 11:56 AM To: jaws-users-list@jaws-users.com Subject: Re: [JAWS-Users] Short guide for the BARD express program Hi David, The husband who has a blind wife and daughter wrote the BARD express program. He is freely sharing the BARD express program with BARD for all to use. The program is simple to use and is very convenient when downloading several books at once and when transferring several books at the same time. I think it is a great tool. The download speed is pretty good on my computer. I hope the short guide I sent to the Jaws list will get people interested in using it. Happy new year to you and the group! -----Original Message----- From: JAWS-Users-List [mailto:jaws-users-list-boun...@jaws-users.com] On Behalf Of David Ferrin Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2016 8:16 AM To: jaws-users-list@jaws-users.com Subject: Re: [JAWS-Users] Short guide for the BARD express program Honestly I do not know who wrote the guide, my guess is the person that created the program. The advantage to me is the ease of accessing the list of reading material and the ability of selecting multiple books at once. I am not totally certain about this but it seems to me that the program will stagger the downloads if you choose more than 3 books at the same time. This would in effect automate the process freeing a person to get up and do something else while the books are being downloaded. -----Original Message----- From: kurt miller Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2016 10:50 PM To: jaws-users-list@jaws-users.com Subject: Re: [JAWS-Users] Short guide for the BARD express program Miriam, Maybe not everybody has the Humanware software and this may be of valuable help to us that don't. Kurt Sent from my iPad > On Dec 28, 2016, at 9:41 PM, Miriam Vieni <miriamvi...@optonline.net> > wrote: > > This has been discussed constantly for days on the BARD Talk list. I > really don't understand why everyone is so enamoured of it. People, > not me, but others, have been downloading 3 books simultaneously from > the BARD site and I've been using the Humanware Companion software to > open and transfer zip files of BARD and Bookshare books, several at a > time, to an SD card or cartridge for years. One doesn't have to open > the Humanware folders to transfer books with the companion software. > The books go into the correct folder automatically. I suspect that > perhaps the only function that might be slightly easier is actually > downloading because you can always hear the percentages. But I haven't > tried it so I don't know. I might play around again, now that Jim has > provided this lovely screen reader friendly guide. > But I, who can barely do anything technilogically, can't figure out > why so many people have become so intrigued with this. > > Miriam > > -----Original Message----- > From: JAWS-Users-List [mailto:jaws-users-list-boun...@jaws-users.com] > On Behalf Of Jim > Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2016 6:58 PM > To: jaws-users-list@jaws-users.com > Subject: Re: [JAWS-Users] Short guide for the BARD express program > > Hi Judy, > The BARD express program, is very easy to use once you play around > with it for a minute or two. Being able to download multiple books at > one time. > And > having the ability to move multiple books at one time on to a flash > drive are awesome things for me. > > > -----Original Message----- > From: JAWS-Users-List [mailto:jaws-users-list-boun...@jaws-users.com] > On Behalf Of Judy > Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2016 6:52 PM > To: jaws-users-list@jaws-users.com > Subject: Re: [JAWS-Users] Short guide for the BARD express program > > Jim, thanks for this. I have gone through the directions and so far > have found the Bard Express more confusing than the regular Bard > which I use constantly every day at work. There are more options for > sorting and such which aren't necessary for everyone. I may play > around with it more, but so far I find it more difficult and more > steps than the regular Bard. We will see. Judy & Libby > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: JAWS-Users-List [mailto:jaws-users-list-boun...@jaws-users.com] > On Behalf Of Jim > Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2016 6:20 PM > To: jaws-users-list@jaws-users.com > Subject: [JAWS-Users] Short guide for the BARD express program > > Good afternoon Jaws group. Below is a short guide explaining how to > move around and do many things in the new BARD express program. > > What you should hear, when opening the BARD express program icon on > your desktop, after you have set it up. > > Read Only Log in successful. Welcome to BARD! > > Press Tab and shift-Tab to move through the main menu. > > Press F1 for help in any view. edit > > As you tab across the main menu, you will hear the following. > > Bookshelf, Control B Button > > To activate press spacebar. > > Wish list, Control W Button > > To activate press spacebar. > > Recently Added Books and Magazines, Control R Button > > To activate press spacebar. > > Most Popular Books, Control D Button > > To activate press spacebar. > > Browse By Subject, Control J Button > > To activate press spacebar. > > Browse By Series, Control G Button > > To activate press spacebar. > > Browse Magazines, Control I Button > > To activate press spacebar. > > Search BARD, Control S Button > > To activate press spacebar. > > Preferences, Control P Button > > To activate press spacebar. > > Manage Devices Button > > To activate press spacebar. > > > > The first place to go is Preferences. > > Press the spacebar or enter on Preferences. > > Tab one time, mine is set too. > > Cartridge copy mode, Checked, allow multiple books on cartridges and > devices radio button, two of two. > > Tab again, mine is set too. > > Display mode, checked, advanced mode, check-boxes are displayed so > that multiple items can be operated on at once, radio button, two of two. > > Tab again to, result message display time. > > Tab again to the display time, press the down arrow to increase the > display time, mine is on the default 5 seconds. > > Tab again too, > > Bookshelf directory, leave blank for the default, followed by > C:users.......... > > Tab again too, > > You can enter a custom bookshelf directory name here. > > Tab again too, > > Choose a different directory button. > > Tab again too, > > View directory location in windows explorer button. > > Tab again too, > > Back to main menu button, press the spacebar or enter, here to go back > to the main menu of the program. > > You can use the control+the letters above for the different tab > controls in the BARD express program. > > Tab to, Recently Added Books and Magazines, press the spacebar to > activate this window. > > You will hear, loading subjects. > > By default you will have a list of 50 items, I changed mine to 100 items. > > As you press the down arrow key, you will hear unchecked followed by > the information for the book or magazine, that is currently highlighted. > > Just press the spacebar to check that book or magazine for download, > if you are set to advanced mode, you may check many books for download > at one time. > > Now when you are done checking books for download, tab to the download > button, press the spacebar, you will hear Jaws give the percentage of > the downloads, as they are being downloaded. > > Now tab to, back to main menu button, press the spacebar. > > Now tab to, Most Popular Books, press the spacebar to open. > > You will hear, loading most popular books. > > Again you are in a list of books, you will hear, unchecked followed by > the information for each book as you down arrow through the results. > > Just press the spacebar, to check any book you wish to download. > > Tab to the back to main menu button, press the spacebar. > > Now tab to, browse by subject button, press the spacebar. > > You will hear, adventure, one of one-hundred-and-fourteen. > > You can just down arrow, or use first letter navigation to read the > subject list. > > Just press the spacebar on the subject you wish to review, you will > hear, loading. > > Again you will hear, as you down arrow through the list, unchecked, > followed by the information for the book. > > Just press the spacebar on the book you wish to download, this will > change it from unchecked to checked. > > Tab to the download button, press the spacebar to start the download. > > Now tab to back to browse by subject button, press the spacebar. > > You are put back into the subject list. > > Now tab to back to main menu button, press the spacebar. > > Tab to, Browse By Series button, press the spacebar. > > You will hear, loading series... > > You will hear, Only series, 1 of 4096. > > Again you can just down arrow, or press the first letter or press the > first two or three letters in the series name to jump to it. > > Press the spacebar on the series you wish to look at. > > A complete list of books in that series will come up. > > Just press the spacebar on the book or books to check the book or > books, you wish to check for download. > > Tab to the download button, press the spacebar. > > Now tab to back to browse by series button, press the spacebar. > > You can find another series, and repeat the above instructions. > > Now tab to back to main menu button, press the spacebar. > > Tab to, Browse magazines button, press the spacebar. > > You will hear, AARP magazine and bulletin, audio, 1 of 69. > > Again use down arrow or first letter navigation to go to the magazine > you wish to see, press the spacebar, on the magazine to see the list > of available issues for download. > > The most recent issue will be first in the list down to the last issue. > > Again, press the spacebar, on any issue you wish to download. > > You can tab to the ad to wish-list button, or tab to the download > button, press the spacebar key. > > Tab to back to browse magazines button, press the spacebar. > > You can look at another magazine in the list. > > Now tab to the, back to main menu button, press the spacebar. > > Tab to, search BARD button, press the spacebar. > > You will hear, Type your search term, and press enter to search. > > I typed the word bible, and pressed enter. > > A list of a hundred books results came up. > > Again just press the spacebar to check any book, you can then tab to > add it to your wish-list or tab to the download button, press the > spacebar. > > Now tab to, back to main menu button, press the spacebar. > > Tab to bookshelf button, press the spacebar. > > You will hear, bookshelf organized by type list view all books and > magazines, five, one of five, is what mine says. > > I press the spacebar on magazine 1. > > My magazine said unchecked, I pressed the spacebar to check it. > > Now just tab to, copy to cartridge, press the spacebar. > > You will hear, one book selected to copy, followed by the size of the > book. > > Tab to, Pick a destination USB drive, followed by the name of the > drive, how many books, remaining free space. > > Very important, Tab again, you will hear. > > Not checked, delete existing books from drive, before copying checkbox. > > If you wish to wipe the drive of all books before copying the new > book, press the spacebar to check this. > > Tab to the OK button, press enter to start the process of transferring > your books, from the BARD express program to your flash drive. > > You will hear a message saying, please wait, copying files, followed > by the percentage of copying as it is completed. > > When the copying is finished, BARD express will ask you, do you want > to eject the flash drive, you will tab to yes or no, press the spacebar. > > Now because I transferred a magazine, I will tab to the back to > bookshelf button, press the spacebar. > > I will press the spacebar on, audio books 4, I will be put in a list > of my four audio books. > > I will press the spacebar on one of my books. > > I will tab to, copy to cartridge button, press the spacebar. > > I will hear, one book selected to copy, followed by the size of the book. > > Tab one time to, Pick a destination USB device, followed by the name > of my flash drive, followed by the size of the drive, and how many > current books are on it. > > Again tab to, not checked, delete existing books from drive before > copy checkbox. > > Tab again to the OK button, press enter or the spacebar. > > You will hear, transferring, please wait, followed by the percentage > of the transfer. > > Now you will hear, BARD express bookshelf, transferred one item, would > you like to eject the flash drive, yes button, I pressed the enter > key, on yes, to eject the drive. > > Now tab to, back to bookshelf button, press the spacebar. > > Now tab to, back to main menu button, press the spacebar. > > Tab to, manage devices button, press the spacebar. > > Because I ejected my flash drive above, Jaws said, no flash drives > detected, OK button, I pressed the spacebar. > > If you have the flash drive or cartridge that you use for your BARD > books plugged-in to the USB port on your computer, the BARD express > program will automatically locate it for you, you will see it right here. > > At any time from the main menu, you can press the f1 key, for help. > > Below is an example of the help page: > > Main Menu > > The main menu gives you access to the Bookshelf and Wish List and > allows you to search for books and magazines. > > > > The Bookshelf contains books you have downloaded. The Wish List > consists of books that you find interesting, but have not yet > downloaded. > > > > From this page, you can go to Recently Added Books and Most Popular Books. > You can also browse by subject and series and look for your favorite > magazines. > > > > The Manage Devices button lets you look at the contents of Bard > cartridges and USB devices that you have plugged in to your computer. > > > > The Preferences button lets you change the settings available in BARD > Express including Cartridge Copy Mode, Display Mode, Message Display > Time, and the Bookshelf directory. > > > > You can return to the main menu from almost any place in the app by > pressing Control-M. > > I hope this short guide, will help you to learn how to use the new > BARD express program. > > Jim. > > > > For answers to frequently asked questions about this list visit: > http://www.jaws-users.com/help/ > > > For answers to frequently asked questions about this list visit: > http://www.jaws-users.com/help/ > > > For answers to frequently asked questions about this list visit: > http://www.jaws-users.com/help/ > > > For answers to frequently asked questions about this list visit: > http://www.jaws-users.com/help/ For answers to frequently asked questions about this list visit: http://www.jaws-users.com/help/ For answers to frequently asked questions about this list visit: http://www.jaws-users.com/help/ For answers to frequently asked questions about this list visit: http://www.jaws-users.com/help/ For answers to frequently asked questions about this list visit: http://www.jaws-users.com/help/
