Using the JAWS Scripts For Skype for Windows Desktop 8 (Electron)
Last Revised July, 2018

This Guide provides tips for using Skype for Windows Desktop version 8 with JAWS For Windows and these scripts. These scripts and this documentation apply to Skype for Windows Desktop 8 (an Electron app). In this document, this Skype version will be referred to simply as Skype 8. When the scripts are installed and Skype 8 is open and focused, this document can be opened via a double press of JAWSKey+F1 (or Insert+F1).

Table of Contents

• System Requirements For JAWS Users
• Script Installation Instructions
• Using Skype 8 With JAWS and the Scripts
  • Native Skype 8 Keyboard Shortcuts
  • JAWS Script Commands and Features
  • Useful Tips
• Known Issues

System Requirements For JAWS Users

These scripts require JAWS 17.0 or greater. (JAWS versions prior to 17.0 do not support web site specific scripts, and Skype 8 runs inside a Google Chrome window.)

Script Installation Instructions

To install these scripts on a new system:

1. Load JAWS if this has not already been done. This will require administrative privileges on the computer.
2. Run JAWS as the user for whom the scripts are to be installed. This and the following steps must be performed for each user of the computer who will be using JAWS with these scripts.
3. Run the installer for these scripts and follow the on-screen directions. Be sure to install the scripts in the currently running JAWS version if a JAWS version list is presented.
4. To verify successful installation, type Ins+Q while Skype 8 is in focus. Part of the JAWS spoken response should be a revision number. If you do not hear a revision number, the scripts are not correctly loaded.

Using Skype 8 With JAWS and the Scripts

This section and its subsections provide tips for using Skype 8 with JAWS and these scripts.

Native Skype 8 Keyboard Shortcuts

Skype 8 provides several keyboard shortcuts. These work with or without JAWS or these scripts. Microsoft maintains a list of the native shortcuts on the "What are hotkeys and how do I use them in Skype?" page, which also lists hotkeys for other Skype versions on Windows and other operating systems. Be sure to select the correct tab ("Hotkeys in Skype for Windows Desktop") for this Skype version. Tabs are located under the hotkey table near the bottom of the page.

JAWS Script Commands and Features

Most Skype 8 script commands are key sequences rather than multi-key combinations. This is to avoid collisions between script commands and native application keystrokes. All such key sequences start with a common prefix key, a left bracket ([) by default. Users can change the prefix key if necessary by typing [ followed by JAWSKey+C or Ins+C. The change will survive across script and JAWS updates. In this document, the prefix key will be called Command; thus, by default, Command e means type [ followed by e.

The scripts provide the following commands:

• Command e moves focus to the chat input edit box for the displayed conversation, if there is one.
• Command h moves focus to the displayed conversation's chat message history list.
• Command t announces who is typing in the displayed conversation.
• Command w opens the home page for these scripts in the default web browser.
• Ins+F1, typed twice in quick succession, opens this document in the default browser.

The scripts also provide the following features:

• The JAWS virtual cursor is turned off each time Skype 8 takes focus, to simplify navigation. Use Ins+Z while in Skype if you want to turn the virtual cursor on or back off manually.
• JAWSKey+Q, along with announcing the active configuration name, will announce the revision number of these scripts.
• The JAWS SayWindowTitle command, Ins+T, includes the number of unread messages when displayed, and also the name of the active conversation if there is one, or "Home" if not. When a conversation is displayed and such information is available, the conversation contact's presence information and/or mood text is also included.

Useful Tips

When a call arrives in Skype 8, signaled by the incoming call sound, focus Skype and then Tab to see caller information and buttons for handling the call.

Use Alt+1 to focus the conversation list. This was Alt+2 in the classic Skype for Windows Desktop.

Press Enter on a conversation in the conversation list to display the conversation and place focus in the input edit box for it. In the event focus does not land in the input box, use the scripted Command e sequence to move focus there.

Use Alt+2 to pop open the contact list. This was Alt+1 in the classic Skype for Windows Desktop client. Since the contact list is searched by the "Search Skype" box (quickly reachable with Ctrl+F), it may rarely be necessary to open the contact list directly.

A fast way to start a new conversation:

• Type Ctrl+F to focus the "Search Skype" box.
• Type the name or partial name of your intended contact, then Tab several times to reach the search results.
• Use Up and Down arrows to find your intended contact. If at first you do not find the contact, go through the results again as the list may be updated over time as more matches are found.
• Press Enter to open a conversation and focus the input edit box. If focus does not land in the input box, use the scripted Command e sequence to move focus there.
• To call the contact immediately once the conversation is displayed, type Ctrl+Shift+P for a voice call or Ctrl+Shift+K for a video call.

Warning: The Ctrl+Shift+P and Ctrl+Shift+K hotkeys for making voice and video calls will call the displayed contact, not the contact whose entry is focused in the conversation list if that is a different contact. To be sure you are calling the correct contact while navigating the conversation list, press Space or Enter before making a call.

Known Issues

Issues shown in this section may be fixed in future script and/or application revisions but are not addressed as of this writing.

There is not the usual system in these scripts for navigating among chat messages. Historically this has been done with Alt with numbers to read recent messages, and Alt with arrows, Home, End, and NumPad5 to read sequentially while keeping track of a current position. Skype 8's chat message list does not appear to afford this type of navigation.

At least in older Skype 8 and/or script revisions, commands such as Command h for jumping to specific controls may sometimes focus the wrong control. If this occurs, try the command again after typing JAWSKey+T twice in quick succession, which clears the script's notions of where controls are located so it will scan anew for this information. This problem has not been seen recently as of May, 2018 and Skype 8.25.

Opening this document from within Skype 8 by typing Ins+F1 twice in quick succession may leave the JAWS virtual cursor inactive. Use Ins+Z to turn the virtual cursor back on if this occurs.