IBM Rule-based Accessibility Validation Environment

A suite of Eclipse plug-ins used to inspect and validate the accessibility of Java-based, rich-client GUIs (Swing or SWT) and Eclipse plug-ins.

Date Posted: February 10, 2006

This is an technology.

Overview Requirements Download FAQs Forum Reviews 1. What are some of the key new features of IBM Rule-based Accessibility Validation Environment (RAVEN)? 2. Why do I want to validate my GUI? 3. How can I find out more about the IBM Rule-based Accessibility Environment (RAVEN)? 4. This technology is listed as a member of the ETTK. What does that mean? 1. What are some of the key new features of IBM Rule-based Accessibility Validation Environment (RAVEN)? New features include: further simplification of the user interface and integration with Eclipse support for Web content validation support for validation of GUIs using IBM IAcessible2 Accessibility API support for validation of compiled Java™ GUIs using a RAVEN launch configuration inspection and validation of applications being executed in Windows®, outside the Eclipse framework. Back to top 1. Why were RIB and RAVEN split into two separate tools? They were split essentially because they are two different tools that will most likely be used by two different sets of users. RIB is a GUI builder and RAVEN is intended for accessibility validation of Java GUIs. The split allows each tool to be used independently and focus on its strengths. We feel that we can better satisfy our end users and more easily support and maintain the tools in this way. Back to top 2. How do I use a different scripting language? Currently, only the Java Python (Jython) scripting language or Java code are permitted in the text content of elements of validation documents. Future work may provide extensions for additional scripting languages. Special routines specific to the RAVEN validation engine must be written in order to accommodate scripting languages so that simply installing the scripting language will not be sufficient. Back to top 2. Why do I want to validate my GUI? When you create GUIs, there are many attributes that each GUI component can have (for example, a name or tool-tip text). Since they are not required on the component constructor, it is easy to forget to set many of these attributes. It is also easy to forget to create relationships between components (such as the LABELLED-BY relationship). Having an automatically-run validate that checks for these types of omissions each time you test your GUI makes development much easier. Back to top 3. How can I find out more about the IBM Rule-based Accessibility Environment (RAVEN)? RAVEN has extensive online help provided in the Eclipse Help system. There is a user's guide and a book about how to write validation documents. Back to top 3. How do I use a different GUI architecture? Currently, only the validation of Java AWT, Java Swing, and Eclipse SWT GUIs is supported by RAVEN. Future work may provide extensions for adding other architecture. If you wish to add support for another GUI architecture, you should consult the API documentation for the interfaces and classes in the com.ibm.wac.raven.core.arch and com.ibm.wac.raven.core.validate.tree packages. Back to top 4. This technology is listed as a member of the ETTK. What does that mean? The Emerging Technologies Toolkit (ETTK) is a collection of emerging technologies that are relevant to IBM's emerging software strategies. The ETTK team works with external users to incubate and further develop these technologies so they can be used to create innovative customer solutions. ETTK packages are focused on just a few select technology areas. In a way, you could associate "ETTK"-labeled technologies as being close to "alphaWorks Featured Technologies." ETTK technologies explore new types of applications or address emerging application-, Internet-, or standard-oriented domains. We value your input and want to hear how you would make use of this technology in your environment; please visit the ETTK Log or ETTK Wick for additional information. Back to top 7. This technology is listed as a member of the ETTK. What does that mean? The Emerging Technologies Toolkit (ETTK) is a collection of emerging technologies that are relevant to IBM's emerging software strategies. The ETTK team works with external users to incubate and further develop these technologies so they can be used to create innovative customer solutions. ETTK packages are focused on just a few select technology areas. In a way, you could associate "ETTK"-labeled technologies as being close to "alphaWorks Featured Technologies." ETTK technologies explore new types of applications or address emerging application-, Internet-, or standard-oriented domains. We value your input and want to hear how you would make use of this technology in your environment; please visit the ETTK Blog or ETTK Wiki for additional information. Back to top 7. Why do I want to validate my GUI? When you create GUIs, there are many attributes that each GUI component can have (for example, a name or tool-tip text). Since they are not required on the component constructor, it is easy to forget to set many of these attributes. It is also easy to forget to create relationships between components (such as the LABELLED-BY relationship). Having an automatically-run validator that checks for these types of omissions each time you test your GUI makes development much easier. Back to top