NVDA Settings for Coding
The three NVDA settings I change when I write code, and why each one matters.
1. Symbol Level: All
- How to Set:
- Quick toggle: Press the NVDA modifier key (Insert) + p.
- Alternatively: Press the NVDA modifier key + n, go to Preferences -> Settings -> Speech, and set the symbol level to all.
- Why This Setting:
- Syntax is crucial in programming. Hearing all symbols helps to properly understand and comprehend the code from top to bottom.
2. Indentation Needs to Be Spoken Out Loud
- How to Set:
- Press the NVDA modifier key + n, go to Preferences -> Settings -> Document Formatting, and set “line indentation” to speech.
- Why This Setting:
- Proper code formatting is as important as the program functioning correctly.
- Reading more code than writing makes indentation essential for writing cleaner and more readable code.
- Indentation is critical in Python as it indicates blocks of code.
3. Capitalization Needs to Be Read as Capital Out Loud
- How to Set:
- Press the NVDA modifier key + n, go to Preferences -> Settings -> Speech, and select the checkbox for “Say cap before capitals.”
- Why This Setting:
- Identifying capitals is necessary when reading, writing, and debugging code.