[NFBCS] JAWS and Todo Process

[Glen Gordon]

Hi, Everyone,

I researched this, have an explanation, and it's really rather funny.

When JAWS introduced the "Avoid Speech Cut Off" feature to help with sound cards that aggressively shut down when no audio was being sent, it was part of the JAWS process itself.  The feature works by constantly playing a silent stream of audio. This meant that it was incompatible with Audio Ducking since JAWS declares itself to be a ScreenReader, something for which other sounds should be ducked. Since it was constantly playing a silent stream all other sounds were always at a lower volume even if JAWS wasn't talking.

In the most recent JAWS update, we moved the Avoid Speech Cut Off feature to its own process called SilencePlayer. This process doesn't declare itself to be a screen reader and won't duck other audio but will still keep the sound card alive.

Now to the topic at hand. The Windows volume control tries to show the friendly name of each executable for which it can adjust volume. This name comes from either the ProductName or Product Description resource string; things that should be filled out by the developer and which have todo in their names by default.

Clearly, we need to fix this but it's nothing to worry about. Did give me a good chuckle on a Friday morning.

--Glen
-----Original Message-----
From: NFBCS <nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf of Rasmussen, Lloyd via NFBCS
Sent: Thursday, February 4, 2021 6:38 AM
To: NFB in Computer Science Mailing List <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Rasmussen, Lloyd <lras at loc.gov>
Subject: Re: [NFBCS] JAWS and Todo Process

There is a new function, activated with insert-spacebar, followed by V, which allows you to adjust system or JAWS volume conveniently. That's what I would guess this is.

Lloyd Rasmussen, Senior Staff Engineer
National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20542
202-707-0535     https://nls.loc.gov
The preceding opinions are my own and not necessarily those of the Library of Congress, NLS.


-----Original Message-----
From: NFBCS <nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Nathaniel Schmidt via NFBCS
Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2021 3:31 AM
To: 'NFB in Computer Science Mailing List' <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Nathaniel Schmidt <schmidty2244 at gmail.com>
Subject: [NFBCS] JAWS and Todo Process

Hi,

 

Has anyone else noticed when using JAWS 2021 that there is a process called "todo" running along side FS apps? It shows up in the adjust system volume dialog is invoked from the Windows control panel and the file location in Task Manager reveals that it is located in the Freedom Scientific directory where exacutables are usually located.

 

Anyone know what this is all about? An internet search hasn't revealed anything.

 

I understand what "todo" usually means from a developer's standpoint but I do not understand what it means for the end-user in this instance.  Is it something left over from the beta release? If so then this may make a certain amount of sense.

 

Thanks,

 

Nathaniel

========================================

Nathaniel Schmidt

Undergraduate student

Bachelor of Computer Science (S306)

School of Information Technology

Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment

Deakin University, Melbourne (Burwood) campus

https://sync.deakin.edu.au/profiles/student/njschmidt/

 

E: njschmidt at deakin.edu.au <mailto:njschmidt at deakin.edu.au> 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/njsch/

GitHub: https://github.com/njsch/

Skype: nathaniel_schmidt1994

about.me/njschmidt/ <https://about.me/njschmidt/> 

 

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