J-Say Technical Support FAQ

Question
I'm a current J-Say 6.01 user, how can I upgrade to 6.10?
Answer

First please note that J-Say 6.10 requires JAWS 9.0.2169 and Dragon Pro 9.5 to function. Please have those installed prior to installing J-Say 6.10.

As promised, the 6.10 upgrade is free to install for J-Say 6.01 users and can now be downloaded from our site. This upgrade has many new features and changes which you may want to read about before upgrading. Before upgrading, and this is critical, you'll want to carefully read the J-Say 6.10 documentation, especially the upgrade and installation instructions. The 6.10 upgrade installer will not work unless you have a working and authorized copy of J-Say 6.01 already on your system.

With 6.10, J-Say's DAISY documentation now comes in two formats. One is compatible with FS Reader and the other is compatible with other software and hardware DAISY readers. This DAISY documentation can be downloaded from our site but be warned that these files are quite large. They both weigh about 250 MB so, it may take a little patience even at broadband speeds.

Alternately upgrading users that wish to purchase a complete replacement kit--including all of the DAISY support material and so on--will receive a special price of $52.50.

Question
What does J-Say Pro work with?
Answer
J-Say Pro only works with Dragon Pro, Dragon Legal or Dragon Medical. It doesn't work with Dragon Preferred or Dragon Standard. It will work with either JAWS Pro or JAWS Standard, as long as the version number is correct.
Question
Why is the J-Say key not reciting the training text as indicated in the manual?
Answer
To ensure JAWS is only processing labelled graphics, follow these steps:
  1. Activate the JAWS Configuration Manager by pressing INSERT+6.
  2. Now press CTRL+SHIFT+D to modify the default configuration file.
  3. Next, press ALT+S to activate the settings menu item, then the G key for graphics.
  4. Now using the UP/DOWN ARROW keys alter the graphics verbosity from "all" to "labeled."
  5. Now press ENTER to exit this menu.
  6. Now press CTRL+S to save the changes, followed by ALT+F4 to close down the JAWS Configuration Manager.
Question
Why does J-Say Pro recite all the text at the top of the correction dialogue?
Answer
When in the correction box, please say, "Cycle correction." This will cause J-Say Pro to go back to the previous method of reading the correction box. This is necessary on some machines. It is only necessary to say this once since the setting is remembered across Windows sessions.
Question
The dynamic echo of J-Say Pro doesn't seem to be functioning. Can I manually reset this function?
Answer
The echo setting can be re-set in one of three ways:
  1. By saying the words, "Check computer," when the microphone is in sleep mode. This will reset the echo to be on.
  2. By saying, "Echo on," when the microphone is awake.
  3. By pressing F9 on the keyboard until JAWS says, "echo on."

The above three factors will cause the echo setting to be permanently stored by JAWS. Failing this, go into the jaws\settings\enu folder and locate the file J-Say.ini. Locate the bottom line which says, "speech preference settings," and ensure it is set to a value of 1. 0 equals no echo, 1 equals full echo.

Also, please make sure that you have the results box in NaturallySpeaking anchored and set to be visible for 2 seconds.

Question
How do I verify my version of JSay?
Answer
Go to control panel, then add or remove programs and then select j-say pro. Click it for support information. The version number will be indicated in the dialog box.
Question
How do I configure a Braille tactile display to work with J-Say?
Answer

By making the following changes one can control whether a Braille display will be just text, text plus messages, messages only and so on:

  1. Enter the configuration manager with INSERT+6, press CTRL+SHIFT+D for the default file, press ALT+S for set options then press B for Braille options.
  2. TAB through the controls until you get to flash messages and press SPACEBAR.
  3. Within that dialog, one can control the behavior of the messages, including unchecking a check box to show the messages.
  4. When you are through with changing the options, TAB through to the okay button, press SPACEBAR, TAB to the okay button again then press SPACEBAR.
  5. Finally, save the file by pressing CTRL+S and then ALT+F4 to close the dialog.
Question
How do I tune the Eloquence feature in JAWS to use the sound card I want?
Answer

When you connect a USB device to your computer, such as a USB sound converter for use with a headset/microphone, you often find that JAWS/Eloquence will use the new USB device as its primary sound source. This is fine in the most part, since many people will want to hear JAWS through the supplied headset. However, if you want to hear JAWS from the speakers connected to another sound card for optimum sound quality, then you certainly will not want this. Simply changing the Sounds and Audio devices within the Windows Control Panel to reflect the two different sound sources is not usually enough in itself to tell JAWS which sound card to use for the eloquence speech. Here is how to deal with that situation:

  1. Using Windows Explorer, locate the folder containing the program files for the version of JAWS you are running. For example, for JAWS 7 this would be C:\Program Files\Freedom Scientific\JAWS\7.0.
  2. Now locate the file called jfw.ini and open it by pressing enter. It will open in notepad.

  3. Within this file, you will find the following lines:

    Synth1Name=eloq
    Synth1LongName=Eloquence for JAWS
    Synth1Driver=eloq.

  4. Below these lines, paste a line such as:

    Synth1Port=Sound Blaster Audigy

    The Soundblaster Audigy example is the name of the sound card you would prefer to use.

    The text you should put after the equals sign in the Synth1Port line comes from the values found in the Audio tab in the Sound and Multimedia dialog within XP's Control Panel. It must be one of the entries that can be chosen for Preferred Playback device.

  5. Now save and close the file and re-start JAWS.
Question
Assuming I'm using Windows XP, what's a fast way to increase Dragon's vocabulary and thereby improve J-Say Pro's performance?
Answer
  1. Create a text file in Notepad and fill it with your commonly used proper names, place names, technical jargon, foreign expressions and so on. Make sure each of these words or phrases is on a separate line.
  2. Give the file a memorable name and save it in the following location of the Windows file tree: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\ScanSoft\NaturallySpeaking8\Custom\enx
  3. Create a shortcut directly to this file on your desktop. This will allow you to add to the file quickly as you need it. Give the shortcut a memorable name.
  4. Restart Dragon to update its vocabulary from this file.
  5. Notice that this file will ensure correct spelling of obscure terms and, because of its location in the file tree, Dragon will be able to use it regardless of which user account you are logged in as.
Question
How does J-Say Pro give users better options than Dragon's "switch to [named window or application]" command?
Answer
Veteran Dragon users are familiar with the "switch to [named window or application]" command but, sometimes Dragon fails to recognize the window or dialog that's being asked for. J-Say Pro comes to the rescue by providing the command phrase, "Select window." What this does is provide a list of all the applications running on your taskbar so you can select one.
Question
Is there a better way to read Acrobat files in J-Say?
Answer
While it is possible to recite Acrobat files with JAWS and J-Say from the Acrobat Reader, some of our customers want something more efficient and flexible. Jamal Mazrui, of Maryland USA, wrote an extremely fast program called, PDF2TXT that, as the name suggests, converts Acrobat files to plain text--which is faster for J-Say to recite and navigate. Mazrui's program is very easy to control and navigate from J-Say using commands like "next control," "previous control," "speak control" or, if needed, "speak dialog box." As you become familiar with PDF2TXT, you can simply speak the correct control names to place focus on them.
Question
Are there better ways of navigating Microsoft Word files with J-Say?
Answer
With the release of JAWS 7, Freedom Scientific introduced something called Quick Keys to speed navigation within Word files. By pressing Insert+Z the user is taken out of editing mode and can then use the keyboard to quickly move around in the document. J-Say Pro 3 and onwards have been written to take advantage of these new functions in JAWS. In J-Say there is no need to invoke the Quick Keys mode at all. You simply say a command like, "Next heading," or "Next page" or "Previous table" and J-Say shifts the document focus automatically. All the J-Say Pro commands relevent to navigating Word files can be found in the command summary or, within Word, by asking aloud, "What commands can I say?"
Question
How do I make it easier to select and manipulate text in Microsoft Word using J-Say Pro?
Answer
Read these instructions carefully.
Question
Is there an exhaustive list of J-Say Commands?
Answer
If you have JSay Pro installed you can say, "Get command index." The JSay manual contains a complete command list.

Legacy Versions of J-Say

Question
Does J-Say Pro 5 support Microsoft Vista or Office 2007?
Answer
No. J-Say Pro 5 only supports the 1177 build of JAWS 8. As such, it's only compatible with Windows XP, Office 2003 and earlier versions of Office.
Question
My JAWS 8 installation is at a build number past 1177. How do I downgrade to the recommended JAWS build for J-Say Pro 5?
Answer

You'll need to remove your current version of JAWS 8 and install build 1177. Doing this will remove J-Say so you'll need to reinstall that as well.

  1. Write down you JAWS authorization and JAWS serial number. You'll need these later.
  2. Download this file and save it someplace convenient on your hard drive. You'll use it to install the correct build.
  3. Remove your current version of JAWS. Doing this automatically removes J-Say.
  4. Install JAWS 8, build 1177 from the file you downloaded in step 2. Use the authorization numbers your wrote down in step 1 to authorize it.
  5. Reinstall J-Say according to the procedure outlined in the J-Say User Manual.
Question
What does the new J-Say Pro 4.03 patch fix?
Answer
  1. Support for JAWS 7.1 build 500 and Dragon Pro 9 Service Pack 1.
  2. When within Microsoft Word, and a J-Say help utility was used such as "Get Command Index," exiting out of the Virtual Viewer environment was not impossible but difficult. The command "cancel that" now effectively dismisses the JAWS Virtual Viewer and returns focus to the Microsoft Word application.
  3. The command "Speak Paragraph" now functions correctly.
  4. On some computers, the new Letter Mode feature would not cause JAWS to echo back characters as they were being dictated in the Correction Box or the Spell Box. This has now been resolved.
  5. The commands "Next Control" and "Previous Control" were not functioning when within the JAWS Forms Mode, used within Internet Explorer. For many voice profiles this has now been corrected. However, the commands "Next Field" and "Previous Field" now function when in Forms Mode. These commands (as from J-Say Pro 1 onward) would always advance to the next or previous Form Field when the Virtual Cursor was being used. However, they now take account of Forms Mode. Therefore, the learning curve on the part of the user is lessened, and Trainers should find communicating how a user would interact with forms on a web page much easier.
  6. The command "What Commands Can I Say," again on some computers only, would fail when on the home page of Internet Explorer and would instead bring up the global index of commands. When a user was one page deep into a site, the command worked successfully. This has been resolved.
  7. Better support for Internet Explorer 7.
Question
Is Internet Explorer 7 safe to use with J-Say Pro 4?
Answer

Not without the J-Say 4.03 Patch (Please see the question about the 4.03 Patch at the top of this page.). While JAWS 7.10 build 500 customers can use Internet Explorer 7, J-Say technology will not fully support this release from Microsoft until J-Say is compatible with JAWS 8.

Internet Explorer 7 is now being distributed via XP's automatic update feature. That said, no matter what setting a user has for automatic updates, Internet Explorer 7 will not be installed without the user making an explicit choice to install it. Users will be given a notification screen that has choices to install, get a reminder to install later or to skip the install. IE7 will not be installed unless the user gives consent to have it updated and users do not need to make changes to their automatic update settings.

If you already have IE7 installed, we suggest that you revert back to Internet Explorer 6. To do this, locate the Windows Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, then Windows Internet Explorer 7. Select the remove button and when asked if you would like to remove the program you should confirm this by selecting the yes button. When the process is complete you should re-start the computer.

Question
J-Say seems to operate properly in DragonPad, but not in Microsoft Word and some of the other Microsoft Office applications.
Answer

Some of the files J-Say requires are not being linked correctly. The default installation files are, which is why Dragon Pad is working, but the J-Say support for applications like Microsoft Word are not. Often this is because the JAWS user may have made speech changes in those applications, which results in the problem. The solution is:

  1. Completely remove J-Say Pro.
  2. Completely remove JAWS 6.1. When asked during the uninstallation whether local settings should be removed, accept this.
  3. Reinstall JAWS.
  4. Do not make changes to speech rate or anything within JAWS. The speech rate, at this point, be at the default with keyboard echo turned on. In other words, when each key is struck, one should be hearing its identity spoken.
  5. Install J-Say. Make sure that full administrative rights are available to the user account J-Say is installed with.
  6. Ensure the operating system settings conform precisely to Freedom Scientific's help suggestions.
Question
I'm a licensed user of J-Say Pro 2, how do I upgrade to version 2.1?
Answer

We have created J-Say Pro version 2.1, which provides interoperability between Dragon NaturallySpeaking Professional 8, with or without Service Pack 1 installed, and JAWS for Windows 6.1. There are no feature additions or changes in this update; it simply provides a linking mechanism between the two primary access tools. Some customers may be able to take advantage of this update.

If you own a copy of JAWS 6, Dragon NaturallySpeaking Professional 8 and J-Say Pro 2, then you can take advantage of the update which is available from this web site.

Please note that updating your copy of J-Say Pro middleware should only be carried out if you are comfortable with installing computer software. Failure to undertake the update in exactly the manner described here will result in the J-Say Pro update not effectively functioning and could lead to the corruption of essential JAWS for Windows 6.1 settings files. If you have any questions prior to updating your copy of J-Say Pro, please contact us.

Please follow these steps to update your copy of J-Say Pro from 2 to 2.1:

  1. Download JAWS 6.1, build 1006U, from the Freedom Scientific web site.
  2. Install JAWS for Windows in the usual manner. These instructions are provided within the documentation that accompanied your original JAWS for Windows software.
  3. Download the J-Say Pro Copy Tool (43.1 KiB executable file.) to your computer. This tool will copy your J-Say Pro 2 authorization file from JAWS for Windows 6 to 6.1. To do this, run the file which you have downloaded to your computer; it's executable.
  4. The instructions for using the copy tool will be automatically announced by your JAWS for Windows software, but essentially all that is required is for you to press the ENTER key three times to complete the copying process.
  5. Download the J-Say Pro 2.1 product (6.9 MiB archive file in zip fomat.) to your computer.
  6. The J-Say Pro 2.1 product you have downloaded is housed in a zipped archive.
  7. Open the zipped archive, and run the program entitled "setup.exe." Follow the on-screen instructions for installing J-Say Pro, which can be found in the J-Say Pro user's guide.
  8. When the computer restarts as part of the installation process, your copy of J-Say Pro 2.1 is successfully installed and ready for use.

Page Last Updated: Friday, August 01, 2008

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