Emacspeak and overlays

[Bart Bunting <bart@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

This is perhaps a uninformed question but I'm hoping for some pointers
or advice.

Recently Jude was asking on the org-mode list about how to tell what
cell you are in in an org-mode table.  Bastien, one of , the org
maintainers suggested using ''c-c }' to turn on the overlay to show
column and row headers.

This I am told by a sighted colleague does do exactly that.  Emacspeak
doesn't appear to notice the existence of the overlay.

Org-mode also uses overlays in other places to show additional
information in "column view" and I believe sometimes in the agenda.

I did a little poking around in the source and it appears that there is
some code in emacspeak-personality to do with overlays.

Can someone comment as to how this works as I didn't quite understand
it.

Are overlays something that emacspeak already understands or is each
situation they are used requiring specific emacspeak code to get
emacspeak to work?

In the case of Jude's specific question I was thinking that a toggle or
query command for emacspeak-org may be a solution, one that reports the
current cell that you are in in the table.  Possibly some advice on the
commands that move from cell to cell such that if the toggle is on the
co-ordinates of the cell are spoken as it changes.

Anyway just wanted to put the question out there to gather some
information and perhaps start a discussion on making org mode work even
better with emacspeak.

One other idea I have had re improving emacspeak support for org,  and hopefully will have time to have a stab at
is to correctly advise the functions that ajust timestamps in org mode.
Currently when you use s-up or s-down on a timestamp the entire
timestamp is read as it changes.  I think it would be good just to hear
the day or month etc that is changing.  

I have included Bastien's email below for reference.

Cheers

Bart

  Subject: Re: [O] calculation question
  To: Bastien <bzg@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Jude DaShiell <jdashiel@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  Cc: emacs-orgmode@xxxxxxxxxxx
  Date: Tue, 19 Jul 2011 09:47:59 +1000

  Hi Bastien,

  I presume Jude is using emacspeak with org-mode.

  I also use emacspeak.

  I have noticed that emacspeak does not read anything done using
  overlays.  I am presuming the column and row labels are done this way.

  It also means that we can't use column view either as far as I know.

  This as I understand it is not really an issue for org-mode but a
  current emacspeak limitation.

  I'm sure like all things emacs that this can be fixed given enough elisp
  knowledge.  Perhaps it's worth Jude or I asking on the emacspeak list
  for some advice as to how to solve this problem.

  Kind regards

  Bart

  On Tue, 19 Jul 2011 01:10:09 +0200, Bastien <bzg@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
  > Hi Jude,
  > 
  > Please type C-c } on a table -- it displays coordinates of the 
  [ 3 more citation lines. Click/Enter to show. ]
  > cells so that you can more easily refer to the right one.
  > 
  > HTH,
  > 
  > -- 
  >  Bastien
   Bastien <bzg@xxxxxxxxxxx> (Today 18:13) (inbox)
   Subject: Re: [O] calculation question
   To: Bart Bunting <bart@xxxxxxxxxxx>
   Cc: Jude DaShiell <jdashiel@xxxxxxxxxxx>,  emacs-orgmode@xxxxxxxxxxx
   Date: Tue, 19 Jul 2011 10:13:05 +0200

   Hi Bart,

   Bart Bunting <bart@xxxxxxxxxxx> writes:

   > I have noticed that emacspeak does not read anything done using
   > overlays.  I am presuming the column and row labels are done this way.

   Yes, the references are displayed as an overlay.

   > I'm sure like all things emacs that this can be fixed given enough elisp
   > knowledge.  Perhaps it's worth Jude or I asking on the emacspeak list
   > for some advice as to how to solve this problem.

   Please do -- I'm not using emacspeak myself but I'm interested in
   improving accessibility for tables.

   Best regards,
  
Bastien

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