# Settings

To configure &app;, select GOK keys: GOK Preferences . The Preferences dialog contains the following tabbed sections:

You can open the &app; preferences from the command line:

`gok --settings`

## Appearance

This tab allows users to set key size and spacing between keys in their onscreen keyboards. This feature is especially useful to individuals with difficulty targeting specific areas using a pointing device because of mobility restrictions and those with low vision.

Key width

- Use this spin control to specify the width of a typical GOK key (5-200 pixels).

Key height

- Use this spin control to specify the height of a typical GOK key (5-200 pixels).

Spacing

- Use this spin control to specify the spacing between GOK keys (0-100 pixels).

Preview

- This area shows what 4 GOK keys would look like with the current settings.

Use Desktop Theme Preferences

- Select this option to have GOK use the desktop theme preferences where possible or appropriate. For example, GOK buttons can resemble themed buttons.

  Default: unselected.

### Alternate method of changing key width and height

Users can also change Key Width and Key Height simply by dragging the corners or sides of any GOK. If this is performed while the Settings dialog is open (and the Appearance tab selected), users can see the changes reflected in the preview window and the Key Size controls. (Note: Key spacing cannot be altered using this method.)

## Actions

Actions allow users to predetermine a method of accessing and using the GOK. It is especially useful to clinicians with a variety of clients who have different special needs. A clinician can, for example, create an action with its own specific set of defaults (i.e. Ali's Puff Switch, Jane's Head Wand, etc.)

This dialog offers a number of preset options listed under the Action Name menu. The list includes: Left, Middle, and Right Mouse Button, Mouse buttons 4 and 5, Mouse Pointer, Dwell and switches 1 through 5. Each selection is linked to the radio buttons and entry fields beneath the menu.

For example, the default in the dropdown list is "Middle Mouse Button". With this selection, the Action Type radio button is preset to "Mouse Button" and the Switch, Dwell, and Mouse Pointer sections are all disabled (i.e. grayed out).

The Mouse Button section, however, remains active enabling users to select Button Number, Activate When, and Button Delay through a series of radio buttons and a text entry field.

If a user were to change the default from "Middle Mouse Button" to "Switch 1" the Action Type radio button would change to "Switch" and all Switch options would become enabled. (The Mouse Button, Dwell, and Mouse Pointer sections would be rendered inactive.)

### Creating a new Action

To create an action for a specific individual (i.e. Ali's Puff Switch), select the "Add Action" button. The title "New Action 1" appears in the Action Name window and the "Delete Action" and "Change Name" buttons become active. Note: Each time an action is added, the number represented in the default name increases by one (i.e. New Action 2, New Action 3, etc.)

Next, select "Change Name". An Action Name dialog appears with the default name pre-selected. Enter the new name (i.e. Ali's Puff Switch) and select "OK". The name now appears in the Action Name window and all the Action Type radio buttons (i.e. Switch, Mouse Button, Dwell, Mouse Pointer) become active enabling users to customize actions to suit an individual's specific needs.

To remove an action, be sure it is displayed in the Action Name window and then select the "Delete Action" button. A dialog appears asking the user to confirm that this action is to be deleted.

### Action Type

This determines the type of input device and access method used to indicate that a selection has been made. Users have the following four options: Switch, Mouse Button, Dwell, and Mouse Pointer. Each option is discussed below.

1. Switch: When Switch is chosen as the Action Type, users have the option of selecting up to five switches as their input method. Additional radio buttons allow users to configure each switch individually (i.e. trigger an action when a switch is pressed or released) and set the Switch Delay time (i.e. the length of time a switch has to be in the "on" or "off" position before a selection is considered intentional). Switch Delay time is calculated in 1/100ths of a second with values ranging from 0 to a maximum of 3000 or 30 seconds.

2. Mouse Button: When Mouse Button is selected as the Action Type, users are able to customize the function of up to five Mouse buttons and assign them any one of the following actions: Button Pressed, Button Released, Clicked, or Double Clicked. Button Delay determines the length of time a Mouse button has to be held in an "on" or "off" position for the selection to be considered intentional. As with Switch Delay, time is calculated in 1/100ths of a second with values ranging from 0-3000.

3. Dwell: With this method, selections are made by positioning the Mouse pointer over a key for a specified length of time. Dwell Rate determines length of time the pointer must hover over a key in order for the selection to be considered intentional. Dwell time is also calculated in 1/100ths of a second with values ranging from 0 to 3000.

4. Mouse Pointer: When Mouse Pointer is selected as the Action Type, users control the pointer through the various means available to them (i.e. numeric keypad, head wand, switches, etc.) When the Key Averaging checkbox is selected, users choose a rate ranging from 0 to 3000 (i.e. 0 to 30 seconds). A selection will only become active after the mouse pointer has hovered over a particular key for the length of time specified by the Key Averaging Rate. The difference between Key Averaging and Dwell time is that the mouse pointer does not have to hover over a key continually. If a user has a tremor, for example, and the mouse pointer sometimes moves off the intended target, the key that receives the most accumulated time will eventually become active. If the Key Averaging Rate is set to 1500, and the intended target is the Tab key, when the mouse pointer has hovered over Tab for an accumulated time of 15 seconds, it will become active.

## Feedback

This dialog enables users to have a visual and/or audio signal sent to them indicating that a key has been selected. These visual/audio cues are extremely helpful to those with a hearing or visual impairment.

The Feedback dialog offers the following two options through the Feedback Name dropdown menu: Key Flashing and Sound.

To activate option one, check the "Key Flashing On" checkbox. The "Number Of Flashes" value determines how many times the onscreen key will flash (rates range from 1-15). To select an audio cue, check the "Sound On" checkbox and then use the "Browse For Sound File" button. Users can also have both feedback options operating simultaneously by selecting "Key flashing and Sound".

### Create Feedback

To customize visual and/or audio cues, select the "Add Feedback" button (this also enables the "Delete Feedback" and "Change Name" buttons). This is an especially useful feature for clinicians wanting to establish personalized visual/audio cues for each of their clients.

The title "New Feedback 1" appears in the Feedback Name window. Each time a new action is added, the number appearing in the default increases by one (i.e. New Feedback 2, New Feedback 3, etc.)

Next, select "Change Name". A Feedback Name dialog appears with the default name pre-selected. Enter the new name (i.e. Jane's Sound File) and select "OK". The new title now appears in the Feedback Name window. Use the Key Flashing and/or Sound options to customize the feedback response to meet an individual's specific needs.

To remove a feedback created by the user, be sure it is displayed in the Feedback Name window, and then select the "Delete Feedback" button. A dialog appears asking the user to confirm that this action is to be deleted.

## Access Methods

The following five Access Methods are available to users: Direct Selection, Dwell Selection, Automatic Scanning, Inverse Scanning, and Coded Input (Switch). Users are presented with a series of radio buttons and checkboxes which allows them to customize GOK to suit their own special needs. Each access method provides users with a brief description of its functionality, an Operations section used to determine methods of highlighting and selecting keys, a Feedback section providing visual and/or audio cues that a selection has been made, and an Auto Repeat Option.

### Direct Selection

This method allows users to select keys onscreen with a direct mouse click. The mouse pointer is used to highlight a specific key and then a switch is pressed to make a selection.

The Operation section includes two dropdown menus that enable users to select a method of highlighting and activating a specific key. To highlight a key, users have the option of choosing either Mouse Pointer or a method created in Actions. The dropdown menu for activating a selection includes: Left, Middle, and Right Mouse buttons, Mouse buttons 4 and 5, Switches 1 to 5, as well as any customized methods creating in Actions.

Feedback also includes two dropdown menus. Users who wish to receive a signal indicating that a key has been highlighted can select Key Flashing, Sound, or Both. The same options are available to indicate when a key has been activated.

When Auto Repeat On is checked in the Options section, a specific key or character will be repeated as long as the input device (i.e. mouse button, switch, etc.) is activated. This feature is especially useful for moving the cursor rapidly across the screen and for entering the same character repeatedly (i.e. using series of asterisks to break up sections of text).

The Auto Repeat Rate determines in 1/100ths of a second how fast the keystroke or character will be registered onscreen. The rate ranges from 0 to 100 (i.e. up to 1 second).

### Dwell Selection

With this access method, selections are made by positioning the pointer over a key for specified length of time using a mouse or other type of pointing device.

In Dwell mode, users are limited to a Mouse Pointer or alternate pointing device (created in Actions) as a means of highlighting keys. Dwell is, of course, the default for making a selection.

Feedback and Options settings are identical to those found under Direct Selection.

### Automatic Scanning

Individual rows and columns are highlighted automatically, and the user makes a selection using either a switch or mouse button when the desired row/key is reached.

Users can initiate Automatic Scanning and make selections via a Mouse button, switch (1-5) or customized switch/Mouse button action. Automatic Scanning will highlight each row in succession, beginning at the top. When the highlight reaches the desired row, the user stops the scan by activating a button or switch. The highlight now moves from left to right, beginning at the he leftmost key. When the desired key is reached, the user makes a selection using a mouse button or switch.

The Feedback and Auto Repeat settings for Automatic Scanning are identical to those described in the Direct Scanning section.

Additional options include Scan Delay (which controls actual scanning speed) and Initial Delay (the length of time the scan pauses before beginning a cycle of highlighting rows or individual keys). Scanning speed ranges from 10-500 while the range for Initial Delay is 0-500. Users also have the option of changing the scanning direction from top to bottom and left to right (the defaults) to bottom to top and/or right to left.

Scanning can be set to either continuous (i.e. cycle through the keyboard without stopping until a selection has been made) or set to a fixed number ranging from a single pass through the keyboard to 10. Users can also set the scan to automatic (i.e. being without user input) or to begin only after input from the user.

### Inverse Scanning

The user manually controls the scanning (i.e. highlighting) and key selection process.

Inverse Scanning is similar to Automatic Scanning in that individual rows and columns are highlighted enabling users to make a specific key selection. The main difference is that scanning (moving the highlight down rows and across columns) proceeds only when the user keeps switch 1 pressed down. To stop the highlight scan when the desired row or column is reached, the user simply releases the switch. To make a selection, the user must press and release switch 2. To resume scanning without making a selection press and hold switch 1.

The Feedback and Auto Repeat settings for Inverse Scanning are identical to those described in the Direct Scanning section. Scan Delay and other scanning options function in identical fashion to those in Automatic Scanning.

## Prediction

The Prediction dialog allows users to choose whether to enable the Word Completion and Command Prediction options. Word Completion is useful for composing text (e.g. email). The ability to specify an extra word list is a new feature and needs more testing (feedback is appreciated). Command Prediction (experimental) provides quick access to the most used GOK keys.

Word Completion is limited to between three and 10 words. The maximum for Command Prediction is 25 predictions.