JAWS - Using the the JAWS online help system

JAWS - Using the the JAWS online help system

Problem

A JAWS customer wishes to use the online help system of JAWS to get the best out of their product. 


Resolution

JAWS comes supplied with an online help facility that covers all major topics to do with the use of JAWS.  A link to the Help system is in the Help menu which is contained within the JAWS window or context mennu.

Getting into the online help system:

  1. Press INSERT+J or CONTROL+CAPSLOCK+J to open the JAWS window. You can also press alt+tab to get into the JAWS window provided it is not running in the system tray only.
  2. Then press alt+H in the JAWS window or if using JAWS system try menu press down arrow to help.
  3. From Help menu press ENTER and then choose “JAWS Help Topics“ and press ENTER.
  4. In the help window use the UP/DOWN arrow keys to go up and down the tree view control.
  5. If you are interested in a topic press right arrow to open up the menu of subtopics and browse those using the UP/DOWN ARROW keys.
  6. Once you have landed on a topic press ENTER to select it, then press F6 to switch to the reading pane. 
  7. From here use UP/DOWN ARROW keys to read the topic text. 
  8. Press TAB or SHIFT+TAB to rotate through any links, press ENTER to follow a link.
  9. One may also use letter H or SHiFT+H to move through topic headings.
  10. When you wish to return to the topic list press F6 and browsse thrrough the available topics.
  11. Press ALT+F4 to close the help window when you are finished with it.

Online Help Window layout

The online help window consists of two main areas; on the left a list of topics or search results are displayed. On the right content for the currently selected topic are displayed.
When you first enter the online help window you are placed in the help contents section listing the book topics. You can use control+tab to select the following:

  1. Contents (alt+C) – displays contents book chapters
  2. Index (alt+N) – allows you to display or search for all words used within the help system.
  3. Search (alt+ S) – search for a word.
  4. Favourite (ALT+I)– search/add a topic to a list of favourites.
  5. Press alt+S to search for a specific word in the entire help system.
  6. Presa alt+C to go back to the contents to show the tree view chapters.

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