============================================== Notes on evaluating the Java (TM) Access Bridge for the Microsoft Windows operating system ============================================== While you evaluate this release of the Java Access Bridge, please keep a few things in mind: - There are known problems (see below). - It is under active development; timely feedback is important This file aims to help you give us meaningful feedback and avoid wasting your time on stuff that we already know is broken. It has these sections: Please Don't Tell Us Lists stuff that might or might not work properly, but that we aren't currently seeking feedback on. Known Problems Lists problems we are working on. Tips on usage Tips on how to best use the AccessBridge How to Give Feedback The e-mail address to use, and what to put in bug reports. -------------------- PLEASE DON'T TELL US -------------------- THINGS WE ALREADY KNOW ABOUT Please read the KNOWN PROBLEMS section in this file for information about bugs and problems we already know about. Since we already know about them, there's no need to remind us they are there. -------------- KNOWN PROBLEMS -------------- The installer can sometimes hang when enumerating the Java VMs installed on your system. Generally this is because one of the Java VMs is mis-configured, and is failing to launch (the installer invokes a test program on all Java VMs in order to determine whether they can support the Java Access Bridge). To fix this problem, troubleshoot the Java VM that the installer is hanging on (invoke it directly on a Java application, note the error, and correct the problem). Note: if that is not the case, please do contact us as it may be a new and different problem that we want to fix. ATs not informed when a Java Virtual Machine* goes away (add a callback/event notifier?) (or when a JVM appears) Registering, unregistering, then registering again for various of the menus events will cause you to receive duplicate copies of the event You will not receive MenuCanceled (or PopupMenuCanceled) events. To determine that a menu has closed, look for MenuDeselected events. GetAccessibleAt() fails if you are querying for a coordinate other than the mouse coordinate. This is a bug in the Java Development Kit (JDK(tm)), and not an AccessBridge bug, fixed in Java 2 SDK 1.3. If you are using a version of JAWS for Windows at least up to and inlcuding version 3.70.47 with Java2 SDK 1.3, you must not configure JFW to load as a service under Windows NT. That combination will cause crashes. Both Sun and Henter-Joyce are actively investigating problems with this configuration. When using Java 2 SDK v1.4.x with JAWS for Windows (at least up to and including version 4.0), exiting the Java application will cause a crash. ------------- TIPS ON USAGE ------------- Before the links to the source files in the documentation will work, you will need to unzip the src.zip file in the distribution. Use State PropertyChange events to determine changes in menu item selection (e.g. when the user arrows up/down within a menu). Use ActiveDescendent PropertyChange events to determine changes in the selected cell of a table Use the AccessibleValue support, and Value PropertyChange events to track the values of things like sliders, scroll bars, etc. Use the AccessibleSelection support to determine which items are selected in a List, Table, etc. (vs. enumerating all of the children and examining their StateSet to see if 'Selected' is among them). -------------------- HOW TO GIVE FEEDBACK -------------------- Please send your feedback to this e-mail address: access@sun.com If you've found a bug, you can help us greatly by including the following information in your e-mail: - A program or code snippet that shows the problem. - The platform you're using. - The setting of your CLASSPATH environment variable (if you are using JDK 1.1) - A JavaVM backtrace, if appropriate. This will tell us what the portion of the AccessBridge that is running inside the JavaVM is doing when the bug occurs. To generate a backtrace, do this: 1. Go to the shell window in which you entered the 'java' command. 2. Make sure it has the keyboard focus and that the interpreter ('java' command) isn't a background process. 3. Enter the appropriate character: Control-\ (Solaris) Control-Break (Win 95/NT) 4. A bunch of text should be displayed in the window. Please put a copy of it into your e-mail. *As used in this document, the terms "Java virtual machine" or "JVM" mean a virtual machine for the Java platform.