What's New in MAGic 11 Screen Magnification Software

This page describes the new features and improvements available in MAGic 11.

To go directly to the MAGic 11 download links on this page, choose MAGic 11 download links.
To read about improvements in this and earlier MAGic releases, choose Enhancements.
For a list of features in MAGic 11, continue reading.

MAGic Large Print Keyboard – May 2011 Update

The new MAGic Large Print Keyboard provides single-key control of the most-used MAGic functions. A simple scroll wheel allows users to quickly change magnification levels.

Easy to See

Its large and contrasting letters also make it easier to type and use MAGic hot keys.

Keys Reserved for User Assignments

The keyboard also allows the assignment of shortcuts to keys. With a shortcut, the keys can launch applications, open files on your computer or in a network folder, or open a favorite Web site. For example, you can assign the M1 key (available along the top of the MAGic Large Print Keyboard) to open a document that you need to regularly access.

Assign Keys Using Keyboard Manager

Using the MAGic Keyboard Manager, you can assign different MAGic functions to these keys. For example, if you do not use dual monitors, you can change the Jump to Next Display key to mute system sounds.

Benefits JAWS Users

Another benefit is that you can use the keyboard with JAWS screen reading software. Similar to MAGic, you can assign hot keys to JAWS functions while also using the keyboard with or without running MAGic. Note that when running the two applications together, JAWS functionality will override MAGic functionality.

New Multi-Monitor Features – January 2011 Update

View Lock and Restrict Mouse to Active Monitor are new features for this update.

View Lock for Multi-Monitor Operation

When you switch between magnified monitors by dragging the mouse pointer across the screen, the open windows and desktop scroll across the current monitor until you reach the edge of the screen. This can be very distracting when using magnification since you would like to keep the view on the current screen in place while moving the pointer to the other screen.

The View Lock feature allows you to freely move the mouse pointer across screens without moving any objects on the desktop. By pressing and holding MAGic Key+SHIFT while moving the mouse pointer, you can smoothly transition from one monitor to the other without shifting the view on the screen. Normal mouse pointer movement resumes when you release MAGic Key+SHIFT. This feature is useful when you are moving back and forth between two monitors and you want to keep the screen views locked.

Note: You can also use the View Lock feature when using only one monitor with MAGic. By pressing MAGic Key+SHIFT, the current magnified view on the screen remains in place while you freely move the mouse around this area.

Restrict Mouse to Active Monitor for Multi-Monitor Operation

It is very easy to switch the mouse pointer from one monitor to the other when using Independent mode. However, there are times when you may be working very close to the edge of the screen, for example when trying to select the Minimize or Help buttons in an Office application, and you accidentally overshoot and move the mouse pointer to the other monitor. Depending on your magnification setting, you may lose sight of the pointer or easily lose your place on the screen.

To prevent this unintended switch, use the Restrict Mouse to Active Monitor feature. This limits mouse pointer movement to the active monitor. If you really want to move to the other monitor, you can use any of the following methods:

Hold the mouse pointer against the edge of the active monitor’s screen for the specified number of seconds. You can set this duration from the Multi-Monitor Settings dialog box in the Magnification menu.
Double tap the mouse pointer against the edge of the active monitor’s screen within the specified time period. Use the Multi-Monitor Settings dialog box in the Magnification menu to set the time period.
Hold down MAGic Key+SHIFT while dragging the mouse pointer across the active monitor to the other monitor
Press MAGic Key+SHIFT+D.

The Restrict Mouse to Active Monitor feature also allows you to select various WAV file sounds to indicate when the mouse pointer leaves one monitor and lands on the other monitor. To learn more about using this feature, see Setting Up Multi-Monitor Support in MAGic.

Important Note for Laptop Users:

When using the touchpad on your laptop, do the following to “double tap” and move the mouse pointer between monitors.

To move from the left monitor to the right monitor:

Press and hold your finger on the touchpad.
Slide your finger right, left, and right again.

To move from the right monitor to the left monitor:

Press and hold your finger on the touchpad.
Slide your finger left, right, and left again.

If your monitors are arranged vertically, use an up-down-up motion or down-up-down motion.

First Ever True Dual-Monitor Support in a Screen Magnifier and Screen Reader Product

MAGic now works on Windows 7 or Windows Vista computers configured to use multiple monitors. You can now simultaneously magnify and run two different applications on two different monitors. For example, a MAGic user can have a spreadsheet open on one magnified monitor, while editing a document on a second magnified monitor. Multi-monitor support is available with Windows Vista or later. Visit the Multi-Monitor Overview Web page for information to set up this new feature. If you run both MAGic and JAWS screen reader software together, make sure to upgrade to the latest JAWS release to take full advantage of this feature.

Remember these helpful keystrokes when using multiple monitors:

MAGic Key+SHIFT+D – Use this MAGic keystroke to quickly switch focus from one monitor to the other. This eliminates the need to drag the mouse between monitors and click an application. In Independent mode, it moves the mouse pointer and cursor from one monitor to the other. In Overview mode, it changes which monitor is magnified and which monitor is unmagnified. For example, if the left monitor is magnified, it then becomes the unmagnified monitor after pressing MAGic Key+SHIFT+D.
WINDOWS Key+SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW or WINDOWS Key+SHIFT+LEFT ARROW – Use these Windows 7 shortcuts to move the current application or window in focus to the monitor on the right or the left. This eliminates the need to click and drag an application window from one monitor to the other.
MAGic Key+SHIFT – Use to turn on the View Lock feature. Press and hold while dragging the mouse to smoothly move the mouse pointer between screens without scrolling any screen content.

MAGic 11 Features

MAGic 11 offers several new features and improvements as described on this page. To learn more, read the entire What's New, or, if you are a MAGic user, press INSERT+F6 to open a list of headings and then jump directly to a specific item.

Office 2010

MAGic 11 now includes support for Microsoft Office 2010.

Internet Explorer 8 Support

MAGic 11 supports Windows Internet Explorer® 8.

Windows 7 and Windows Vista Support

MAGic supports the following Windows® operating systems:

MAGic Professional 64-bit and MAGic Pro Scripting Edition 64-bit licensing can be used with all 64-bit versions of Windows 7, Windows Vista®, Windows Server® 2008, and Windows Server 2003
MAGic Professional 32-bit and MAGic Pro Scripting Edition 32-bit licensing can be used with the following 32-bit operating systems: all versions of Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Home, and Windows Media Center Edition
MAGic Standard 64-bit can be used with 64-bit versions of Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows Vista Home Premium, and Windows Vista Home Basic
MAGic Standard 32-bit can be used with 32-bit versions of Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Home Basic, and Windows XP Home

Automatically Start MAGic in Windows 7 and Windows Vista

For Windows 7 and Windows Vista users, the Automatically Start MAGic function now appears as a button in the Preferences dialog under the File menu. Use this button and its options to configure MAGic to start before or after you start Windows. These options can also be used to determine if MAGic runs when several individuals use the same computer. For example, imagine that a couple owns one computer: he uses MAGic and she does not. In Windows, they can set up separate user accounts so that his account always runs MAGic before and after he logs on, and her account never starts MAGic after she logs on. Another example is when MAGic is used in a classroom or network environment. If several students use MAGic, the network administrator can set up their user accounts so that MAGic is running before and after log on. However, the administrator can configure his or her account so that MAGic never starts.

For more information about using this function, use the SHIFT+F1 context-sensitive help, or refer to Starting and Quitting MAGic in the MAGic help file.

Note: Windows 7 and Windows Vista support is only available with MAGic 11 or later.

New DAISY Book for Windows Vista

A new DAISY book that describes how to install, activate, and use MAGic on a Windows Vista computer is available for download from Freedom Scientific. This free book, which is full of valuable information to help guide you through the new operating system's user interface, is also offered in MP3 format. To download this book, go to the Freedom Scientific Training Downloads page and navigate to the heading titled DAISY Books for MAGic®. Once there, select the Introduction to Windows Vista (MAGic DAISY 49.8 MB) link.

After DAISY books are downloaded and installed, they appear in a folder that is easily accessed by the FSReader Demo DAISY reader. To open and play the books using FSReader Demo, do the following:

From the MAGic Help menu, choose Training. FSReader Demo opens, and the File Open dialog box appears.
Use the ARROW keys to navigate to the XTraMAGicIntroToVista DAISY book.
Press ENTER to open the DAISY book.
Press CTRL+P to play the narrated audio or use standard reading commands to read the text of the DAISY book.

Note: New DAISY books are included on all program and demo MAGic CDs beginning with MAGic 11.

Completely New Basic Training for MAGic 11

The MAGic 11 basic training has been completely rewritten and recorded in Window Vista using Microsoft Office 2007. It includes over 5 hours of training, including step-by-step instructions and sample practice documents to help you make the most of your experience using MAGic 11. The training is available in text, audio DAISY format, and individual MP3 files. For more information about these and other DAISY and MP3 training files, visit the MAGic Training Web page.

DAISY Book Addition

A new DAISY book is available. It describes how to create accessible forms in Microsoft Excel by using input messages and hyperlinks to provide useful feedback to JAWS and MAGic users.

Microsoft Office 2007 Support

MAGic 11 supports Microsoft Word 2007, Microsoft Excel 2007, and Microsoft Outlook 2007.

Newly-Designed Adjust MAGic Options Dialog Box

The Adjust MAGic Verbosity list has been updated with the newly-designed Adjust MAGic Options tree view (MAGic Key+O). Instead of showing items in a list format, the reorganized dialog box uses a logical tree menu format. This grouping is sure to help new and experienced MAGic users understand the relationship between various MAGic settings. The MAGic Options dialog box (MAGic Key+O) only applies while using Word or Excel (any supported version), Internet Explorer 7, and Outlook 2007. The keystroke does nothing while using any other program.

The tree view is expanded by default when you open it to allow for first letter navigation, thus continuing the ease of use found in the original Verbosity list design. If you would rather have it collapsed, press TAB to navigate to the Expand Tree View check box and uncheck it; the change takes effect immediately. You may also navigate through the tree view using the RIGHT ARROW and LEFT ARROW keys to expand and collapse groups. Use the UP ARROW and DOWN ARROW keys to move up and down in the tree.

Once an option is selected, use the SPACEBAR to cycle through the available setting values. To save changes, press ENTER or the CLOSE button.

MAGic 11 also includes built-in help messages for each item found in the tree view. As you navigate items in the list, simply press TAB to move to the Read-Only edit window at any time for a help description of the current item.

JAWS Navigation Quick Keys and MAGic Tracking are Now Synchronized!

When running MAGic 11 screen magnification software with JAWS 9 or later, there is now a visual indication on Web pages as you read or navigate using JAWS. Navigation Quick Keys let you move easily and quickly around Web pages, Outlook and Outlook Express e-mails, Adobe Acrobat PDF files, the JAWS or MAGic help files, and anywhere else the Virtual Cursor is active.

The following examples highlight this new functionality:

When reading a Web page in Internet Explorer with JAWS and MAGic, pressing the letter H not only jumps to the next heading and reads it aloud, but it also provides a visual indication of where you are on the Web page.
The Navigation Quick Key P moves you to the next paragraph and begins reading using a synchronized reading box to make it easier to know where JAWS is reading. As you navigate around Web pages, a visual box appears around each word that is read.

Sighted trainers and low vision users will love this new combination of JAWS and MAGic. If there is no need to magnify, just set the MAGic magnification to 1x, so that a sighted user can easily find your location in a document.

For a list of Navigation Quick Keys that are available when running JAWS and MAGic together, visit the JAWS Keystrokes Web page.

To take advantage of these enhancements, be sure to download the latest JAWS release and MAGic 11 build.

Document Presentation Mode Updated for Use with MAGic

The JAWS Document Presentation option has been updated so that it defaults to Enhanced Visual Layout mode when running MAGic 11 with JAWS 9 or later. This means that the layout of Web pages, tables, links, and graphic elements is the same in the virtual buffer as these items appear on the screen. If a paragraph on a Web page has only four or five words per line, then this is exactly what the JAWS user hears when moving up and down the page while JAWS and MAGic are running. If MAGic is not running, the JAWS user hears longer lines of text that do not always synchronize with the text layout on the screen, which is exactly what the JAWS user has typically experienced.

The Select and Copy option's default setting for HTML documents has changed. It is now Full Content Using Onscreen Highlight instead of Full Content. The default setting lets you highlight and copy HTML text and elements and retain the formatting just as it appears in the HTML document. This means that you can use the SHIFT+UP ARROW or SHIFT+DOWN ARROW, the CTRL+SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW or CTRL+SHIFT+LEFT ARROW, and the SHIFT+LEFT ARROW or SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW keystrokes to select HTML e-mail and Internet Explorer items that appear on the screen.

To open the Select and Copy option and choose a setting, press INSERT+V while in an HTML document. Next, press S to navigate to the Select and Copy option, and then press SPACEBAR to scroll through the settings. Press ENTER to save the change.

HTML Formatting Retained when Copying and Pasting

MAGic 11 now properly copies the contents of a Web page to the virtual buffer, and retains all the HTML formatting and markup when pasting the information into an HTML formatted e-mail or Word document. This breakthrough in screen reading means that you can now copy and paste content and retain its formatting, colors, and active hyperlinks, but does not include any of the other MAGic messages, such as the number of items in a list, and so on. What you paste is essentially the same rendering that a sighted user would see. Plus, you have the added advantage of being able to use MAGic HTML commands to read and navigate the Web content when pasted into an e-mail message.

In addition, MAGic still provides a way to select, copy, and paste in the traditional manner of stripping out the formatting if you choose. This option is in the Virtual Cursor Options group in the new Adjust MAGic Option dialog box (MAGic Key+O).

Focus Enhancement

The Focus Enhancement function lets you define a visible rectangular border that identifies and tracks the item that is currently selected on the screen. As you select different items, using either the mouse or keyboard, the rectangular border moves its focus to that place on the screen. This function is very useful when using Windows Vista since the colors of the user interface can appear muted and difficult to distinguish.

The Focus Enhancement command is located under the Magnification menu. The Focus Enhancement button is located to the far right in the second row of the MAGic user interface. Right-click the button to open the Focus Enhancement dialog box. If you make changes, remember to save by pressing CTRL+S.

Say All Command and RealSpeak Solo Direct Voices

MAGic can immediately switch from its current Eloquence synthesized voice to a RealSpeak Solo Direct synthesized voice when using the Say All command (INSERT+DOWN ARROW or MAGic Key+SPACEBAR). While the default Eloquence voice may be useful for reading and navigating short text such as prior or next line, sentence, or paragraph, it may not be the preferred voice for longer passages of text. The RealSpeak Solo Direct voice offers a higher-quality sound, which can make reading using the Say All command a more pleasing experience.

When using the new feature, the RealSpeak Solo Direct voice remains active while you fast forward, rewind, speed up, or slow down during the Say All. However, when you use navigation functions such as Say Word and Say Paragraph, or when you use the UP or DOWN ARROW keys to read the previous or next line, or when you press the CTRL key to stop the Say All command, MAGic immediately switches back to the Eloquence voice.

To choose a RealSpeak Solo Direct synthesized voice to use during the Say All, do the following:

From the Speech menu, choose Global Voice Adjustment or Individual Voice Adjustment.
From the Global Voices dialog box or the Individual Voices dialog box, choose the Use SAPI 5 During Say All radio button.
Choose a SAPI 5 voice from the Person combo box.
Adjust the SAPI 5 speech rate using the Rate slider.
Choose the amount of punctuation that MAGic announces using the Punctuation combo box
Choose OK to save your changes.
Press CTRL+S or choose Save Default Settings from the File menu to save your changes.

Magnify up to 36x

MAGic can now magnify up to 36x magnification. Previously, the highest magnification level was 16x. Users with higher resolution monitors may benefit from using magnification levels above 16x.

MAGic Scripts

MAGic scripts have been reorganized into logical categories to make it easier for users to find functions and learn the assigned key combination or assign key combinations that fit their preferences. The new categories are:

Enhancements
Help
Locator
Magnification
Navigation
Navigation Panning
Quick View Frame
Script Development
Selection
Speech
Tracking
User Interface
Verbosity

Virtual Find

MAGic 11 introduces a new search capability known as Virtual Find. It is available when you press CTRL+F when running MAGic with Internet Explorer or Adobe Reader files. Instead of showing the application's normal Find dialog, the Virtual Find dialog lets you maintain a history of the last 20 entries in the edit combo box, clear the history, search forwards or backwards through a Web page or document, and ignore letter case. You can also press F3 to continue your search to the next item or SHIFT+F3 to search for the previous item.

MAGic EyeMerge Installation

The MAGic EyeMerge™ software lets you view, capture, and save magnified images when using the new Freedom Scientific ONYX™ magnification camera with your computer. This companion application automatically installs and creates a desktop icon when you install MAGic 11.

Refer to the MAGic EyeMerge help file for operational procedures and information. Go to What's New in MAGic EyeMerge 11 for a list of the latest features.

For information about ONYX cameras, visit the ONYX product page.

Microsoft Excel Keystroke Updates

The keystrokes for Set Column Titles Range are now MAGic Key+CTRL+ALT+C and INSERT+CTRL+ALT+C. These keystrokes replace the previous ALT+CTRL+SHIFT+C keystroke.

The keystrokes for Set Row Titles Range are now MAGic Key+CTRL+ALT+R and INSERT+CTRL+ALT+R. These keystrokes replace the previous ALT+CTRL+SHIFT+R keystroke.

Enhancements in MAGic 11

Use the links below to open Web pages that describe enhancements and improvements in the current and previous MAGic 11 releases.

Download MAGic 11

The following briefly describes how to download and install the latest MAGic release.

Select the appropriate MAGic download link that appears at the end of this procedure.
When the dialog box opens, choose Save and select a location where you can easily find the downloaded executable file.
Run the executable file and follow the talking installer.

Note: If your corporate firewall prevents you from downloading files using FTP (File Transfer Protocol), use the HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) links instead.

Check for Updates

To check for updates after installing the MAGic release, do the following:

Open the MAGic application window.
Open the Help menu.
Select Check for Updates. The update feature determines if you have the most current release. If you do not, select one or more items from the list and then select INSTALL to begin the update. All enhancements since the initial public beta release are included in the update.

MAGic Large Print Keyboard Driver

The MAGic Large Print Keyboard driver is available on a disc that ships with the keyboard. It must be installed to provide full MAGic functionality when using the keyboard. If you need the driver, visit the MAGic downloads Web page.

Demo Software

To try a free demo version, select the appropriate link from the above Download MAGic 11 section and run MAGic in 40-minute demo mode.

Dusty Voorhees, MAGic Product Manager, Discusses What's New in MAGic 11

You can download and listen to an interview with Dusty Voorhees, product manager for MAGic, in which he discusses the exciting new features available in MAGic 11. The interview is available in DAISY and MP3 format. If you download the DAISY version, you will need a DAISY reader (such as FSReader or FSReader Demo) to listen to the interview.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: If I download the MAGic 11 release from the Web, should I install MAGic from the CD when I receive it?

Answer: No. You only need to install the training materials that are on the MAGic program CD. This information is available in a digital document format known as DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System). To install these files, do the following:

Insert your MAGic program CD into your CD drive.
When the MAGic Setup dialog box appears, press TAB to move to the Training Materials button, and then press SPACEBAR.
In the MAGic Training Materials dialog box, select the check box next to each DAISY book that you want to install.
Choose the Install button.
When the installation is finished, remember to put your MAGic program CD in a safe place so you will have it for future use when needed.

Note: If you download MAGic from the Web, the training materials are not included. This is to reduce the size of the download. If you like, you can download and install the MAGic training files from the Freedom Scientific Training Downloads Web page.

Question: If I wait until my CD arrives to install MAGic 11, should I also download the version that is available on the Web?

Answer: No, but once you have installed MAGic 11 from the CD, you should check for updates by pressing ALT+H from the MAGic program window, and then pressing P to select Check for Updates.

Question: If I’ve been installing and using the MAGic public beta releases, should I remove the public beta before installing the official MAGic 11 release?

Answer: No. Simply download the MAGic release build from our Web site and install it over the public beta build.

Question: If I remove my existing version of MAGic before installing MAGic 11, should I remove shared components?

Answer: Yes, however, remember that you will not have speech between removing your current MAGic version and installing MAGic 11. If you download MAGic 11 from the Web, copy the executable file to a location that is easy to find without speech and magnification.

Question: If my SMA expires, will I receive a notice?

Answer: Customers in the U.S. will receive notification in the mail shortly after the MAGic 11 CD arrives. The envelope will contain an SMA Renewal letter explaining the process. This form to renew your SMA is also available for download now from the Freedom Scientific Web site under Blindness Products or by using this link, MAGic SMA Renewal Form.