On my Mac Pro how can I get voiceover to start reading at a specific point in a document, and then continue on to the next paragraph and so on? Thank you. Ed
MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8)
Hello ed1004,
Did I answer your question?
Yes, It Worked! 🙂
Fabulous! Glad I could help.
No, That Didn't Work. 😟
Please answer the following question, so I have a better understanding of your question.
VoiceOver or Text-to-Speech?
If you are using VoiceOver, did you just get started or do you have years of experience?
This will help me know how detailed I need to be when responding.
What kind of document?
Word Document (.doc, .docx), PDF (.pdf), Text Edit (.rtf, .txt) ,
What software are you using?
Pages, Text Edit, Safari, Preview, Microsoft Word?
Thank you for your reply. Your answer did not do what I need.
I wish to read articles in on-line editions of various business publications.
I am a new Apple user (60 days).
I am using a MACPro with OSX, probably Mavericks 10.9 (where would I look to see if that is the correct information?)
I am a new user of both "reader" and "VoiceOver".
How can I cause the VO cursor(box) show-up/start?
How can I move the VO cursor to various sentences or paragraphs of an article and have it start reading ... and perhaps even continue reading on to the next paragraph(s) ... even to the end of the article?
I have the following VoiceOver-related documents:
1) Chapter 4 - Working with text
2) Appendix A. Commands and Gestures
3) Boot Camp: About keyboards and key assignment for Microsoft Windows.
4) Control your MAC with multi-touch gestures
Please suggest any publications or other sources.
Thank you for you time and expertise. Ed Kasmar
Welcome to the Apple family!!!! 🙂
How can I cause the VO cursor(box) show-up/start?
Press Control-Option and F5. The F5 key is located on the top row of keys 6th key over. This is a toggling "Keyboard Shortcut" for turning VoiceOver on and off.
How can I move the VO cursor to various sentences or paragraphs of an article and have it start reading ... and perhaps even continue reading on to the next paragraph(s) ... even to the end of the article?
How to read a website with VoiceOver
Step 1: Go to the Website
A quick keyboard shortcut is Command-L. This will jump you up to the address bar. Start typing where you want to go. i.e "www.thewebsite.com"
Step 2: Working with Webpage
VoiceOver will automatically start reading the website. You can pause the speech by hitting the 'Control Button'.
If VoiceOver does not being reading the webpage, then you might have to "Interact" with it. If VoiceOver say "HTML Content" then press Control-Option-Space-Down Arrow to interact with the webpage.
Use Control-Option-Right Arrow to move throught the website. This will speak "EVERYTHING" on the page.
Press Control-Option-Space on the link or article you want to view.
Step 3. Reading from Top to Bottom
Once you found and clicked on the the article/link, use the same 'Heading' command, Control-Option-Shift-H to find the title.
After finding the title, press Control-Option-A will start reading from the title on.
I am using a MACPro with OSX, probably Mavericks 10.9 (where would I look to see if that is the correct information?)
You can find this information under the 'Apple menu' in the Menu Bar. To access the Menu Bar, press Control-Option-M.
Go to Apple Menu > About This Mac. This will open up another window. Use Control-Option-Right Arrow until you hear 'Version'. If you purchased it brand new from Apple within the last six month, more than likely you have Mavericks.
Recommanded Articles.
AppleVis- Commonly used Keyboard Commands
Chapter 2: Learning VoiceOver Basics
Chapter 6: Browsing the internet
Apple Accessibility Resource Page
The 'Commands Help' Voiceover Menu. Control-Option-H-H. (hit H twice) is my best friend. It's a searchable VoiceOver Menu with most of the VoiceOver command. Example: You are looking for the 'Read Current Paragraph' keyboard command. Press Control-Option-H-H and then type Paragraph. It will then bring up all the commands with the word paragraph. I believe there are three. 🙂
As from the Trackpad Commands, I've copied and pasted below from Appendix A: Commands and Gestures
VoiceOver standard gestures
If you’re using a Multi-Touch trackpad, you can use VoiceOver gestures. VoiceOver provides a set of standard gestures for navigating and interacting with items on the screen. You can’t modify this set of gestures.
NOTE:Gestures that don’t mention a specific number of fingers are single-finger gestures.
General
Enable the Trackpad Commander and VoiceOver gestures
VO-Two-finger rotate clockwise
Disable the Trackpad Commander and VoiceOver gestures
VO-Two-finger rotate counterclockwise
Turn the screen curtain on or off
Three-finger triple-tap
Mute or unmute VoiceOver
Three-finger double-tap
Navigation
Force the VoiceOver cursor into a horizontal or vertical line when you drag a finger across the trackpad
Hold down the Shift key and drag a finger horizontally or vertically
Move the VoiceOver cursor to the next item
Flick right
Move the VoiceOver cursor to the previous item
Flick left
Move content or the scroll bar (depending on the Trackpad Commander setting)
Three-finger flick in any direction
Go to the Dock
This gesture moves the VoiceOver cursor to the Dock wherever it’s positioned on the screen
Two-finger double-tap near the bottom of the trackpad
Go to the menu bar
Two-finger double-tap near the top of the trackpad
Open the Application Chooser
Two-finger double-tap on the left side of the trackpad
Open the Window Chooser
Two-finger double-tap on the right side of the trackpad
Jump to another area of the current application
Press Control while touching a finger on the trackpad
Interaction
Speak the item in the VoiceOver cursor or, if there isn’t an item, play a sound effect to indicate a blank area
Touch (includes tap or dragging)
Select an item
Double-tap anywhere on the trackpad
You can also split-tap (touch one finger and then tap with a second finger on the trackpad)
Start interacting with the item in the VoiceOver cursor
Two-finger flick right
Stop interacting with the item in the VoiceOver cursor
Two-finger flick left
Scroll one page up or down
Three-finger flick up or down
Escape (close a menu without making a selection)
Two-finger scrub back and forth
Increase or decrease the value of a slider, splitter, stepper, or other control
Flick up (increase) or flick down (decrease)
Text
Read the current page, starting at the top
Two-finger flick up
Read from the VoiceOver cursor to the end of the current page
Two-finger flick down
Pause or resume speaking
Two-finger tap
Describe what’s in the VoiceOver cursor
Three-finger tap
Change how VoiceOver reads text (by word, line, sentence, or paragraph)
Press the Command key while touching a finger on the trackpad
Rotor
Change the rotor settings
Two-finger rotate
Move to the previous item based on the rotor setting
Flick up
Move to the next item based on the rotor setting
Flick down
To customize other gestures by assigning VoiceOver commands to them, use the Trackpad Commander.
Assigning VoiceOver commands to gestures
If you need a reminder about what a gesture does, press VO-K to start keyboard help, and then use the gesture on the trackpad and listen to the description.
Learning about keys, keyboard shortcuts, and gestures
Sorry lots of information. Enjoy. You
Many thanks. I will try these. Ed
on my Mac Pro how can I get voiceover to start reading at a specific point on a document?, on my Mac Pro how can I get voiceover to start reading at a specific point on a document?
