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HotSpotClicker Tips And Issues

Last Updated on February 23, 2013 by Snowman

This page lists tips, and known issues, related to the use of HotSpotClicker. All bugs relevant to the latest version appear first.

Latest Version

no known issues. This build fixes the actions menu lockup issue referenced in build 222.

Build 222

Actions menu, KeyMap, remove all HSC key strokes -- this function locks up. If you execute it, you will have to reset your computer. No damage is done, it just never finishes. But, any work you had not saved in other open applications would be lost. Fixed in build 223.
HSC seems to be updating the key map unnecessarily, right after jaws is restarted, and an hsc-enabled app takes focus. This seems to apply only if you have updated HotSpotClicker.ini to use a shared folder. It seems to be a sometimes thing. A putative solution has been posted in the form of build 222 repost, Monday morning around 02:00 hours UTC. If you are having this trouble, and downloaded build 222 before February 24 2013, you should download 223, and hope for better luck. So far, the fix seems to be working.

Version 221

These bugs wer addressed in build 222.

The following hotkeys can not have hotSpots connected to them. Control+A, control+alt+s. This bug is present in all HotSpotClicker versions up through 221. This was addressed in build 222.
Keyboard lockup in the State Designer. This happens if the host scripts have an KeyPressedEvent that does not pass the event on down. Even the timeout does not work. The keyboard is unresponsive. the only way out is to click the physical mouse in a different application, which will focus jaws elsewhere. close and restart JAWS.

Tips And tricks

This section is a growing list of tips concerning use of HSC. If you have a tip concerning something that you found surprising, or a usage tip you think should be posted here, send it to The Snowman.

Spot Failures, a list of most common reasons why hotSpots Fail

Deleting A HotSpot That Is Part Of A Ring

In Build 221, the File Auditor was added to help deal with this problem. See below.

This was fixed in HSC build 209, but remains an issue if you are running an earlier version.
When you delete a HotSpot that is part of a HotSpot ring, HSC is not maintaining the ring control data to remove references to the deleted spot. And, there is no indication that the spot you are deleting exists on a ring, nor on which ring it resides.
The result is that the ring still references a spot that does not exist. And, if you use the Build A Spot Ring option in the actions menu, the ring control becomes corrupted.
To correct this, open the .hsc file for the affected hotspot set, and find the section for the affected ring. That data is identified by the ring name in brackets. An example is shown below:
[My Ring]
spotCount=3
1=Control+Shift+2
2=Control+Shift+3,br> 3=Control+Shift+1
CurrentIndex=2
if Control+shift+2 no longer exists:

Delete the line containing control+shift+2
Decrease SpotCount by 1
Make sure CurrentIndex is less than or equal to SpotCount>/li>
Save the file

File Auditor

This is accessed from the actions menu, and looks for unresolved references in your HotSpot set. You can let the auditor automatically correct issues found, or can just get a report, so you can resolve them manually.

Keyboard Macros

You want to assign a hotkey which simply types a string of text? Here is how to do it using HSC:

Create a hhotspot to serve as the macro. It doesn't matter where the jaws cursor is parked, because cursor position is irrelevant in this case.
For the positioning mode, choose absolute or application relative mode. It doesn't matter which.
For the mouse action, choose No Action, which is down at the bottom of the list.
Once the hotSpot is defined, edit the definition by pressing control+alt+shift+f4, and choose the new hotspot from the list, then press enter.
When the definition editor opens, Go to the bottom of the defimition by pressing Control plus the end key, and go to the far right end of that last line.
Make a new line by pressing control+m. Remember, don't use the enter key to do this. Use control+m.
On the new line, type the key word "function=TypeString(". followed by a quoted string which you want typed. Examples are shown below. Then press enter to save your modified definition. Your Key macro is ready for use.

For example, if you wanted your macro to type the string "this cat is a dog", you would make your newly added line look like the following:
function=TypeString("this cat is a dog")

If you wanted to follow that string with the enter key, make your new line look like this:
function=TypeString("this cat is a dog")|TypeKey("enter")

Older Versions

This major section describes issues related to earlier versions of HSC. Here is where you find out why you should upgrade to the latest version.

HotKey Not Defined in the Currently Active Set

(Version 7.71) If you have two or more HotSpot sets defined, and a particular hot key is assigned to a hotSpot only in one of those sets, when the other set is active, pressing that hotkey produces a message that no hotspot is defined for that key, and the hotKey is not passed onto the application.
This was done this way under the assumption that keys used to activate hotspots would likely not be the same keys as those used by the application, and that the wrong set being active is a likely source of confusion. So, HSC is simply saying that normally this hotkey would activate a hotspot, but not under the current circumstances.

This is fixed in version 7.72. The following work-around applies to version 7.71. If what you actually want to happen is for that messaget to not be spoken, and for the hotKey to be passed on to the application, follow these steps for each offending HotSpot set:

Activate the set in which you want the hotkey to be passed through.
Define a HotSpot for that hotkey, using control+alt+shift+A.
Specify absolute positioning. The jaws cursor need not be positioned first, because the cursor position will be irrelevant for this situation.
As a mouse action, choose "PassKeyThrough".
Optionally, you can use the label to specify the meaning of the hotkey in this situation, or to tell a user what to do to make the hotkey actually do something.
Assign the HotSpot to the hotkey of interst.

Now, when you press the hotkey while this set is active, the HSC error message will not be spoken, and the hotkey will be passed on to the application.
Note that, speaking a label, while passing a hotkey through for which the application will take no action, is still a workable, if slightly irregular, wayof providing a useful advisory concerning why the hotkey does nothing in the current situation.

HotSpot hotkeys sometimes don't work

Versions 7.70 and earlier.
Symptom: after creating the hotspot, and assigning it to a hot key, pressing the hot key does not activate the hotspot, but performs it's original function.
If you try to assign a hotspot to a hotkey to which a script is already assigned, and that script assignment is not located in the [common keys] section, as is usually the case, then HSC will not detect the conflict, and will add it's assignment to the [common keys] section. Your script will have priority, because it will be located in the desktop section which dominates, and the hotspot will not activate when you press the key. Instead, the script will run.
If you delete the hotspot, HSC will also remove the script assignment, meaning that your script will no longer run either.
Solution: Update to version 7.71 or later.

Unknown Script Call to EnterKey

Versions 7.61 or earlier
Try the space bar. This is a known issue when using HSC with the JSonar scripts, or any other scripts that commandeer the enter key. Known to happen in the "offsets - select which hotspot swill use them" dialog, availalable in the actions menu. Use the space bar instead.

Installer Issues

Cancelling Out Of The Installer

This can be an issue if you already have a previous version of HSC on your system. If you click OK on the initial screen that announces that a reboot is necessary, but, when the computer restarts and the installer comes up automatically, you cancel the install, HotSpotClicker will be unavailable until you do one of two things:

Install the new version by Running the installer again and allowing it to complete.
Restore the previous version by re-registering file HSCSRVR.DLL, using the installation instructions of the previous version.

Installer Unable to copy File HSCSRVR.dll

If the installer reports an error when updating file HSCSRVR.DLL, you should reboot your computer. After the reboot, do not focus in any application that was connected to your old version of HotSpotClicker. Run the installer immediately, and do not switch focus away from the installer until it finishes. This happens if the old version of the DLL does not get properly released.

Contact Information

Extensive documentation files have been placed in your start menu. Choose Programs, then HotSpotClicker. Please read the documentation carefully. (RTFM). If that does not resolve your issue, you may contact: The Snowman. or Geoff Chapman

Looking for HSC sets for your applications? You will find them on:

The HotSpot Sets Page

Feeling brave? Then checkout the:

HSC Beta Sets Page.

Or you can:

Download Victor's Podcast ON HSC (12.8mb).

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