The JAWS Find Command

INSERT+CTRL+F or CTRL+F

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NOTE: The video in this lesson is the same as the one in lesson 3.1.4 Using the Search Feature in FSReader. If you are comfortable with this topic, feel free to skip ahead to the next lesson.

When JAWS is running and one presses CTRL+F in a browser window, an HTML email, or in the text area of FSReader, the free DAISY reader that is installed with JAWS, the JAWS Find dialog box opens. The JAWS Find dialog is more powerful than the standard search feature in most browsers. It includes a context-specific history for web domains, a history of the last 20 searches, as well as the ability so search forward or backward with or without case-specific phrases.

the JAWS Find dialog box

To use the JAWS find dialog box outside of an HTML environment, press INSERT+CTRL+F. The following exercise demonstrates how to use the JAWS Find dialog box in FSReader.

  1. First switch to the JAWS window by pressing INSERT+J.
  2. Next, press ALT+H to go to the Help menu.
  3. Find and press ENTER on Training in the Help menu. FSReader opens to the JAWS Table of Contents.

The Search function allows you to quickly find a specific word or phrase in text content. For example, type the word “file” to find all instances of that word or other words that contain it like the word “profile.” Space before the f and after the e to find all occurrences of just the word “file.”

I’ll demonstrate how this works. I’ll navigate to the top of the Table of Contents by pressing CTRL+HOME. I’ll press CTRL+F to activate the find command, then type the word file without a space before or after, and press ENTER. If the text is found, focus will move to the first instance of that word or phrase. If it isn’t, you will receive a message that your search string is not found.

JAWS found a phrase containing the word “profile,” which includes the letters f i l e. I’ll select the text to visually indicate where focus is on the screen by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW to select the text that was found. I’ll press RIGHT ARROW to deselect that text.

I’ll press CTRL+HOME to navigate to the top and try it again with a space before and after the word. Now the results only contain the word “file,” I’ll press CTRL+SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW to select the text and visually indicate where focus is on the screen.

Press F3 to navigate to the next instance of your search, and SHIFT+F3 to navigate to the previous occurrence.

You can also search for an entire phrase. I’ll press CTRL+HOME to navigate to the top of the Table of Contents, then press CTRL+F to activate the Find command. I want to know the total listening time for each training book. I’ll type the phrase “total time,” and press ENTER. Now I’ll press F3 to navigate through each instance of that phrase.

Finally, let’s explore other items in the Find dialog box. I’ll press CTRL+F. Here, we have the search edit box. I’ll press TAB to move through the other items. Context-specific history controls whether the find history is context-specific for the current site or application. For example, when you are on a specific website, checking this box will show your history for that site only.

Check the Maintain history of recent finds box to retain a history of recently found items.

Choose to search forward or backward from the cursor location using the direction forward or direction reverse radio button.

Use the Ignore Case check box to ignore or specify the case of your search. For example, if the word or phrase you are searching for contains capital letters, you can choose not to ignore case so the results will match exactly what you type.

We also have the Find button, Delete button, the Clear Find History button, and the cancel button.

I’ll press ESC to exit the Find dialog and return to the JAWS Basic Training Table of Contents in FSReader.

Please allow [07:49] to watch the short instructional demonstration of using the JAWS Find Command before continuing to the next topic.

Before continuing to the next lesson, close FSReader by pressing ALT+F4.

Freedom Scientific, a Vispero brand

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