-> SCREEN READER DETECTION <-

[Ben Baker]

Hi,

Is it possible to use javascript to detect if a screen reader is
running a on a users machine?

I know that on a pc, screen readers use the MSSA interface. Is there
a way to detect whether this is operational or not?

Thanks,

Ben

 

[Vincent van Beveren]

Hi Ben,

As far as I know its probably impossible to detect whether its running
or not, but you could see whether it is installed. The problem is that
you will have to find the class ID (CLSID). This is usually in the
window registry. Open the registry editor ('regedit.exe') and open
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT

Below all the extentions are lists of objects. Most objects have
classid's (CLSID). For example, Word.Application. You can copy the
classID when you view it.

The following script detects whether word and acrobat are installed on
your computer:

<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">

monitor = new Array();

function checkApplication(clsId, name) {
s = '<object id="test_object'+monitor.length+'" '
+'classid="clsid:'+clsId+'" '
+'codebase="view-source:about:blank">&nbsp;</object>';
document.writeln(s);
monitor[monitor.length] = name;
}

function check() {
for (i=0;i<monitor.length;i++) {
if (monitor!=null) {
obj = document.getElementById('test_object'+i);
if (obj) {
if (obj.readyState!=0) {
alert("'"+monitor+"' is on this machine");
}
monitor = null;
}
}
}
}


checkApplication('000209FF-0000-0000-C000-000000000046',
'Microsoft Word');
checkApplication('B801CA65-A1FC-11D0-85AD-444553540000',
'Acrobat(Reader)');


window.setInterval('check();', 1000);


</SCRIPT>

Well, I hope this helps a bit.

Good luck,
Vincent

 

[Java script Dude]

Hi,

Is it possible to use javascript to detect if a screen reader is
running a on a users machine?

I know that on a pc, screen readers use the MSSA interface. Is there
a way to detect whether this is operational or not?

JavaScript do this cannot without some sort of (most likely insecure)
extension to the browser to access the windows api.

JavaScript can only talk within the browser windows with certain
restictions.

JsD