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Reading Commands

In addition to the caret navigation commands which are part of GNOME, Orca provides a number of commands which you can use to read a document.

Below you will see several references to "KP". All "KP" keys are located on the numeric keypad. You will also notice that there are different keystrokes depending upon whether you are using a desktop or a laptop -- or more accurately, whether you are using Orca's Desktop keyboard layout or its Laptop keyboard layout. For additional information, please see the Keyboard Layout topic.

Reading Your Current Location

The following Orca Flat Review Commands can be used to read your current location:

  • Read the current line:

    • Desktop: KP 8

    • Laptop: Orca Modifier+I

  • Read the current word:

    • Desktop: KP 5

    • Laptop: Orca Modifier+K

  • Spell the current word:

    • Desktop: KP 5 (double-clicked)

    • Laptop: Orca Modifier+K (double-clicked)

  • Phonetically spell the current word:

    • Desktop: KP 5 (triple-clicked)

    • Laptop: Orca Modifier+K (triple-clicked)

  • Read the current character:

    • Desktop: KP 2

    • Laptop: Orca Modifier+Comma

  • Phonetically speak the current character:

    • Desktop: KP 2 (double-clicked)

    • Laptop: Orca Modifier+Comma (double-clicked)

  • Speak the Unicode value of current character:

    • Desktop: KP 2 (triple-clicked)

    • Laptop: Orca Modifier+Comma (triple-clicked)

Say All

Orca's Say All command will cause Orca to speak the entire document beginning from your current location.

  • Desktop: KP Plus

  • Laptop: Orca Modifier+Semicolon

Text Attributes and Selected Text

Orca has a dedicated command for obtaining the attributes of the text at the caret location. In addition, if you use Orca's Where Am I commands from within a text object in which text has been selected, Orca will announce the selected text. Orca's command to speak the current selection will also perform this function in a text object.

  • Present the text attributes: Orca Modifier+F

  • Perform basic Where Am I:

    • Desktop: KP Enter

    • Laptop: Orca Modifier+Return

  • Perform detailed Where Am I:

    • Desktop: KP Enter (double-clicked)

    • Laptop: Orca Modifier+Return (double-clicked)

  • Speak current selection: Orca Modifier+Shift+Up

Browse and Focus Modes

Orca's Browse and Focus modes let you switch between reading and interacting with web content.

  • Switch between browse mode and focus mode: Orca Modifier+A

  • Enable sticky focus mode: Orca Modifier+A (double-clicked)

  • Enable sticky browse mode: Orca Modifier+A (triple-clicked)

Toggling Layout Mode

When Layout mode is enabled, Orca's caret navigation will respect the on-screen layout of the content and present the full line, including any links or form fields on that line. When Layout mode is disabled, Orca will treat objects such as links and form fields as if they were on separate lines, both for presentation and navigation.

Orca provides a command to switch between Layout mode and Object mode. This command is unbound by default. Please see Modifying Keybindings for information on how to bind unbound commands.

  • Switch between Layout mode and Object mode: (Unbound)

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