firefox toolbar bug in 3.0.26

[sage2x]

Hi, I wanted to let you know that since I upgraded to 3.0.26, the Firefox toolbar has greyed out the "Speak Highlighted Text" and "Speak from Cursor" options in the Speak pulldown. This is a problem because I really don't need to listen to every single menu option in a site's various nav bars before finally getting to the part of the article or story I want to listen to. I'm running Firefox 5.0.
Thanks!

[Jim Bretti]

The problem you're describing is normally related to specific web pages. Just as a test, try visiting http://www.nytimes.com and verify that the speak pulldown items work correctly.

If the pages you're having trouble with are not something like webmail, please send me links to some sample pages and I'll take a look. You can mail them to me at jim@nextup.com

[sage2x]

Actually, it's EVERY webpage, including this one. Also, NYTimes, USGS, Radio stations, Google, CNN, among about 80 other tabs I have open. That leads me to believe it's an issue either with Firefox or the Firefox plugin.

[Jim Bretti]

That is odd ... I wonder if there might be a problem with the toolbar configuration settings, stored in your profile. Here is how to reset the toolbar. In Firefox, click Help -> Troubleshooting Information. In the "Application Basics" section, you'll see an entry in the table labeled "Profile Directory". Click the Open Containing Folder button. In the folder displayed, delete the NextUp folder, then exit and restart Firefox. Does this help with the problem you're seeing?

[sage2x]

Thanks for the suggestion. I followed the instructions, but the toolbar pulldown menu is still grayed out except for Speak "Entire Page". Before trying this, I rebooted the computer, and afterwards I restarted Firefox. So, yes, it's really weird because it used to be fine (except for not stopping after the highlighted portion was over -- at least it started in the right place!).

[Jim Bretti]

I doubt this will work, but try updating to TA 3.0.27, at http://www.nextup.com/files/ta3.exe and see if that makes any difference.

If you still see the problem after updating, go back to your Profile folder (Help -> Troubleshooting Information). In the Nextup Folder, go to the TextAloud3 folder, and you should see a few debug files (.dbg) and a configuation file (config.txt). Please zip up all the files in this folder and email them to me at jim@nextup.com

[sage2x]

Ha! I meant to comment first, but you beat me to it. I have NO IDEA WHY it works now, but it works perfectly. (Knock wood.)

Thanks so much for looking into it!

[njlindse]

I am having the same problem with both Firefox6 and Internet Expplorer 8 and Windows 7. I can only use the read entire page command and it appears to read the HTML commands. I am using 3.0.27
Nigel

[Jim Bretti]

Hi Nigel,

Does this problem seem to be with specific web pages? If you try using the toolbar at http://www.nytimes.com/ do you have the same problem?

[njlindse]

No it appears to be all pages. I have tried all the suggestions but to no avail.
Nigel

[njlindse]

I have just noticed something else. The pause and stop button are greyed out in the toolbar, so if I want to stop it then I have to open the programme and stop it from there. I have Text Aloud in System Tray so I though I would change the settings. However, the help says that this facility is to be found under Miscellanous Options. However, it doesn't appear to be there.
Nigel

[Jim Bretti]

Lets try two things ... first try installing the updated version of TextAloud at http://www.nextup.com/files/ta3.exe. If the update doesn't help with this problem, try resetting the TextAloud toolbar back to its default settings. To do this, first close all open Firefox windows, and then open a single Firefox window. Click Help -> Troubleshooting information. In the Application Basics section, click the "Open Containing Folder" button to open your Profile Directory. You should see a folder called "NextUp" in the profile folder. Delete this folder, then exit and restart Firefox.

If you continue seeing this problem, go back to the NextUp folder in your Profile Directory and open the NextUp folder. Open the TextAloud3 folder. Then, zip up all files in the TextAloud3 folder and mail them to me at jim@nextup.com

[njlindse]

I have tried all your suggestions and a couple of my own to no avail
So I have sent you the files you suggested.
Thanks
Nigel

[gtaus]

The TextAloud plugin for FireFox worked great for me back with FireFox v3x. Then, I upgraded to version 4 and it became non functional. To be fair, lots of my FireFox plugins did not work when I upgraded. Now I'm running FireFox v5x and I keep getting asked to upgrade to FireFox v6x....I just so no, because I don't have time to reinstall and/or look for new plugins to replace all those I lose every time I upgrade. I prefer FireFox over Internet Explorer, but I'm getting to the point where I really don't want to "upgrade" anything anymore because it seems like all I get in the end is an immediate "downgrade" in terms of plugins and services that I use no longer work.

Here is my two cents of advice to programmers, before we "upgrade" to your latest version, scan our system and let us know which programs, plugins, services, etc... will no longer be compatible with your new version. I'm all for new improvements, just not for "upgrading" at the expense of losing programs that already work.

[Jim Bretti]

Sorry about these constant updates. The Firefox toolbar in the latest version of TextAloud at http://www.nextup.com/files/ta3.exe is compatible with Firefox 6 and Firefox 7.