Japanese
Dec 14, 2009 Version 9.11e release
- Altair now supports BlueTooth connection with Focus40 Blue.
Oct 28, 2009 Version 9.10e release
- A problem of mail encoding has been solved.
- For moving and classifying mails, the folder mails are moved to is now automatically generated.
- For mail view mode, a problem that incorrect function is spoken or displayed after pressing F3 has been solved.
- For mail view mode, a UAE problem has been solved.
- A UAE problem, which happened during entering Japanese when using ALTAIR with JAWS, has been solved.
June 15, 2009 Version 9.04e release
- I revised the malfunction that cannot store a file from "Save" of the File menu of the Alt key.
April 28, 2009 Version 9.03e release
- When it minimized and Altair was ended, the problem that the screen is not displayed afterwards was corrected.
February 9, 2009 Version 9.02e release
Support for Braille displays
Focus Braille
- Focus Braille displays from Freedom Scientific, Inc. can be used now with ALTAIR.
SyncBraille
- ALTAIR supports the display of line break marks for SyncBraille. (Line break marks were not displayed before.)
Braille display of marks
- Marks were not reflected on braille display immediately after entering them on the keyboard. This problem is solved now.
Speech related matters
Toggle on/off to read Japanese punctuations, toggle on/off to read English punctuations
- The on/off function of "Read punctuations" is divided into two: one for Japanese punctuation and the other for English punctuation.
Toggle on/off to read symbols
- A menu to toggle on/off to read symbols have been added.
Example of yomanai.dat or noread.dat
- By switching on the read-inhibit function with Shift + Ctrl + H keys, you have been able to skip the reading of previously specified symbols when doing a smooth line reading. The symbols to skip need to be specified in a text file, which is yomanai.dat for ALTAIR Japanese version and noread.dat for English version. From ALTAIR version 9.0, a sample of such text file is installed by an installer.
Mail related matters
Mails using SSL
- E-mails that use SSL (POP over SSL, SMTP over SSL), for sending and receiving messages while keeping high security, have been increasing recently. ALTAIR for Windows 9.0 has this new function. By using SSL, incoming and outgoing mails are encrypted between your computer and a mail server so as to prevent mails from being tapped or altered.
Configuration of spam mail threshold
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If the filter to prevent spam mails is used in the mail server, for a mail likely to be a spam, several + characters are placed after its mail header of "X-Spam-Level: ". The number of + suggests probability of being a spam.
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In the past, ALTAIR determined a mail with four or more + characters to be a spam. With version 9.0, you can specify the number (threshold) of + character for the determination.
Canceling the speaking of the number of received mails when receiving mails
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When receiving mails, ALTAIR speaks out the number of received mails. You may wish to turn off the speaking if many mails are received. With version 9.0, you can toggle on/off of the speaking by pressing Ctrl + PageUp keys.
Browser related matters
Yahoo search site
- When displaying search result of Yahoo, if the second page or after was displayed, key word disappeared and you had to enter it again. This problem is solved now.
Others
Cursor movement on option setting screen
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When you wanted to change an option, a single line buffer started if you pressed Enter key on the line of the item to change. With ALTAIR 9.0, you can change the value without starting a single line buffer. As for a selection-type item, the operation is same as before, namely you select what you want after listing up the selections by pressing Enter key.
DMC library update
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DMC library has been updated, which is to import text information from a file in Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, Ichitaro, or PDF format.
Importing Mac text file
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Macintosh text lines end with the CR character while PC text lines end with the CR+LF characters. ALTAIR for Windows 9.0 supports importing Mac text files.
Stable performance on Windows Vista
- SAPI4 speech engine is quite unstable on Windows Vista. Note that its stability on Vista is not guaranteed.
- For Windows Vista, use Microsoft Anna, which is a SAPI5 speech engine attached to Windows Vista.
February 1, 2008 Version 8.0e release
New braille displays supported
SuperVario
- SuperVario of BAUM Retec AG, a German company, can be used with ALTAIR.
SyncBraille
- SyncBraille of GW Micro, Inc., an American company, can be used with ALTAIR.
The function of "Save as" was added.
- By pressing F2 key four times, you can call the function of "Save as" to name and save a file.
Filer's function to display details about files
- When selecting the filer, you can display file size and updated time and date as the detail information of the file. File size is suggested by a figure followed by a unit of b, k, or m. Respectively, b means byte, k means kilobyte, and m means megabyte.
- Furthermore, in addition to the conventional mode to display file name only, the mode to always display detail information has been added.
Even with the conventional display mode, when selecting the filer, ALTAIR reads file size and updated date if you press Shift + Home keys.
Filer's function to edit file name
- A function to revise file name, while using the function to select a location to save a created file, was added. You can revise it by moving cursor position with left and right cursors and changing the character string.
Speech engine for SAPI Version 5 specification is supported
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In the past, ALTAIR supported only the speech engine for SAPI Version 4 specification. By the release of this time, ALTAIR supports speech engine with the interface for SAPI Version 5 specification.
Change in the configuration of reading speed and pitch
- The ranges for setting speed and pitch of the speech have been extended to 1 to 20. Comparing to the previous version, you can set parameters for speech more precisely.
On/off toggle of punctuation reading
- "Read punctuations" has been added to the Speech options. You can now select whether or not to read punctuations by "Read punctuations on" or "Read punctuations off". Also, you can now change on/off of punctuation reading by Ctrl + 5 keys.
Port numbers for SMTP and POP3
- You can specify the port numbers for SMTP and POP3 that are used when sending and receiving e-mails.
Making a mail folder
- You can make a mail folder by pressing F9 key three times."Make mail folder" function has been added to the menu.
Editing the address book
- The function to edit the address book has been added.You can call "Edit address book" function by pressing F9 key four times.
Saving/Appending block
- You can save and append blocks when making a mail.
Marking function
- The function to add or delete marks when reading a mail has been added.
Moving Spam mails to a box
- The function to move spam mails has been added. By one operation, you can move to the SPAM folder the mails which were judged by the mail server as spams.
Automatic switch to browser mode
- The function has been added to automatically switch to the browser mode after accessing your Internet browser homepage. In the past, the mode did not change from the editor mode, so the changing to the browser mode had to be done manually.
Confirmation of website encryption by SSL
- To confirm whether or not communication is encrypted, for online shopping for example, the message has been changed from "200 OK" to "SSL 200 OK", which is spoken if you connect via HTTPS protocol.
Importing Office 2007, Acrobat 8, Ichitaro 2007
Import functions for the following files have been added.
- Word 2007
- Excel 2007
- Power Point 2007
- PDF 1.7 Acrobat 8
- Ichitaro 2007
Background color "green and gray" selected
- Background color "green and gray" has been added as a function for weak-eyed people.
Online manual in text format
- In addition to the conventional online manual in HTML, a manual in text format is attached.
Installer
- There was a problem that it was difficult for blind people to run the install.exe file, since many install images are named as "install" with other extensions. Now, by running setup.exe, ALTAIR for Windows Version 8.0 can be installed.
March 2, 2007 Version 7.0e release
A function was added to call a filer to attach files to a composing mail.
- A function was added to attach files to a mail by pressing F1 key twice while you are composing the mail. If you press Enter key without entering a file name, the filer starts up, so select the file you attach.
When extracting attached files, selection of either save or execute is available.
- You can select either save or execute the attached files from a mail list or when reading a mail.
- From a mail list, you can select it by F4 key. When reading a mail, you can select it by F1 key.
- This function is not available when you are reading a mail to which a file is not attached.
- Saving attached file saves all the attached files at a time.
- Executing attached file displays a selection menu of the attached files, so select a file to execute.
- When a file is executed, if it is a document file, it is automatically converted and loaded. If it is a multimedia file, media player is automatically called and the file is played.
Windows media player is available.
- When you jump via link by url or among local files to a file with an extension .asx, .mp3, .avi, .wmv, .wav, .mpg, or .wma, media player is called to play the file. Such file as an attachment to a mail is played in the same manner when it is executed.
Unicode is supported.
- A function was added to automatically differentiate Unicode text file saved in UTF-8 encoding and load it by converting into Shift_JIS. Loading only is supported and saving in UTF-8 format is not supported.
Download progress is displayed.
- If you download a file by using HTTP protocol, download progress is read aloud after every 20%.
History is displayed.
- The history of the pages you have visited is displayed below the [Internet] menu up to 10 pages. You can select one from the history to jump to the page.
Extra empty lines are not displayed on the browser.
- Two or more empty lines are displayed as one empty line on the browser.
A function to "save linked pages" was added to the browser.
- With editor mode, you can save linked pages by pressing F6 key once and F1 key twice. With browser mode, you can do the same by pressing F1 key twice.
Regardless of the extension, you save the page by entering a file name.
NORMANET website is in the Favorites.
- The website of NORMANET was added to the Favorites list.
Font size of menu can be reverted to default.
- If you set menu font as [System], the font size of menu reverts to the standard font size of the system.
The number of supported braille displays increased.
- "PAC Mate" and "BrailleSense" were added.
Up/down screen jump function by command key was added.
- A function was added to jump 20 lines down by pressing Ctrl + ; keys and 20 lines up by pressing Ctrl + : keys.
The terms and concepts hard to understand were replaced.
- Add to list, Add to bookmark -> Add to Favorites
- View list -> Favorites
- Search engine -> Search
- Call a search list -> Call search engine
- Current character code -> Character code
A function was added to fix the mode for detailed reading.
- The function of Ctrl + PageDown keys was changed from reading details of current character to toggling on/off of the mode to read details.
If you set the detailed reading on, all character reading afterwards will be detailed reading.
A function was added to always display the current mode.
- The current edit mode that was displayed at the left top of the screen is now always displayed next to the line and column numbers displayed at the far right on the second line.
Larger font size is available.
- When trying to get the largest font size, the minimum number of editing lines was six. It is now four, and, as the result, larger font size has become available.
Help file names were changed/added, and links among manuals are supported.
Help file format was changed from text to html. Accordingly, links among manuals are supported.
- altair_en.html: Reference Guide
- usersguide_en.html: User's Guide
refedit_en.html, refbrowser_en.html, refmail_en.html, refshell_en.html: Command Lists (The opened list differs depending on the mode.)
The menu for font color and size was added.
Font color and size can be selected.
You can select a size from four font sizes: large, medium, small, and user's (your own setting). You can select a color from six font colors: five following colors and user's.
Default font colors are:
- Color 1: Font (foreground): black; Background: white
- Color 2: Font (foreground): white; Background: black
- Color 3: Font (foreground): blue; Background: white
- Color 4: Font (foreground): white; Background: blue
- Color 5: Font (foreground): yellow; Background: black
The accelerator key can be added for menu reading.
- You can specify whether or not to read accelerator key or shortcut key at the end when reading menu items. You can set it by [Read shortcut] of [Speech options] screen.
Options were added.
- "Read shortcut" for "Speech options"
"Select font" and "Select font color" for "Display options"
were added.
Menu items were added.
The following menu items were added.
File menu
- Insert
- Clear
- Save block
- Append block
Edit menu
- Jump
- Mark
- Clear marks
- Repetitive block paste
Search menu
- Continue search
- Continue backward search
Internet menu
- Text
- Run batch file
- Add batch list
- Delete batch list
- Connect dial-up
- Disconnect dial-up
Mail menu
- Extract attached file
- Execute attached file
- Delete
- Move mail
- Move all
- Classify
- Jump folder
- Thread on
- Thread off
Braille menu (new)
- Braille display on
- Braille display off
- Braille
- Voice
- Voice and braille
- Japanese braille
- English braille
- Text
Details menu (new)
- CD-ROM search
- Phone call
- English on
- English off
- Hot file list label (up to 10 files)
Options menu
- Large font
- Medium font
- Small font
- User's font
- Background color 1
- Background color 2
- Background color 3
- Background color 4
- Background color 5
- User's background color
Help menu
March 1, 2006 Version 6.0e release
Braille display
Supporting and packaging both KBDC and ALVA drivers
As Braille display drivers, KBDC from KGS Corporation and the ALVA driver from ALVA B.V. are now supported. KBDC automatically recognizes the communication settings, excluding the communication port and baud rate, both of which are specified by a user. The ALVA driver automatically recognizes the communication port and baud rate. The communication port is searched among USB, Serial Port, and Parallel Port.
- Both KBDC and ALVA are packaged in ALTAIR
Assignment of Braille display keys eliminated
- Assignment of Braille display keys has been eliminated.
Horizontal scrolling of the Braille display is supported
- When the length of a message being converted is longer than the width of the Braille display, users can scroll using the Left and Right keys of the Braille display.
Menu bar
- The Windows Menu bar is supported.
- The menu is read and displayed with Braille without the Screen Reader.
- Commands include See Documentation, Bug Report Mail, and Access ALTAIR｡ﾇs Home Page, which have been added to the Help menu.
Command names changed according to Windows
The following command names have been changed to the Windows-standard user interface:
- Load ｢ｪ Open
- Open ｢ｪ New
- Save ｢ｪ Save
- Insert ｢ｪ Insert
- Quit ｢ｪ Quit
- Append ｢ｪ Add
Visually displays the guide
The guide is displayed on the two upper lines of the window.
- The guide, visually displayed on the top of the window, is now two lines.
The current mode name, file name, mail folder name and URL are displayed.
- The function to display the guide on the bottom of the window has been eliminated.
Visual display of the guide for commands using the function keys has been eliminated
- -f option of al.cfg has also been eliminated.
File selection
Filer improved
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My Computer, Desktop, and My Network added
My Computer has been added to access drive directories.
Selecting this displays the Desktop and all drives on the PC.
Desktop has been added above My Computer, and the file list, My Network, and My Documents on the Windows Desktop are displayed.
Selecting My Network displays the list of domains and network PCs. Selecting this enables access to any PC on the network. If authentication is required, users must enter their user IDs and passwords.
- Key operation in selecting a file added
- Move to a superior directory by pressing the Backspace key
- Select the first file by pressing the Home key
- Select the last file by pressing the End key
- Incremental search in selecting a file
Files beginning with an alphabetical character entered in selecting a file are displayed in succession.
- Supporting a shortcut to a directory
A shortcut to a directory can be selected as when selecting the directory itself.
- <.> deleted from the file list
One-line editor improved
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The Left, Right, and DEL keys are supported when entering a file name.
Externally specifying a file from
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A free buffer opens by specifying a file name with the winal command and executing it when ALTAIR is running.
Edit and display
Wrapping the display
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The text on the screen is wrapped and displayed according to the width of the window.
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The text is wrapped and displayed according to the width of the window.
[Enable/Disable] has been added to [Wrap display] in [ALTAIR settings]. (-3 in al.cfg)
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The window width can be adjusted to the number of characters specified with -. in al.cfg. by pressing Ctrl+F4.
Displaying the buffer size
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This function reads the size of the editing buffer by byte and character number without case sensitivity by pressing Shift+PageUp.
Clipboard
The edit function for the clipboard has been added. With the addition, key command combinations have been changed as shown below:
- Ctrl+A to select all (To release all when all are selected).
- Ctrl+X to cut onto the clipboard
- Ctrl+C to copy onto the clipboard
- Ctrl+V to paste from the clipboard
Other changes in key command combinations
- Ctrl+D to mark
- Shift+Ctrl+D to read character code
- Ctrl+F to jump between { and } (Formerly Ctrl+V)
- SHIFT+Ctrl+F to read details of the current character
Help mode
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The read-only mode to refer to Help files has been added. This is used to refer to the manual or command reference.
Microsoft Text-to-Speech Engine
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In the Japanese version of ALTAIR, the Microsoft Text-to-Speech Engine is installed.
Supports DMC Library 4.0.1
- PDF files created using Adobe Acrobat 7 supports the DMC Library 4.0.1
Mail
Supports SMTP authentication
- SMTP authentication (PLAIN and LOGIN) for mail is supported.
- Use SMTP AUTH (Y/N), SMTP AUTH authentication user name, and SMTP AUTH password options have been added to the mail configuration. When the SMTP AUTH user name authentication is not specified, use the same user name as the POP Authentication user name and password.
Hiding the password
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The password for the mail settings, SMTP AUTH password, and password used when completing forms in the web browser are displayed with * symbols.
Web browser
Favorites
- The date format of Favorites has been changed to HTML-format.
- The file name has been changed from url.lst to url.html.
- When adding a new favorite, the page｡ﾇs title should be used.
Search engine list
- The date format of the search engine list has been changed to HTML-format.
- The file name has been changed from search.lst to search.html.
With/without browser mode
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[With/Without] the [Browser mode] has been added to [ALTAIR settings].
(-2 of al.cfg)
Structure display turned off by default
- The structure display is turned off by default. (-/ of al.cfg)
vewww.cfg eliminated
- Users can specify a proxy server with -: of al.cfg.