This document describes the JAWS scripts for RS Games. This document can be opened from within the application via a double press of JAWSKey+F1 (or Insert+F1) when the scripts are running.
These scripts provide for briefer spoken announcements and alternate keyboard sequences for performing common tasks. They also fix a couple of focus issues on Alt+Tab back into the application from some other applications. The scripts do not provide any advantage that would increase the odds of a player winning a game and do not automate any actions or action sequences.
In addition to any system requirements for the application, the following apply for JAWS users:
To install these scripts on a new system:
These scripts incorporate commands that consist of sequences of keystrokes, all beginning with a common prefix, or "command keystroke." This approach allows many script commands without the risk of conflicting with application keystrokes. See the "Multi-Key Command Sequences" section of the "Common Script Elements" document for further details, including how to explore the available script commands (similar to exploring a menu system), and how to change the Command keystroke if necessary.
By default, the Command keystroke for these scripts is [. This document may refer to this keystroke as [ or Command; so, for example, [ Tab and Command Tab both refer to typing the prefix keystroke, then separately the Tab key. Some sequences may consist of more than two keystrokes, or "levels"; for example, [ d r would refer to typing [, then d, then finally r.
These scripts provide the following types of features, each of which appears in its own subsection:
These scripts also provide two commands that are standard to all JAWS scripts written by this author:
Some users (notably this author under Windows 11) have experienced occasions when switching focus from another Windows application back into a running instance of RS Games does not allow the keyboard to function in the active game. This condition can easily be mistaken for a "server freeze," for which the user would typically close RS Games with Alt+F4 and immediately re-open RS Games and log in again to resume play.
This author has discovered that, in some cases, focus does not properly return to RS Games on a task switch. The scripts strive to rectify this focus anomaly when it occurs.
To help identify how often this focus anomaly occurs, these scripts will produce one of three small sounds when the anomaly is detected:
This author hopes that these scripts actually help the developers of RS Games determine how to prevent the focus problem directly. Users are encouraged to report to RS Games if they hear any of the above three sounds on a regular or frequent basis while playing games and switching among Windows tasks, and to include the version of Windows being used at the time. This author would also appreciate knowing how often this problem befalls other RS Games players.
In some games, these scripts shorten speech output messages and produce a sound when your turn arrives in a game. RS Games must be in focus and speech must be active for these features to work, because the features must unfortunately depend on use of the JAWS speech dictionary to function. Currently the message shortening feature specifically supports Farkle, Uno, and Yahtzee, but may indirectly help in other games as well.
These scripts provide key sequences to simplify game play for users of Bluetooth keyboards and users who prefer not to move their hands away from the home row. This support is aimed at the QWERTY keyboard layout at this time. There are also key sequences for performing tasks that otherwise require function keys; these are organized mnemonically to use letters that might be easier for some users, including this script author, to remember.
RS Games allows navigation separately through two types of messages: system messages and user messages. After typing [, type any number of the following keys to read messages, ultimately concluded by Esc to return to normal game play:
These scripts also provide alternatives for the four arrow keys, for users who prefer not to move their hands off of the home row of the keyboard. After typing [, press any number of the following keys to navigate in a game, followed ultimately by either Enter to send Enter to the game and exit the navigation mode or Esc to exit navigation without sending any keys to the game:
These scripts provide both numeric and mnemonic (letter-based) sequences as alternatives to function keys supported by RS Games. The numeric equivalents are meant to aid users who have difficulty with function keys, such as Bluetooth keyboard users that require the Fn key in combination with another key for them. The letter-based equivalents are meant for users, prominently including this script author, who find it difficult to keep track of which function key to use for which action.
The numeric key equivalents are very straightforward in nature: Type [ followed by a digit from the number row, or - or =, to send F1 through F12 to the game. Similarly, type [ followed by Shift with one of those keys to send the same function keys with Ctrl. (Shift is more commonly available on both sides of the keyboard than is Ctrl.)
The following table presents the letter-based equivalents for these commands. In these sequences, it is helpful to remember that all chat management commands begin with [ C and all volume adjustment commands begin with [ V. Within the volume management sequences, there are sequences beginning with [ V G for game volume, [ V M for music volume, and [ V V for voice chat volume. Though not indicated in the table, users may use the scripted arrow-key T on the keyboard in place of actual arrow keys in these sequences: S and F for left and right, and E and D for up and down.
| Action | Native Keystroke | Scripted Key Sequence |
|---|---|---|
| Get help | F1 | [ H |
| Game rules, admin messages, etc. | Ctrl+F1 | [ A |
| Switch games | F7 | [ G |
| Enable kick | F9 | [ K |
| Request game transcript | F11 | [ T |
| Send channel chat message | F2 | [ C C |
| Toggle permission to receive incoming chat messages in some games | Ctrl+F2 | [ C I |
| Send private message (PM) | F8 | [ C P |
| Reply to last private message | Ctrl+F8 | [ C R |
| Lower and raise game volume | F5 and F6 | [ V G then arrows and Esc when done. |
| Lower and raise music volume | F3 and F4 | [ V M then arrows and Esc when done. |
| Lower and raise voice chat volume | Ctrl+F3 and Ctrl+F4 | [ V V then arrows and Esc when done. |
The following issues are known and may be encountered during use of the application with these JAWS scripts. These issues may be fixed in a future update to the scripts or to the application itself.
These scripts are specifically designed to address speech output, not braille output. Braille will probably not be changed by using these scripts, but this has not been tested.
This is the revision history of these scripts, most recent revision first:
rsgames_default.jsd now contains a blank line rather than being empty.
The effect of this is to allow default.jss to be compiled via the JAWS Script Manager without
error.
The empty rsgames_default.jsd file caused a "Can't read" error.
This fix should only affect those who also write JAWS scripts.