specific api functions for screen readers questions

Mgr. Janusz Chmiel chmiel at deep.cz
Fri Jul 5 13:23:52 CDT 2019


Dear specialists,
Does somebody of you know, if Wine support API functions which could be 
used by very simple focusable object based screen reader? This screen 
reader would react on key events and other internal WIne events such as 
if dialog window have been displaied.
Screen reader should send textual content of focusable objects such as 
buttons, comboboxes, dialog windows, menu items to speech output. 
Because screen reader which I would like to develop can not use 
Microsoft components including Microsoft C run-times, SAPI5, 4 or newest 
Windows 10 speech kit, there is only possibility to develop integrated 
speech engine from scrath. Or ask you how complex would be for you to 
develop software bridge between Wine and speech-dispatcher speech 
server. This software bridge would introduce simple Speech functions and 
procedures, which would allow developers to send textual data to active 
speech engine by using Speech-dispatcher speech server.
FOr beginning, I would like to know, if Wine contain some USER32.dll and 
other API calls, which are able to get text information from object 
which have focus.
Sure, screen reader, which I would like to develop will be very simple. 
It will never be comparable with NVDA, Jaws or with other complex screen 
readers for Windows. I would like to only develop at least simple focus 
and event based screen reader, which will be able to use with simple Win 
32 apps such as notepad, integrated explorer.exe with Wine, with 
MP3directcut for Windows, ETC.
Because screen reader can not use libraries from Microsoft, I Am aware, 
that my goal will never produce screen reader which will be able to 
support object hiearchi browsing inside active Window.
Very important question is, if Wine contain APi calls to detect object 
class name, which will be detected from object, which have focus.
Without this routine, my dream will be never possible.
Last question.
Does integrated Windows PE routines support machine code instructions, 
which have been generated by Free Basic compiler for Windows? Because I 
do not know, if generated machine code hhave not been specifically 
prepared for original Microsoft Windows so if compiled apps, which would 
run normally from original Windows will not cause random crashes and 
stability issues when running it with Wine.
I can not use programming languages from Microsoft. There are 3 Basic 
language compiler from other teams than from Microsoft. Power Basic, 
Free Basic and Pure Basic. BUt Pure Basic is commercial, Power Basic is 
commercial and Free Basic is The onlyone free Basic compiler, which 
generates .exe apps which do not depend on Microsoft .dlls as default.
I have old time experience with various screen readers.
When Windows 3.11 have been developed, two  very smart C++ ddevelopers 
in our country have developed screen readers for Windows 3.11. It did 
not used mSAA. Screen reader had its internal speech engine which had 
nothing to do with Speech API, because in 1994 there was no such 
routines from Microsoft.
Screen reader have reacted on keyboard events, it spoken lines of text 
from editable fields, text of dialog windows, menu items.
So do you think, that APi calls which are available inside WIne now can 
allow Me to develop such focusable object based screen reader? Or it is 
paradox situation, that WIndows 3.11 16 Bit version from 1994 have 
allowed that and modern Wine do not allow it?
Really, I do not write about Windows 95.  It was really Windows FOR 
WORKGROUPS 3.11 AND ITS 16 BIT VERSION, NOT Win32.
Thank you very much for yours kind acces to my questions. I will intrude 
you as little as possible, I know, that you are very overloaded. I need 
to know, if my dream can come true or no.





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