JAWS, Accessibility and VB6

Question

I am just beginning to learn about accessbility specifically in relation to JAWS - so newbie alert!

I am looking to modify an old vb6 app which has a form with a 3 column flexgrid. There is a custom edit box which is overlaid on the form for editing in the right most column. On row change, ideally JAWS needs to read the contents of the 2 leftmost columns on that row.

I am wondering how best to implement this?

I have seen possible solutions of loading into a text file and shelling out to JAWS on a row-change type event. This seems a bit heavy but maybe it is a good solution.

I have also read about the IAccessible interface. This sounds like a good solution to me, but I don't know if it'd give me what I was after ie whether JAWS uses this interface to get its info.

I would be grateful if someone could advise me/steer me in the 'right' direction about the way I should be thinking about this.

Answer 1

Visual Basic 6 is unsupported by Microsoft many (12+) years ago. It doesn't have any easy way to incorporate MS Active Accessibility (MSAA), the previous versions were missing support in many of the default graphic widgets, and many controls did and do not have keyboard access.

Don't use it is the best answer, but not to your question. If you must continue, you'll have to look at the MSAA route (you are headed in the right direction with IAccessible interface)