Using Narrator in My Windows 8 App

Question

Hello there,

Can I in any way use Narrator to narrate the content of my app to the user as he or she clicks a button. Please provide me with a sample if possible.

Regards

Answer 1

It depends on who you mean as "I". You-the-app-author cannot control the user of Narrator with your app. The app cannot automate Narrator on a button click. You-the-user can use Narrator to narrate the content of properly written apps.

Make sure that all text and text-like objects are properly annotated with AutomationProperties.Name calls. See Exposing basic information about UI elements and Meeting requirements for accessible text .

See my blog entry  Accessibility Gotchas 1: Xaml ListView speaks in tongues for handling collection controls.

If you want the app to speak directly rather than through Narrator then take a look at the SpeechSynthesizer class (Windows)‎ . The app can use that to generate speech when a button is pressed.

--Rob

Answer 2

Hello Sir,

Thank you for the reply. I searched for the SpeechSynthesizer  class in my Visual Studio Express 2012 for Windows 8. It was not present in it. What do I do...????

Regards

Answer 3

SpeechSynthesizer is new for Windows 8.1. You will need to upgrade to use it.

See the table at the bottom of its documentation page:

Minimum supported client	Windows 8.1 [Windows Store apps only]