ZoomText - Disable AHOI modules to troubleshoot problems

ZoomText - Disable AHOI modules to troubleshoot problems

Problem

In some specific cases as a troubleshoot or measure to fix issues with specific AHOI supported applications it may be necessary to remove the AHOI module support associated with that application.


Applies to 

  1. ZoomText/Fusion

Resolution

This procedure provides a list of modules that can be disabled in Zoomtext whilst troubleshooting certain problems below:

  • ZoomText causing the application being used to crash - disable AccEvent or UIA modules
  • An older non current version of a ZoomText supported app is crashing or not working/speaking as expected (locate the associated module for the legacy app)
  • A general performance or crashing problem that other troubleshooting activities have not been able to address.

List of AHOI modules

The name of the associate application if supported appears in brackets:

  • AccEvent - ah_accEvent.dll
  • Google Chrome – ah_chrome.dll - (Chrome Browser)
  • JAWS – ah_JAWS.dll - (JAWS screenreader)
  • Mozilla Firefox – ah_firefox.dll - (Firefox browser)
  • MS Excel – ah_excel.dll - (Microsoft Excel)
  • MS Outlook – ah_outlook.dll - (Microsoft Excel)
  • MS Word – ah_word.dll - (Microsoft Word)
  • Oracle JAVA 32bit – ah_JAVA32Support.dll - (JAVA apps 32bit)
  • Oracle JAVA 64bit – ah_JAVA64Support.dll - (JAVA 64bit)
  • PDF support – ah_pdfSupport.dll - (Adobe Acrobat Reader)
  • Remote client ah_client.dll - (Remove Access)
  • SMDB – ah_smdb.dll
  • UIA – ah_uia.dll - (UIA support)
  • Web Support – ah_websupport.dll - (HTML client support)
  • Internet Explorer - ah_ie.dll - (Internet Explorer support)
  • Adobe PDF - ah_pdf.dll - (Adobe Acrobat Reader)
  • Sun JAVA - ah_java.dll
  • Windows Desktop - ah_desktop.dll
  • MS Active Accessibility - ah_xmsaa.dll

Note
Older versions of ZoomText such as 10.1 and below may be missing some of the modules listed above.

General procedure

  • Remove the module that may be thought to be the cause of the problem as indicated by scenarios identified earlier.
  • Close and restart ZoomText.
  • Test the scenario.
  • If problem is resolved keep the modification, if the modifcation does not help or causes unwanted effects put back the module for now. .

Removing the AHOI module:

These steps can be applied to ZoomText/Fusion 2024 and above:

  1. Open the ZoomText window by clicking it icon in the taskbar.
  2. Then click ZoomText menu > Help > Tools.
  3. Then enter the command AHOI into the edit prompt then click "Apply Fix-it command" button to execute the command.
  4. Then look through the list and select the module indicated by Technical Support or refer to the list above.
  5. Then click "Remove module" button.
  6. Close and restart ZoomText and then test for the issue.

Note
  1. For ZoomText 2023 and below choose ZoomText menu > ZoomText Support >Tools menu.
  2. For ZoomText 2024 and above the route is ZoomText menu > Help > Tools, from there click in the edit box and click Fix it button. 

Restore removed modules to Zoomtext (Zoomtext 2018 and above):

Use the below procedure if the troubleshooting of the issue by removing the module does not respond to module removal.

  1. Open the ZoomText interface window and click the “Zoomtext” menu. Then choose “Zoomtext support” and then “Fix it commands”.
  2. In the fix it commands window type “AHOI” without the quotes into he blank edit box and click “Apply fix it command”.
  3. Then click the "Add module" button.
  4. In the list of modules select the modeul you removed earlier by highlightin its filename and click "Open" button.
  5. Confirm the module is now showing in the list of available modules.
  6. Close and restart ZoomText to finish the job.

Run AHOI util directly

In some caes it may not be possible to run ZoomText when remoted into a PC. In this case do the following:
1. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the following folder path for "AHOIUtil.exe", refer to the section below for location by version eg.:
2. "C:\Program Files\Freedom Scientific\ZoomText\2021"
3. Then run the application "ahoiUtil.exe".
4. A list of AHOI modules will open, highlightt the desired module for removal and click "Remove Module" and then have the user restart Zoomtext and test their probnlem scenario.

Supplementary information

These are the locations from which the AHOI utility can be run if ZoomText is unable to start.

2024

C:\Program Files\Freedom Scientific\ZoomText\2024

2023
C:\Program Files\Freedom Scientific\ZoomText\2023

2022

C:\Program Files\Freedom Scientific\ZoomText\2022


2021:
C:\Program Files\Freedom Scientific\ZoomText\2021

2020:

C:\Program Files\Freedom Scientific\ZoomText\2020

2019:

C:\Program Files\Freedom Scientific\ZoomText\2019

2018:
C:\Program Files\Freedom Scientific\ZoomText\2018

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