[
    {
        "role": "user",
        "content": "I%27m%20using%20a%20braille%20display%20with%20JAWS%202026.%20I%20have%20the%20braille%20display%20in%20structured%20moed.%20Under%20editing%2C%20I%20have%20the%20name%20of%20dialogs%20selected%20as%20an%20option%20to%20display.%20I%20have%20noticed%20that%20in%20multiline%20edit%20fields%20the%20braille%20display%20doesn%27t%20show%20the%20edit%20fields%20name.%20In%20single%20line%20edit%20fields%20it%20shows%20the%20field%27s%20name.%20Do%20you%20know%20why%20this%20is%20happening%3F"
    },
    {
        "role": "assistant",
        "content": "I looked into this problem, and I think what you\u2019re seeing is expected behavior in many cases, not a bug\u2014though the way your dialog is coded can also affect whether the label is shown in Structured Mode. Here\u2019s a breakdown of what\u2019s going on, how JAWS decides whether to announce or display a control's name in multiline vs single-line edit fields, and what you can check or adjust to possibly get the behavior you expect.\n\n---\n\n### How Structured Mode Normally Works\n\nIn Structured Mode, JAWS tries to give you context for the control in focus: dialog title, control type (for example, \"Edit\", \"Multiline Edit\"), the label of the control (often a static text next to the edit field), etc. Then it shows the value inside the edit field. Here\u2019s how this might appear (let\u2019s say with a single-line edit field, for example \"Filename\"):\n\n> \u201cOpen dlg Filename: Edit readme.txt\u201d  \n> \u2003\u2003\u2003\u2003(dialog title)\u2003(control name + type label)\u2003(content) ([github.com](https://github.com/jamalmazrui/JAWS2020doc/blob/master/braille.txt?utm_source=openai))\n\nSo in single-line edit fields this is typically shown in full.\n\n---\n\n### What\u2019s Different with Multiline Edit Fields\n\nMultiline edit fields (for example text areas that accept more than one line of input) are often treated differently by both applications and screen readers. Two main factors can cause the control\u2019s label or name to *not* appear in Structured Mode:\n\n1. **Control Implementation / Accessibility API**  \n   If the label is not properly associated (via a label or accessible name) with the edit field, or if it\u2019s implemented in a nonstandard way, JAWS may not pick up the label. Multiline fields are often implemented in custom ways (for example as a standard Windows control like `RichEdit`, or sometimes as something else exposed via accessibility differently), which may not provide the same information to JAWS.\n\n2. **Length, Layout, and Structured Mode Limitations**  \n   Sometimes there's too much information (dialog title, prompt, static text labels, etc.) to fit cleanly into the structured line, and JAWS may omit some parts based on what it deems \u201cmost relevant.\u201d For multiline edits, JAWS might give priority to the content of the field itself over the static label, especially if the content is large. Also, there is a configuration area in Settings Center for which \u201coptional components\u201d to show (labels, dialog title, hotkeys, etc.).  ([support.freedomscientific.com](https://support.freedomscientific.com/Downloads/JAWS/JAWSWhatsNew?version=2026&utm_source=openai))\n\nIn short: when focus is inside a multiline edit, sometimes the static label is considered an \u201coptional component\u201d which may be suppressed, depending on the settings and how the control is exposed.\n\n---\n\n### What to Check & Possible Fixes\n\nYou might be able to adjust settings or make changes in some of the following areas to get the label name to appear for multiline edit fields:\n\n1. **Settings Center \u2192 Braille \u2192 Structured Mode**  \n   Open Settings Center (INSERT+6 or via menu), navigate to *Braille \u2192 Structured Mode \u2192 Include Optional Components*. In there are check-boxes for things like \u201cControl label or description,\u201d \u201cDialog box title,\u201d \u201cControl group info,\u201d etc. If \u201clabel\u201d or \u201cprompt text\u201d is not checked, JAWS won\u2019t show it. Make sure \u201cLabel/Prompt text\u201d is selected.  ([github.com](https://github.com/jamalmazrui/JAWS2020doc/blob/master/braille.txt?utm_source=openai))\n\n2. **Use Advanced Control Type Options**  \n   Sometimes the \u201cControl Type Options\u201d under Structured Mode settings lets you control how the control type (single line, multiline edit, etc.) is represented and whether specific properties are shown. Perhaps the \u201cmultiline edit\u201d type isn\u2019t configured to show the label in certain cases. ([github.com](https://github.com/jamalmazrui/JAWS2020doc/blob/master/braille.txt?utm_source=openai))\n\n3. **The way the application defines the control**  \n   If it\u2019s a third-party or custom application, how the multiline edit is implemented matters. For example, whether it has an accessible name property, whether the label is programmatically associated (or via something like `aria-label` for web fields). If there is no properly set name or label, there may be nothing for JAWS to display. If you have control or influence over the app, verifying that label association might help.\n\n4. **Check for bugs or version differences**  \n   Sometimes behavior changes from version to version. According to what's new in JAWS 2026, some improvements have been made around how JAWS handles dialog controls containing edit fields in speech and braille (for instance \u201cJAWS no longer announces hidden bookmarks in Word\u2026 and \u201cunnecessary speech and Braille output removed for validation dropdown cells\u2026\u201d). ([support.freedomscientific.com](https://support.freedomscientific.com/Downloads/JAWS/JAWSWhatsNew?version=2026&utm_source=openai)) While this doesn\u2019t directly refer to your issue, it\u2019s possible something similar was modified and might affect multiline edit dialogs. If your JAWS version is behind, updating to the latest might help.\n\n---\n\n### Best Estimate for Why It\u2019s Happening\n\nPutting this all together, the most likely reasons in your case are:\n\n- The multiline edit field is treated differently in the accessibility API: maybe it loses or lacks the static label or name in a way that JAWS doesn\u2019t pick up in that context.\n- The Structured Mode settings may have \u201clabel or prompt text\u201d turned off for multiline edits (or related optional component settings). When the field\u2019s content is large or multiline, JAWS may suppress certain components to preserve space or relevance.\n- If the dialog is particularly complex or the edit field content is large, JAWS may prioritize showing the content over the static label.\n\n---\n\nIf you want, I can walk you through the exact steps in your version of JAWS 2026 to check all these settings, to help you try to make the label show up in multiline fields. Would you prefer that?"
    }
]