[gui-talk] Fwd: Seeking beta feedback on new DbDialog package for Window-Eyes

[Steve Pattison]

From: Jamal Mazrui empower at smart.net
To: gw-scripting at gwmicro.com

I have ported a speech-friendly database application I wrote a few years
ago called DbDialog, writtin in the AutoIt language and available at
http://EmpowermentZone.com/ddsetup.exe

The initial Window-Eyes script version includes most of that
functionality.  It is a public beta for which I am seeking feedback. 
The
5.1 update to Homer Shared Object is required.  This adds several 
database
support routines that any client script can use (not just DbDialog).

The script should work on any Windows computer, though it is possible 
that
a free API called ActiveX Database Objects (ADO) needs to be installed
from Microsoft.com.    Please understand that this program cannot hope 
to
compete with the features of the commercial Microsoft Access product.  I
hope, however, that it can provide a useful subset of features in a
friendly, efficient manner for Window-Eyes users.  Initial documentation
is below.

Jamal

DbDialog
0.5 beta

Press Alt-Control-D to invoke DbDialog, a convenient and sophisticated
dialog for use of a Microsoft Access database.  The database file,
DbDialog.mdb, is installed in the Window-Eyes user profile folder.  Also
located there is a configuration file, DbDialog.cfg, which specifies how
fields of each table in the database are to be treated.  This file is in
ini format, so it can be manually edited with a text editor.  At 
present,
this is necessary for adding new table configurations to the file.  Once
configured initially, a significant amount of flexibility is available
within the dialog for affecting the display, ordering, and filtering of
records.

The main dialog contains a listbox, buttons, and status line.  The 
listbox
shows a selection of fields of each record.  Below it is a row of 
buttons
to perform various actions.  Below that is a status line that shows meta
data about the current record in the listbox -- typically the unique ID
number of the record, the date it was added, and the date it was last
modified.

The default table is for managing contact information.  Documentation 
here
often explains features using this table as a concrete example.

There are many buttons, available either by tabbing or mnemonic,
Alt-Letter hotkeys.  They are summarized as follows:

Add = add a record

Copy = add a record by starting with a copy of the current record

Edit = edit the DbDialog.cfg configuration file in your Window-Eyes 
script
editor (Notepad by default)

Filter = set a filter to limit what records are displayed

Go To = go to another table in the DbDialog.mdb database (currently, 
only
Contacts is provided)

Help = display this documentation

Index = pick fields that determine the sort order of records

Keywords = search for a record by a word or phrase it contains

Load = load DbDialog.mdb into Microsoft Access (if installed)

Modify = modify the current record

Next = search for the next match of keywords

Output = output rows of data to a text file according to selection, 
index,
and filter settings

Prior = search for the prior match of keywords

Query = input almost any SQL query to the database (an advanced option)

Remove = remove the current record

Select = pick what fields to display in the listbox

Tag = tag the current record

Untag = untag the current record

View = view the current record

Close = end the dialog (data is saved with each operation, not at the 
end)

Some commands invoke an input form for viewing or changing multiple 
fields
of data.  Each row of the form contains a field label to the left and a
field value to the right.  Tab moves from field to field.  In the 
Contacts
form, each field label has a unique Alt-Letter hotkey so you can jump
directly to any particular field.  The last field lets you enter 
multiple
lines of miscellaneous information.

When a new version of DbDialog is installed, it does not replace the
database file DbDialog.mdb, so you will not lose data.  You should
periodically back up that file, however, as with any important document.
At present, the configuration file DbDialog.cfg is replaced with a 
script
update.  If you configure it manually, you should back it up and then 
copy
custom settings into the newly installed file.

This global script requires GW Toolkit and Homer Shared Object.

Regards Steve
Email:  srp at internode.on.net
Windows Live Messenger:  internetuser383 at hotmail.com
Skype:  steve1963