Re: [orca-list] Help required

[Joanmarie Diggs <joanmarie diggs gmail com>]

Hi Aparna.

I think part of the confusion might be the answer to the question, what
is Orca? So just to be sure we're on the same page....

Orca is a screen reader. The purpose of a screen reader is to present
what's on the screen **as the user is interacting with the desktop
environment and applications therein just like any other user.**

The purpose of Orca is NOT to be an alternative desktop environment for
users who are blind.

When there is a problem, such as we see with Evince, the solution is to
address the problem in the inaccessible application (in this case that
would be Evince).

With all of this in mind:

> We are working on making PDF files accessible - we are almost done and
> have one last bit to go. When the user selects and opens a pdf file we
> want the complete path information of the file to open it in Firefox -
> the path will give us the information of which file is selected. 

Orca scripts don't open files at all, let alone make decisions about
what application should be preferred. Instead, Orca users open files the
same way other users open files. Orca's job is to ensure that the user
is able to access the screen contents and use that information to
perform the task of opening the file.

If you would like to create a utility to cause PDF files to be
accessible via Firefox, that's fine. But it's not something that belongs
in Orca. What should happen instead is that whatever (totally separate)
program you create, should work correctly with Orca.

Having said all that:

> Is there any function or way in Orca by which we can get the complete
> path of this selected file?

A good rule of thumb is this: If you can see it in Accerciser, Orca will
be able to see it too. If you cannot see it in Accerciser, Orca will not
be able to see it either.

Take care.
--Joanie (Orca maintainer/project lead)