Sony ICD SX46VTP User Manual Dragon Naturally Speaking 6 Users Guide ICDBP100VTP NS6

User Manual: Sony ICD-SX46VTP Dragon Naturally Speaking 6 Users Guide

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USER’S GUIDE
By Dan Newman
Learn more about
speech recognition at:
For details on ScanSoft Application Solutions
Partners near you, please visit:
www.ScanSoft.com/NaturallySpeaking/locator/
Training and Customization
Professional training and customization services from a ScanSoft-certified Appli-
cations Solutions Partner can help you achieve the maximum return on your in-
vestment. If you would like to unleash the full potential of Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® software, please contact one of our Partners for training, cus-
tomization, and more.
ScanSoft Application Solution Partners are the best in the industry; distinguished
by their expertise, experience, and commitment to providing top-level services
for Dragon NaturallySpeaking® speech recognition products.
For details on ScanSoft Application Solutions Partners near you, please visit:
www.ScanSoft.com/NaturallySpeaking/locator/ or call 800-443-7077
About the Author
Dan Newman is president of Say I Can, Inc., a leading reseller of
speech-recognition products and training services. A computer expert and
skilled teacher, Dan is the author of several books about speech recogni-
tion, including Talk to You r Co mpute r and The Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
Guide. Dan has written for many publications, including PC Magazine and
Speech Technology, and has appeared on the PBS television show Computer
Chronicles. He recently created his first instructional video presentation,
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® 6 Video Guide, which helps people use Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® speech-recognition software most effectively.
Dan’s Video Guide is a CD-ROM-based video presentation that runs on your
computer and is designed for both new and experienced users of Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® software. In the Video Guide, Dan guides you visually
through key Dragon NaturallySpeaking® version 6 topics and skills, demon-
strating expert techniques and insider secrets. He shows you how to fix mis-
takes quickly, automate tedious tasks, browse the Web hands-free, boost
accuracy, and more. You can see the complete list of topics covered and
download free sample video lessons at www.sayican.com.
In addition to the Video Guide, Say I Can offers many other speech- recogni-
tion products and services. Their innovative “Web Training” service pro-
vides live one-on-one training over the Internet, allowing you to
conveniently learn how to use Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
software from an expert. Other items available include digital recorders, spe-
cialty microphones, and volume licenses of Dragon NaturallySpeaking® soft-
ware. For more information, please call
1-877-Say-I-Can or visit www.sayican.com.
This is a screen shot of the Dragon NaturallySpeaking® 6 Video Guide. For more information,
please visit the Say I Can Web site at www.sayican.com.
May 2002. Version 6.1 Preferred, Standard, and Essentials editions.
This publication may not include some last-minute technical changes and/or revisions to the software. Changes are periodically made to
the information described here. Future versions of this manual will incorporate these changes.
ScanSoft, Inc., may have patents or pending patent applications covering subject matter in this document. The furnishing of this document
does not give you any license to such patents. The software is subject to one or more of the following U.S. patents, among others:
5,027,406; 5,202,952; 5,526,463; 5,680,511; 5,715,367; 5,754,972; 5,765,132; 5,794,189; 5,799,279; 5,818,423; 5,822,730; 5,850,627; 5,909,666;
5,915,236; 5,920,836; 5,949,886; 5,960,394; 6,064,959; 6,088,671; 6,092,043; 6,092,044; 6,101,468; 6,151,575; 6,163,768; 6,167,377; 6,212,498.
No part of this manual or software may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including, without limitation, electronic or mechanical,
such as photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval systems, without the express written consent of ScanSoft,
Inc. Specifications are subject to change without notice.
Copyright © 2002 ScanSoft, Inc. All rights reserved.
Portions copyright © 1999–2001 Dan Newman. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
ScanSoft, the ScanSoft logo, L&H, the L&H logo, the Dragon logo, Dragon NaturallySpeaking, NaturallySpeaking, NaturallyMobile,
RealSpeak, Nothing But Speech “NBS,” Natural Language Technology, Select-and-Say, BestMatch, MouseGrid, and Vocabulary Editor
are registered trademarks or trademarks of ScanSoft, Inc. All other names and trademarks referenced herein are trademarks of ScanSoft or
their respective owners. Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as
trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and where ScanSoft is aware of the trademark, the designation is printed with a
trademark (™) or registered trademark (®) symbol.
Pentium is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation.
Adobe and Acrobat are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated.
Corel and WordPerfect are registered trademarks of Corel Corporation.
Lotus and Lotus Notes are registered trademarks of Lotus Development Corporation.
Microsoft, Outlook, Windows, Windows NT, Visual Basic, and PowerPoint are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation.
Netscape and Netscape Navigator are registered trademarks of Netscape Communications Corporation.
Say I Can and the Say I Can logo are trademarks of Say I Can, Inc.
Voice It, the Voice It logo, and Voice It Link are trademarks or registered trademarks of VXI Corporation.
AMD is a trademark of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
Sound Blaster is a registered trademark of Creative Technology Ltd.
America Online is a registered trademark of America Online, Inc., a division of AOL Time Warner.
QUALCOMM and Eudora Pro are registered trademarks of QUALCOMM, Incorporated.
Yahoo! is a registered trademark of Yahoo! Inc.
Dave Barry in Cyberspace, © Copyright 1996 by Dave Barry, published by Crown Publishers.
3001: The Final Odyssey, © Copyright 1997 by Arthur C. Clarke, published by HarperCollins Publishers.
Dogbert’s Top Secret Management Handbook, © Copyright 1996 by United Feature Syndicate, Inc., published by
HarperBusiness, a division of HarperCollins Publishers.
Success Is a Journey: 7 Steps to Achieving Success in the Business of Life, © Copyright 1999 by Jeffrey J. Mayer, published by
McGraw Hill.
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, © Copyright 1972 by Roald Dahl, published by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., and Penguin
Books.
The Captain of Battery Park, © Copyright 1978 by Eugene Pool, published by Addison-Wesley.
120-D150-61
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide v
Contents
CHAPTER 1 Introduction 1
About this guide 1
What’s new in version 6? 3
What should I expect from Dragon NaturallySpeaking? 6
CHAPTER 2 Installing and Training 7
System requirements 7
Plug in the microphone 8
Plug in the speakers 9
Install the software 9
Create a new user 13
Audio Setup 16
New user training 19
Training problems and solutions 22
CHAPTER 3 Starting to Dictate 25
Turning the microphone on and off 28
Sleeping and waking up 28
Online Help 29
The DragonBar 30
CHAPTER 4 Correcting and Editing 35
The Correction menu 36
Selecting text by voice 40
Moving around in a document 43
Copying, cutting, and pasting text 46
Copying text to other programs 46
Deleting text 47
Keyboard editing shortcuts 49
Spelling as you dictate 50
CHAPTER 5 Formatting 53
Capitalizing text 54
Formatting text 56
Contents
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
vi
CHAPTER 6 Numbers and Punctuation 61
Dictating numbers 61
Punctuation 69
Dictating hyphenated words 70
Dictating compound words 71
Dictating names 72
Dictating abbreviations and acronyms 73
Dictating e-mail and Web addresses 74
Dictating special characters 75
Modes 80
CHAPTER 7 Using E-Mail and Microsoft Internet Explorer 83
Working with e-mail 83
Working with Microsoft Internet Explorer 87
CHAPTER 8 Using Natural Language Commands 95
Available Natural Language Commands 95
The Sample Commands window 96
The Command Browser 96
Sample Commands 98
CHAPTER 9 Hands-Free Computing 101
Starting programs 102
Opening documents and folders 103
Switching between
open windows 103
Copying text to other programs 104
Opening and closing menus 105
Selecting buttons, tabs, and options 106
Selecting icons on the desktop 107
Resizing and closing windows 108
Scrolling in windows and list boxes 109
Pressing keyboard keys 109
Activating commands by saying key names 113
Moving the mouse pointer and clicking the mouse 115
Hands-free tips 121
CHAPTER 10 Automate Your Work 123
Viewing or editing commands 123
Searching commands 124
Creating new commands (Preferred edition only) 125
Deleting custom commands (Preferred edition only) 129
Renaming Text and Graphics commands 130
Contents
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide vii
CHAPTER 11 Workflow 133
Dictate first, correct later (Preferred edition only) 133
Ways to correct your dictation 136
CHAPTER 12 Speaking and Dictating 143
Composing 146
CHAPTER 13 Improving Accuracy 151
The Accuracy Center 152
Tools to improve your vocabulary 156
The ideal system for best accuracy 168
Some practical ways to improve accuracy 169
CHAPTER 14 Healthy Computing 175
Ergonomics and posture 175
Maintaining good vocal health 176
CHAPTER 15 Using a Handheld Recorder (Preferred edition only) 179
Installing recorder software 180
Creating a user adapted to your recorded speech 181
Dictating into your recorder 185
Transcribing recorded dictation 187
Correcting mistakes 193
Using the Dragon NaturallyMobile recorder as a microphone 194
Better accuracy with a recorder 194
CHAPTER 16 Customizing Dragon NaturallySpeaking 197
The Options dialog box 197
CHAPTER 17 Troubleshooting 211
Testing your sound system 211
Other problems and solutions 213
APPENDIX Commands List 217
INDEX 251
CHAPTER
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 1
1
Introduction
elcome to Dragon NaturallySpeaking®—the software that lets you
talk to your computer instead of typing. As you speak, your words
appear swiftly on-screen just as if you had typed them.
You can talk (“dictate”) into many programs, including Microsoft® Word,
Corel® WordPerfect®, e-mail programs, personal information organizers,
and more. For example, you can use Dragon NaturallySpeaking® to:
■Compose letters, memos, and e-mail messages. Just think about
what you want to say and then say it into the microphone.
■Enter data into forms or spreadsheets. Most people can dictate
numbers faster than they can type.
■Work on the Web. You can search the Web, access information, and
navigate Web pages by speaking URLs and links.
You can also move text around within your document (“cut and paste”),
revise and format text, and control your computer by voice. You can start
programs, open menus, and send e-mails by voice.
After you become comfortable talking to your computer, you may want
to take the convenience of dictating a step further by using a handheld
recorder with Dragon NaturallySpeaking®. (Available in Preferred
edition only.) With a handheld recorder, you can dictate while away from
your computer. When you return to your computer, Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® will type out (“transcribe”) what you said.
About this guide
This guide provides detailed information that will help you get the most
out of using Dragon NaturallySpeaking®. It will help you get up and
running with the software, show you how to dictate, edit, and format
W
CHAPTER 1 Introduction
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
2
your text, and discuss the best ways to work for maximum efficiency and
accuracy.
While this guide presents all the important features of Dragon
NaturallySpeaking®, it is not intended to be a complete reference to
each feature and function. More extensive information about using
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® is available in the program’s online Help.
This guide covers the Dragon NaturallySpeaking® Preferred, Essentials,
and Standard editions.
Most of the information presented in this guide is applicable to all these
editions. When information applies to certain editions only, this is noted.
Conventions used in this guide
1This guide contains many examples of words and phrases you can say
when using Dragon NaturallySpeaking®. These examples appear in
italics with quotation marks, for example: “Format That Bold.”
2Some procedures also include sample text for you to dictate. Sample text
appears in a different typeface, with punctuation in square brackets. For
example:
US/Canada: When talking to a computer [comma] try to say every word
clearly without trailing off at the end of a sentence [period]
Other Dialects: When talking to a computer [comma] try to say every
word clearly without trailing off at the end of a sentence [full stop]
3This guide applies to the five English dialects that ship with Dragon
NaturallySpeaking®:
■US English
■UK English
■Australian English
■Indian English
■Southeast Asian English
US English uses US spelling, punctuation, and time and currency
formats. We recommend US English for Canadian users since this dialect
formats numbers (including times, telephone numbers, and currency) in
North American formats.
CHAPTER 1 Introduction
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 3
All other dialects use UK spelling, punctuation, and time and currency
formats (some number settings depend on your Windows Regional
Settings). Where multiple dialects are used in dictation examples, those
dialects appear in a different font style. For example:
■You can also correct a longer phrase by saying “Correct [text] Through
[text]” (US/Canada) or “Correct [text] To [text]” (Other Dialects).
This guide uses US spelling and punctuation for consistency.
4This guide also includes tips and notes to help you use the software
more effectively. Tips and notes appear like this:
If you pause correctly, but Dragon NaturallySpeaking® still types a command as
dictation, you can force it to recognize what you say as a command by holding down the
CTRL key.
With Numbers Mode on, Dragon NaturallySpeaking® tries to interpret
everything you say as a number. If you dictate words, the results will be unpredictable.
However, you can still navigate menus and switch between programs by voice when
Numbers Mode is on.
What’s new in version 6?
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® version 6 brings together the best
ScanSoftTM and Dragon NaturallySpeaking® speech-recognition and
text-to-speech technology to create more accurate, powerful, and user-
friendly speech-recognition software. (Text-to-speech is available only in
the Preferred edition.) In addition to assisting users to operate a
computer hands-free, the software contains many new features and
general improvements.
Tools for greater accuracy
Accuracy Center
The Accuracy Center offers one-stop shopping for all the tools available
to improve recognition accuracy: audio settings, additional training,
adding words to the vocabulary, and the new Acoustic Optimizer can all
be found in this central location. (Some features of the Accuracy Center
are available only in Standard and higher editions.) See page 152.
TIP
NOTE
CHAPTER 1 Introduction
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
4
The Accuracy Assistant, which is part of the Accuracy Center, guides the
user in selecting the right tool for improving accuracy. See page 152.
Acoustic Optimizer
After you have used Dragon NaturallySpeaking® for a while and some
recognition errors may have occurred, the Acoustic Optimizer is a tool
that lets Dragon NaturallySpeaking® process all the recorded data it has
collected during training and while corrections have been made. It learns
from this data in one sweep, which is much more powerful than gradual
adaptation from each correction. Start the optimizer before you leave for
a meeting and come back to improved recognition. See page 153.
Add contact names and vocabulary
Add the contact names from your address book to your vocabulary file
(Available only in Standard and higher editions.) You can also scan your
sent e-mail to teach Dragon NaturallySpeaking® the words you use. See
page 160.
Nothing But Speech (“NBS”)™
The Nothing But Speech technology filters out some of the fillers
between dictation, such as “uhms” and “ahs,” to help avoid insertion of
unwanted words.
Easier to use
Faster, easier correction
A new, streamlined correction interface makes it easier than ever to
proofread and correct your work. The improved Correction menu is now
available wherever you can select text by voice. See page 36.
Correct whichever way you want—by voice, by mouse and keyboard, or
using any combination of these. Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will still
learn from your corrections, even if you just type them over the words
you’ve selected.
The new correction workflow lets you dictate your entire document and
then quickly move along and correct phrase by phrase as needed. See
“Ways to correct your dictation” on page 136.
CHAPTER 1 Introduction
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 5
Find commands easily with Sample Commands and Command Browser
Can’t remember a command? A Sample Commands window displays
voice commands for the most popular applications alongside your work.
See “Sample Commands” on page 98.
The new Command Browser lets you search for commands by
application, making it easy to find what you need. It also allows you to
train or modify your commands. See “The Command Browser” on page
96.
Create your own commands
Text and Graphics commands
Create a letter closing and include your signature as a bitmap. You can
add this to any document with one simple voice command. This is just
one example of how Text and Graphics commands let you automate
common tasks. (Available in Preferred edition only.) See “Automate Your
Work” on page 123.
More powerful and versatile
Easily edit by voice in more applications
Select-and-Say® functionality, which enables you to make text changes
easily by voice, is now available in the Open and Save dialogs in many
applications, in the Windows® Find dialog box, and in many other places.
Award-winning ScanSoft™ RealSpeak™ text-to-speech engine
Let the computer read text to you, such as an incoming e-mail, in the
most human-sounding voice available. (Available in Preferred edition
only.) See page 141.
More extensive mouse control commands
You can now control the mouse by voice in a variety of ways, for
example, by simply saying “Move Mouse Upper Left.” See page 119.
Natural Language Commands
In addition to the commands that worked in version 5, you can now also
use Natural Language Commands in your favorite programs. There is no
need to learn a specific command—Natural Language Commands let
you say what you want in many different ways and still get the software
to do just the right thing. See “Using Natural Language Commands” on
page 95.
CHAPTER 1 Introduction
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
6
Improved hands-free capabilities
Improvements in the user interface of version 6 make it possible to
complete almost every task by voice, for users who prefer to work hands-
free. See “Hands-Free Computing” on page 101.
What should I expect from
Dragon NaturallySpeaking?
One reason to use Dragon NaturallySpeaking® is to create letters,
reports, and other documents by voice. Another is to speed up routine
tasks, such as entering data, launching applications, sending e-mail,
filling in forms, and working on the Web. Or maybe you need or prefer to
work on the computer with little or no use of your hands.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® is good for all these reasons, but making it
work well requires some effort from you. Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
learns about your voice and pronunciation as you use it. When you use
words the program doesn’t know, it will misrecognize them. To get the
best results, you’ll need to correct the mistakes so that the program can
learn from its mistakes and improve its ability to recognize your way of
speaking.
Do I still need my keyboard and mouse?
Although you can use Dragon NaturallySpeaking® to do almost
everything on your computer by voice, some things are still easier to do
by mouse or keyboard. Feel free to use a combination of voice, mouse,
and keyboard to get your work done—experiment to find methods that
work best for you. If using a mouse and keyboard is not an option, pay
special attention to “Hands-Free Computing.” on page 101.
CHAPTER
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 7
2
Installing and Training
f you haven’t yet set up Dragon NaturallySpeaking®, this chapter will
guide you through each step of the process, from plugging in the
microphone to training the computer to recognize your voice. It also
covers dictating your first sentence and explains the Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® controls, buttons, and menus that appear on-screen
as you work.
System requirements
The recommended system requirements to run Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® are:
■Intel® Pentium® II 400 MHz processor (or equivalent AMDTM
processor)*
■128 MB RAM
■300 MB free hard disk space
■Microsoft® Windows® XP, Millennium, 2000, 98, 95C, or Windows®
NT® 4.0 (with SP-6 or greater)
■Creative® Labs Sound Blaster® 16 or equivalent sound card
supporting 16-bit recording
■Microsoft® Internet Explorer® 5 or higher (free download available
at www.microsoft.com
■CD-ROM drive (required for installation)
■ScanSoft-approved noise-canceling headset microphone (included)
■Speakers (required for playback of recorded speech and text-to-
speech features available in Preferred edition only).
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® 6 has been optimized for a variety of
popular processors, including the Intel® Pentium® 4, Pentium® III,
I
CHAPTER 2 Installing and Training
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
8
Pentium® II, Pentium® with MMX™, Intel Celeron®, AMD™ K6®-2,
AMD™ K6-III with 3DNow!™, AMD™ Athlon™, and more.
*For optimal performance, in combination with other applications running on
your system, a 500 MHz processor or faster and 256 MB RAM are
recommended.
Plug in the microphone
Here’s how to set up your regular (non-USB) microphone. (If you have a
USB microphone, follow the instructions that came with it instead of this
description.) Find the microphone plug at the end of the wire attached
to the microphone. If the wire ends in just one plug, that is the
microphone plug. If the wire ends in two plugs, one is the microphone
plug and the other is for the speaker in the microphone’s earpiece.
Check the instructions included with your microphone to figure out
which is which. The microphone plug sometimes has a small picture of a
microphone imprinted in the plastic base of the plug. If the two plugs
are different colors, the brightly colored one is usually the microphone
plug.
Next, find the microphone jack in the sound card of your computer. On
desktop computers, this small, round opening is almost always on the
back of your computer. There will be one, two, or three similar-sized
jacks next to it (all are part of your computer’s sound hardware). Each
jack should be labeled with words (MIC, LINE IN, SPKR) or pictures.
Choose the jack with the word MIC or the picture of a microphone. The
labels can be difficult to spot. They may be engraved into the metal
plate the jacks are set into or imprinted on the plastic case of the
computer. (On many computers the microphone jack has a red circle
around it.)
On laptops, the microphone jack may be on the side or front instead of
the back of the computer.
CHAPTER 2 Installing and Training
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 9
Plug in the speakers
If you hear chimes or other sounds when Microsoft® Windows® starts up,
your speakers are already plugged in correctly. If Windows® is silent, find
the sound card jack labeled SPKR (or imprinted with a picture of a
speaker), and plug in the speakers. This step is not necessary for laptops,
which have internal speakers.
If your microphone has a speaker plug, you can listen to the computer’s
sound through the earphone on your headset microphone. If you’d rather
hear the computer’s sounds through your speakers than the earphone,
simply leave the speaker plug unplugged.
Install the software
Before installing Dragon NaturallySpeaking®, close all open applications.
Also, turn off or disable any antivirus software that is running.
Sometimes installation can trigger a false virus report.
To install or uninstall Dragon NaturallySpeaking® on Windows® NT® and
Windows® 2000, you must have Administrator rights. After a user has been created,
however, Administrator rights are not required to use the software after installation. This
also applies for an upgrade installation.
Installing Dragon NaturallySpeaking® is similar to installing other
Windows® applications. Insert the Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive. In most cases, the installation
program will start automatically.
If the installation does not start automatically on your computer, follow these
steps: From the Windows® Start menu, choose Run. The Run dialog box will open. Type
NOTE
NOTE
CHAPTER 2 Installing and Training
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
10
E:\setup.exe and click OK. (If your CD-ROM drive is not drive E, use the correct CD-ROM
drive letter.)
Setup Type
The setup program gives you the option of choosing a Typical
Installation, Complete Installation, or Custom Installation of Dragon
NaturallySpeaking®.
▲ US users: choose “Typical Installation.” Non-US users: choose “Custom Installation.”
Upgrading from version 5:
■Upgrading from English version 5 editions:
If you are upgrading from any edition of Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
version 5 to version 6, your user files and vocabularies will migrate
automatically to version 6. After the upgrade, version 5 will no
longer be available.
■NOTE: For non-English or multilingual users of version 5:
Installing Dragon NaturallySpeaking® version 6 will delete all user
files in non-English languages. Multilingual editions of version 5
will no longer be available after you upgrade to this English
version 6 of Dragon NaturallySpeaking®.
CHAPTER 2 Installing and Training
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 11
Most users in the US should choose “Typical Installation” (as shown)
and click Next. This installs Dragon NaturallySpeaking® with the US
(American) English user files. To install non-US English user files,
choose “Custom Installation” and follow the instructions below,
“Installing non-US user files.”
CHAPTER 2 Installing and Training
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
12
Installing non-US user files
To install user files for UK (British) English, Australian English,
Indian English, or Southeast Asian English, choose “Custom
Installation” from the setup screen shown above, then click Next. A
dialog box appears to let you choose which components to install.
Select the user file for the dialect you want and click Next to
continue installation.
The user files for each region contain both spellings and
pronunciations specific to that region. The vocabulary installed with
the Indian user file, for example, is designed for people speaking
English in India and includes spellings and punctuation for that
region. It is not possible to install, for example, US English spellings
with Indian or Indian-accented pronunciations. All users who wish
to dictate US English spellings—including users with accents—
should install the US (American) English user files.
If you speak with an accent different from the user files you install,
your accuracy will be improved by performing additional training as
soon as possible after creating a trained user. See “Perform
additional training,” on page 154 for more information.
CHAPTER 2 Installing and Training
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 13
If you decide not to install some Dragon NaturallySpeaking® components by
selecting a Custom installation, you can install them later by running the Setup program
again and choosing Modify.
Continue following the on-screen instructions. The setup program will
copy the files for Dragon NaturallySpeaking® to your computer. It is
recommended that you register when prompted during the installation
process, so that we can notify you of product upgrades and other offers.
The program may ask you to reboot your computer once installation is
complete. After rebooting, click on the Dragon NaturallySpeaking® icon
on your desktop to start Dragon NaturallySpeaking®.
Create a new user
After installation is complete and you launch the software for the first
time, the New User Wizard will ask you to choose a user name. Type
your name. The software automatically picks the best speech model and
vocabulary settings for your system.
If you are using a USB microphone, choose the USB Microphone from
the “Dictation source” drop-down list. If you are using an array
microphone or handheld recorder (with Preferred edition only), you will
also need to change the “Dictation source” setting to match your
microphone or recorder.
For special purposes, you can create a vocabulary that contains only
commands. To do this, choose “Commands Only” from the Vocabulary list in the New
User dialog box.
NOTE
NOTE
CHAPTER 2 Installing and Training
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
14
▲ Type your name. Change the “Dictation source” and “Vocabulary” settings if you need
to. Then click Next.
About vocabularies
A vocabulary in Dragon NaturallySpeaking® is a body of information that
includes a word list and a language model. The word list includes
information about all the words that the program can recognize. The
language model contains usage information about those words. Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® uses a vocabulary to recognize words correctly based
not only on the sound of the words, but on their context. When you
create a new user, you select the vocabulary on which to base the user.
When you create a new user or new vocabulary for an existing user, you
select the vocabulary on which to base the vocabulary you create.
Vocabular y
You can select from among the following vocabularies:
■General: A large vocabulary providing excellent recognition accuracy
for general, business, and professional dictation.
■Commands Only: A limited vocabulary containing only command
words and phrases. Choose this vocabulary if you want to use
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® only for command and control of
programs and not for dictation.
If this user file will be used
with a USB microphone,
array microphone, or
handheld recorder*,
choose the appropriate
option from the Dictation
source list.
(*Works in Preferred
edition only.)
CHAPTER 2 Installing and Training
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 15
■Teens (US English only): A large vocabulary containing words
selected for a student population and providing excellent
recognition accuracy for higher-pitched voices, for example ages 11
through 18.
Vocabular y size
When you create a set of user files, Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
recommends the vocabulary that best fits your computer’s speed and
memory. For most users, this recommendation should be followed.
Experienced users may want to click the Advanced button to specify a
different vocabulary size from among the following choices:
■Extra Small: designed for computers with less than 64 MB of RAM.
■Small: designed for computers with between 64 and 96 MB of RAM.
■Medium: designed for computers with between 96 and 128 MB of
RAM.
■Large: designed for computers with at least 150 MB of RAM.
■Empty Dictation: a vocabulary with a language model but without
any words. This vocabulary is designed for experienced users or
value-added resellers who want to create highly specialized
vocabularies.
Multiple users on one computer
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® is licensed on a “per individual” basis.
Individuals are permitted to install the software on more than one
computer (for example, on a desktop and a laptop computer, or a
work computer and a home computer) and permitted to create
multiple user files, so long as the software is only being used by that
individual.
NOTE: There is an exception for educational settings, including
primary schools, secondary schools, or colleges. Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® may be installed on a single computer for use by
multiple users in a classroom, school library, or other shared
computing facility in an educational setting.
If you wish to allow more than one person to use one copy of Dragon
NaturallySpeaking®, you need a license for each user. Volume
license agreements are available. For information on Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® sales, see page 259.
CHAPTER 2 Installing and Training
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
16
Audio Setup
Now that you’ve chosen your user name, click Next to have the New
User Wizard lead you through setting up your microphone.
Positioning your microphone
First, the New User Wizard explains how to position your microphone.
Click Next to continue. The following sections provide detailed
information on positioning the microphone. Once you have correctly
positioned the microphone, click Next to continue.
Position the microphone
Put the microphone on your head so that the headband goes across the
top of your head. Adjust the headband so that it is comfortable and feels
like it will stay in place. For additional comfort, most microphones can
be adjusted so that the boom extends down from either the left ear or
the right ear, as you prefer.
CHAPTER 2 Installing and Training
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 17
Next, bend or adjust the boom so that the foam windscreen, which
shields the microphone element from excess noise, is near your mouth.
Correct positioning is crucial for recognition accuracy. Start with the
microphone at the corner of your mouth, about a thumb’s width away.
At the corner of your mouth
If the microphone is too close to the center of your mouth, it may pick
up breathing sounds, which Dragon NaturallySpeaking® may mistake for
“the,” “a,” or other small words. In this case, move it closer to the corner
of your mouth.
The right distance away
The windscreen should not touch your face, hair, or beard. The proper
distance from your mouth to the microphone is roughly between one-
half and one inch—about the width of the thick part of your thumb.
Place your thumb between the microphone and your mouth. One side of
your thumb should be touching your mouth, the other should be just
brushing the windscreen. Checking this distance with your thumb is a
good way to get a feel for proper microphone positioning. While you
work, the microphone may shift, degrading recognition accuracy. Doing
a quick “thumb check” ensures that the microphone is where it should
be.
Pointing toward your mouth
To pick up the best sound, the microphone element should be pointed
toward your mouth. The microphone element, covered by the foam
windscreen, is the electronic part that actually hears your voice. On most
microphones a small dot just outside the windscreen indicates the
direction in which the microphone hears best. Be sure that dot is pointed
toward your mouth. (On some microphones you may need to partially
CHAPTER 2 Installing and Training
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
18
remove the windscreen to find the dot. Other microphones have a flat
edge near the microphone element rather than a dot—point the flat edge
toward your mouth.)
Positioned consistently
Consistent microphone placement is vital for accurate speech
recognition. Position the microphone exactly the same way each time
you use the software. If the microphone drifts, your voice will sound
different to the computer and your dictation might come out garbled.
Adjust Your Volume
From the screen “Adjust Your Volume” (shown below), click the Start
Volume Check button and read the text that appears.
After Dragon NaturallySpeaking® adjusts your volume setting, click
Next to continue.
CHAPTER 2 Installing and Training
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 19
Sound quality check
Click the Start Quality Check button and read aloud the text shown on
the screen.
As you read, the computer is evaluating your sound setup. After about
half a minute, Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will display a “Speech-to-
Noise ratio,” which indicates the clarity of your sound system. If Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® labels this measurement “PASSED,” you’re ready
to go on—click the Next button to continue. If not, see “Testing your
sound system” on page 211.
New user training
Follow the on-screen prompts to begin the process of training Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® to recognize your voice.
Training takes place in two parts. For most microphone users, the first
part consists of reading two sentences aloud (see illustration). Click Go
to turn on the microphone and then read the sentences shown in the
CHAPTER 2 Installing and Training
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
20
successive screens. The Demo button gives you an example of how to
read aloud during training.
Next, the software will ask you to choose a training text to read. Select
the text you prefer and click OK.
CHAPTER 2 Installing and Training
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 21
For the next few minutes you’ll read passages that appear on-screen. You
can take a break at any time by pressing the Pause button. Press Go to
resume. You’ll be reading for about five minutes.
As you speak, the words you say turn from blue to black, showing that
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® hears them. If you stop speaking, a yellow
arrow will show you where to begin speaking again. Occasionally, you’ll
read a sentence or paragraph but the yellow arrow will point you back
again to the start of what you already read. This indicates that something
in the passage you read did not match what Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
expected to hear. Read the passage again, pausing after each sentence. If
you cannot get past a particular word after saying it three times, click the
Skip button to continue.
During training, dictating punctuation is not necessary. Also, if you happen to
misspeak or mispronounce a word during training, don’t worry about it—just continue
reading.
NOTE
CHAPTER 2 Installing and Training
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
22
When you’ve read enough, this message will appear:
Click OK to adapt your user files. Depending on your computer, this will
take from one to five minutes or more. When adaptation is complete,
follow the on-screen instructions to finish setting up your user files. The
DragonBar will appear at the top of your computer screen, waiting for
you to start talking. Congratulations—you’re ready to dictate!
For best accuracy, be sure to complete a second session of general training as
soon as possible. Do this by clicking on the Tools menu on the DragonBar, then clicking
Accuracy Center.After the Accuracy Center window opens, click “Perform additional
training.” This second training session will take a bit longer than the first, but the
improvement in accuracy will be well worth the additional time spent.
Training problems and solutions
Symptom: Nothing changes on the screen as you speak and the yellow
volume bar never turns green.
Cause: Dragon NaturallySpeaking® is not hearing your voice.
Solution: Check that the microphone is plugged in correctly. If the
volume bar still does not move as you speak, test your microphone by
recording a wave file using your Windows® Sound Recorder and playing
it back.
Symptom: The yellow volume bar changes to red as you talk.
Cause: The sound signal is too loud.
Solution: Make sure you are speaking at the same volume as you were
during the Audio Setup Wizard and that your microphone is still
positioned correctly.
TIP
CHAPTER 2 Installing and Training
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 23
Symptom: You are not able to complete the first two enrollment screens
(the first two sentences that Dragon NaturallySpeaking® asks you to
read). This may be because you are not able to speak continuously, due
to a disability or other reason.
Solution: Have another person read these two sentences to Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® so that the program can progress to the next part of
training.
CHAPTER
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 25
3
Starting to Dictate
ow that you’ve installed your software and created and trained your
user files, you’re ready to dictate your first sentence.
First, start your word processor, such as Microsoft® Word or Corel®
WordPerfect®, and begin a new document. The text insertion point
should be at the start of your new document, as if you were going to
begin typing.
For Dragon NaturallySpeaking® to recognize your voice, you need to
turn on the microphone. The microphone on/off control is located on the
DragonBar, the horizontal bar that appears on-screen whenever you are
using Dragon NaturallySpeaking®.
The Sound menu is available only in the Preferred edition.
DragonPad
If you don’t have a word processor installed or if you’d prefer not to
use it, you can use the DragonPad, a simple word processor included
with Dragon NaturallySpeaking®. To open the DragonPad, from the
Tools menu on the DragonBar, click DragonPad.
N
Microphone
NOTE
CHAPTER 3 Starting to Dictate
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
26
Click the microphone button to turn the microphone on. The button
and the volume meter next to it change to show if the microphone is off
or on.
▲ Off—the computer can’t hear you.
▲ On—the computer is listening. It will type whatever it hears.
Dictate a sentence about the weather. Or read this:
I am now able to talk to my computer!
(Say “exclamation point” for “!”).
Go ahead and dictate whatever you like. Remember to say punctuation.
Here is what to say for the most common punctuation marks. (For a
complete list of punctuation, see page 240.)
Did it work?
If no words appear, check that the microphone is plugged in
correctly and is turned on (by pressing the microphone button on
the DragonBar, as described above). If only one or two words appear,
your microphone may be set up incorrectly or your sound settings
may need to be changed. See page 211 for instructions on how to
test your sound system.
If words did appear, but many are not what you said, that’s okay.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will improve as you use it.
TO ENTE R SAY (US/Canada) SAY (Other Dialects)
,commacomma
.period full stop
! exclamation point or
exclamation mark
exclamation mark
CHAPTER 3 Starting to Dictate
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 27
For a new paragraph, say “New Paragraph” run together as one word,
with no pause after “new.” For a new line, say “New Line.”
After dictating a paragraph or two, go back and correct any recognition
errors with the keyboard and mouse, just as you would usually correct
errors in a word-processed document. You’ll learn to correct by voice in
chapter 4, “Correcting and Editing.”
Key tips for dictating
■Pronounce each word clearly—even short words.
■Speak all punctuation (“comma,” “period,” and so on).
■Say commands without pausing between the individual words of the
command (as if you were saying “NewParagraph”). Do not pause
while saying the command.
■Do pause, however, before and after saying the command.
Commands require a pause before and after the command (“This is a
test [pause] Select Last 3 Words [pause] Bold That”). The pauses
enable Dragon NaturallySpeaking® to separate commands from
words to be typed (dictation).
■Although talking to a computer is not like talking to a person,
speech with lively inflection tends to be processed more accurately
than speech in a dull monotone. For more tips on how to dictate, see
“Speaking and Dictating” on page 143.
■Looking at the screen while speaking can be distracting. Try looking
away from the computer as you speak, or close your eyes.
■To maintain your line of thought, dictate a paragraph or two at a
time. Then go back and correct with what you said still in mind.
■Drink lots of water. Sipping it through a straw will help avoid
moving the headset and will help keep your microphone in the right
position.
?question mark question mark
- hyphen hyphen
:colon colon
TO ENTE R SAY (US/Canada) SAY (Other Dialects)
CHAPTER 3 Starting to Dictate
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
28
Turning the microphone on and
off
Any of these three methods will switch the microphone between on and
off:
■Press the numeric (+) key on your keyboard. This key is at the far
right of most keyboards. (It’s not the plus [+] key that appears above
the equal [=] sign on your regular keyboard).
■Click the microphone button on the DragonBar.
■Click the small microphone icon in the bottom right corner of the
screen, next to the clock:
Saying “Microphone Off” will also turn the microphone off. You cannot,
however, turn the microphone on by voice.
Whenever you’re not using Dragon NaturallySpeaking®, turn off the
microphone. This prevents the computer from mistaking background
noise for words and filling your screen with useless text.
If you have a laptop computer, you may have to press several keys at
once to generate a numeric (+) keystroke. You may want to define
another key to turn off your microphone. See “Customizing Dragon
NaturallySpeaking” on page 197.
Sleeping and waking up
Saying “Go To Sleep” or “Stop Listening” without pausing will put Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® into sleep mode. The program still listens to your
speech, but the only phrases it will respond to in this mode are “Wa ke
Up” or “Listen to Me,” which turn the microphone on.
When in sleep mode:
■The volume meter on the DragonBar (next to the microphone
button) will show a dark gray volume bar (instead of yellow or
green).
CHAPTER 3 Starting to Dictate
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 29
■The microphone button on the DragonBar and the microphone icon
at the bottom corner of the screen will turn yellow and slant to the
side:
Saying “Go To Sleep” or “Stop Listening” can be useful for taking phone
calls or for other short interruptions. If you leave the computer for a
longer period of time, turn the microphone all the way off, so that
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® does not hear “Wak e Up ” or “Listen to Me”
accidentally.
Many people find that pressing the numeric (+) key is the simplest on/
off method.
Printing and saving your dictated text
Now that the words you said are on the computer’s screen in your word
processor, you can print and save them, just as if you had typed them.
Printing
From the File menu of your word processor, use the mouse to choose
Print. Or say “Click File,” pause, and say “Print.” You can also simply say
“Print Document” or “Print File” if Natural Language Commands are
enabled and available in your edition. See “Using Natural Language
Commands” on page 95. Also see “Startup/Shutdown options” on page
200.
Saving
From the File menu, choose Save. Or say “Click File,” pause, and then
say “Save.” If the Natural Language Commands have been
enabled, you can say “Save Document.”
Online Help
To access the online Help for Dragon NaturallySpeaking®, click the
Help menu on the DragonBar and choose Help Topics. Alternately, you
can say “Give Me Help.” You can print individual Help topics with the
Print button in the Help window. To open the online Help links, just say
their names. The links will be displayed next to the application window
CHAPTER 3 Starting to Dictate
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
30
and will give you examples of the most common commands that work in
the application you are currently using.
“What Can I Say?”
Saying “What Can I Say” will bring up some Sample Commands. This
information is also summarized in the Appendix. To see additional voice
commands that you can use, click Command Browser from the Tools
menu of the DragonBar. The Command Browser is described in more
detail on page 96.
The DragonBar
The DragonBar is a narrow horizontal window that allows easy access to
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® functions and features.
The Sound menu is available only in the Preferred edition.
Changing the DragonBar position
To change the position of the DragonBar, click the small red Dragon
icon at its far left. A menu will appear, which lets you move the
DragonBar to the bottom of the screen, make it a floating window that
you can position freely, or make it a “clinging” window, where the
DragonBar appears just above whatever window into which you’re
dictating. You can also hide the DragonBar completely by clicking Tray
Icon Only Mode from this menu.
You can also hide the DragonBar by saying “Switch to Tray Icon Only Mode.”
To make a hidden DragonBar reappear, right-click on the small
microphone in the lower right corner of the screen (next to the clock,
usually in the Windows® task bar). From the menu that appears, click
Restore Previous DragonBar Mode.
Microphone Menus Status Extras
position
Change
position
NOTE
NOTE
CHAPTER 3 Starting to Dictate
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 31
Microphone button and volume display
Click the Microphone button to turn the microphone on and off. When
the microphone is on, a colored bar in the Volume Display shows the
current sound level. Yellow indicates silence or speech that is too soft,
green indicates a proper speech level, and red indicates sound that is too
loud to be processed.
Extras toolbar (Available in Preferred edition
only)
Click the Extras button on the far right of the DragonBar to open
the Extras toolbar. The Extras toolbar includes buttons for transcribing
from a recorder and for proofreading your dictation.
To hide the Extras toolbar, click the Extras button again.
Correction
Clicking the Correction button opens the Correction menu to teach the
computer what you said. See chapter 4, “Correcting and Editing.”
Transcribe (Available in Preferred edition only)
Use this button to transcribe your speech from a handheld recorder. See
chapter 15, “Using a Handheld Recorder (Preferred edition only).”
Start Playback, Fast Playback, and Stop Playback (Available in Preferred
edition only)
Select a word, sentence, or paragraph, then click the Start Playback
button to hear a recording of what you said. A yellow arrow points to the
text during playback to show you how the computer interpreted your
words. This button is useful for editing when you don’t remember what
you said. Click the Fast Playback button to play the recording at a faster
speed. Click the Start Playback button to return to a normal speed. Click
the Stop Playback button to stop the recorded speech playback.
Correction
Start Playback Skip ForwardStop Playback
Fast Playback Skip Back Transcribe
CHAPTER 3 Starting to Dictate
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
32
Skip Back and Skip Forward
These buttons skip backward or forward one utterance. To Dragon
NaturallySpeaking®, an utterance is a group of words said together
without pausing.
The Extras menu items can be displayed in the main DragonBar. See
“View options” on page 201.
The microphone in the taskbar
When Dragon NaturallySpeaking® is running, one of three small
graphics will appear next to the clock in the Windows® task bar. You can
click on these graphics to switch the microphone on or off.
▲ Microphone is on.
▲ Microphone is off.
▲ Microphone is sleeping.
Right-click the microphone icon to access the same menus that are
found on the DragonBar, where you can access all Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® functions. Also use this menu to make the
DragonBar appear if it’s hidden (click Restore Previous DragonBar
Mode).
Results box
The Results box is a small yellow window that appears on-screen as you
dictate. It looks like this:
As you speak, the Results box displays the words that Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® thinks you said. These words may change as the
program considers different interpretations of the utterance it heard.
After Dragon NaturallySpeaking® types the text into your document, the
Results box shows what was typed.
CHAPTER 3 Starting to Dictate
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 33
When Dragon NaturallySpeaking® is recognizing a command, the
Results box has a bold blue border, so you can tell that it is recognizing
your utterance as a command.
A line at the bottom of the Results box changes color from yellow to
green as you speak. This line is a volume meter that duplicates the
functions of the microphone volume meter on the DragonBar.
You can move the Results box anywhere on the screen by dragging it
with the mouse. To stop Dragon NaturallySpeaking® in the middle of a
recognition process and switch off the microphone, click on the small red
circle in the upper-left corner of the Results box.
The Results box is useful in three ways. When you notice the volume
meter change to green, you know the computer is actually hearing you.
When you see the Results box fill with words, you know that Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® is processing what you say. And finally, after you
finish a command or phrase, the Results box shows you what Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® thought you said. You can then determine whether
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® recognized your dictation correctly.
You can also anchor the Results box permanently in one place. From the
Tools menu of the DragonBar, click Options, then click the View tab and
enable the respective option.
Controlling Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
with voice commands
You can access the functions of Dragon NaturallySpeaking® with voice
commands. For example, to show the Extras toolbar, say “Show Extras
Bar.”(Available in Preferred edition only.) For a list of other voice
commands that control Dragon NaturallySpeaking®, see “Controlling
the DragonBar” in the Appendix, page 218.
CHAPTER
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 35
4
Correcting and Editing
You may have already noticed that the words Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® types are not always the words you said. As you
correct the program’s errors, though, it learns more about how you speak
and its accuracy improves.
Using the keyboard and mouse, it’s easy to correct the mistakes that
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® makes. Just edit your text the way you
would with any word processor. You don’t have to worry about whether
you are modifying a mistake made by Dragon NaturallySpeaking®, or
fixing some text where you said the wrong word, or revising your
document because you changed your mind about what you want to say.
Make all these edits just as you normally would, with keyboard and
mouse.
You must be sure, however, to select a word before typing over it. Using
the backspace key and retyping (or saying “Scratch That”) will not enable
the software to learn from corrections and improve recognition accuracy.
For accuracy to improve, you must first select text and then correct it or
overwrite it with the words you said.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® keeps track of the corrections you make and
adapts (changes) your user files so that the software can recognize your
speech more accurately. The program keeps track of all the corrections
you make, whether you type, dictate, or use the Correction menu
(described later in this chapter). It uses sophisticated techniques to
determine when to learn from your editing and when to ignore it. For
example, the program takes into account how closely your edits match
the sound of the words you dictated.
CHAPTER 4 Correcting and Editing
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
36
The Correction menu
When you select text by voice, or select text by mouse and then press
the Correction key, the Correction menu appears. This menu shows the
software’s best guesses of alternatives to the words you have dictated
and selected.
To correct a mistake with the Correction menu:
1Select the word or words you want to correct, then press the Correction
key (by default, this is the [-] key on the numeric keypad). Or say
“Select” plus the words you want to select. To correct the last words you
dictated, simply say “Correct That.” The Correction menu appears.
New in version 6
If you’ve used earlier versions of Dragon NaturallySpeaking®, this
new correction approach in version 6 is a significant change and
major improvement. You don’t have to figure out whether errors
were misrecognized or misspoken, or whether you are correcting a
misrecognition or editing your dictation. Whenever you select a
word, phrase, or sentence, then type or dictate the correct word or
words over it, Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will learn from the
correction automatically, while knowing when not to adapt when
you rewrite your text.
CHAPTER 4 Correcting and Editing
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 37
2In the following example, Dragon NaturallySpeaking® heard the word
“quick” as “clinic.”
3Choose the correct word from the Correction menu by saying “Choose”
and the number next to your choice. In this example, say “Choose 2,” and
“quick” will replace “clinic.”
You can change the number of choices displayed to you. In the Options dialog
box, click the Correction tab and increase the number in “Show no more than n choices.”
If you want to display your choices without the Correction menu taking up too much
space on the screen, select the “Show only the choices” option. See “Correction options”
on page 198.
If the word you want does not appear in the list, just type the correct
word. To spell a word by voice, say “Spell That.” The Spell dialog box
will appear for you to spell or type the correct word (see page 50 for
details).
When the Correction menu list appears, you can also choose to:
■spell the word (in this example, say “Spell That q-u-i-c-k”)
■listen to a recording of what you just said (say “Play That Back”)
(Available in Preferred edition only.)
■capitalize it (say “Cap That,” in this example, to get “Clinic”)
Say “Choose 2” to
replace “clinic” with
“quick.”
You can also say
“Spell That” to spell a
word or “Cap That”
to capitalize it.
Correction menu
TIP
CHAPTER 4 Correcting and Editing
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
38
■say “Unselect That” to cancel the selection and close (dismiss) the
Correction menu
■ignore the Correction list and keep dictating (in this example, just
say “quick,” which replaces the selected text)
If you prefer not to see the Correction menu every time you select text by voice,
you can turn it off. In the Options dialog box, click the Correction tab to display the
Correction options, then clear the check box “‘Select’ commands bring up Correction
menu.”
To help you quickly find the alternative you want, the recognition
choices in the Correction menu appear in boldface where they differ
from the word you’ve selected. (This is only applicable when you’ve
selected more than one word at a time.)
Using the keyboard or mouse commands
You can choose items in the Correction menu by keyboard or mouse as
well as by voice. To choose one of the alternatives on the menu, press
the DOWN ARROW key to move to the proper choice, then press ENTER.
If you want to correct several groups of words with the Correction menu
open, press the RIGHT ARROW key (instead of ENTER). The Correction
menu will move to the next utterance and the next group of words in
your document will be selected automatically.
TIP
The words that are
different from the
selection appear in
bold, to help you find
the correct alternative
quickly. In this
example, choice 4
is the correct choice.
CHAPTER 4 Correcting and Editing
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 39
To choose a recognition alternative by mouse, just click on the choice
you want.
Correcting quickly
Many people find it convenient to dictate their document first, then go
back and correct mistakes afterwards. For a discussion of the fastest ways
to work, see “Speaking and Dictating,” on page 143.
The Correction menu is designed to make correcting mistakes faster and
easier, but you don’t have to use it. Feel free to disregard it and make
corrections by keyboard, mouse, or voice, just as you would edit any
word-processed document.
Accuracy improves only when you select, then
correct
To get the most accuracy improvement when making corrections to
your document, you must first select the word or words before
correcting them. Using, for example, the BACKSPACE key and
retyping or saying “Scratch That” will correct the text in your
document, but will not make Dragon NaturallySpeaking® learn from
its mistakes and improve recognition accuracy.
It is sometimes fastest to get your work done using the BACKSPACE
key, DELETE key, “Scratch That,” and other editing methods
different from “select, then correct.” It is fine to use these
techniques and any other ways that you prefer to edit your
documents. Your accuracy will not improve, but it will not get any
worse either.
For best results, make corrections by selecting, then correcting as
often as you can, but don’t be concerned if you’re correcting your
documents in other ways as well.
CHAPTER 4 Correcting and Editing
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
40
Selecting text by voice
Using Select-and-Say
To edit your dictation by voice, just say “Select” plus the words you want
to change. Then dictate the new words you want and they will replace
the text that was selected. This Select-and-Say® feature is available in
many applications, including Microsoft® Word, Corel® WordPerfect®, the
DragonPad, and many other places where you can format text.
To Select-and-Say®:
1Dictate the sentence below:
US/Canada: Let’s meet for lunch on Tuesday [period]
Other Dialects: Let’s meet for lunch on Tuesday [full stop]
2Say “Select lunch on Tuesday.” The words “lunch on Tuesday” should be
highlighted on the screen.
3Say “dinner on Wednesday.” These words should replace “lunch on
Tu e s d a y . ”
Since “Tuesday” and “Wednesday” sound completely different, Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® will know you are not correcting a recognition
mistake but rather revising your dictated text.
You can also select punctuation marks.
4Say: “Select period” (US/Canada) or “Select full stop” (Other Dialects). If
there’s more than one period or full stop, you can say “Select Again” to
select a different one.
Be careful not to overwrite your selection
When text is selected, be careful not to breathe loudly, clear your
throat, or make other sounds. Dragon NaturallySpeaking® may
interpret such noises as speech and replace the selection with new
text. If this happens, say “Undo That” to reverse the action.
TIP
CHAPTER 4 Correcting and Editing
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 41
5To replace the period or full stop with an exclamation mark, say
“exclamation mark.”
It is often easier for Dragon NaturallySpeaking® to find the matching text if you
select a short phrase rather than individual words. If you select some words that are
already correct, just say them again along with the ones you want to change.
Selecting the same text again
If the words you’re trying to select appear more than once on the screen
and Dragon NaturallySpeaking® selects the wrong ones, just say “Select
Again.” The program then looks for another instance of the same word or
words.
You can also say “Select Again” if Dragon NaturallySpeaking® selects a
word that sounds like the word you want, but is not the correct one (for
example, “two” instead of “too”).
Unselecting words
To undo the selection, say “Unselect That.”
You can also “unselect” words by moving your insertion point (by mouse
or voice) to another part of your document. For example, say “Go to End
of Line” or click somewhere else in your document.
Selecting a longer phrase
You can select a longer phrase by saying “Select [text] Through [text]” (US/
Canada) or “Select [text] To [text]” (Other Dialects). For [text], substitute
the actual word or words at the beginning and the end of the range of
wrong words. For example, you could correct the underlined words in
the following sentence:
With a little practice, who will develop a habit of dictating an unclear,
steady voice, and the computer will understand you better.
by saying:
(US/Canada) “Select who Through unclear” or “Select who will Through an
unclear”
(Other Dialects) “Select who To unclear” or “Select who will To an unclear”
TIP
CHAPTER 4 Correcting and Editing
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
42
Then dictate the correct text:
“you will develop the habit of dictating in a clear”
The final corrected sentence reads:
With a little practice, you will develop the habit of dictating in a clear,
steady voice, and the computer will understand you better.
If you’re correcting more than one word, the words must all be in sequence
(next to each other). You can’t use a single command to correct words that are in different
parts of your document.
Selecting your whole document
To select all the text in your document, say “Select Document” or “Select
All.” This command is especially useful when you want to change the
font or the way text is aligned.
When you want to copy all the text in a document to another window,
the easiest way to do it is with the “Copy All to Clipboard” command. (See
“Copying text to other programs,” on page 46.)
When a lot of text is selected, the “Scratch That” and “Cut That” commands
don’t work, nor can you overwrite the selection by dictating new text. This prevents you
from accidentally deleting a large part of your document. To remove a large selection,
you can say “Delete That” instead.
Selecting an entire paragraph or line
You can select the current paragraph by saying “Select Paragraph.” To
select the current line, say “Select Line.”
You can also select a number of paragraphs or lines (up to 20). For
example, you can say “Select Previous 5 Paragraphs.” See the complete
list below:
SAY THEN THEN
Select Next Paragraph
Previous 2...20 Paragraphs
NOTE
NOTE
CHAPTER 4 Correcting and Editing
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 43
Selecting a word or character
You can select the current word by saying “Select Word.” To select a
character, say “Select Next Character” or “Select Previous Character.”
You can also select a number of words or characters (up to 20). For
example, say “Select Previous 2 Words.” See the complete list below:
Moving around in a document
When you’re editing a document, you can move around in it by voice.
After you place the insertion point where you want it, you can dictate
more text, select text, copy and paste, or apply formatting.
Going to the top or bottom of a page or
document
You can move to the top or bottom of the current page by saying “Page
Up” (equivalent to pressing the PAGE UP key) or “Page Down”
(equivalent to pressing the PAGE DOWN key).
You can move to the top or bottom of your document by saying “Go to
Top” or “Go to Bottom.”
Forward Line
Back 2..20 Lines
Last
SAY THEN THEN
Select Next Word
Previous 2...20 Words
Forward Character
Back 2...20 Characters
Last
SAY THEN THEN
CHAPTER 4 Correcting and Editing
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You can use any command from the list below:
Going to the beginning or end of a line
You can move to the beginning or end of the current line by saying “Go to
Beginning of Line” or “Go to End of Line.”
You can use any command from the list below:
Placing the insertion point before or after
a specific word
You can place the insertion point before a specific word by saying “Insert
Before” and then the word or words. You can place the insertion point
after a word by saying “Insert After” and then the word or words.
After you move the insertion point where you want it, you can dictate
more text, paste text, add punctuation, and so on.
To place the insertion point before a specific word:
To move the insertion point before the word “lets” in the sentence
below, say “Insert Before lets” (or “Insert Before lets me talk”). Remember
not to pause between any of the words.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® lets me talk instead of type.
SAY THEN
Go to Top
Move to Bottom
Top of Document
Beginning of Document
Start of Document
Bottom of Document
End of Document
SAY THEN
Go to Beginning of Line
Move to Start of Line
End of Line
CHAPTER 4 Correcting and Editing
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 45
To place the insertion point after a specific word:
To move the insertion point after the word “talk” in the sentence below,
say “Insert After talk” (or “Insert After lets me talk”).
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® lets me talk instead of type.
Moving up or down a paragraph or line
You can go up or down a paragraph by saying “Move Up a Paragraph” or
“Move Down a Paragraph.” You can also move up and down a number of
paragraphs (up to 20). For example, you can say “Move Up 3 Paragraphs.”
You can move up or down a line by saying “Move Up a Line” or “Move
Down a Line.” You can also move up and down a number of lines (up to
20). For example, you can say “Move Down 3 Lines.”
See the complete list below:
Moving right or left a word or character
You can move to the right or left of a word by saying “Move Right a Word”
or “Move Left a Word.” You can also move right or left a number of words
(up to 20). For example, you can say “Move Right 3 Words.”
You can move to the next or previous character by saying “Move Right a
Character” or “Move Left a Character.” You can also move forward and
backward a number of characters (up to 20). For example, you can say
“Move Left 4 Characters” or “Move Back 6 Characters.”
See the complete list below:
SAY THEN THEN
Move Up a Paragraph or 1 Paragraph
Back 2...20 Paragraphs
Down a Line or 1 Line
Forward 2...20 Lines
SAY THEN THEN
Move Right a Word or 1 Word
CHAPTER 4 Correcting and Editing
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46
Copying, cutting, and pasting
text
You can move text from one place to another by using the “Copy That,”
“Cut That,” and “Paste That” commands.
To copy, cut, or paste text:
1Select the text you want to copy or cut.
2Say “Copy That” or “Cut That.”
3Move the insertion point to where you want to paste the text.
4Say “Paste That.”
You can copy your entire document to the Clipboard by saying “Copy All to
Clipboard.” This is especially useful when you want to copy text to another window or
program.
Copying text to other programs
When you’ve finished dictating, you can copy your text to another
window. For example, if you dictate a note in Microsoft® Word, you can
then copy it into Microsoft® Outlook®. To use the procedure described
here, both the program you are copying from and the program you are
copying to must already be open.
To copy text to another program:
1Say “Copy All to Clipboard” to copy your entire document.
Forward 2...20 Words
Left a Character or 1 Character
Back 2...20 Characters
SAY THEN THEN
NOTE
CHAPTER 4 Correcting and Editing
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 47
2Switch to another program, such as Microsoft® Outlook® (say “Switch to
Microsoft Outlook”). Say “Paste That.”
3To return to Microsoft® Word, say “Switch to Microsoft Word.” (For
additional ways to switch between programs by voice, see “Switching
between open windows” on page 103.)
Deleting text
Deleting the last words you dictated
You can erase the last words you dictated by saying “Scratch That.” When
you say this command, Dragon NaturallySpeaking® deletes the last thing
it typed into your document. This may be a full sentence, a phrase, or
just one word, if that’s all you said before pausing.
You can say “Scratch That” up to 10 times to delete the last few things
you said. If you repeat the command, you must pause before saying it
again. You can also say, for example, “Scratch That 5 Times.”
Going back as you dictate
When you’re dictating, sometimes you may hesitate or think of a better
way to say something right after you’ve said it. When this happens, you
can use the “Resume With” command to return to where you were before
the mistake.
Just say “Resume With” followed immediately by the word or words to
which you want to return. Then, continue dictating. Any text after the
new position of the insertion point will be replaced with your new
dictation.
When using the “Resume With” command, remember not to pause in the
middle. Say “Resume With” and then immediately say the words to which you want to
return. These words must be in the last three or four sentences (100 characters) you said;
you can’t use “Resume With” to return to an earlier part of your document.
To go back as you dictate:
1Suppose you dictate this sentence: “I have a deadline this week, but we could
meet for lunch… um… er… next Wednesday.”
NOTE
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48
2To correct the sentence, return to the last correct words you remember
dictating. For example, say “Resume With meet for lunch.” (Remember not
to pause in the middle.)
3Then, dictate the rest of the sentence. For example, say “next Wednesday
at noon.”
Deleting specific words
You can delete text by selecting it and saying “Delete That.”
To delete text:
1Select the text you want to delete.
2Say “Delete That.”
You can also say “Scratch That” to do the same thing.
Deleting the next or previous paragraph or line
You can delete the next or previous paragraph by saying “Delete Next
Paragraph” or “Delete Previous Paragraph.” You can delete the next or
previous line by saying “Delete Next Line” or “Delete Previous Line.”
You can also delete a number of paragraphs or lines (up to 20). For
example, you can say “Delete Previous 5 Paragraphs.” See the complete
list below:
Deleting the next or previous word or character
You can delete the next or previous word by saying “Delete Next Word” or
“Delete Previous Word.” You can delete the next or previous character by
saying “Delete Next Character” or “Delete Previous Character.”
SAY THEN THEN
Delete Next Paragraph
Previous 2...20 Paragraphs
Forward Line
Back 2...20 Lines
Last
CHAPTER 4 Correcting and Editing
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You can also delete a number of words or characters (up to 20). For
example, you can say
“Delete Previous 5 Words.”
See the complete list
below:
Another way to delete the previous character is by saying “Backspace.” This is
equivalent to pressing the BACKSPACE key. You can “press” it multiple times (up to 20) by
saying, for example, “Backspace 5.”
Keyboard editing shortcuts
If you prefer to edit by typing, you can speed up your work by using
keyboard shortcuts. These shortcuts are not specific to Dragon
NaturallySpeaking®—they are built-in and work in almost any Windows®
program. These shortcuts can dramatically slash the time and keystrokes
you spend editing. Take the time to learn them—ten minutes spent
practicing with these keys can save you many hours in editing.
SAY THEN THEN
Delete Next Word
Forward 2...20 Words
Previous Character
Back 2...20 Characters
Last 2...20 Characters
PRESS THESE KEYS TO DO THIS
CTRL Hold down the CTRL key to move
by jumps, instead of one character
at a time
CTRL+LEFT (Left Arrow key)
CTRL+RIGHT (Right Arrow key)
Move insertion point by one word
at a time
CTRL+UP (Up Arrow key)
CTRL+DOWN (Down Arrow key)
Move insertion point by one
paragraph at a time
CTRL+BACKSPACE Delete word to the left of insertion
point
CTRL+DELETE Delete word to the right of insertion
point
SHIFT Hold down the SHIFT key to select
as you move
NOTE
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Spelling as you dictate
With the Spell command in Dragon NaturallySpeaking®, you can easily
spell a word or phrase you want to dictate into your document. This can
be useful if you are dictating a word that is not likely to be in the Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® vocabulary, such as a proprietary term, a proper
name, or a non-English word. Say, for example, “Spell b-u-o-n space g-i-o-
r-n-o.” The word you spelled appears right in your document.
You must say “Cap” if the word contains a capital letter. For example,
say “Spell Cap R-u-m-p-e-l-s-t-i-l-s-k-i-n” to type “Rumpelstilskin.”
SHIFT+LEFT, SHIFT+RIGHT Select one character at a time
SHIFT+UP, SHIFT+DOWN Select one line at a time
CTRL+SHIFT Hold down the CTRL and SHIFT
keys together to select one word or
paragraph at a time
CTRL+SHIFT+LEFT
CTRL+SHIFT+RIGHT
Select one word at a time
CTRL+SHIFT+UP
CTRL+SHIFT+DOWN
Select one paragraph at a time
BACKSPACE Delete left
DELETE Delete right
HOME Skip to start of line
END Skip to end of line
SHIFT+HOME Select to start of line
SHIFT+END Select to end of line
CTRL+HOME Skip to start of document
CTRL+END Skip to end of document
CTRL+SHIFT+HOME Select to start of document
CTRL+SHIFT+END Select to end of document
PRESS THESE KEYS TO DO THIS
CHAPTER 4 Correcting and Editing
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 51
If you say “Spell” by itself, without any letters after it, the Spell dialog
box opens.
▲ The Spell dialog box, waiting for you to spell.
You can then spell letters and Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will type
them or correct any errors in the word you spelled. This makes it a bit
easier to correct errors when spelling.
When spelling, you can say numbers and special characters as well as
letters. For example, to dictate an automobile license plate number, you
could say “Spell v-j-r-5-8-1.” Dragon NaturallySpeaking® would type
“vjr581.” Say “Spell Cap-e-z-b-r-a-i-n-trademark” to get “Ezbrain™” in
your document.
Spelling a word adds that word to the active vocabulary with the
exception of words that contain numbers; words with numbers are not
added to the vocabulary.
To dictate unusual text such as automobile license plate numbers or product
codes, you can also switch to Spell mode by saying “Switch To Spell Mode,” and then
dictate letters.
For a list of what to say to spell special characters, see the Spelling topic
in the online Help or “Commands List” on page 217.
By default, the Spell dialog box appears only when you say “Spell” by
itself, not when you say “Spell” plus the letters you are spelling.
Optionally, you can make the Spell dialog box appear whenever you use
the Spell command. You can set this option from the Correction tab in
the Options dialog box. See page 198 for more information.
TIP
CHAPTER
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 53
5
Formatting
ou can bold text, change font sizes and styles, capitalize text, and
apply other formatting, all by voice. This chapter explains how.
Many Dragon NaturallySpeaking® formatting commands work for text
that is selected (highlighted) in your document. To select text by mouse,
simply drag the mouse pointer over the text you want to select, as you
normally would when editing in your word processor. To select text by
voice, say “Select” plus the words you want to select. See “Selecting text
by voice” on page 40 for more detailed instructions and additional ways
to select by voice. See also the list of keyboard editing shortcuts on page
49.
You can change the formatting properties of a word (such as whether Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® should type a space before or after the word, or whether the word is
capitalized in a title) by using the Word Properties dialog box, described in “Changing
word properties” on page 166.
Y
NOTE
CHAPTER 5 Formatting
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
54
Capitalizing text
Capitalizing the first letter of the next word you
dictate
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® capitalizes many words automatically. It
capitalizes the first word in a sentence (following a period, question
mark, or exclamation mark). It capitalizes the first word after you say
“New Paragraph” (though not when you say “New Line”) and it
capitalizes proper names (when these words are already in the Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® vocabulary in capitalized form).
You can change the spacing and capitalization rules for a word in the Word
Properties dialog box. See “Changing word properties“ on page 166 for more
information.
When you’re dictating, you can capitalize words that aren’t automatically
capitalized by saying “Cap” and then the word. For example, say “Cap
fluffy” to get “Fluffy.”
To dictate the word “cap,” for example, in this sentence: “The company is putting
a cap on salary increases,” you must say “the company is putting a” then say “Spell c-a-
p,” and then say “on salary increases.” In this way, Dragon NaturallySpeaking® knows
that you do not want to capitalize any of the words within the sentence.
Capitalizing consecutive words
When you want to capitalize consecutive words (for example, if you’re
dictating a book title), you can turn capitals on and then turn them off
when you’re finished. This is usually easier than saying “Cap” before
Types of commands
Most of the commands listed in this chapter are global—they are
available in virtually every application. In addition to the global
commands listed here, Dragon NaturallySpeaking® includes many
commands for editing and formatting that work in common
applications such as Microsoft® Word® and Corel® WordPerfect®.
These extra commands are called Natural Language Commands. For
more information on Natural Language Commands and a list of the
applications where they are available, see page 95.
NOTE
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CHAPTER 5 Formatting
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 55
each word. Another way to do consecutive capitalization is to dictate the
words, pause, and then say “Capitalize That” or “Cap That.”
To capitalize consecutive words:
1Say “Caps On” to turn capitals on.
When “Caps On” is active, Dragon NaturallySpeaking® uses title case. This
means it capitalizes all words except for articles and prepositions (such as “the” and
“to”).
2Dictate the words you want capitalized. For example, say: “success is a
journey [colon] seven steps to achieving success in the business of life”
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® types: “Success Is a Journey: Seven Steps to
Achieving Success in the Business of Life”
3Say “Caps Off” to turn capitals off.
Dictating the next word in all capital letters
When you’re dictating, you can enter a word in all capital letters by
saying “All Caps” and then the word.
For example, say “All Caps please” to get “PLEASE”
Dictating consecutive words in all capital letters
When you want to dictate consecutive words in all capitals, you can turn
all capitals on and then turn them off when you’ve finished.
To dictate consecutive words in all capitals:
1Say “All Caps On” to turn all capitals on (like pressing the CAPS LOCK
key).
2Dictate the words that you want to appear in all caps. For example, say
“the end”. Dragon NaturallySpeaking® types “THE END”
3Say “All Caps Off” to turn all capitals off.
Dictating the next word in all lowercase letters
When you’re dictating, you can enter a word in all lowercase letters by
saying “No Caps” and then the word.
NOTE
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56
For example, say “No Caps Jennifer” to get “jennifer.” (Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® normally capitalizes this and other proper names.)
Dictating consecutive words in all lowercase
letters
When you want to dictate consecutive words in lowercase letters (for
example, names of computer files or e-mail addresses), you can turn the
“no capitals” feature on and then turn it off when you are finished. This
is usually easier than saying “No Caps” before each word.
To dictate consecutive words in all lowercase letters:
1Say “No Caps On” to turn no capitals on.
2Dictate the words you want to appear in all lowercase.
3Say “No Caps Off” to turn no capitals off.
Capitalizing (or uncapitalizing) text already in
your document
You can change the capitalization of text already in your document by
selecting it and then saying “Capitalize That,” “Cap That,” or “All Caps
That,” or “Uncapitalize That,” “Uncap That,” or “No Caps That.”
To capitalize or uncapitalize text:
1Select the text you want to change.
2Say “Capitalize That,” “Cap That,” or “All Caps That,” or “Uncapitalize
That,” “Uncap That,” or “No Caps That.”
Formatting text
You can use voice commands to specify any combination of font name,
size, and style, in that order. These commands change text you dictate
from then on or text you have selected.
To set a new style for text you are about to dictate, use the “Set Font”
and “Set Size” commands. To change the style of text you have already
selected, use the “Format That” command.
CHAPTER 5 Formatting
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 57
Changing the font as you dictate
When you’re dictating, you can change the font face, size, and style by
saying “Set Font” followed by the font attributes you want.
For example, you can say “Set Font Times” or “Set Font Arial 12 Bold.”
When you continue dictating, the new text appears with the font
attributes you set.
Changing font face
Changing font size
Say “Set Size” and then a size from 4 to 100 points. For example, say “Set
Size 18.” Then, continue dictating.
Changing font style
Changing a combination of font face, size, and style
Say “Set Font” and then the attributes you want (listed in the previous
sections). You can specify any combination of font face, size, and style,
SAY THEN
Set Font Arial
Courier
Courier New
Garamond
Helvetica
Palatino
Times
Times New Roman
SAY THEN
Set Font Bold
Italics
Bold Italics
Underline
Strikeout
Plain or Plain Text or Normal or Regular
CHAPTER 5 Formatting
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
58
but you must specify these attributes in that order (font face, then size,
then style). See the list of examples below:
■“Set Font Arial”
■“Set Font Arial 12” or “Set Font Arial 12 Point”
■“Set Size 12 Bold”
■“Set Font Arial Bold”
■“Set Font Bold”
If you’re changing only the font size, use the “Set Size” commands, not the
“Set Font” command.
Changing the font later
You can go back and change the font face, size, or style of text by
selecting it and then using the “Format That” commands. “Format That”
works on selected text with the same combinations of font face, size, and
style as the “Set Font” commands (see the tables in the previous section.)
To change the font:
1Select the text you want to change.
2Say “Format That” and then the font attributes you want to apply as
described in the previous section. For example, say “Format that Arial
18.”
Bold, italics, and underlining
You can apply formatting to text in your document by selecting it and
then saying “Bold That,” “Italicize That,” or “Underline That.” You can
also say “Strikeout That.”
To add bold, italics, and underlining:
1Select the text you want to change.
2Say “Bold That,” “Italicize That,” Underline That,” or “Strikeout That.”
To remove formatting:
1Select the text you want to change.
2Say “Restore That” to remove formatting.
NOTE
CHAPTER 5 Formatting
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 59
Aligning text
You can change how text is aligned by placing your insertion point in the
text and saying “Center That,” “Left Align That,” or “Right Align That.”
To align text:
1Move the insertion point to the text you want to align.
2Say “Center That,” “Left Align That,” or “Right Align That.”
You can also use the following commands on selected text: “Format That
Centered,” “Format That Left Aligned,” and “ Format That Right Aligned.”
Bulleted text
To add bullets to text, place your insertion point in the text and say
“Format that Bullet Style.” To remove bullets, say “Format that Bullet
Style” again.
CHAPTER
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 61
6
Numbers and
Punctuation
his chapter describes how to dictate numbers, punctuation, Web
addresses, and a few other special items.
If DragonNaturallySpeaking® is not formatting a word as you would like, you
can change the formatting properties of the word by using the Word Properties dialog
box. See “Changing word properties” on page 166.
Dictating numbers
To dictate a number, just say it. Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will type
either the number (“5”) or the word (“five”), usually determining this
choice from the context. To force Dragon NaturallySpeaking® to type a
number instead of a word (for numbers 0 to 9), say “numeral” plus the
number (“numeral 2”). This is especially useful when dictating the
numbers 2 and 4, which are sometimes mistaken for the words “to” and
“for” unless you say “numeral 2” and “numeral 4.”
If you want to dictate only numbers, you can switch to “Numbers Mode.” See
“Modes” on page 80 for more information.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® adds commas to numbers of five digits or
more (such as 21,469), but not to four-digit numbers (2146). To add a
comma to a four-digit number, say “comma” where you want the comma.
See the table below for examples. For a decimal point, just say “point.” If
you dictate a US ZIP code, Dragon NaturallySpeaking® knows not to
add a comma and formats the ZIP code correctly.
T
NOTE
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You can say “and” as part of any number, for example, “three hundred and
fifteen” or “one thousand and twelve.”
If numbers, currency, times, or dates are not being formatted the way you
would like, check your Windows® Regional Settings, which affect how numbers are
formatted. To view these settings, point to Settings from the Windows® Start menu, click
Control Panel, and double-click the Regional Settings icon. For example, if you set the
TO ENTE R SAY
315 three hundred fifteen
three one five
three fifteen
809 eight hundred nine
eight zero nine
eight oh nine
1485 one thousand four hundred eighty five
fourteen eighty five
1,485 one comma four hundred eighty five
one comma four eight five
one comma four eighty five
809,212 eight hundred nine thousand two hundred twelve
eight zero nine comma two one two
51.2 fifty one point two
five one point two
.2 point two
point numeral two
0.102 zero point one oh two
500 five hundred
5000 five thousand
90,210 ninety thousand two hundred ten
75% seventy five percent sign
$99 ninety nine dollars [US/Canada]
$99.10 ninety nine dollars and ten cents [US/Canada]
$8.2 million eight point two million dollars [US/Canada]
£250.95 pound sterling sign two hundred and fifty point ninety five
[All Dialects]
95 ninety five euros
TIP
NOTE
CHAPTER 6 Numbers and Punctuation
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 63
region to Jamaica, saying “seven dollars” displays as J$7. If you set the region to
something other than English (United States) or English (Canada) and you want a dollar
sign ($), you have to say “dollar sign.” For example, saying “dollar sign 99” displays
$99. For more information, see “Dictating special characters” on page 75.
Changing the format of a number
If Dragon NaturallySpeaking® enters a number in a format you don’t
want, you can use voice commands to convert it to a numeral or to spell it
out.
For example, you can change “seven dollars” to “$7” (US/Canada) or
“seven pounds” to “£7” (Other Dialects) by saying “Format That Number.”
And you can change “$7” to “seven dollars” (US/Canada) or “£7” to
“seven pounds” (Other Dialects) by saying “Format That Spelled Out.”
These commands change the last number dictated or a selected number.
The “Format That Number” and “Format That Spelled Out” commands work
for numerals and currency, but not for dates, times of day, telephone numbers, and most
fractions.
Using Numbers Mode
Any time you need to dicate a series of numbers and do not want Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® to recognize them as words, you can turn on
Numbers Mode. This could be useful, for example, if you are dictating
in a spreadsheet program, such as Microsoft® Excel®.
SAY TO CH ANGE
Format That Number one to 1
first to 1st
nineteenth to 19th
5 million to 5,000,000
five million to 5,000,000
eight dollars to $8 (US/Canada)
seven pounds to £7 (Other Dialects)
Format That Spelled Out 4th to fourth
27 to twenty-seven
5,000,000 to five million
NOTE
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To turn on Numbers Mode, say “Start Numbers Mode” or “Numbers Mode
On.” To turn off Numbers Mode, say, “Stop Numbers Mode” or “Numbers
Mode Off.”
For more information on Numbers Mode and more ways to turn
Numbers Mode on and off, see the section “Modes” on page 80.
Dates
You can dictate most dates the way you would normally say them. Say
“oh” or “zero” to enter 0. In dialects other than US/Canada, you can also
say “nought.”
Times of day
Dictate the time of day the way you would normally say it.
US/Canada: Dragon NaturallySpeaking® automatically types the colon
(:) if you say “a m” or “p m” when dictating the time. Say “o’clock” or
“colon zero zero” to enter :00.
TO ENTE R SAY
22 January 1999 twenty two January nineteen ninety nine
April 9, 2001 April 9 [comma] two thousand and one
14/07/85 fourteen [slash] oh seven [slash] eighty five
3/11/02 three [slash] eleven [slash] zero two
3/11/2002 three [slash] eleven [slash] two thousand and two
April 1st April first
March 22nd March twenty second
the 1980s the nineteen eighties
TO ENTE R SAY
8:30 eight [colon] thirty or eight [numeric colon] thirty
7:45 AM seven forty five a m
10:22 PM ten twenty two p m
3:00 three o’clock or three [colon] zero zero
5:00 PM five o’clock p m
CHAPTER 6 Numbers and Punctuation
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 65
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will recognize times more accurately if you say
“numeric colon” instead of “colon” when dictating times.
Other Dialects: Dragon NaturallySpeaking® automatically types the
point (.) if you say “a m” or “p m” when dictating the time, depending on
the regional setting. Say “o’clock” or “point zero zero” to enter .00.
The format of “a.m.” and “p.m.” depends on your computer’s regional
Windows® settings.
Telephone numbers
North American phone numbers
Say US and Canadian phone numbers as you normally would, pausing
briefly between each group of numbers.
You don’t need to dictate hyphens for most phone numbers (numbers
that are 7, 10, or 11 digits long). Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will add
them automatically.
TO ENTE R SAY
8:30 eight [point] thirty
7.45 AM seven forty five a m
10.22 PM ten twenty two p m
3.00 three o’clock
5.00 PM five o’clock p m
TO ENTE R SAY
965-5200 nine six five fifty two hundred
617-965-5200 six one seven nine six five fifty two oh oh
1-800-555-1212 one eight hundred five five five one two one two
(617) 965-5200 [open parenthesis] six one seven [close
parenthesis] nine six five five two zero zero
1-212-555-1212 one two one two five five five one two one two
TIP
NOTE
CHAPTER 6 Numbers and Punctuation
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66
Telephone numbers outside North America
To dictate other phone numbers, including European phone numbers,
you must say all the punctuation, including the hyphens, spaces, and
parentheses.
In dialects other than US/Canada, you can say “bracket” instead of
“parenthesis.”
Fractions
You can dictate most common fractions the way you would normally say
them. To dictate 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5, 1/6, 1/7, 1/8, 1/9, 1/10, and 1/16 or a
multiple of these fractions, just say the fraction normally.
If the denominator (bottom number in the fraction) is greater than 10,
you can enter the fraction by saying “slash” or “over” between the two
numbers.
TO ENTE R SAY
(01628) 894150 [open parenthesis] oh one six two eight [close
parenthesis] eight nine four one five oh
027 629 8944 oh two seven [space bar] six two nine [space
bar] eight nine four four
61-7-4695-2055 six one [hyphen] seven [hyphen] four six nine
five [hyphen] two zero five five
(65) 2778590 [open parenthesis] six five [close parenthesis]
two seven seven eight five nine zero
TO ENTE R SAY
1/2 one half
1/4 one fourth or one quarter
15/16 fifteen sixteenths or fifteen over sixteen
3 7/8 three and seven eighths or three and seven over eight
TO ENTE R SAY
9/12 nine [slash] twelve or nine over twelve
5 3/56 five [space bar] three [slash] fifty six
130/70 one thirty over seventy
TIP
CHAPTER 6 Numbers and Punctuation
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 67
A few common fractions can also be displayed on your computer as
special characters (such as ¼, ½, or ¾) instead of two numbers separated
by a slash character (such as 1/4, 1/2, or 3/4). For information about
dictating fraction characters, see “Dictating uncommon special
characters” on page 76.
Roman numerals
Dictate Roman numerals by saying “Roman” and the number. For large
numbers, say the number in small combinations (as in the examples
shown here).
Don’t pause after the word “Roman” when you’re dictating a Roman numeral. If
you pause, Dragon NaturallySpeaking® may enter, for example, “Roman three” instead
of “III.”
TO ENTE R SAY
IRoman one
IV Roman four
VRoman five
XRoman ten
LRoman fifty
CRoman one hundred
DRoman five hundred
MRoman one thousand
XXIV Roman twenty Roman four
XXXI Roman thirty Roman one
MCMXCVII Roman one thousand
Roman nine hundred
Roman ninety
Roman seven
TIP
CHAPTER 6 Numbers and Punctuation
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Postal and ZIP Codes
US ZIP Codes
You can dictate US five-digit ZIP codes just as you dictate any group of
numbers. When dictating nine-digit ZIP codes, you must say the
hyphen.
UK and Canadian Postal Codes
You can dictate UK postcodes by saying “Postcode” followed by the
letters and numbers that make up the postcode. For Canadian postal
codes, say “Postal code” followed by the letters and numbers that make
up the postal code. Spacing and formatting will happen automatically.
To have Dragon NaturallySpeaking® format postal codes automatically, you
must first activate this feature in the Options dialog box. Click Options from the Tools
menu on the DragonBar, then click the Formatting tab to see the formatting options, and
select “Format Postal Codes.”
TO ENTE R SAY
02134 oh two one three four
94704-1150 nine four seven oh four [hyphen] one one five oh
TO ENTE R SAY
NG3 2HX Postcode n g three two h x
E10 7BD Postcode e ten seven b d
EC2Y 4LK Postcode e c two y four l k
K1A 0M5 Postal code k one a zero m five
X0A 0H0 Postal code x oh a oh h oh
NOTE
CHAPTER 6 Numbers and Punctuation
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 69
Punctuation
Here’s what to say for the most common punctuation marks. For a list of
all punctuation marks, see page 240 in the Appendix.
You can use the Vocabulary EditorTM to view or change the formatting
properties of the punctuation. For more information, see “Changing
word properties” on page 166.
TO ENTE R SAY
,comma
.period
dot
point
[each one has different spacing characteristics]
?question mark
!exclamation mark (All Dialects)
exclamation point (US/Canada)
“open quote
close quote
‘open single quote
close single quote
( open paren (US/Canada)
left paren (US/Canada)
left parenthesis (All Dialects)
open parenthesis (All Dialects)
)close paren (US/Canada)
right paren (US/Canada)
right parenthesis (All Dialects)
close parenthesis (All Dialects)
‘apostrophe
‘sapostrophe-ess
-hyphen
minus sign
-- [double
hyphen]
dash
space bar
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Words that end with ’s
To dictate a word ending with (apostrophe) ’s, just say it as you normally
would. Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will often add it. If Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® doesn’t include the ’s, you can add it later.
Including ’s as you dictate
When you want to make sure that Dragon NaturallySpeaking® types a
word with ’s, say “apostrophe ess” after saying the word. For words that
already end in “s,” say “apostrophe” after the word, as in the second
example shown here.
Dictating hyphenated words
Many hyphenated words and phrases are already in the Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® vocabulary. To dictate a word or phrase that is
usually hyphenated, just say it as you normally would.
TO ENTE R SAY
We went to
Jennifer’s office
We went to Jennifer’s office
that’s enough that’s enough
it’s time to go it’s time to go
TO ENTE R SAY
Peter’s brother returned to
New York
Peter [apostrophe ess] brother returned to
New York
I met my friends’ children I met my friends [apostrophe] children
TO ENTE R SAY
long-lasting long lasting
up-to-date schedule up to date schedule
Chicago-based
company
Chicago based company
nine-year-old boy nine year old boy
CHAPTER 6 Numbers and Punctuation
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Including hyphens as you dictate
To hyphenate words that Dragon NaturallySpeaking® doesn’t hyphenate
automatically, just say “hyphen” wherever you want a hyphen.
You can hyphenate words you just dictated with the command
“Hyphenate That.” Select the words you want to hyphenate and say
“Hyphenate That.” If you say this command when no words are selected,
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will usually hyphenate the last few words
that you said.
Removing hyphens
You can remove a hyphen by selecting it and replacing it with a space.
To remove a hyphen:
1Say “Select hyphen.”
2Say “Space Bar.”
Preventing hyphens
You can prevent Dragon NaturallySpeaking® from entering a hyphen by
pausing where the hyphen would normally be.
For example, to type “long lasting” (normally hyphenated) say “long,”
then pause for a moment, and then say “lasting.” Or you can say “long
space bar lasting” without pausing, to insert a space in place of the
hyphen.
Dictating compound words
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® joins compound words (such as “notebook”)
automatically, based on standard usage. To dictate a compound word,
just say it as you normally would.
TO ENTE R SAY
speech-recognition software speech [hyphen] recognition software
power-sharing agreement power [hyphen] sharing agreement
Elizabeth Walker-Smith Elizabeth Walker [hyphen] Smith
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Compounding words as you dictate
To compound words that Dragon NaturallySpeaking® doesn’t join
automatically, just say “No Space” between the words.
You can also dictate consecutive words without spaces by turning “no
spaces” on and then turning them off when you’ve finished.
To dictate consecutive words without spaces:
1Say “No Space On” to turn spaces off.
2Dictate the words you want to appear without spaces.
3Say “No Space Off” to turn spacing back on.
Compounding words later
You can compound the last words you said or compound selected words
by saying “Compound That.” This command removes all spaces between
selected words. Or, if no words are selected, it removes all spaces in the
last utterance. Any tabs or line breaks are also removed.
To compound words:
1Select the text you want to join. For example, if you want to join the
words “Web TV,” say “Select Web TV.”
2Say “Compound That.”
Dictating names
Many names of people, places, and events are already in the Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® vocabulary. For example, you can dictate “Martin
Luther King,” “New York Times,” and “San Francisco.” Just say the name
and Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will type it. Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
automatically capitalizes the names it knows, so you don’t have to say
“Cap.”
TO ENTE R SAY
unitednations united [No Space] nations
WorldWide Web [Cap] world [No Space] [Cap] wide [Cap] web
CHAPTER 6 Numbers and Punctuation
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 73
If Dragon NaturallySpeaking® types a name incorrectly, correct it by
keyboard or by voice (see “Correcting and Editing” on page 35). The
program will add the name to its vocabulary.
If the program continues to type a name incorrectly after you’ve
corrected it several times, train the word individually using the Train
Word dialog box. See “Training a word or command” on page 167.
Dictating abbreviations and
acronyms
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® knows many common abbreviations (such as
NYC and BBC) and acronyms (such as NATO). To dictate an
abbreviation or acronym, just say it as you normally would.
If Dragon NaturallySpeaking® types the full word instead of the
abbreviation or acronym, enters the wrong word, or includes incorrect
punctuation, just correct it in your document by voice or by keyboard.
TO ENTE R SAY
US/Canada: Dr.
Other Dialects: Dr
Doctor
UK U K (say each letter)
RSVP R S V P (say each letter)
HTML H T M L (say each letter)
8 cm eight centimeters
US/Canada: pp. 27–33
Other Dialects: pp 27–33
pages 27 hyphen 33
NATO NATO (say as one word)
NASDAQ NASDAQ (say as one word)
CHAPTER 6 Numbers and Punctuation
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74
Dictating e-mail and Web
addresses
Dictate e-mail and Web addresses as you would normally say them.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® formats them for you automatically.
Here are some guidelines for dictating e-mail and Web addresses:
■When you say “h t t p” or “w w w,” Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
knows to format the next words you say as a Web address.
■Say the following abbreviations by pronouncing them as words:
“co,” “com,” “edu,” “gov,” “mil,” “net,” and “org.”
■Say the following abbreviations by saying each letter:
“a c,” “b n, “c a,” “ie” “h k,” “i d,” “i n,” “j p,” “m y,” “p h,” “s g,”
“t h,” and “u k.”
■Use the “No Caps On” and “No Caps Off” commands to enter an
e-mail or Web address in all lowercase letters. For more information
about controlling capitalization, see “Dictating consecutive words in
all lowercase letters” on page 56.
You can create Text and Graphics custom commands for e-mail and Web
addresses you use often. See “Automate Your Work” on page 123.
TO ENTE R SAY
Virginia@aol.com Virginia at a o l dot com
info@samplecompany.com [No Caps On] info at sample
company dot com [No Caps Off]
http://www.samplecompany.com [No Caps On] h t t p w w w dot
sample company dot com [No Caps
Off]
TIP
CHAPTER 6 Numbers and Punctuation
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Dictating special characters
Dictating common special characters
The following special characters are in the Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
vocabulary. To dictate these characters, just say their names.
For more complete lists of special characters, see “Entering punctuation
and special characters” on page 240 or the online Help.
TO ENTER SAY
&ampersand or and sign
*asterisk
@at sign
‘backquote
©copyright sign
^caret
°degree sign
$dollar sign or dollar
euros or euro sign
%percent sign
®registered sign
§section sign
™trademark sign
+plus sign
-minus sign
«open euro quote
»close euro quote
#All Dialects: hash sign or sharp sign
US/Canada: number sign or pound sign
£ US/Canada: pound sterling sign
Other Dialects: pound sign or pound
:-) smiley face
:-( frowny face
;-) winky face
CHAPTER 6 Numbers and Punctuation
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76
Dictating uncommon special characters
If you use uncommon special characters in your writing (for example, a
double-dagger sign ‡), you can enter them by voice using the Spell
command. If you use a special character frequently, you can also add it as
a new word using the Vocabulary Editor™. This section explains how to
do this.
To dictate a special character:
1Just say “Spell”plus the name of the character. For example, if you want
to enter a double-dagger sign (‡) into your document, say “Spell double
dagger.”
For the complete list of special characters and their names, see the
Special Characters topic in the online Help and the following sections in
the Appendix:
■“Publishing symbols” on page 223
■“Accented and international characters” on page 226
■“Mathematical symbols” on page 226
■“Currency symbols” on page 224
To add a special character to the vocabulary:
If you frequently want to dictate a double-dagger sign (‡) into your
document, you could add “double dagger” as a new word in the Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® vocabulary. Follow these steps:
1In your document, dictate the phrase you want to use to enter the special
character (for example, say “double dagger”). Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
enters the words into your document. In this example, it would enter
“double dagger.”
2Say “Spell That” to open the Spell dialog box.
CHAPTER 6 Numbers and Punctuation
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 77
3Say the name of the special character. (In this example, say “double
dagger” to enter ‡.)
4Click or say “OK.” Dragon NaturallySpeaking® types the special
character (‡) in your document and adds it to your vocabulary.
5You need to give this special character a spoken form and then train it.
To do this, open the Vocabulary Editor™. From the Words menu on the
DragonBar, choose View/Edit.
6From the Display drop-down list at the bottom of the Vocabulary
Editor™ window, choose Custom Words Only. You will see the special
character you just entered under the Written form column, as shown in
this illustration.
The special character
you dictated is
shown in the Written
form column.
CHAPTER 6 Numbers and Punctuation
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
78
7Click on the special character to select it. In the illustration above, the
special character is already selected.
8In the Spoken form field, type the name you want for this character.
9Click Add.
10 Click Train. The Train Words dialog box opens.
11 Click Go.
12 Say the name of the character, as shown in the Train Words dialog box.
For example, say “double dagger.”
13 Click Done to close the Train Words dialog box.
Type the character’s
name (for example,
“double dagger”) in
the “Spoken form”
field.
CHAPTER 6 Numbers and Punctuation
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 79
14 Now there are two words in your vocabulary with the same written form.
One has a spoken form and one does not. To select it, click on the word
that does not have a spoken form.
15 Click the Delete button to delete this word, leaving the word that does
have a spoken form in your vocabulary.
16 Click Close to close the Vocabulary Editor™.
Congratulations, you’ve added a word that contains a special character!
Now when you dictate the character name (in this example, “double
dagger”), Dragon NaturallySpeaking® should enter the special character,
not the words.
You can change the formatting properties of a word (such as whether Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® should type a space before or after the word) by using the Word
Properties dialog box. See “Changing word properties” on page 166.
Click the word (the
special character)
with no spoken form.
The remaining word
has both spoken and
written forms.
NOTE
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Modes
When you start working in Dragon NaturallySpeaking®, you are in
normal mode by default. You can dictate words, numbers, and commands,
and the program will recognize them.
Suppose, though, that you want to work in a spreadsheet, dictating only
numbers. In this case, you can turn on numbers mode. With numbers
mode on, Dragon NaturallySpeaking® tries to recognize everything it
hears as a number. If you are dictating only numbers (including
currencies), working in this mode will increase recognition accuracy.
There are four special modes, in addition to normal mode:
■Numbers mode—The software recognizes only numbers,
commands, and punctuation.
■Spell mode—The software recognizes only letters, numbers,
commands, and punctuation.
■Command mode—The software recognizes only commands.
■Dictation mode—The software recognizes only words in its
dictation vocabulary, plus a few commands such as “New Line” and
“New Paragraph.”
To switch modes, from the Words menu on the DragonBar, click the
name of the mode you want. Or, to switch modes by voice, say one of
these commands:
■“Switch to Numbers Mode”
■“Switch to Spell Mode”
■“Switch to Command Mode”
■“Switch to Dictation Mode”
■“Switch to Normal Mode”
You can turn modes on and off by voice. When you turn a mode off, this
is the same as switching back to normal mode.
You cannot dictate fractions in number mode.
NOTE
CHAPTER 6 Numbers and Punctuation
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 81
MODE TO TURN ON, SAY TO TURN OFF, SAY
Numbers Mode Numbers Mode On or
Start Numbers Mode
Numbers Mode Off or
Stop Numbers Mode
Spell Mode Spell Mode On or
Start Spell Mode
Spell Mode Off or
Stop Spell Mode
Command Mode Command Mode On or
Start Command Mode
Command Mode Off or
Stop Command Mode
Dictation Mode Dictation Mode On or
Start Dictation Mode
Dictation Mode Off or
Stop Dictation Mode
CHAPTER
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 83
7
Using E-Mail and
Microsoft Internet
Explorer
magine answering your e-mail and navigating the Web as easily as you
answer the telephone: by voice. Dragon NaturallySpeaking® works
with most popular e-mail applications and browsers.
Working with e-mail
You can dictate outgoing e-mail messages and have your computer read
incoming messages to you. Dragon NaturallySpeaking® works with most
popular e-mail applications—you can dictate and edit your messages
right in your e-mail software. In several e-mail applications you can also
use a set of built-in Dragon NaturallySpeaking® commands to send,
print, and work with e-mail more easily. These applications are:
■America Online® versions 5, 6, and 7. (Supported AOL versions may
vary depending on the edition of Dragon NaturallySpeaking®. )
■Qualcomm® Eudora Pro® 5.1 (Available in Preferred editon only.)
■Microsoft® Outlook® Express versions 5 and 6 (Available in Standard
and higher editons only.)
I
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The e-mail commands described in this chapter are designed to work in
these applications. To use them, make sure Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
and your e-mail application are both running.
If you use Lotus® Notes®, Microsoft ® Outlook®, or Microsoft ® Outlook® Express,
you can add the contact names in your address book to your vocabulary, which
improves accuracy when you dictate these names. You can also have Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® automatically scan your sent e-mail messages so it can better learn
your writing style. For instructions on how to do this, see “Add contact names to the
vocabulary” on page 160.
Checking for new e-mail
To check for new mail, say “Check For New Mail” or “Check For E-Mail.”
You must be connected to the Internet to check your e-mail.
You can say “Mail,” “Message,” “Memo,” or “E-Mail” interchangeably in any of
the e-mail commands.
Opening and closing e-mail
To open an e-mail message, select it and say “Open Mail” or “Open That.”
To close an open message, say “Close Mail.”
You can also move to the message and select it by “pressing” function and arrow
keys by voice (see “Pressing keyboard keys” on page 109) or using the mouse
movement commands (see page 115).
Composing e-mail
To compose a new message, say “New Mail” or “New Message.” Once the
new blank message appears, you can navigate to any field by voice and
start dictating.
If you use a different e-mail program
If you use an e-mail application that is not on the list above, you can
still compose, edit, and send e-mail using the global commands
described in chapters 3 and 4. You can send and print e-mail by voice
too, but instead of having built-in commands available to do this
you’ll need to say the names of menus, menu choices, and dialog
boxes, as described in chapter 9, “Hands-Free Computing.”
TIP
TIP
TIP
CHAPTER 7 Using E-Mail and Microsoft Internet Explorer
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To navigate e-mail fields:
To dictate an e-mail message:
1Say “New Mail.” The new message opens on your screen.
2Say “Go to To Field.” Pause (to make sure you are in the correct field),
then dictate the recipient’s e-mail address, for example, “jeff at a-o-l dot
com.” If you are entering more than one address, separate each one by
saying “comma.”
3Say “Go to CC Field” or “Go to BCC Field,” pause, and dictate the
addresses of the people who should receive copies or blind copies of
your message (optional).
In many e-mail programs, you can also say just “Subject” or “BCC” to move to the
respective field by that name.
4Say “Go to Subject Field,” pause, and dictate the subject of your message,
for example, “Planning a trip to see you.”
5Say “Go to Body Field,” pause, and begin dictating the body of your
message.
For instructions on dictating e-mail addresses and Web URLs, see “Dictating e-mail
and Web addresses” on page 74.
Transferring dictation into your e-mail
If you have dictated text into another program, such as your word
processor, or have transcribed text from a handheld recorder (available in
SAY THEN
Go to or To Field
Move to CC Field
BCC Field
Body Field
First Field
Last Field
Next Field
TIP
TIP
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86
Preferred edition only), you can transfer your text into an e-mail
message.
To transfer dictation from Microsoft Word, Corel
WordPerfect, or DragonPad into e-mail:
1Say “Switch to Microsoft Word” (or “Switch to WordPerfect” or “Switch to
DragonPad.”) Dictate your message or open a previously transcribed
document.
2Say “Copy All to Clipboard.” The entire document is selected and
transferred to the clipboard.
3Say “Switch To” followed by the name of your e-mail program. For
example, say “Switch to Eudora.”
4Say “Go to Body Field” to move the insertion point to the message body.
5Say “Paste That” to transfer your text into your e-mail message.
Sending and printing e-mail
Once your message is ready to send, you can simply say “Send Mail” to
send your e-mail on its way. To print a message, say “Print Mail” and the
message will be sent to your printer.
Forwarding and replying to e-mail
To forward a message selected in your Inbox, simply say “Forward
Mail,” then dictate the recipient’s address in the To Field of the new
message.
Select a message and say “Reply to Mail” to create a new message
addressed to the sender. To reply to everyone on the mailing list, say
“Reply To All.” Then move to the Body Field and dictate your reply.
Deleting mail
You can delete the currently selected message by saying “Delete Mail.”
This command will work on all selected messages, so make sure you
have selected only those you want to delete.
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Working with Microsoft Internet
Explorer
You can use Dragon NaturallySpeaking® to control Microsoft® Internet
Explorer® and browse the Web by voice. Just say the name of a link to
click on it. To use this feature, you must have Microsoft® Internet
Explorer® version 5.0 or later installed.
When Dragon NaturallySpeaking® and Microsoft® Internet Explorer®
are running, you can use voice commands to:
■Go to any Web page on the Favorites menu
■Enter a Web address (URL) in the Address bar
■Go back to the previous Web page or forward to the next
■Click links, buttons, and images
■Scroll in a Web page
■Select check boxes and other options
■Enter text in a text box (such as a Search box)
Follow these steps whenever you want to use Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® with Microsoft® Internet Explorer®.
To use Microsoft® Internet Explorer® by voice, simply start Microsoft®
Internet Explorer® while Dragon NaturallySpeaking® is running. To start
Microsoft® Internet Explorer® ‘‘by voice, say “Start Internet Explorer.”
Any program that embeds the Microsoft® Internet Explorer® application, such
as the Dragon NaturallySpeaking® online Help or the Command Browser, can also be
used by voice.
Going to favorite Web pages
Favorites are Web sites that you bookmark in your browser in order to
find them again easily in the future. In Microsoft® Internet Explorer®,
you can click on the “Favorites” button to see the sites in this list.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® lets you jump to any of these sites easily.
Say “Go to Favorite” plus the site name, exactly as it appears in the
Favorites menu. For example, you could say “Go to Favorite United
Nations” if United Nations was one of the items in your Favorites list.
NOTE
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88
If Dragon NaturallySpeaking® misunderstands your command and opens the
wrong page, you can return to where you were by saying “Go Back.”
To add a page to the Favorites menu:
1Go to the page you want to add to the Favorites menu.
2Say “Click Favorites” to open the Favorites menu.
3Say “Add to Favorites” to open the Add Favorites dialog box.
4Type or dictate a name for the page. Select a short name, so it will be
easy to open the page by voice.
5Save the page anywhere on the Favorites menu.
6Click or say “OK” to close the Add Favorites dialog box.
Entering a Web address in the Address bar
You can dictate Web addresses (URLs) by saying “Go to Address.” Follow
these steps.
To enter a Web address:
1Say “Go to Address” to move to the Address bar.
2Dictate the Web address (for example, say “w w w dot swimming dot org”).
Most URLs are not case sensitive, but you may need to say “Cap” if the
Web address contains capital letters.
For more information about dictating Web addresses, see “Dictating
e-mail and Web addresses” on page 74.
3Say “Go There” to open the page (same as pressing the ENTER key).
You can also say “Click Go” instead of “Go There.”
TIP
Address bar
TIP
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Going back to the previous Web page or
forward to the next
The Back and Forward buttons on the Microsoft® Internet Explorer®
toolbar move you backward or forward through the Web pages you’ve
visited. Say “Go Back” or “Go Forward” to do the same thing by voice.
Here’s a list of all the voice commands you can use to control the
Microsoft® Internet Explorer® toolbar.
Entering text in a text box
When Dragon NaturallySpeaking® is running, you can dictate text into
Search boxes and other text boxes on a Web page.
To enter text in a text box:
1Say “Type Text” to move to the first text box on the page.
You can also say “Edit Box” or “Text Field” instead of “Type Text.”
2If the page has more than one text box, they will be numbered like this
. (See the following procedures for examples.) Choose the number
SAY TO
Go To Address Move the insertion point to the Address box.
Click Go or
Go There
Go to the Web address in the Address box.
Go To Favorite
United Nations
Load a page that is on your Favorites list, in this
example, United Nations.
Go Back Go back to the previous Web page (same as clicking
the Back button).
Go Forward Go forward to the next Web page (same as clicking the
Forward button).
Stop Loading Stop a Web page from loading (same as clicking the
Stop button).
Refresh or
Reload
Refresh the current Web page (same as clicking the
Refresh button).
Go Home Go to your home page (same as clicking the Home
button).
TIP
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you want, or move to the next or previous text box by saying “Next” or
“Previous.”
3When the insertion point is in a text box, you can dictate text.
In text boxes, you can also correct recognition mistakes by voice, just as
you do when you’re dictating into a document.
Clicking links, buttons, and images
You can click the text links and buttons on a Web page simply by saying
the link or button name.
If the text link or button name is long, you don’t need to say all of it. Just
say enough to distinguish it from other links on the page.
To click a text link:
1Say the text link (it must be visible on the screen). For example, to click
the link Finance and Budget on the Web page pictured below, say
“Finance and Budget.”
2An arrow appears briefly to indicate which link was selected and then
the page opens.
You can also say “Click” and then the link text. For example, you could say “Click
News and Events.” Sometimes saying “Click” first is more reliable than just saying the
link text alone.
3If more than one link matches what you said (for example, if there are
two links on the page that contain the word “Internship”), Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® numbers all the links on the page like this .
TIP
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4Say “Choose” plus the number of the link you want. For example, say
“Choose 2.”
On secure Web pages this feature is disabled. You cannot select links on
secure pages by voice.
Say “Choose 1”
to click the first
link containing
“Internship,” or
say “Choose 2”
to choose the
second link.
NOTE
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To click an image:
1When you say “Image” (or “Click Image”), Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
numbers all the images on the page like this .
2Click the image you want by saying, for example, “Choose 3.”
If Dragon NaturallySpeaking® misunderstands your command and opens the
wrong page, you can return to where you were by saying “Go Back.”
To click a button:
Say the button name. For example, to click the button pictured below,
say “Search.”
You can also say “Click” and then the button name. For example, you
could say “Click Search” (or “Click Search Button”).
To unselect the button, you must select a different one.
To click a check box, list box, or radio (option) button:
1Say “Check Box,” “List Box,” or “Radio Button” to number the buttons
like this . Then choose the number you want, as in the previous
procedure.
Some Web pages,
like this one, display
text as graphic
images. When you
say “Image,” Dragon
NaturallySpeaking®
numbers each
image.
To click the “Travel
resources” link, say
“Choose 10.” To
click the Spanish
flag, say “Choose
13.”
TIP
Speech recognition
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Here is a table of commands you can use for clicking links, images,
check boxes, and buttons.
Frames and panes
When you’re viewing a Web page that uses frames, say “Next Frame” or
“Previous Frame” to move between the different frames.
To move between different Microsoft® Internet Explorer® panes, say
“Next Pane” or “Previous Pane.” Panes are different windows within the
Microsoft® Internet Explorer® application, such as “Search” and “Tip of
the Day.”
Scrolling in a Web page
When Dragon NaturallySpeaking® is running, you can scroll in a Web
page by voice. You can use voice commands to go to the top or bottom of
a page or to move up or down a screen or line at a time.
You can also start automatic scrolling by saying “Start Scrolling Down” or
“Start Scrolling Up.” Automatic scrolling is convenient when you want to
SAY TO
Type Text or Edit Box Go to the first place on a Web page where you
can enter text.
Click Check Box or
Check Box
Number all check boxes on the page and go to
the first one.
Click Image or Image Number all images with links on the page and
go to the first one.
Choose 2Select the image, option, button, and so on
from the numbered list of choices. You can say
any number that appears in the list.
Click Radio Button/
Radio Button
Number all option (radio) buttons on the page
and go to the first one.
Click List Box or List Box Number all boxes with a list of choices (drop-
down lists) on the page and go to the first one.
Show Choices Open a list of choices.
Hide Choices Close a list of choices.
Choose Thursday or
Thursday
Choose an entry from a list of choices, in this
example, Thursday.
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read a Web page without using the mouse or keyboard. See the complete
list of commands below:
While a Web page is scrolling, you can click by voice the text links and
buttons you see if the page is moving slowly enough. The page will
continue to scroll, however, unless you say “Stop Scrolling” before saying
the link.
SAY TO
Go to Bottom Scroll to the end of the Web page.
Go to Top Scroll to the beginning of the Web page.
Page Down Scroll down one screen (same as pressing the
Page Down key).
Page Up Scroll up one screen (same as pressing the Page
Up key).
Line Down Scroll down one line (same as clicking the down
arrow in the scroll bar once).
Line Up Scroll up one line (same as clicking the up arrow
in the scroll bar once).
Start Scrolling Down Start automatic scrolling toward the end of the
page.
Start Scrolling Up Start automatic scrolling toward the beginning of
the page.
Speed Up Increase scrolling speed. (Say it again to speed
up more.)
Slow Down Decrease scrolling speed. (Say it again to slow
down more.)
Stop Scrolling Stop automatic scrolling.
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8
Using Natural Language
Commands
n addition to the global, “available everywhere” commands, Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® includes many additional commands for editing,
formatting, and controlling applications. These extra commands are
called Natural Language Commands on the assumption that you can give
the computer commands “naturally,” without having to remember the
exact wording of the commands you want
Available Natural Language
Commands
Natural Language Commands are available in these applications:
■Microsoft® Word 10, 2000, and 97 (Standard and higher editions
only)
■Corel® WordPerfect® 9 and 10 (Standard and higher editions only)
■Microsoft® Internet Explorer® versions 5 and 5.5
■America Online® 6.
■Microsoft® Excel® 10, 2000, and 97 (Preferred edition only)
■DragonPad and DragonBar
To make Dragon NaturallySpeaking® do what you want, you can’t say
just anything. For example, consider what you would say to format the
text you’ve selected in bold. Would it be one of these phrases?
■bold this
■bold that
■make this bold
I
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■format this bold
If you say one of these phrases, Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will do what
you want. But if you say “please bold this text now,” the program won’t
recognize it.
To see commands that Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will recognize, such
as the four “bold” commands listed above, use the Sample Commands
window and the Command Browser.
The Sample Commands window
To see some of the commands that Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will
recognize, use the Sample Commands window. To show this window,
choose Sample Commands from the Help menu on the DragonBar or say
“What can I say”. The contents of the Sample Commands window
change depending upon what application is currently active.
The Command Browser, described below, is the most comprehensive
place to see what commands are available in each application. It lets you
view additional commands beyond the commands listed in the Sample
Commands window.
The Command Browser
To open the Command Browser, click Command Browser from the Tools
menu on the DragonBar. Click Built-in to view a list of commands built-
in to Dragon NaturallySpeaking®.
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Use the Application list to choose an application for which you want to
see commands. Choose “Global,” as shown in the illustration, to see
commands that Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will recognize in any
application.
To see commands that include a particular word or words, type the word
or words in the Keyword field, then click the Search button. For
example, to see commands for making text bold, type “bold” in the
Keyword field and click the Search button.
To train one or more of the commands shown, select the check box next
to each command you want to train, then click the Train button in the
upper-right corner of the Command Browser window.
When learning commands, it’s not necessary or useful to learn every
voice command variation available. Find a way of saying commands that
is easy to remember and that works for Dragon NaturallySpeaking®. To
format text bold, for example, say whatever phrase comes to mind. If it
doesn’t work, press CTRL+Z to undo (this works in many applications),
or say “Undo That,” and say the command another way. When you find a
variation that works, keep using it.
Choose an
application for which
you want to see
commands.
Then, click Search.
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You can also create your own custom commands in Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
to help you work more efficiently. (Available in Preferred edition only.) See “Automate
Your Work” on page 123.
Sample Commands
Listed below are a sample of commands that Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® will recognize. Some commands will not work in
some applications, depending on the features of the application. For
example, “Insert Table” will work in Microsoft® Word (in Standard and
higher editions only) but not in America Online®.
Commands for Microsoft ® Internet Explorer® are covered in “Using E-Mail
and Microsoft Internet Explorer” on page 83.
Copying, moving, cutting, pasting,
and deleting command samples
■“Select Next 10 Paragraphs”
■“Cut Selection”
■“Copy This Page”
■“Delete Next Paragraph”
■“Move Next 5 Lines to Top of Document”
■“Move Next 4 Sentences Down 3 Paragraphs”
■“Move Up 5 Pages”
■“Go to Last Page”
■“Go to Top of Document”
■“Delete the Previous 2 Sentences”
There are many variations on these commands as well:
■Possible actions include Select, Cut, Copy, Move, Delete, and Paste.
■Items to act on include Characters, Words, Lines, Sentences,
Paragraphs, Pages, and Table Cells.
■Numbers in these commands can be 1 to 20.
Formatting command samples
■“Make This Paragraph Times Italics”
■“Format That Bold”
TIP
NOTE
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■“Format That 12 Point”
■“Make Last Sentence Uppercase”
■“Capitalize This Line”
■“Make This Paragraph Red”
■“Double Space This Paragraph Double Spaced”
■“Add Border”
■“Start New Page”
■“Start New Section”
■“Insert Page Numbers”
■“Make This Paragraph Two Columns”
■“Double Space the Last Three Paragraphs”
Spelling, grammar, and printing
sample command samples
■“Check Spelling”
■“Check Grammar”
■“Print Preview”
■“Print Pages 1 To 5” (you can say numbers up to 100)
■“Print This Page”
■“Print Document”
Table sample command samples
■“Insert A 2 By 7 Table”
■“Cut This Column”
■“Insert A Row”
■“Insert 4 Rows”
Microsoft Excel command samples (available in
Preferred and higher editions only)
■“Go to Cell H 3”
■“Go Down Forty Seven Cells”
■“Color the Next Six Columns”
■“Remove the Split”
■“Sort This Column In Descending Order”
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America Online sample commands
■“Go To Chat Room”
■“Save To Filing Cabinet”
■“Capture Picture”
■“Print This”
■“Groups At AOL”
■“Go To Internet Connection”
■“Sign Off”
CHAPTER
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9
Hands-Free Computing
peech recognition is useful not only for creating documents. You can
control almost everything on your computer with Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® voice commands. This chapter tells you how.
If you have problems that limit typing, learn and practice with the
commands in this chapter. If you are able to type, using voice commands
is a matter of personal preference. Some people prefer to select menu
commands and buttons with the keyboard and mouse. Others enjoy the
convenience of telling the computer to “Close Window” or “Click OK.”
The voice commands detailed in this chapter work in many programs. If
the program you’re running uses “standard” menus and dialog boxes,
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will let you activate the menus and controls
by voice, even if Dragon NaturallySpeaking® has never seen the program
before.
If you are navigating and controlling your computer by voice, it is sometimes
useful to force Dragon NaturallySpeaking® to recognize only commands, not dictation. To
do this, say “Command Mode On.” This will prevent Dragon NaturallySpeaking® from
misrecognizing a command as a dictation word. For more information on modes, see
page 80.
If you are using Microsoft® Windows® NT® version 4, you will need Service
Pack 6 or later in order to be able to use most of the voice commands described in this
chapter. If you are using Microsoft® Windows® NT® 4 with a Service Pack lower than 6,
then you will not have Active Accessibility installed on your system and an error message
will appear. However, pressing keys by voice (page 109), and moving the mouse by
voice (page 115) will work regardless of what Microsoft® Windows ® NT® Service Pack
you have.
S
TIP
NOTE
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Starting programs
You can use voice commands to start a program that appears anywhere on
your Windows® Start menu or desktop. You can’t start Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® by voice, because the program has to be running
before it can hear you.
Starting a program from the Start menu
To start a program from the Start menu, say “Start” and then the name of
the program exactly as it appears on the menu or submenu (it doesn’t
have to be visible). For example, to start Microsoft® Internet Explorer®,
say “Start Internet Explorer.”
To start a program:
1Make sure that Dragon NaturallySpeaking® is running and that the
microphone is on.
2Say “Start” and then the name of the program. For example, say “Start
WordPad.”
To start certain Windows® utilities, you must open and navigate the Start
menu (see “Opening and closing menus” on page 105). These utilities are Shut Down,
Log Off, Help, Run, Favorites, Find, and Settings.
Starting a program from the Windows desktop
To start a program on your Windows® desktop, just say “Start” and then
the name below the icon. For example, to start Microsoft® Internet
Explorer®, say “Start Internet Explorer.”
You can also open other desktop items with the “Start” command. For example,
you can say “Start Network Neighborhood.”
NOTE
Say “Start Internet Explorer”
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Opening documents and folders
You can use voice commands to open a document or folder that appears
on your Windows® Start menu or desktop.
Opening documents and folders from the
Start menu
To open a document or folder from the Start menu, say “Start” and then
the name of the document or folder exactly as it appears on the menu.
For example, to open a document named sales.doc, you could say “Start
Sales dot doc.” To open a document named journal.wpd, you could say
“Start journal dot w p d.”
If the document doesn’t open, but the Results box shows that your
command was recognized correctly, make sure the file you’re trying to
open is still on your computer.
Opening documents and folders from the
Windows desktop
To open a document or folder from your Windows® desktop, just say
“Start” and then the name below the icon. For example, to open a folder
named “Projects,” say “Start Projects.”
Switching between
open windows
You can switch between the windows you have open by saying “Switch
to” and then say the name of the program or document window exactly
as it appears in the title bar.
Say “Start Projects”
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For example, if Lotus® Notes® is running, you can switch to it by saying
“Switch to Lotus Notes.”
You can also switch between open windows by saying “Switch to Previous
Window” (same as pressing ALT+TAB) and “Switch to Next Window” (same
as pressing ALT+SHIFT+TAB).
You can switch to the DragonPad by saying “Switch to DragonPad.”
Copying text to other programs
When you’ve finished dictating, you can copy your text to another
window. For example, if you dictate a message in Microsoft® Word, you
can then copy it to Microsoft® Outlook®.
SAY THIS TO
Switch to Next Window Switch to the next application.
Switch to Previous
Window
Switch to the previous application.
Switch to Microsoft
Word
Make Microsoft® Word the active application.
Switch to (name of
application)
Switch to the open application you specify. Say
the name of the application as it appears in the
title bar of the application window.
Say “Switch to Lotus
Notes”
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To copy text to another program:
1Say “Copy All to Clipboard” to copy your entire document.
2Switch to another program, such as Microsoft® Outlook®. For example,
say “Switch to Microsoft Outlook.”
3Say “Paste That.”
4To return to Microsoft® Word, say “Switch to Microsoft Word” or “Switch to
Previous Window.”
Opening and closing menus
When Dragon NaturallySpeaking® is running, you can activate any menu
by saying its name.
To open a menu:
1Open a program window (for example, Microsoft® Word) and make it
active.
Say the name of the menu you want to open (for example, say “File”). If
the command does not work, try saying “Click” and then the name of the
menu you want to open (for example, say “Click File”).
2In this example, the File menu should open. If the command doesn’t
work (for example, if the word “click” is typed into your document), you
may have paused in the middle of the command.
3Say the name of a menu item to activate it (for example, say “Save”).
To open the Start menu, say “Click Start” or “Click Start Menu.”
Say “File or
“Click File”
Say “Save”
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To close a menu:
Say “Cancel.”
If commands are often typed into your document instead of recognized as
commands, you can make Dragon NaturallySpeaking® recognize commands only when
they are preceded by saying “Click.” To do this, select the “Require ‘Click’ to select menu
or control” check box on the Miscellaneous tab of the Options dialog box, decribed on
page 207.
Selecting buttons, tabs, and
options
When Dragon NaturallySpeaking® is running, you can select any button,
check box, text box, or other dialog box option you see by saying its
name. If that doesn’t work, say “Click” and then its name.
For example, to select a check box labeled “Toolbar,” say “Toolbar” or
“Click Toolbar.” To clear the check box (deselect it), say its name again.
You can select tabs by saying the name of the tab, alone or preceded by
“Click.” In the dialog box pictured, you could say “Options” or “Click
Options” to select the Options tab. You can also move between tabs by
saying “Go to Next Tab” and “Go to Previous Tab.”
In some programs, you may not be able to select dialog box items by saying
their names. If this happens, the following method of selecting items may work: say “Tab
Key” repeatedly to move to the item you want, then say “Press Space Bar” to select it.
See also “Activating commands by saying key names,” on page 113.
NOTE
Say “Wrap to window” or
“Click Wrap to window”
Say
“Too lbar” or
“Click
Toolbar”
NOTE
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Selecting icons on the desktop
You can use voice commands to select icons on the Windows® desktop.
To select an icon on the desktop:
1Switch to the Windows® desktop. To do this by voice, minimize all open
applications and place the mouse pointer over the desktop icon. Say
“Mouse Click” to make the desktop active.
2Say the name of the icon (for example, “My Computer”). Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® types the icon name and Windows® selects it.
3To select another icon, say “Move” and then the direction (up, down,
left, right) and number of icons (up to 20).
For example, say “Move Right 1,” “Move Down 2,” or “Move Up 3.”
After you select an icon, you can say “Press Enter” to start or open it and
“Press Shift F10” to display its menu (as if you right-clicked the icon with
the mouse.)
You can also use voice commands to for these actions. See “Marking and
dragging objects” on page 118.
Say “Move Right 1”
to select My
Briefcase
Say “Move Down 2”
to select Recycle Bin
Say “My Computer”
to select My
Computer
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Resizing and closing windows
To resize and close windows, say “Click” and then a window command,
such as “Maximize.” These commands appear on the window’s Control
menu, but you don’t need to open this menu to say them.
“Click” is NOT optional for the following Control menu commands.
To maximize a window:
1Activate the window you want to maximize.
2Say “Click Maximize.”
To minimize a window:
1Activate the window you want to minimize.
2Say “Click Minimize.”
To restore a window to its previous size:
1Activate the window you want to resize.
2Say “Click Restore.”
To close a window:
1Activate the window you want to close.
2Say “Click Close.”
If you have trouble getting Dragon NaturallySpeaking® to recognize any of
the window commands, you can open the Control menu by saying “Click Control Menu”
and then say them.
NOTE
NOTE
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Scrolling in windows and
list boxes
You can scroll vertically in a window (for example, an online Help
window) or list box by saying “Move Down” and “Move Up” and then a
number of scroll bar arrow clicks (up to 20). For example, say “Move
Down 4” or “Move Up 10.”
You can scroll horizontally by saying “Move Left” and “Move Right” and
then a number of scroll bar arrow clicks (up to 20). For example, say
“Move Left 10” or “Move Right 5.”
Pressing keyboard keys
All Windows® menus and controls can be activated by pressing keys.
With Dragon NaturallySpeaking® you can “press” any key on your
keyboard by voice. You can press letters, numbers, modifier keys (SHIFT,
CTRL, and ALT), and so on.
SAY THIS TO
Click Minimize or
Click Control Menu
(pause) Minimize
Minimize the active window.
Click Maximize or
Click Control Menu
(pause) Maximize
Maximize the active window.
Click Restore or
Click Control Menu
(pause) Restore
Restore window to previous size.
Click Close or
Press ALT F4
Close the active program.
Press CTRL F4 Close the active document, not the whole
program (works in many programs).
Click Start Menu or
Click Start or
Press CTRL ESC
Open the Windows® Start Menu.
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For example, you can say “Press a” and Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will
type the letter “a” in your document. Or, you can say “Press Control s” to
press CTRL+S (the keyboard shortcut for saving a document).
You can say “Press,” “Press Key,” or “Type”—all three voice commands
work the same way.
“Scratch That” will not erase keystrokes dictated with the Press Key
commands. You must select the text by voice or mouse and delete it or say “Press
Delete.”
Pressing letters
You can press any letter on your keyboard by saying “Press” and then the
letter. When you’re pressing letters, you must say “Press” before each
one. For example, to enter “txt,” say “Press t,” “Press x,” “Press t,”
pausing between letters.
For similar-sounding letters (such as b, d, and v), you can say “Press b as
in Bill,” “Press d as in David,” and so on (you can also say “Press b for
Bill,” “Press d for David,” and so on) as you would if you were spelling
something over the phone. See the complete list below.
You can use any word in the International Communications Alphabet (page 223)
to “spell” the letter keys, for example, “Press alpha” or “Press bravo.”
You can also spell words using Spell mode. See “Modes” on page 80 for more
information.
SAY THEN
Press a
b
any letter a–z or any international alphabet word alpha
through zulu
a as in Albert/Alice/alpha
b as in Bill/Buffalo/bravo
c as in Cathy/Carl/Charlie
d as in David/daughter/delta
e as in Edgar/enter/echo
f as in Frank/fancy/foxtrot
g as in George/gopher/golf
NOTE
TIP
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You can say “Press c” or “Press Charlie” but you cannot say “Press Cathy” or
“Press Carl.”
Capitalizing a letter
You can capitalize a letter by saying “Press Cap” and then the letter.
For example, to enter “28K” say “twenty eight” and then “Press Cap K” (or
“Press Cap K for Karen”).
Pressing numbers
You can press numbers (0 to 9) by saying “Press” and then the number.
For example, say “Press 8.”
h as in Henry/helmet/hotel
i as in Iris/Ireland/India
j as in John/justice/Juliet
k as in Karen/kitchen/kilo
l as in Larry/lemon/lima
m as in Mickey/magic/Mike
n as in Nancy/nobody/November
o as in Otto/over/Oscar
p as in Paul/people/papa
q as in Quentin/question/Quebec
r as in Robert/Rachel/Romeo
s as in Sam/Singapore/sierra
t as in Terry/Tyler/tango
u as in Ursula/unit/uniform
v as in Valerie/visit/Victor
w as in Wendy/wake/whiskey
x as in Xavier/Xerxes/xray
y as in Yolanda/Yvonne/yankee
z as in Zachary/zookeeper/zulu
(you can also say “for” instead of “as in”)
SAY THEN
NOTE
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Pressing key combinations
When you’re pressing keys, you can press any combination of the
modifier keys (SHIFT, CTRL, and ALT) at the same time as another key,
such as a letter. For example, you can say:
■“Press Control Z” (undoes last action)
■“Press Alt F” (opens File menu)
■“Press Shift Tab” (moves backward through dialog box options)
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® ignores the command “Press Control Alt Delete”
(the keyboard shortcut for restarting a computer).
Pressing function and numeric keypad keys
To press a function key (F1 to F12), say “Press Function” and then the
name of the key. For example, say “Press Function 1” to bring up the
online Help.
To press the keys on the numeric keypad, say “Press Keypad” and then
the name of the key. For example, you can say “Press Keypad Minus” to
press the keyboard shortcut that opens the Correction Menu. See the
complete list below:
Num Lock must be on for the “Press Keypad” commands to work. You can say
“Press Num Lock” to turn Num Lock on.
SAY THEN
Press Keypad 1
Keypad 9 (you can say any number from 0 to 9)
All Dialects: Keypad Point (.)
US/Canada: Keypad Period (.)
Other Dialects: Keypad Full Stop (.)
Keypad Slash (/)
Keypad Asterisk (*)
Keypad Minus (-) (opens the Correction menu)
Keypad Plus (+) (turns the microphone on or off)
Keypad Star (*) (opens the NaturallySpeaking® menu on the
DragonBar)
Keypad Enter
NOTE
NOTE
CHAPTER 9 Hands-Free Computing
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Pressing other keys
Here’s a list of other keys you can press by voice:
Activating commands by saying
key names
This section describes how to use “Press” voice commands to control
menus and dialog boxes. The “Press” voice commands provide an
alternative to other methods of controlling applications by voice, such as
saying the name of a menu item. In some applications, these “Press”
commands are the only way to activate commands.
SAY THEN
Press Up Arrow
Down Arrow
Right Arrow
Left Arrow
Home Key
End Key
Page Up
Page Down
Insert Key
Delete Key
Control Key
Shift Key
Alt Key
Print Screen
Scroll Lock
Pause Key
Num Lock
Caps Lock
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Menu commands
All menus and almost all dialog box controls have one letter underlined.
To open a menu, say “Press Alt” plus the underlined letter. Once the
menu is open, say the underlined letter in the command you want (do
not say “Alt” again). To click Page Setup in the DragonPad File menu,
for example, say “Press Alt f,” pause, “Press u.”
Dialog box controls
To activate a dialog box control, say “Press Alt” plus the underlined letter
of the control. In the dialog box, below, for example, say “Press Alt t” for
the Toolbar check box, say “Press Alt w” for the Wrap to window option,
and so on. Saying “Press Enter” will click whichever button is preselected
(has a bold border). Saying “Press Escape” will click the Cancel button.
▲ Each control in a Windows® dialog box has one letter underlined. Say the underlined
letter to activate that control.
When the desired control is the name of a menu, you must say “Press Alt” plus
the respective letter. For example, to open the File menu, say “Press Alt f.”
You can also activate a control by selecting it and pressing the space bar.
To select each control of a dialog box in turn, press the Tab key (say
“Press Tab” or “Press Tab Key”). To move in reverse, press Shift plus Tab
(say “Press Shift Tab”). As you move, the control selected will have a thin
dotted line around it. (In the figure above, the selected control is “Wrap
to window.”) Say “Press Space Bar” to activate the selected control (to
select the check box or click the button).
Some dialog boxes, like the one shown above, are organized by graphical
tabs. To move from one tab to the next, say “Move to Next Tab” or “Move
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to Previous Tab.” Alternate ways of saying this are “Go to Next Tab” or
“Click Next Tab” and “Go to Previous Tab” or “Click Previous Tab.”
To switch between tabs by keyboard, press CTRL+TA B (forward) or
CTRL+SHIFT+TA B (back). The voice commands “Press Control Tab” and
“Press Control Shift Tab” do the same thing; they work the same as “Move
to Next Tab” and “Move to Previous Tab.”
In most dialog boxes, you can select a control simply by saying “Click” and the
name of the control you want to select. In some applications, saying the name of the tab
may also work.
For more information on controlling an application using the keyboard,
see that application’s online Help.
Online Help
Say “Give Me Help” to open the online Help for Dragon
NaturallySpeaking®. The same dialog box commands discussed above
work in the online Help. You can move to different topics by saying
“Move Up 3” and “Move Down 3” (say any number from 1 to 20). To open
a topic, say “Display” or “Press Enter.” To choose tabs or buttons, say
their name. For example, say “Search” or “Contents.”
Moving the mouse pointer and
clicking the mouse
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® provides hands-free mouse control with
MouseGrid™ and the mouse pointer voice commands. You can use these
features to position the mouse pointer anywhere on the screen, click the
mouse buttons, and drag objects—all by voice.
Moving the mouse pointer with MouseGrid
You can position the mouse pointer anywhere on the screen by using
MouseGrid™. You can move the pointer relative to the full screen or the
active window.
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To use MouseGrid:
1Say “MouseGrid” to place the MouseGrid™ over the full screen (as in this
example) or say “MouseGrid Window” to place it over the active window.
Say “MouseGrid”
to place a grid
over the full screen
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2Say a grid number from 1 to 9 to position the pointer in that numbered
area. In this example, to position the pointer over the Recycle Bin, say
“4.” A smaller MouseGrid™ will appear in the chosen grid square.
3To zoom in over the desired area, say another grid number. In this
example, say “4” to place the pointer over the Recycle Bin icon.
4Continue to say the respective grid number to zoom in until the mouse
pointer is over an icon or other object. You can use voice commands to
click the mouse or mark and drag the object. See the following sections
for instructions.
You can undo the last MouseGrid™ action by saying “Undo That.”
To close MouseGrid™, say “Cancel.”
Moving the pointer with the “Mouse”
command
You can move the mouse pointer up, down, left, or right a short distance
(a few millimeters) by using the mouse pointer commands.
Say “4” to place
a smaller
MouseGrid™
over grid square
number 4.
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You can combine moving the mouse pointer and clicking the mouse in a
single voice command. For example, you can say “Mouse Up 3 Click” or
“Mouse Right 2 Double Click.”
To move the pointer:
1Say “Mouse” followed by the direction and number of times to move it
(up to 10). For example, say “Mouse Up 5” or “Mouse Left 10.”
2When the pointer is over an icon or other object, you can use voice
commands to click the mouse or mark and drag the object.
Clicking the mouse
You can click, double-click, left-click, and right-click the mouse button
by voice.
To click the mouse:
1Position the mouse pointer over the object you want to select (for
example, say “MouseGrid 9 1” or “Mouse 2”).
2Say “Mouse Click,” “Mouse Double Click,” “Mouse Left Click,” or “Mouse
Right Click.”
When an object is selected, you can mark and drag the object (as
described in the next section).
Marking and dragging objects
You can mark an object and drag it to a different location by voice. To
practice with these commands, drag icons on the Windows® desktop or
drag the paintbrush in Microsoft® Paint.
To mark and drag an object:
1Position the mouse over the icon or object you want to drag and then say
“Mark” (for example, say “MouseGrid 9 1 Mark”).
2Move the mouse pointer to where you want to drag the object and then
say “Drag” (for example, say “MouseGrid 6 3 Drag”).
Instead of “Drag,” you can also say “Control Drag” and “Shift Drag” to drag
while holding down the CTRL or SHIFT key.
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Moving the pointer with the mouse motion
commands
In addition to the mouse movement methods described above, you can
also move the mouse by using the mouse motion commands. Say, for
example, “Move Mouse Right.” The mouse pointer will begin moving to
the right and will keep moving until you say “Stop.”
The mouse motion commands
Here is a summary of the available mouse motion commands.
Here are a few examples of these commands. Each of these commands
starts the mouse moving:
■“Move Mouse Down”
■“Move Mouse Upper Right”
Turn on the mouse motion commands
To use the mouse motion commands, you must first enable them in
the Options dialog box. From the Tools menu on the DragonBar,
choose Options. The Options dialog box opens. On the Startup/
Shutdown tab of the Options dialog box, select “Enable mouse
motion commands” and click OK. (To do this by voice, use the
MouseGrid™ to click on the DragonBar to make it active. Then say
“Click Tools,” “Options,” “Startup Shutdown,” “Enable Mouse Motion
Commands,” “OK”).
Click the Speed button, which is next to the “Enable mouse motion
commands” check box, to choose how fast the mouse pointer moves
when you use a mouse motion command.
SAY THEN A
DIRECTION
THEN A SPEED
(OPTIONAL)
Move Mouse
Mouse Move
Drag Mouse
Mouse Drag
Up
Down
Right
Left
Upper Left
Lower Left
Upper Right
Lower Right
Fast
Faster
Much Faster
Very Fast
Slow
Slower
Much Slower
Very Slow
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■“Move Mouse Left Faster”
■“Drag Mouse Right”
■“Mouse Drag Down Slow”
■“Right Mouse Drag Up” (drags up using the right mouse button)
■“Shift Mouse Drag Left” (drags while holding down the SHIFT key)
While the mouse is moving, you can say any of the commands above.
You can also say:
■“Stop” or “Cancel” to stop the mouse from moving
■“Up,” “Down,” “Left,” “Right,” “Upper Left,” “Lower Left,” “Upper
Right,” or “Lower Right” to change the direction in which the mouse
is moving
■“Faster,” “Much Faster,” Slower,” or “Much Slower” to change the
speed at which the mouse is moving
■“Click,” “Double Click, “Right Click,” or “Left Click” to click the mouse
buttons
■“Go to Sleep,” “Stop Listening,” or “Microphone Off” to turn the
microphone off
To specify which mouse button (left, right, or center) is being held down
during mouse drags or if you want the SHIFT, CTRL, or ALT key held
down during the mouse drag, use one of these commands before saying
one of the drag commands in the table above:
■Left
■Middle (requires a three-button mouse)
■Right
■Shift
■Control
■Alt
■Right Shift
■Right Control
■Right Alt
For example, to drag with the SHIFT key held down, you could say “Shift
Mouse Drag Up.” To drag with the right ALT key held down (the ALT key
on the right side of the keyboard), you could say “Right Alt Drag Mouse
Upper Left.”
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Hands-free tips
Here are some more tips on how to best work by voice if you have
limited use of your hands.
■For some people, clicking the mouse button by hand is very
uncomfortable, but moving the mouse by hand is easier. In this case,
move the mouse by hand but click the mouse using the voice
commands “Mouse Click,” “Mouse Right Click,” and “Mouse Double
Click.”
■When using MouseGrid™, you can still say mouse motion
commands. This makes it convenient to position the mouse using
the grid, then start a drag operation from there.
■The command “Start” starts programs and documents on any level
of the Windows® Start menu.
■If you have no or minimal hand use, set Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
so that the microphone is on (sleeping) when the program starts. For
instructions on how to do this, see the Startup/Shutdown tab of the
Options dialog box, described on page 200.
■To move around the Start menu, the Windows® desktop, and many
other parts of the computer, use the “Move” commands. You can say
“Move Up 4,” for example, which acts like pressing the up arrow key
four times. You can say “Move Up,” “Move Down,” “Move Right,” and
“Move Left,” plus a number between 1 and 20. You must say a
number to make this command work.
■In the Windows® Start menu, the “Move” commands are the easiest
way to activate Shut Down, Logoff, Help, Run, Find, and Settings.
For example, to use Find, say “Click Start,” “Move Up 5,” then “Press
Enter Key” (if, on your computer, Find is the fifth item from the
bottom of the Start Menu).
■Create custom commands to automate tasks that you do repeatedly.
See “Automate Your Work” on page 123. (Available in Preferred
edition only.)
■Set up Dragon NaturallySpeaking® to start automatically when
Windows® starts.
You can also use Natural Language Commands to shut down your computer,
including “Shut Down Windows,” “Restart Windows,” “Reboot The Computer,” “Log Off
Windows,” and more.
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10
Automate Your Work
ne of the most effective features of Dragon NaturallySpeaking® is
its ability to automate your work. Instead of typing the 50 characters
of your street address, for example, you can say “street address.” To start a
new e-mail message addressed to Jackie, just say “New message for
Jackie.” In the Preferred edition, you can create custom Text and
Graphics commands to type text and insert graphics in any application.
This chapter shows you how to view, search, create, delete, and rename
Text and Graphics commands. For more information, see the Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® online Help.
Text and Graphics commands
Text and Graphics commands enter text and graphics of your choosing.
They are useful for such tasks as entering addresses, typing boilerplate
passages, entering a signature graphic or company logo, and many other
routine tasks.
I In addition to the Text and Graphics commands described in this chapter, there is
another way to create a command that types up to 128 characters of text. You can use
the Vocabulary EditorTM to create a new word that has a written form that is different
from its spoken form; for instructions, see ”View or edit your vocabulary” on page 163.
This technique is especially useful for phone numbers, URLs, and short phrases.
Viewing or editing commands
To view the commands available in your user file, use the Command
Browser. These are Text and Graphics commands you create as well as
the commands included with Dragon NaturallySpeaking®.
O
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To view or edit Text and Graphics commands:
1Click Command Browser on the Tools menu of the DragonBar or say
“Command Browser.” The Command Browser window opens.
2Click the Custom tab to see custom commands.
3To move to the next page of commands, click the Next link at the
bottom right of the Command Browser or say “Next.” To move to the
previous page of commands, click the Previous link or say “Previous.”
4To view or edit a command’s text or script, click on the command or say
its name. The MyCommands Editor dialog box opens. Change the text
in the Content field to edit the command. For detailed information on
creating commands and the controls in this dialog box, see “Creating
new commands (Preferred edition only)” beginning on page 125.
You can only edit Text and Graphics commands. Other types of commands can
be viewed but not modified.
Searching commands
To search for commands:
1Open the Command Browser, if it’s not already open. To do this, click
Command Browser on the Tools menu of the DragonBar or say
“Command Browser.”
Click the Custom tab.
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2Enter one or more words to search for in the Keyword field in the
Command Browser.
3Use the Application list if you want to search for commands specific to a
certain application. Choose the application you want from this list. If you
want to search for commands that work in all applications, choose Global
from this list.
4With the Group list, you can limit your search to user-defined commands
(choose “User-defined”) or to commands built into Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® (choose “Dragon”). To search among all commands,
choose “All Groups” from the Group list.
5Click the Search button. The Command Browser displays the results of
your search.
Leave the Keyword box empty to search for all commands in the group and
application you specify. For example, to view all commands that work in WordPad, leave
the Keyword box empty, choose “All Groups” from the Group list, choose “WORDPAD”
from the Application list, and click Search.
Creating new commands
(Preferred edition only)
To create a new command:
1Open the Command Browser, if it’s not already open. To do this, click
Command Browser from the Tools menu of the DragonBar or say
“Command Browser.” You can also select Add New Command from the
Tools menu on the DragonBar to directly access the MyCommands
Editor.
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2Click New in the Command Browser window or say “New.” The
MyCommands Editor opens.
3Type a name for your new command in the MyCommand name box.
This is what you will say to execute the command.
4Optionally, you can type a description for this command in the
Description field.
5To keep your new command with other user-defined commands, leave
the Group list set to User-defined, as shown.
6Next, decide whether your new command should work in all
applications (Global) or in one specific application (Application-specific).
If, for example, your command types your address, you will want it to be
available globally, so that the command can be used in all applications. If
your command is global, select the Global option in the MyCommands
Editor and skip to step 10.
7If you want the commands to be available only in the application you
specify, select the Application-specific option. When you select this
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option, the Application list appears. If the application is currently open,
you can select it from the list. Otherwise, use the Browse button to
locate the application on your computer.
If your new command is application-specific and will work only in a
particular window within that application, click Window-specific in the
MyCommands Editor. Window-specific commands will be available in
the window you specify. When you select this option, the Window list
appears. If the window you want is not in the list, you must close the
MyCommands Text and Graphics dialog box, open the window you
want, and reopen the MyCommands Text and Graphics dialog box to see
the window listed.
8Create the content for your command—what you want the command to
do. Enter the text you want your command to type in the Content box in
the MyCommands Editor dialog box. The example shown creates a
command called “business address” that types a street address. See Text
and Graphics commands on page 128.
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Creating Text and Graphics commands
1Enter the text you want your command to type in the Content box in the
MyCommands Editor dialog box. The example shown creates a
command called “business address” that types a street address.
You can paste text and graphics from other applications into the Content box.
Copy the text or graphics to the clipboard from another application (such as your word
processor), switch to Dragon NaturallySpeaking®, be sure that the insertion point is in the
Content box, and click the Paste button (or say “Paste That”).
2You can change the formatting of the text in the Content box with the
formatting buttons below the Content box.
3Click Save to save your new command.
4Switch to the application you want and test your new command by
saying its name. For example, switch to Microsoft® Word and say
“business address.” Your address should appear in your Word document.
Be sure to pause before and after saying the command.
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When testing your new command, be sure that you are in the proper
application. For example, if you are in Microsoft® Paint and you say “business address,”
the command will not work, since Paint does not accept keystrokes. Also, application-
specific commands will work only in the specific application for which they were defined.
New commands are saved only when you save your user files. If you are creating
several new commands, save your user files periodically. To do this, from the
NaturallySpeaking menu on the DragonBar, click Save User Files or say “Save User.”
Deleting custom commands
(Preferred edition only)
The Custom tab of the Command Browser allows you to delete
commands that you have created.
Certain Custom commands are part of a command template and cannot
be removed individually. If you try to delete one of these commands,
you will see a warning message and will be unable to delete that
command.
If you want to remove a single command that is part of a command
template, you must click Advanced Search and select the template
option. Then you can edit the content of the variables used in that
template.
1Open the Command Browser, if it’s not already open. To do this, click
Command Browser from the Tools menu of the DragonBar or say
“Command Browser.”
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2Select the check box to the left of each command you want to delete.
3Click the Delete link or say “Delete.”
4Dragon NaturallySpeaking® asks you to confirm the deletion. Click Yes
to confirm.
If you delete Dragon commands, you will not be able to restore them; they will
be deleted permanently. Be sure to only delete commands if you are certain that you will
never want to use them.
Renaming Text and Graphics
commands
To rename a Text and Graphics command:
1Open the Command Browser, if it’s not already open. To do this, choose
Command Browser on the Tools menu of the DragonBar or say
“Command Browser.”
2Click the custom command you want or say its name. The
MyCommands Editor dialog box opens.
Select the check
boxes of the
commands to delete.
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3Change the name of the command in the MyCommand Name box.
4Click Save to close the MyCommands Editor.
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11
Workflow
s you use Dragon NaturallySpeaking®, you will develop your own
approach to working with the software. Do you dictate first and
correct later, or do you correct as you go? Do you use a headset
microphone or a handheld recorder?
Paying attention to workflow, or how you organize your tasks, is
important to maximizing your efficiency with Dragon
NaturallySpeaking®. This chapter suggests different ways to manage
workflow and increase productivity according to your particular needs
and desired ways of working.
While much of the material in this chapter describes features and
procedures available only in the Preferred edition, there are many
helpful tips about workflow and correction that can be used in all
editions.
Dictate first, correct later
(Preferred edition only)
It’s a natural tendency to watch the screen as you dictate and correct the
computer’s errors as they occur. This is, however, an inefficient way to
work. Writing takes concentration and fixing errors as you go can throw
you off track.
The best way to work is to dictate anywhere from a few sentences to
several paragraphs at once. Then, while your dictation is still fresh in
your mind, go back and correct any errors the program has made.
When dictating, you’ll achieve higher accuracy and be less distracted if
you don’t watch the computer. Try dictating with your eyes closed or
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look at the ceiling, to the side, or down. Watching the computer
constantly as you speak can make your speech rhythms less natural and
may increase the likelihood of errors.
Listening to your recorded voice (Preferred
edition only)
The primary obstacle to dictating first and correcting later is forgetting
what you originally said. It’s frustrating to discover one of the software’s
mistakes but not remember the words you used.
The easiest way to remind yourself of what you said is to listen to your
recorded voice. In most applications, Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
records what you say as you speak. In some applications, you can play
back only the most recent phrase you said.
Playback is available only in Dragon NaturallySpeaking® Preferred. It works
in Microsoft Word®, Corel® WordPerfect®, the DragonPad and any other application that
accepts formatting, such as WordPad. Please note that in Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
Preferred you cannot save a recording of your dictation along with the document—you
must listen to your speech in the same computer session in which it was transcribed.
Here are two ways to play back your recorded speech.
■Select the text for which you want to hear your original dictation and
say “Play That Back.”
■Select the text for which you want to hear your original dictation and
click on the blue triangle on the Extras toolbar on the DragonBar.
Now that you’ve heard what you originally said, correct the error. Just
type or say the words you want.
Other playback commands are:
■“Play Back Line”
■“Play Back Paragraph”
■“Play Back Document”
■“Play Back Window” (plays just the text in view)
■“Play Back To Here” (from the top of the window to the insertion
point)
■“Play Back From Here” (from the insertion point to the bottom of the
window)
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The “Play Back Faster” command only works if you have a full-duplex sound
card. However, the Fast Playback button on the Extras toolbar works with all sound
cards.
While your dictation is being played back, you can press the left arrow
key to back up, the right arrow key to go faster, and the down arrow key
When you save a document in Microsoft® Word, Corel® WordPerfect®, or
the DragonPad, you’ll be asked if you want to save the audio recording
of your speech. If you click Yes, Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will create a
file with the same name as your text document, but with the extension
“.dra.” This .dra file contains the audio. These audio files are quite
large. To conserve hard disk space, be sure to delete them when they are
no longer needed.
Because of memory constraints, Dragon NaturallySpeaking® can play back
only your last 100 utterances (defined by the pauses in your speech). To increase the
amount of transcribed text you can play back, try speaking in longer phrases without
pausing for a breath or increase the “Pause between phrases” setting. (From the Tools
menu on the DragonBar, choose Options and click the Miscellaneous tab.)
If playback is unavailable
When Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will not play back your recorded
voice, you still need to figure out what you said so that you can correct
your text.
Try pronouncing the misrecognized words aloud. The sound may
remind you of what the words were supposed to be. For example:
■The program types: “…make sure speech patterns…”
■Say it aloud to remember what you said: “…makes your speech
patterns…”
For complex or difficult dictation that would be hard to reconstruct, have
a handheld recorder running on your desk as you speak. This serves as a
backup recording of what you said. It’s time-consuming to go back and
listen to the whole recording, but it’s reassuring to know it’s there if
needed.
The most efficient and least frustrating solution for correcting your text
is to have fewer mistakes to begin with. If your accuracy is around 95
percent or better, most of the mistakes made by Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® will be easy to correct without audio playback.
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You’ll know what you said from the context of the surrounding words.
For example:
■The program types: “Summer time the computer makes a mistake.”
■It’s easy to figure out what it should have typed: “Sometimes the
computer makes a mistake.”
To reduce errors, pronounce each word clearly, but don’t pause between
individual words. Speak naturally in phrases or sentences, but be sure to
enunciate each word. The small amount of time taken to speak clearly
will be paid back many times in less editing time and less frustration.
Review the tips in “Improving Accuracy” on page 151 and implement as
many as you can.
Ways to correct your dictation
Here are three suggested workflows to correct your dictation. The first
two use only the keyboard. The third method lets you work hands-free,
without the keyboard. Use whichever methods you prefer. After some
practice, you may want to combine these methods so you can work partly
by keyboard and partly by voice.
Correcting by typing
This correction method lets you work through the document smoothly,
keeping your hands on the keyboard. To begin, move to the beginning
of your dictation (you can jump to the start of your document with the
keyboard shortcut CTRL+HOME).
Press the Correction hot key to display the Correction menu. The
Correction hot key is the (-) key on the numeric keypad, unless you’ve
changed it to another key using the Options settings. The computer will
select your last utterance.
If the selected text is correct, press the right arrow key to move to the
next passage. Continue proofreading and pressing the right arrow key
until you find a mistake.
If one of the choices on the Correction menu matches what you said:
1Press the down arrow key to move to the correct choice.
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2Press the right arrow key to accept that choice and move on.
If what you said is not listed on the Correction menu:
1Type the correct text.
2Press the Correction hot key to continue proofreading.
When typing the correct text, sometimes you’ll want to change just a
word or two of what the computer highlighted and you won’t want to
retype the whole phrase. You can either use the mouse to move to the
words you want to correct or press the ESC key and then the arrow keys
to move to the words you want to correct. In either case, after you’ve
finished typing the correct words, press the Correction hot key to
continue proofreading.
For maximum efficiency when working by keyboard, use the keyboard editing
shortcuts shown on page 49.
As you proofread, the program will select a group of words. Sometimes it
may select an utterance that is a bit different from the group of words
that you want to correct. If this happens, use the mouse to select the
group of words you want, then press the Correction hot key.
Correcting with audio playback (Preferred
edition only)
Like the “correcting by typing” method above, this correction method
lets you work through the document from top to bottom, keeping your
hands on the keyboard. In this method, you’ll also hear the sound of your
recorded voice to help you proofread. This feature is available only while
you are working in the current dictation session.
Make sure to select text before typing over an error and do not use the
Backspace key.
To begin, click the Extras button on the DragonBar to show the
Extras toolbar and move to the beginning of your dictation. You can
permanently display the Extras toolbar by selecting Show Extras in the
Options dialog box. (Available in Preferred edition only.) See “View
options” on page 201 for more information.
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Click the Start Playback button . Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will
begin playing back your recorded voice. Listen to and proofread your
text until you find a recognition error.
When you find a misrecognition, press the Correction hot key to display
the Correction menu. The Correction hot key is the (-) key on the
numeric keypad, unless you’ve changed it to another key using the
Options settings. The Correction menu will appear.
If one of the choices on the Correction menu matches what you said:
1Press the down arrow key to move to the correct choice.
2Press the Enter key to accept that choice and move on. Click the Start
Playback button to restart the audio playback and continue your
corrections.
In DragonPad, Audio playback will restart automatically after you press the
Enter key.
If what you said is not listed on the Correction menu:
1Type the correct text.
2Click the Start Playback button to restart the audio playback and
continue proofreading.
When typing the correct text, sometimes you’ll want to change just a
word or two of what is highlighted and you won’t want to retype the
whole phrase. You can use the mouse to select the words that you want
to correct and then press the Correction hot key. Or, you can use the
mouse to move to the words you want to correct (or press the ESC key
and then the arrow keys to do this by keyboard), enter the correct words,
and press the Correction hot key to continue proofreading. You can also
use voice to control the right arrow and down arrow keys.
For maximum efficiency when working by keyboard, use the keyboard editing
shortcuts shown on page 49.
Correcting by voice
This correction method lets you work by voice, hands-free. You can,
however, still use keyboard and mouse commands along with these voice
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commands if you wish. For more information, see “Hands-Free
Computing” on page 133.
Start by moving to the beginning of your dictation. (Say “Go To Beginning
of Document” to go to the start of your document.)
Read through your document until you find a misrecognition. Say
“Select” plus the words you want to change. (For example, if you said
“more” and the computer typed “word,” say “Select more.” Say it as one
continuous phrase, without pausing.) The Correction menu will appear.
If what you said is among the options listed on the Correction menu:
■Choose the correct alternative by saying “Choose” plus the number
of that option. For example, if choice 3 is correct, say “Choose 3.”
If none of the options on the Correction menu is what you said, you can
spell the correct words:
■Say “Spell That.” The Spell dialog box will open.
■Spell the text in the Spell dialog box to match what you said, then
say “OK.” (For instructions on using the Spell dialog box, see
“Spelling as you dictate” on page 50.)
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will correct your document to reflect the
changes you made. Continue reading through your document until you
find the next recognition mistake and repeat this process.
If you want to skip the Correction menu and open the Spell dialog box
immediately, from the Tools menu click Options, Correction, and select “Correct”
commands bring up Spell dialog. When you say Correct <word>, the Spell dialog box
will open. Also see “Customizing Dragon NaturallySpeaking” on page 197.
If you need to spell a word that’s short, you don’t need to use the Spell dialog
box. Just say “Spell That” plus the letters of the word. For example, to spell “mice,” say
“Spell That m-i-c-e.” Say the letters without pausing between them.
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Proofreading with a recorder
Recording your dictation on a handheld recorder provides a highly
reliable way to proofread your dictation. If Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
will not play back segments of audio that you dictated, a recording may
be the only way to remind yourself of what you originally said.
Proofreading with a recorder, as described here, is not the same thing as
transcribing your dictation from a recorder.
Listening to your recorded speech is reliable but slow. Some recorders
have a “fast playback” feature, which saves time in proofreading. If you
plan on frequently using a recorder for proofreading, choose one that has
a foot pedal, which lets you keep your hands on the keyboard while
starting and stopping the recording.
Don’t change your normal way of speaking
Has this happened to you?
■You select a mistake, then dictate the correct word. The program
gets it wrong. You say “Scratch That” to delete the mistake. You
dictate the correct word again.
■The program still gets it wrong. You say “Scratch That” to delete
the mistake, frustrated at the software’s stupidity.
■You say the word again, this time more loudly and with more
frustration. This time Dragon NaturallySpeaking® gets it right.
In this example, you’re changing your speaking style to make the
software type the word you want. By repeating the same word in
different ways, you’re not training the software—it’s training you!
Worse, it’s training you to be frustrated and frazzled and to speak in
an unusual way.
Break this pattern—correct the program’s mistakes. Use the
Correction menu or edit the words in your document by selecting,
then correcting, with the keyboard, mouse, or by voice, as described
in chapter 4, “Correcting and Editing.” This teaches Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® to recognize how you speak. You should not
have to change how you speak to get good results.
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When proofreading with the help of a recorder, stop the recording while
correcting a mistake and then move on. The amount of time required to
proofread your document depends, of course, on the number of errors as
well as your typing speed. The key to efficiency here is to keep your
hands on the keyboard and use keystrokes, not the mouse, to correct
(see “Ways to correct your dictation” on page 136).
Text-to-speech (Preferred edition only)
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® can read any text to you in a synthesized
voice, which some people find helpful for proofreading. This feature,
available in Microsoft® Word, Corel® WordPerfect®, the DragonPad, and
some other applications, is called text-to-speech.
To use text-to-speech, select the text you want Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® to read. Then do one of the following:
■Say “Read That.”
■From the Sound menu on the DragonBar, click Read That.
You can also have parts of the text read to you by saying any of the
following commands:
■“Read Line”
■“Read Paragraph”
■“Read Document”
■“Read Window” (only the words in view)
■“Read To Here” (read from the top of the window to the insertion
point)
■“Read From Here” (read from the insertion point to the bottom of the
window)
To stop Dragon NaturallySpeaking® as it reads, press the ESC key or
click the Stop Playback button on the Extras toolbar on the
DragonBar. You cannot stop playback of text-to-speech by voice. To
change the sound of the synthesized voice, use the options on the Text-
to-speech tab of the Options dialog box (see page 205).
On most computers, you cannot give Dragon NaturallySpeaking® voice
commands while the program is reading to you or playing sound back. This is because
most sound cards cannot listen to you at the same time that they are playing sound.
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12
Speaking and Dictating
alking to a computer is not like talking to a person. The software
doesn’t care about your grammar or word choice or even if you stop
speaking for minutes at a time. To speak effectively with Dragon
NaturallySpeaking®, you’ll need to unlearn old habits and gain new
skills.
Speak clearly
In conversation, people tend to mumble and slur words together,
knowing others will likely understand what they say. If you say “J’eet?”
your friend will understand it as “Did you eat?” Computers running
speech-recognition software, however, are much less adaptable than
people. To achieve the most accurate results from Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® you must speak clearly and distinctly. Pretend
you’re a newscaster reading the news or imagine that you're giving a
presentation to a small group of people.
Pronounce each word
When we listen to someone speak, our ears receive a stream of sound.
Our brains automatically separate this sound into words. We are able to
reconstruct words that are only partially heard or that are omitted.
Be aware of speaking clearly
Read a sentence from this book aloud. Make a point of slurring your
words and mumbling. Then read the sentence again, clearly. Can
you tell what you're doing differently in these two readings? Being
aware of when you’re mumbling and when you’re speaking clearly
can help you remember to speak clearly, which will improve your
recognition accuracy.
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Because our brains reconstruct missing sounds so easily (especially small,
common words like “a,” “the,” and “of”), in everyday speech we tend
not to pronounce every sound and word.
A computer transcribing speech tries to reconstruct missing sounds, too,
taking its best guess at what you actually said. It often, however, guesses
incorrectly. For accurate transcription, it’s important to make sure every
word you say to the computer is pronounced distinctly and has no
missing words. A sentence that is perfectly understandable to a person
might not be clear enough to a computer.
This change in speaking style might mean that you have to modify your
natural pace. It’s fine to dictate to Dragon NaturallySpeaking® as rapidly
as you like, as long as you are speaking clearly and pronouncing each
word distinctly.
Pause if you like
Your friends might think it odd if during an animated conversation you
halt mid-sentence to gather your thoughts. When speaking to the
computer, though, you can pause as long as you like—to think, take a
break, or arrange your notes. Dragon NaturallySpeaking® won’t get
bored waiting for you.
Give it context
Your accuracy will increase if you speak in complete sentences because
the software has more context to use in deciphering your sounds.
Speaking one word at a time usually decreases accuracy. So concentrate,
think of the right words, and speak them as a continuous stream.
Leave out the fillers
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® may mistake “uh” and “um” for “a,” “of,”
and similar-sounding words. The software may filter out some of these
nonspeech sounds, but it is still advisable to try and dictate without
them. To learn to stop saying “um,” practice being silent instead of
saying something to fill the space.
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Speak with inflection
When talking to the computer, people tend to imitate the robotic voices
of computers in old science fiction movies. But using a flat monotone
voice will reduce your accuracy as well as put you to sleep. Speak with
your natural tone and volume of voice, as if speaking to a friend.
Breathe fully
Breathing fully and sitting up straight will help you speak clearly. If you
slouch while dictating, your lungs will be compressed and your voice
constrained, making it harder for the computer to understand your
words.
For tips on maintaining good vocal health, see page 176.
Close your eyes
Dictating while looking at the screen tends to be distracting—it makes
your speech more hesitant and less natural. Try dictating with your eyes
closed. Many people get significantly better results this way. Or, if you
prefer to keep your eyes open, try looking out of a window or at photos
of friends.
Be alert
When it’s 4:00 a.m. and you're still dictating the proposal that’s due
tomorrow, your recognition results will suffer as much as you’re
suffering. Tired people tend to mumble and speak without energy. You’ll
get your best results when you're most alert.
Relax
Stress and tension may change voice quality and degrade recognition
accuracy. When you're new to speech-recognition software, you might be
a bit anxious as you speak, anticipating that the program will make
mistakes. The program does, of course, and frustration may kick in as
you see the mistakes proliferate. Frustration makes you more tense,
changing your voice, which generates more mistakes, more frustration,
and still more mistakes.
Errors are inherent in computer transcription (as in human transcription).
The software takes its best guess at what you say and it sometimes
guesses incorrectly. Correcting mistakes is part of the normal process of
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using speech recognition. When you learned to type, correcting errors
became second nature. With the right attitude, correcting speech-
recognition errors can become just as routine.
It helps to have a sense of humor about the errors, since the program is
great at generating real howlers of mistakes. Speech-recognition software
tries to fit what you say into something that makes grammatical sense, if
not literal sense, so its weird guesses often fit right into your sentence.
You sa y “fresh squeezed lemonade” and the computer types out “fresh
grease lemon aid.” Don’t try that beverage at home.
Working at the computer is not especially good for your body. Humans
were not made to sit in place for hours at a time, arms forward, fingers
twitching rapidly. The repetitive motions of typing can cause discomfort
and, in some cases, serious injury. (For tips on healthy computing, see
“Healthy Computing” on page 175.) It doesn’t help that the intensity of
computer work can lead people to neglect their bodies, posture, and
physical positioning for hours at a time. Many computer users make an
association, conscious or unconscious, between using the computer and
being tense.
Composing
Like any other skill, dictating with Dragon NaturallySpeaking® takes
practice to do well. Writing by voice engages a different thought process
than typing or writing longhand. With practice, though, dictation can
come naturally—as much or even more so than the learned skill of
typing.
Start by reading
Many people learned to type by copying printed passages. A good way to
learn to dictate is to begin the same way—by copying. By dictating
something already on paper, you can practice learning how to use the
speech-recognition software without having to worry about composing
sentences at the same time.
Choose a letter, memo, or e-mail message typical of the type of writing
you do. Then read it into the computer. Say “comma” and “period” as
needed, and for a new paragraph say “New Paragraph.” Look away from
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the computer, focusing on the page. As you read, pretend the computer
isn’t even there.
Reading aloud will help you get used to talking to the computer. After a
bit of practice, add in a few sentences of your own thoughts. By starting
to compose your thoughts aloud interspersed with reading, you’ll be able
to overcome any inhibitions you might have.
Easy and chatty
When learning to compose by voice, start with what’s easy. Try dictating
a few sentences about today’s weather, make a list of things to do, or
compose a chatty letter to a friend. Also, some people find that not
looking at the screen while dictating helps avoid distraction.
Complex writing
Save more difficult documents for later, after you’re comfortable
composing simpler texts by voice. To successfully dictate complex
topics, you’ll need the skills of both speaking properly to the computer
and composing intricate prose by dictation. It’s best to practice these
skills one at a time.
Only after you’re skilled at more casual, “chatty” compositions should
you dictate documents that:
■have difficult or complex subject matter
■follow a detailed outline
■use complex sentence structure
■are aimed at a demanding audience, such as professional colleagues
■will be widely circulated
Fear of dictating
If you feel inhibited or self-critical when talking to the computer,
remember that the computer doesn’t care what you say or how you
say it. It’s easiest to start writing by voice when no one is around, and
you should ensure this privacy when learning. Practice will make
you less self-conscious. If Dragon NaturallySpeaking® makes
mistakes while you’re practicing, just laugh at them and fix them
later.
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Dictation tips
■Speak in complete sentences or complete phrases. Think of what
you’re going to say before you say it. Composing a sentence in your
head before saying it will help you maintain your train of thought.
■For complex writing, outlining is key. For a detailed letter, write or
dictate a few words summarizing the main point and subpoints of
each paragraph. When you’re dictating, look at the outline. You’ll be
able to expand the outline to complete sentences as you speak.
■When you’re writing a first draft, capture your ideas as quickly as
you can get them on the screen. Don’t try to edit as you go—you can
come back and edit later. Tell yourself to keep talking.
■If you need extra motivation to get over dictation hesitancy, think of
all you have to gain from writing aloud. Imagine doubling your
output. Imagine filling the screen with text without having to type.
Relax your hands, arms, and shoulders, and think about how nice it
is not to have to bang away at the keyboard.
■As in any writing, keep your audience in mind. To help the dictation
flow, think about the particular person for whom you are writing.
■When composing aloud, your writing style may change. Some
people find that their spoken style is less polished and more
conversational. It may be easy and rapid for you to dictate first
drafts, then go back and revise later. You might be pleased with your
new spoken style, teach yourself how to compose aloud in your
“old” style, or use a combination of dictating and revising to get the
results you want. Use whatever methods work best for you.
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■Using speech recognition can be a good way to get over writer’s
block. Imagine you’re telling a friend what’s next, then tell the
computer.
Summary: learning to dictate
1Read to the computer to get used to talking to it. Review the tips on how
to speak to Dragon NaturallySpeaking® to get the best possible accuracy
while reading.
2Compose simple sentences about the weather, then move on to dictating
notes to friends.
3Outline a letter or memo several paragraphs long. Dictate the letter from
start to finish based on the outline.
Henry James also dictated
Author Henry James wrote his novels longhand—until 1896. Pain in
his right wrist, probably from writer’s cramp, led him to hire a
stenographer so that he could write aloud. The switch to dictation
changed his style. Wrote a biographer, “the spoken voice was to be
heard henceforth in James’s prose, not only in the rhythm and
ultimate perfection of his verbal music, but in his use of
colloquialisms, and in a greater indulgence in metaphor.” Friends
claimed they could pinpoint the exact chapter in What Maisie Knew
when handwriting ended and dictation began (from Henry James: A
Life, by Leon Edel).
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13
Improving Accuracy
hen Dragon NaturallySpeaking® recognizes your speech, it takes
its best guess at what you say and it will make some mistakes. But
you can take concrete steps toward improving your accuracy, which is
one of the most important factors in using the program productively.
A 90 percent accuracy rate means about 25 mistakes per page, while a 95
percent accuracy rate is around 13 mistakes per page. The 5 percent
difference in accuracy means just half the time spent correcting. Thus,
even a small improvement in accuracy can make Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® a more productive and useful tool.
For an easy and fast way to improve accuracy, see “One minute to fewer errors”
on page 155.
What level of accuracy you can expect depends on many variables,
including the speed of your computer, your sound hardware, the type of
text you dictate, and how clearly you speak. After you complete initial
training in Dragon NaturallySpeaking®, the program should type at least
80 percent of your dictation accurately. As you use the program over
several weeks and correct mistakes in your documents, the software will
learn more about how you speak and its accuracy will improve. Most
people can achieve an accuracy rate of between 90 and 98 percent.
To check your accuracy, read some written text to Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® for two or three minutes. Count the number of
mistakes Dragon NaturallySpeaking® made and divide this by the total
number of words you said. If, for example, Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
made 16 mistakes in 200 words, your error rate is 8 percent (16 divided
by 200). Your accuracy rate is 92 percent (184 correct words divided by
200). The error rate plus the accuracy rate totals 100 percent.
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The Accuracy Center
From the Accuracy Center, you can access the tools that Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® provides to improve accuracy. To open the Accuracy
Center, click Accuracy Center on the Tools menu of the DragonBar. In
the Accuracy Center, either click or say the name of the link you want.
Each tool in the Accuracy Center is described below.
▲ The Accuracy Center. To use one of the tools listed, click or say the name of the link you
want.
The Accuracy Assistant
If you are not sure where to begin or how to use the Accuracy Center,
click the first link, “Which tool should I use?” The Accuracy Assistant
Low accuracy
If you’re getting less than 80 percent accuracy (more than two
mistakes per sentence, on average), you may need to change your
microphone or sound card or make other adjustments to your
computer. See the troubleshooting suggestions for “Very low
accuracy” on page 215.
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will display a series of questions that will help you find the best tool for
your needs.
▲ The first screen of the Accuracy Assistant. Click or say the link you want.
You can also access the Accuracy Assistant by clicking Improve my accuracy
on the Help menu of the DragonBar.
Check your audio settings
Click the link “Check your audio settings” in the Accuracy Center
window (see preceding page) when you want to run the Audio Setup
Wizard, which checks the volume level of your microphone and sound
card. See “Testing your sound system” on page 211 for information on
using the Audio Setup Wizard or just follow the on-screen instructions.
Changing microphones is one situation when you should use this tool.
Run the Acoustic Optimizer
As you dictate and correct your mistakes, Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
stores information about how you dictate that it can use to improve your
accuracy. To tell the software to make use of this information, in the
Accuracy Center window, click the “Run the Acoustic Optimizer” link.
The Acoustic Optimizer can take several hours to complete its work, so
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run it at the end of your workday or when you don’t need to use the
computer for other tasks.
▲ Click the Go button to start the Acoustic Optimizer.
How often you should run the Acoustic Optimizer depends on how
much you dictate. Run the Acoustic Optimizer about two weeks after
you begin using Dragon NaturallySpeaking® and then once each month
as you continue to use it.
Perform additional training
When you first started Dragon NaturallySpeaking®, you read to the
computer for about five minutes to teach it the sound of your voice.
Click the “Perform additional training” link in the Accuracy Center to
continue this process of training the computer. The first time you
perform additional training, you will need to read for about twenty
minutes. For the second and subsequent times that you perform
additional training, you can read for as little time as you like—even as
briefly as a minute or two.
If you encounter very low accuracy, perform the twenty or so minutes of
additional training as soon as possible after starting to use Dragon
NaturallySpeaking®. This will give the program maximum information
about the sound of your voice. Then, perform brief, one- or two-minute
sessions of additional training if your microphone changes, if your voice
sounds a bit different than usual, or if you are getting lower accuracy
than usual. See the box “One minute to fewer errors” on page 155.
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Launch the Command Browser
Click this link in the Accuracy Center to display the Command Browser,
the tool that lets you see all the commands available in your edition of
Dragon NaturallySpeaking®. In the Command Browser, you can train
commands and also create new commands customized to speed up your
work. (Available in Preferred edition only.) For more information on the
Command Browser, see page 96.
One minute to fewer errors
People’s speech can sound somewhat differently on different days
and at different times. A voice, for example, may sound more
gravelly in the morning than in the afternoon and more nasal in the
summer than in the winter. Dragon NaturallySpeaking®, however,
gives the best results if your voice consistently sounds the same. To
improve accuracy, retrain the program for a minute or two so it
recognizes how your voice sounds right then. This is the easiest and
fastest way to improve accuracy.
To retrain, from the Tools menu on the DragonBar, click Accuracy
Center. In the Accuracy Center, click “Perform additional training.”
Next, select a text to read from the list shown. Then click Record
and read the on-screen passages. This process is just like training
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® the first time. In this case, though, you
do not need to spend a long time reading. Just read for a minute or
two—about ten paragraphs. Click Finish and Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® will save your user files, newly adjusted to how
your voice sounds at this time. You should experience better
accuracy right away. Do this whenever Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
is making more errors than usual.
Note that to use this “one-minute training,” you must have
completed the full twenty-minute training once. Completing only
the five-minute initial training you did when you first created your
user file is not sufficient and the Finish button will be dimmed
(unavailable) until you complete the full training.
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Tools to improve your vocabulary
Each of the next group of commands in the Accuracy Center lets you
add words to your vocabulary. When Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
analyzes what you say, it uses a statistical model of what words tend to go
together and what words you use most often. The built-in model in
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® is designed for personal and general
business writing. The software works best “out-of-the-box” when you
dictate business letters, memos, and other documents of similar
language. If you dictate a laboratory report or a poem, Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® will tend to make relatively more errors.
For best accuracy, you need to show Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
samples of the types of documents you write and the words you use most
often. The tools in the “Improve your vocabulary” section of the
Accuracy Center let Dragon NaturallySpeaking® learn your writing style
and specific words that you use. Using these tools affects the software’s
estimates of how often words are used but does not change the acoustic
model of how your voice sounds.
Add a single word to your vocabulary
Sometimes there may be a name, abbreviation, part number, or other
word you use that Dragon NaturallySpeaking® does not know. To add
any word to the vocabulary, click “Add a single word to your vocabulary”
in the Accuracy Center. In the Add Individual Word dialog box that
appears, type the word you want to add and click Add.
To teach Dragon NaturallySpeaking® the pronunciation of the new word
you added, select the check box “I want to train the pronunciation of
this word” before clicking Add, as shown in the illustration above.
You can also access the Add Individual Word dialog box by clicking New from
the Words menu on the DragonBar.
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Add words from your documents to the
vocabulary
Use this tool to have Dragon NaturallySpeaking® analyze your
documents to better learn your writing style and the words you use most
often.
This procedure will add:
■Words that match backup dictionary words that have the same
capitalization, for example, Punxsutawney (uppercase) or jackstraws
(lowercase)
■Unexpected capitalizations of words found in the active or backup
dictionaries, for example, “I’ll see you at the Meeting today”
■Words with at least one uppercase letter that are not in the backup
dictionary, for example, eBusiness and Brooklynese, or a name, such
as Rusinow
The program expects to find capitals at the beginning of sentences, or in a
sequence of words that are all capitalized or have initial caps, such as a book title. It
does not expect to find capitals in the middle of words or sentences.
This procedure will not add words written entirely in lowercase that are
not in the backup dictionary.
Prepare documents
Begin by finding on your computer some documents typical of those you
normally dictate. If you tend to write memos, letters, and reports, find a
few representative samples of each. Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will use
these files as a guide to the type of writing it expects to hear. Aim for 50
to 100 pages of material, though less than that amount will also make a
difference. Note the file name and location of each document.
Documents can be saved in any of these file formats:
FILE FORMAT FILE EXTENSION
Text .txt
Rich text .rtf
HTML .htm, .html, .shtm, .shtml
Microsoft® Word 6 or later .doc
Corel® WordPerfect® 8 or later .wpd
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You must have Microsoft® Word installed to process Microsoft® Word
files and you must have Corel® WordPerfect® installed to process Corel®
WordPerfect® files.
To add words from your documents:
1Click the “Add words from your documents to the vocabulary” link in
the Accuracy Center. (To display the Accuracy Center, choose Accuracy
Center from the Tools menu on the DragonBar.) The Add Words from
Documents dialog box opens.
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2Click the Add Document button to add documents for processing. Or,
click the Add Folder button to add an entire folder of documents at one
time.
▲ To add an entire folder of documents for processing by Dragon NaturallySpeaking®, click
the Add Folder button to open this dialog box. Then select the folder you want and click OK.
3In a few moments, the names of the documents you selected will appear
in the Document List, as shown here.
Continue adding documents to the Document List by clicking either
Add Folder or Add Document.
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4When you have finished adding all the documents you want to process,
click Add Words. Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will process your
documents, using the information in them to help improve your
accuracy.
The “Preview new words” option displays the words from the selected
documents that were not in the active vocabulary. If this option is checked, the Preview
Words dialog box appears after you click Add Words. The Preview Words dialog box
displays all the new words found, with a check box to the left of each word. If you do not
want to add a particular word in the list to your vocabulary, click on the box to clear the
check mark. We recommend checking this box and previewing words to avoid adding
unwanted words.
Add contact names to the vocabulary
If you use Lotus® Notes® or Microsoft® Outlook® for your e-mail, this
tool will let you add the names of the people in your e-mail address book
to your vocabulary. It can also analyze e-mail that you’ve already sent,
improving accuracy by learning your writing style and the words you use
most often.
To add contact names:
1Click the “Add contact names to the vocabulary” link in the Accuracy
Center window. (To display the Accuracy Center, click Accuracy Center
on the Tools menu of the DragonBar.) The Add Contacts dialog box
opens.
How the Add Words from Documents tool improves
accuracy
This vocabulary tool uses your processed documents in several
ways. Analyzing your writing changes the program’s expectations
about how often you say different words and phrases. For example,
if you’re a teacher who often uses the word “grades,” Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® will be much less likely to type “graves” by
mistake. The software also finds and adds words from your
documents that it does not already have in its vocabulary.
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2Select the e-mail program you use from the choices provided. If you do
not use one of the e-mail programs listed, you cannot use this tool—click
Cancel to exit.
3The “Edit and/or train the generated list of contacts” option lets you
choose whether you want to edit and/or train the contact names Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® finds. Select this box if you want to see the names
before it adds them to your vocabulary.
The “Also scan my sent e-mail to better determine my speaking style”
option lets you analyze the e-mails that you’ve already sent for your
style. For best accuracy when writing e-mail, leave this option selected.
The “Rescan all sent e-mails” option lets you scan the contents of your
sent e-mail again so that mail sent since the last time you scanned e-mail
is included in your language model.
Scanning the contents of your sent e-mail can take several minutes if you have
a large amount of e-mail in your program’s sent mail box. As this process cannot be
interrupted once it starts, be sure that you have enough time available before you start.
4Click OK to begin processing. Depending on the number of contacts in
your e-mail program and the volume of e-mail you’ve sent, processing
can take several minutes.
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For additional information about using this tool, see the Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® online Help.
Add a list of words to your vocabulary
Occasionally, you may want to add many new words to the Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® vocabulary at the same time. For example, you may
have a list of names and address that you want the software to recognize.
This tool provides an easy way to add a list of words all at once.
Create a text (.txt) file and enter each word or phrase you want to add to
the vocabulary on a separate line. Make sure words are spelled correctly.
To add a list of words:
1Click “Add a list of words to your vocabulary” in the Accuracy Center.
(To display the Accuracy Center, click Accuracy Center on the Tools
menu of the DragonBar.) The Import Words From List dialog box
opens.
2Click Browse and select the document that contains the new words you
want to add. Documents must be in Text, Rich Text, Microsoft® Word,
Corel® WordPerfect®, or HTML format, as shown in the table on page
157.
3Click Open to open the document you’ve selected and return to the
Import Words From List dialog box.
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4Click Add. Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will add the words in the
document you selected.
5If you want Dragon NaturallySpeaking® to add words from more
documents, repeat steps 2 through 4.
6When you’ve finished selecting and processing the documents you want,
click Done.
View or edit your vocabulary
Occasionally, you may want to view or change the words in your
vocabulary. For example, you may want to remove words that you
accidentally added or that are misspelled. Use the Vocabulary EditorTM
to do this. You can open the Vocabulary EditorTM by clicking View or
Edit Your Vocabulary in the Accuracy Center, or by clicking View/Edit
on the Words menu of the DragonBar.
You can also use the Vocabulary EditorTM to add words that are spoken
one way but written a different way. This feature lets you add a word
that, for example, types your phone number whenever you say “phone
number line.”
You can create powerful custom commands to automatically type text and format
documents beyond the capabilities of the Vocabulary EditorTM. For details see “Automate
Your Work” on page 123.
You can also use the Vocabulary EditorTM to change the formatting
properties of a word, such as whether Dragon NaturallySpeaking® should
type a space before or after the word. You can do this by using the Word
Properties dialog box. See “Changing word properties” on page 166.
For information on using the Vocabulary EditorTM beyond what is
presented here, see the Dragon NaturallySpeaking® online Help.
TIP
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To delete a custom word from your vocabulary:
1In the Accuracy Center, click View or Edit Your Vocabulary. (You can also
click View/Edit on the Words menu on the DragonBar.) The Vocabulary
EditorTM opens.
2From the Display list at the bottom of the dialog box, select “Custom
words only.”
3The Vocabulary Editor™ displays all the words in your user vocabulary
that were not built into Dragon NaturallySpeaking®. Click the custom
word you want to delete and click Delete.
4Click Close to close the Vocabulary EditorTM.
In this case, the
custom word
“windoow” was
accidentally brought
in from a document
or misspelled during
correction. Click on
the word to select it,
then click Delete.
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To add a phrase that types your phone number:
1In the Accuracy Center, click View or Edit your vocabulary. (You can also
click View/Edit on the DragonBar Word menu.) The Vocabulary
EditorTM opens.
2In the Written Form box, type (or spell) your phone number.
3In the Spoken Form box, type (or spell) the words you want to say to
make Dragon NaturallySpeaking® type your phone number. In the
illustration below, the spoken form is “phone number line.”
When choosing a spoken form for your word, choose a phrase you would not say
in normal dictation. For example, if the spoken form is “phone number,” you might
dictate an e-mail asking “What is your phone number?” and find that your own phone
number has appeared in the middle of it. [“What is your (866) 555-8190?”] Choose a
spoken form that you would rarely say, except when you want your own phone number
typed out. Some possibilities to consider: “phone number line,” “phone shortcut,” “print
phone number.”
4Click Add to add your new word or phrase.
5Click Close to close the Vocabulary EditorTM.
6Test your new phrase by dictating a sentence that includes it. For
example, say “Please call me at phone number line.” Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® should type:
Please call me at (866) 555-8190
TIP
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Troubleshooting new words and phrases
If your new word or phrase does not work properly, open the Vocabulary
EditorTM and check for the most common mistakes:
■The spoken form and written form were reversed.
■You forgot to click Add after entering the spoken and written forms.
Changing word properties
In the Vocabulary EditorTM, you can change the formatting properties of
a word (such as whether Dragon NaturallySpeaking® should type a space
before or after the word, or whether the word should be capitalized when
used in a title).
To change the properties of a word:
1Open the Vocabulary EditorTM by choosing View/Edit from the Words
menu on the DragonBar. The Vocabulary EditorTM opens.
2Find the word whose properties you want to modify and click on it to
select it. (To move through the list of vocabulary words quickly, type the
first few characters of the word you want in the Written Form box.)
3Click the Properties button to open the Word Properties dialog box. The
Property column lists the different possible properties for a word,
namely, the spacing, capitalization, and other ways a word behaves when
it is recognized and printed in your document.
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.
▲ Click Help for more details about this dialog box.
4Click OK to close the Word Properties dialog box.
5Click Close to close the Vocabulary EditorTM.
For more information on word properties, see the Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® online Help.
Managing your vocabularies
Click the last link in the Accuracy Center, “How to manage and
personalize your vocabularies,” to open an online Help topic about
vocabularies. (To display the Accuracy Center, click Accuracy Center on
the Tools menu of the DragonBar.)
Training a word or command
Sometimes Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will misrecognize a word or
command more than once, even after you correct the program’s
misrecognition. When this happens, use the Training dialog box to easily
train the word or command.
The word whose
properties you are
editing.
Click on the word
property you want in
the Properties
column.
The Example column
lists example words
for each Property.
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To train a word or command:
1Click Train on the Words menu of the DragonBar to open the Training
dialog box.
2Type the word or command you want to train (capitalization does not
matter).
▲ In this example, the word to be trained is “Springdale.”
3Click Train to open the Train Words dialog box.
4Click Go.
5Say the word or command you are training.
6Click Done.
The ideal system for best
accuracy
The Accuracy Center provides many practical tools to increase the
accuracy of Dragon NaturallySpeaking®. This section discusses more
general issues that affect speech-recognition accuracy.
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The completely accurate speech-recognition system is an unattainable
ideal. You’d have to:
■always speak clearly and articulate each word,
■sound exactly the same at all times and on all days,
■have trained Dragon NaturallySpeaking® to recognize your voice
exactly as it is at any given moment,
■keep the microphone exactly the same distance from your mouth
and always in the same position,
■use an ultra-high-fidelity microphone that transmits sounds exactly
as you say them,
■use a sound card that faithfully converts the microphone signal to
digital form,
■speak only words Dragon NaturallySpeaking® has heard before,
■compose only sentences similar to ones Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
has heard before,
■have the fastest available processor in your computer,
■have at least 256 MB of RAM,
■have a hard disk with enough free space,
■work in a quiet room,
■have no radio interference or electrical noise from power lines.
Many of these conditions are impossible to achieve. No voice, for
example, always sounds the same and no microphone reproduces sounds
100 percent accurately. Other items are impractical or unlikely to be
available at the same time.
Some practical ways to improve
accuracy
Speak clearly
Speaking clearly and articulating each word is essential to getting a high
level of accuracy. The truism “garbage in, garbage out” applies here.
The clearer your speech, the better Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will
guess what you said. If you mumble and slur your words, you’ll get many
errors. (See “Speaking and Dictating” on page 143.)
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Retrain
People’s voices change on different days and even within the same day.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® matches your sounds to a computer model
of your voice. The more your voice sounds differently from the model,
the more mistakes the program will make. You can’t make your voice
sound the same all the time, but it can be helpful to make Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® adapt its acoustic model to the way your voice
sounds at any given time by performing additional training. See “One
minute to fewer errors,” on page 155.
Keep the microphone in the same position
Each time you use Dragon NaturallySpeaking®, keep the microphone
the same distance from your mouth. To review microphone placement,
see “Audio Setup” on page 16.
If Dragon NaturallySpeaking® adds unwanted short words to your
dictation (such as “a,” “in,” and “of”), the microphone may be picking
up your breathing. Move the microphone closer to the corner of your
mouth rather than in front of your mouth. If the microphone is already at
the corner of your mouth, move it about an inch farther away from your
face. Also, check that the microphone cord is not rustling against your
clothes.
Use a good microphone
All microphones distort the sound of your voice as it’s transmitted to the
computer, but some microphones work much better than others, and
some combinations of microphones and sound cards work better than
others. Some people get significantly better accuracy by switching to a
different microphone. For a list of microphones certified to work with
Dragon NaturallySpeaking®, see the Web site listed on page 259.
Headset microphones tend to be more accurate than handheld
microphones, which tend to move around more relative to your mouth.
This makes your voice sound less consistent to Dragon
NaturallySpeaking®.
You might also try switching to a USB microphone. A USB microphone
includes its own sound hardware, bypassing your computer’s sound card.
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Use a good sound card
Your system’s sound card is as important as your microphone in
conveying a clear sound signal to Dragon NaturallySpeaking®.
Upgrading to a high-quality microphone will show no accuracy
improvement if your sound card generates static or an insufficient signal
level.
You can test your sound system using the Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
Audio Setup Wizard. See “Testing your sound system” on page 211 for
instructions.
Context
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® guesses what words you said from their
context as well as from the sound of your voice. If the words you say are
similar to what you’ve said before, the program tends to guess what you
say more accurately. Use the vocabulary tools in the Accuracy Center
(see “Tools to improve your vocabulary” on page 156) to teach Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® your writing style and what words you tend to use
most often. This will significantly improve its accuracy.
Processor speed, memory, and hard disk space
Processor power boosts recognition performance, though it’s less
important than context and a clear speech signal. A faster processor in
your computer lets the software make more calculations in the same
amount of time, so it can better hone in on what words you actually said.
For optimal results, the speech-recognition software should not have to
share processor power with any other programs running at the same time.
Your computer should have enough memory (RAM) to hold Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® and any other programs running at the same time.
The minimum recommended RAM for Dragon NaturallySpeaking® is
128 MB. If you have less than 128 MB of RAM, upgrading to 128 MB or
more may improve the software’s performance.
Hard disk space is relatively unimportant to program performance, as
long as you have about 500 MB free for the Windows® operating system
to use for temporary storage as you work.
For more information, see “System requirements” on page 7.
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Improving speed
On all systems, there’s a delay between when you speak and when
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® types out what you said. Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® uses this delay time, plus the time when you’re
talking, to recognize your speech. The faster your processor, the shorter
the delay. Even with a speedy processor, though, Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® usually waits until you pause to type out what it
recognized.
Sound quality is at least as important as the processor speed in making
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® work quickly. If your microphone and sound
card combination make your speech sound fuzzy to the computer or if
they generate background hiss or static, Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will
have to spend much more time processing your speech to eliminate the
background noise. A clear microphone and sound card combination will
substantially boost speed as well as accuracy. The microphone included
with your software is a high-quality noise-canceling microphone.
Background noise
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® performs best in a quiet room. In a noisy
office, accuracy may decrease slightly, though the program will still be
useful. For best results, train (or retrain) your user files in the same
environment in which you’ll be dictating.
Electrical interference
In some cases, noise in a building’s electrical wiring will generate static
in your computer’s sound card. Few desktop users encounter this
problem; it’s mostly limited to laptops, which have less isolation of
power source and sound card. If your laptop is performing slowly or
inaccurately, try unplugging it and run it only from battery power to
eliminate possible interference from the building wiring. Also, switch to
a USB microphone, if you are not already using one.
Using Dragon NaturallySpeaking® with other
software
When dictating into your word processor with no other programs
running, your computer’s power is dedicated to processing your speech.
If other programs are also open, your computer must divide its
processing power between processing your speech and other tasks. Some
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programs use more computing resources than others. The performance
of Dragon NaturallySpeaking® may vary depending on how many other
programs are open, what programs they are, and the speed and memory
in your computer. You may want to experiment to see if Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® performs differently depending on what other
programs are open.
Some programs that use system resources run in the background,
without appearing in an on-screen window. Antivirus software and
“reminder” alarm clock programs are among the programs in this
category. In some cases, these types of programs will affect the
performance of Dragon NaturallySpeaking®.
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14
Healthy Computing
he best way to stay healthy at your computer is to stay relaxed.
Many of us tense up around computers. Cultivating calmness will
make your computer much more comfortable to use.
Equally important is choosing the right equipment and positioning it to
fit your body. Your keyboard, mouse, monitor, and chair should be set up
to cause minimal strain.
Voice care is also vital. Radio announcers and disc jockeys depend on
their voices for their livelihood. Using speech recognition, you’re also
depending on your voice.
Ergonomics and posture
Good ergonomics—setting up your equipment to properly fit your
body—are essential for healthy computing. Adjusting your monitor or
keyboard even an inch or two can make a big difference by reducing
tension in your neck, shoulders, and hands. If you’re already
experiencing pain or discomfort while typing, consult a qualified health
professional.
When adjusting your workstation, comfort should be your main guide.
The suggestions that follow work for most people.
A good ergonomic setup for speech recognition is the same as a good
setup for typing. Set your chair height so that your feet are flat on the
ground and your hips are an inch or two above your knees. If the chair is
the proper height, your body weight will be supported partly by your
feet and partly by the chair seat.
T
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If the keyboard is at the ideal height, the angle of your elbows while
typing should be slightly more open than 90 degrees. The mouse or
other pointing device should be at the same height as the keyboard.
Place the monitor so that the top of the screen is an inch or two above
eye level. With this positioning, you can look straight ahead to see the
first line of text in your document and read the rest of the screen by
moving your eyes down—moving the whole head is not necessary.
Also make sure that no light sources are reflected in the monitor. If there
are windows in the same room as the computer, it’s usually best to place
the monitor at a right angle to the windows.
Maintaining good vocal health
Some people experience vocal strain when using speech-recognition
software. Like an athlete stretching before a run, you can take
preventive measures to maintain good vocal health.
Speak normally, with these guidelines
■Speak in a relaxed manner, approximating your normal flow of
speech.
■Use pitch and inflection. There’s no need to speak in a monotone.
You’ll put much more energy into your voice this way, which is
healthier for you and makes Dragon NaturallySpeaking® more
accurate.
■Breathe with your diaphragm—rather than more shallowly, in the
chest—to better support your voice.
Notice your breathing
Put your hand on your abdomen. If you’re breathing through your
diaphragm, your hand will rise (your abdomen will expand) as you
inhale. As you exhale, your hand will fall. Breathing this way may
take some practice, but it’s well worth getting into the habit.
If you’re breathing from the chest, only your chest will rise and fall
instead of both your chest and abdomen.
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Ease and comfort
■If you typically make hand gestures as you speak to other people in
person, go ahead and make those gestures at the computer. Your
voice will have more energy and speaking will be more relaxed and
comfortable.
■Vary your posture. Don’t just sit and dictate—stand up at your
computer, or move around (as your microphone cord allows).
Wireless microphones can give you even more pacing room. One of
the benefits of speech recognition is that you’re not stuck in a
frozen, rigid posture at the keyboard.
Taking care of yourself
■Ease into it. Start using Dragon NaturallySpeaking® for 30 minutes a
day, gradually increasing to several hours a day over the course of
two to three weeks. This gives your body the opportunity to adapt
gradually to speaking to the computer.
■When dictating, take frequent breaks—at least 10 minutes each
hour is best. This is excellent advice for typing as well.
■Vary your work. Don’t dictate for eight hours straight. If you can,
vary your work—perhaps two hours of dictation in the morning, then
two in the afternoon, with paperwork, phone calls, and typing in the
middle.
■Avoid dictating with Dragon NaturallySpeaking® when you’re tired.
This strains your voice and makes it difficult to get good
recognition.
Your vocal cords
As you speak, your vocal cords vibrate and rub against each other. A layer
of mucus lubricates them and keeps them from getting irritated.
■Drink lots of water, ideally at room temperature. While dictating,
you may find it convenient to drink through a straw, to avoid
interfering with the position of your headset microphone.
■Certain vocal exercises, similar to the ones that singers use, can help
warm up your voice. They are, however, difficult to demonstrate on
paper. Contact a vocal coach or singing teacher for instruction.
Happily, speaking in a way that is good for your voice will also bring you
the highest speech-recognition accuracy. This feeds back on itself.
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Speaking in a clear, relaxed way will bring more accuracy, which brings
less frustration, which helps you relax.
Pay attention to what conditions are present when your speech is
transcribed well and when Dragon NaturallySpeaking® makes many
errors. This feedback from the software can encourage you to be more
relaxed and more articulate.
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15
Using a Handheld
Recorder (Preferred
edition only)
ictating into a handheld recorder frees you from having to sit in
front of the computer as you write. You can dictate into the recorder
anytime, anywhere. When you return to the computer, Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® transcribes what you said.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® supports specific recorders that have been
certified by ScanSoft, including the Dragon NaturallyMobile® recorder,
the Sony® Memory Stick™ IC Recorder ICD-MS, the Sony® ICD-BP
recorder, and the Sony® ICD-R100 recorder. See the Web site listed on
page 259 for more information about certified recorders.
Getting ready to use a handheld recorder is a two-part process. First, you
train Dragon NaturallySpeaking® to recognize your voice as it sounds
using the microphone in the recorder. Then, once initial training is
complete, you can dictate to the recorder and have Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® transcribe your dictation. These two steps are the
same, conceptually, as when you first set up Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
to recognize your speech through a microphone, though a few details are
different in practice.
To prepare Dragon NaturallySpeaking® for use with a recorder, follow
these steps:
■Install the recorder software (required only for certain recorders).
■Create a user specifically adapted to the sound of your recorded
speech.
D
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Once you have created a user, follow these steps whenever you want to
use your recorder with Dragon NaturallySpeaking®:
■Dictate into your recorder
■Transcribe the recorded dictation
■Correct mistakes
Installing recorder software
The Sony® Memory Stick™ IC recorder ICD-MS, the Sony® IC recorder
ICD-BP, and the Sony® ICD-R100 recorder require additional software
to work with Dragon NaturallySpeaking®.
■If you are using the Sony® ICD-BP recorder, you must install the
Digital Voice Editor software.
■If you are using the Sony® Memory Stick™ IC Recorder ICD-MS,
you must install the Sony® Memory Stick™ Voice Editor.
■If you are using the Sony® ICD-R100 recorder, you must install the
ICD-PCLINK software.
■If you are using the Dragon NaturallyMobile™ recorder, you can
install the Voice It® Link software, which is not required, but can
enhance the recorder’s usability. This software is available on your
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® CD but it is not automatically installed
when you install Dragon NaturallySpeaking®.
Use the Voice It® Link software to perform functions for your Dragon
NaturallyMobile™ recorder that you can’t perform from the Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® Transcribe dialog box. Note that for normal
transcription from the Dragon NaturallyMobile™ recorder, you don’t
need to have this software installed.
To install Voice It Link (for the Dragon
NaturallyMobile recorder):
1Put the Dragon NaturallySpeaking® CD in the CD-ROM drive of your
computer.
2Using Windows® Explorer, go to the VOICEIT folder of the Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® CD. The folder is on the top-level directory of the
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® CD.
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3Double-click Setup and follow the instructions of the Setup Wizard.
Creating a user adapted to your
recorded speech
Before you can use Dragon NaturallySpeaking® with a handheld
recorder, you must create a user specifically adapted to the sound of your
recorded speech. You do this by running the New User Wizard and
selecting one of the recorder options as the dictation source.
Steps 1 and 2 assume that you have already created a headset microphone
user. If you have not previously created a user for Dragon NaturallySpeaking®, then the
New User Wizard will appear when you first start the program and you can skip to
step 3.
To create a user:
1From the NaturallySpeaking® menu on the DragonBar, click Open/
Manage Users.
2In the Manage Users dialog box, click New. The New User Wizard
guides you through the steps of creating a user. As you complete the
steps, click Next whenever you are ready to continue.
NOTE
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3On the Create User screen, enter a unique name for the user. Then
select the appropriate recorder type from the Dictation source list.
Use the following table as a guide for selecting a Dictation source and
deciding what to do next.
DICTATION SOURCE HOW TO PROCEED
Dragon NaturallyMobile™
recorder connected to
serial port
Use the recorder as a microphone attached
to your computer with the supplied serial
cable. Do not proceed any further with the
training instructions in this chapter. Instead,
use the instructions for new user training that
begin on page 19. Also see “Using the
Dragon NaturallyMobile recorder as a
microphone” on page 194.
Sony® Memory Stick™ IC
Recorder ICD-MS
Skip to step 5.
Sony® ICD-BP recorder
connected to USB port
Skip to step 5.
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4Follow the instructions in the Adjust Your Volume screens to adjust your
analog recorder’s volume and check the recorder’s audio quality.
5On the Training - Recording your speech screen, select the text you
would like to read from the list of choices. Click View if you want to read
the text from the screen. Click Print if you want to send the text to your
printer so you can read it while away from your computer.
6After you have recorded approximately 15 minutes of your voice reading
the text selection, click Next.
Olympus Digital recorder
DS-150/650
Skip to step 5.
Recording device plugged
into Line-In jack
Be sure the recorder is connected to your
computer with a cable plugged into your
sound card, and proceed to step 4.
Digital recorder using
sound files (.wav) on disk
(includes the Sony® ICD-
R100 recorder)
Skip to step 5.
DICTATION SOURCE HOW TO PROCEED
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7The screen that appears and what you do next depends on the recorder
type you have selected.
8Depending on your system, it can take up to 60 minutes to adapt your
user for mobile recording. You do not have to sit at your computer while
the program is adapting to your recorded voice.
RECORDER TYPE HOW TO PROCEED
Sony® Memory Stick™ IC
Recorder ICD-MS
Click the “Sony Memory Stick Voice Editor”
button and follow the instructions on the
screen.
Sony® ICD-BP recorder Click the “Digital Voice Editor” button and
follow the instructions on the screen.
Recording device plugged
into Line-In jack
Be sure that the recorder is connected to the
line-in jack on your computer and
(optionally) select the Detect end of
recording and automatically adapt user files
box. If you do this, choose the number of
seconds of silence before the wizard
assumes that the recording is finished. Then
click Start Recording and start your recorder
to play back your dictation.
Olympus DS-150/650
recorder
Transfer the .wav file to your computer’s
hard disk and then use the Browse button to
locate the file. If you are not sure how to
transfer recorded data to your computer, see
the documentation for your recorder. Finally,
click Next and follow the instructions on the
screen.
Digital recorder using
sound files (.wav) on disk
(includes the Sony® ICD-
R100 recorder)
Transfer the .wav file to your computer’s
hard disk and then use the Browse button to
locate the file. If you are not sure how to
transfer recorded data to your computer, see
the documentation for your recorder. Finally,
click Next and follow the instructions on the
screen.
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Dictating into your recorder
When you speak to the recorder, do so in the same way you speak into a
microphone while at the computer. Speak clearly, enunciate, and avoid
mumbling.
When dictating, keep the recorder’s microphone a consistent distance
from your mouth. For most recorders, the microphone should be 1 to 2
inches from the corner of your mouth (check your recorder’s specific
instructions). Place it near the corner of your mouth, not directly in front,
to avoid recording noise from your breath.
For several reasons, transcribing from a recorder tends to be less accurate
than dictating directly to the computer. Recorder users tend to slur their
speech more. Dictating directly, you have immediate feedback on
screen. If Dragon NaturallySpeaking® is making many errors, you can
speak more clearly. When dictating to a recorder, however, it’s easy to
forget that your speech will be transcribed by a computer and there’s a
tendency to slip into slurred words and mumbling. For best results,
practice dictating directly to the computer before starting to use a
recorder. This will help you develop a speaking style that gives the best
accuracy.
Also avoidable is the tendency of recorder users to move the microphone
around as they speak. This makes your voice vary in quality on the
recording, making Dragon NaturallySpeaking® less accurate. For best
results, keep the recorder’s built-in microphone in a consistent position
relative to your mouth.
Many users get better transcription accuracy by using a headset
microphone with the recorder. You can plug the headset microphone that
came with your software into many recorders, bypassing the recorder’s
built-in microphone. A headset microphone keeps the microphone a
consistent distance from your mouth, so there’s less variability in how
your voice sounds to the computer.
Also, if you have an analog recorder with a volume setting, keep the
same setting you used during training. If the setting changes, check the
audio volume and quality again. From the Tools menu on the
DragonBar, click Accuracy Center and then click the Check Your Audio
Settings link.
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The restricted command set
When you are dictating into a recorder, most of the Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® voice commands cannot be used effectively because
they require that you see the results on a computer screen. The
restricted command set, however, can be used without visual feedback
when you are dictating into your recorder. These are the commands in
the restricted command set:
■New Paragraph
■New Line
■Ta b K e y
■Cap [word]
■All Caps [word]
■No Caps [word]
■No Space [word]
■Caps On/Caps Off
■All Caps On/All Caps Off
■No Caps On/No Caps Off
■No Space On/No Space Off
■Scratch That
■Resume With
“Resume With” is particularly useful when you are using a recorder. It lets you
return to where you want to go within a recording if you misspeak or change your mind
after dictating a phrase. For more information, see “Going back as you dictate” on page
47.
Later, when you transcribe your recorded dictation, you can choose to
make Dragon NaturallySpeaking® ignore all commands except the
restricted command set. This prevents potentially damaging recognition
errors (for example, a phrase being incorrectly interpreted as the
command “Delete Previous 5 Paragraphs,” which would actually delete
the previous five paragraphs from your transcription). For more
information on how to do this, see the “The Advanced Settings dialog
box” on page 191.
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Transcribing recorded dictation
Connecting a recorder to your computer
Before Dragon NaturallySpeaking® can transcribe your recorded
dictation, you must connect your recorder (or, in some cases, your
recorder’s memory card) to your computer. Connect your recorder in the
same way as you did when you created a user trained for your recorded
speech.
The following procedures describe the different methods you use for
transcription, depending on the type of recorder you are using. Use the
method that is appropriate for your recorder.
Transcribing from a handheld recorder
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® has features specifically adapted to work
with the Dragon NaturallyMobile™ recorder, the Sony® Memory Stick™
IC Recorder ICD-MS, and the Sony® ICD-BP recorder. To transfer files
from these recorders, use the following procedure.
If you are transcribing from a recorder other than the Dragon
NaturallyMobile™ recorder, the Sony® Memory Stick™ IC Recorder ICD-MS, or the Sony®
ICD-BP recorder, see “Transcribing dictation from other recorders” on page 189 for
instructions.
To transcribe recorded dictation:
1Start Dragon NaturallySpeaking®. (You don’t need to turn the
microphone on.)
2Open the user adapted (trained) for your recorded speech. (Click Open/
Manage Users from the NaturallySpeaking® menu on the DragonBar,
select the user you want, and click Open.)
3From the Sound menu on the DragonBar, click Transcribe Recording. (If
the Extras toolbar is displayed, you can click the Transcribe button
instead.)
The Transcribe a Recording dialog box opens. (The text next to the
large button on the left depends on which recorder you are using. The
NOTE
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illustration shows the text for the Sony® Memory Stick™ IC Recorder
ICD-MS.)
4Click the recorder icon.
If you want to change the target window of the transcription, specify
which commands Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will understand or change
the recorder-specific options and click the Advanced button. For a more
detailed description of the options, see the “The Advanced Settings
dialog box” on page 191.
5If you are using the Dragon NaturallyMobile™ recorder, the Select Files
for Transcription dialog box opens.
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If you are using the Sony® Memory Stick™ IC Recorder ICD-MS, the
Sony® Memory Stick™ Voice Editor dialog box opens.
6If you are using the Dragon NaturallyMobile™ recorder, select the file or
files you want to transcribe, and click the Transcribe button. If you are
using the Sony® Memory Stick™ Recorder ICD-MS or the Sony® ICD-
BP, select the file or files you want to transcribe on the Sony® Memory
Stick™ Voice Editor or Digital Voice Editor screen and click the Voice
Recognition tool on the toolbar.
Transcribing dictation from other recorders
To transcribe recorded dictation from recorders other than the Dragon
NaturallyMobile™ recorder, the Sony® Memory Stick™ IC Recorder
ICD-MS, and the Sony® IC ICD-BP recorder, use the following
procedure.
To transcribe recorded dictation:
1Start Dragon NaturallySpeaking®. (You don’t need to turn the
microphone on.)
2Open the user adapted (trained) for your recorded speech. Click Open/
Manage Users from the NaturallySpeaking® menu on the DragonBar,
select the user you want, and click Open.
3From the Sound menu on the DragonBar, click Transcribe Recording. (If
the Extras toolbar is displayed, you can click the Transcribe button
instead.)
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The Transcribe from dialog box opens.
4Use the Transcribe from dialog box in the following manner to select the
source of the dictation you want Dragon NaturallySpeaking® to
transcribe, as well as other options that control the transcription:
■If the dictation source is a wave (.wav) file, click Browse to locate the
file.
■If you want to change the final destination of the transcription,
specify which commands Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will
understand, or increase or decrease the number of seconds after
which the transcription automatically stops (Line-In recorders only),
click the Advanced button. For a more detailed description of the
options, see the section “The Advanced Settings dialog box” on
page 191.
5To begin transcription, click Transcribe.
6If your dictation source is “Recording device plugged into Line-In jack,”
press the Play button on your recorder.
Your recorded speech should appear on the screen. If text doesn’t
appear, see “Troubleshooting” on page 193.
If you are playing back recorded dictation through the Line-In jack,
transcription stops automatically by default as soon as the computer hears 10 seconds of
silence.
When you are transcribing into the DragonPad, you can use your computer for
other purposes while you wait for Dragon NaturallySpeaking® to finish.
NOTE
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Drag-and-drop transcription
If you want to transcribe a wave (.wav) file, just drag the file to the
DragonPad window or to the DragonBar and Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® will begin transcribing it automatically. This is a
shortcut from using the multistep method outlined above. Be sure that
you have opened the correct user file before dragging and dropping.
The Advanced Settings dialog box
The Advanced Settings dialog box allows you to change how Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® transcribes the dictation from your recorder. The
options you see when you open the dialog box depend on the type of
recorder you are using. The illustration shows the Advanced Settings
dialog box that appears when you are transcribing from the Dragon
NaturallyMobile™ recorder.
The following sections describe the options on the Advanced Settings
dialog box:
Destination
You can choose to specify that the recording should be transcribed into
the DragonPad window or into a selected window you click in after
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closing the Transcribe a Recording dialog box. Make sure the window
you select accepts text.
Commands
You can choose either the All Commands, Restricted Commands, or
Dictation Only option.
■“All Commands” enables all Dragon NaturallySpeaking® commands
during transcription. Any command recognized in the recording is
carried out.
■“Restricted Commands” disables all but the restricted command set
during transcription. If other commands are recognized, they are
entered as text. This prevents potentially damaging misrecognitions
(for example, a phrase being misrecognized as “Delete Previous
Paragraph”). For more information about the restricted command
set, see page 186.
■“Dictation Only” disables all commands during transcription,
except for dictation commands. If the recording contains commands,
they are entered as text in the document.
Communication options (for the Dragon NaturallyMobile™ recorder only)
■“Select the Baud Rate to connect to the Dragon NaturallyMobile™
recorder” specifies the communication speed between your
computer and your recorder. Generally, the speed should be set to
the highest number (115,200). If you are having communication
errors, try selecting a lower number.
■“Dragon NaturallyMobile recorder is on <Com Port Number>”
specifies the serial communications (COM) port that corresponds to
the connector where you plugged in your recorder. If you have a
problem connecting to your recorder, try selecting a different COM
port. The default COM port is COM1.
Miscellaneous options (for Line-In recorders only)
“When using a Line-In recorder, stop transcribing after <N> seconds of
silence” instructs Dragon NaturallySpeaking® to finish transcribing a
recording after it detects a certain number of seconds of silence. You can
enter any value between 1 and 99 seconds, but it should be long enough
that Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will not think you have finished when
you are only pausing. Then, when you are dictating, be sure not to pause
for more than the number of seconds you choose. At the end of your
dictation, be sure that you record silence for at least that number of
seconds.
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Troubleshooting
If text doesn’t appear on the screen, check the following:
■If you are using the Transcribe a Recording dialog box, did you click
in a window after closing it? If you aren’t transcribing in the
DragonPad window, you must click in the window in which you
want the text to appear.
■If you selected Through the Line-In Jack as your source, did you
remember to press the play button on your recorder? Is your
recorder properly connected to the computer?
■Are you playing the right part of the recording? Listen to the source
file to make sure it contains dictation.
■If you are using an analog recorder, have you changed the volume
setting on your recorder since running training? If so, check the
audio volume and quality again. From the Tools menu on the
DragonBar, click Accuracy Center, then “Check your audio
settings.”
■Is your recorder working properly? Check the power source. If you
are using a battery, make sure it is fully charged.
■If you are transcribing a wave file, make sure the file is in the
following format: PCM, 11.025 or 22.050 kHz, 16 Bit, Mono.
■If you are having difficulties transcribing text from the Dragon
NaturallyMobile™ recorder, consult the troubleshooting section of
the online Help files for the Voice It® Link software. See the
procedure “To install Voice It Link (for the Dragon NaturallyMobile
recorder):” on page 180 for information on installing the Voice It®
Link software.
Correcting mistakes
After Dragon NaturallySpeaking® transcribes your dictation, make sure
you correct any mistakes. To help you check for mistakes, you can play
back your recorded voice as you read what Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
transcribed. Listening to your dictation as you read the transcription will
help you identify misrecognized words or phrases. For the easiest ways
to proofread and correct your dictation, see “Proofreading with a
recorder” on page 140.
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Using the Dragon
NaturallyMobile recorder as a
microphone
If you have a Dragon NaturallyMobile™ recorder, you can use it as a
microphone when it is connected to the computer. This feature is
convenient for editing your transcribed text by voice.
To use the recorder as a microphone:
1Open the user you created for the Dragon NaturallyMobile™ recorder, if
it is not already open.
2Make sure the recorder is connected to the serial port of your computer.
3Click the Microphone button on the DragonBar so the microphone is on
( ).
4Wait until the recorder display reads “Mic On.” This takes about two or
three seconds after you click the Microphone button.
5Begin speaking, holding the built-in microphone of the recorder almost
touching the corner of your mouth and a bit to the side. Do not hold the
recorder so that the microphone is directly in front of your mouth.
6When you have finished, click the Microphone button again so the
microphone is off.
Turning off the microphone in this way does not turn off the recorder. To
conserve your batteries, turn off the recorder by pressing the Power button.
Better accuracy with a recorder
For several reasons, transcribing from a handheld recorder tends to be
less accurate than dictating directly into the computer.
■The built-in microphone in the recorder may be of a lower quality
than the headset microphone that you use for dictation directly to
the computer.
NOTE
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■Like using a handheld microphone, using a handheld recorder
keeps the microphone in a less consistent position in relation to your
mouth than does a headset microphone.
■Minicassette recorders and other analog models lose sound
information in both recording and playback. They record only part
of your voice, then play back only part of what they record to be
processed by the sound card. Digital recorders that digitally transfer
sound do not have this limitation. They also record only part of your
voice, but they bypass the sound card, sending the digital recording
file directly to Dragon NaturallySpeaking® for transcription.
■Using a recorder, people more often mumble and slur their words.
They forget that they are talking for a computer to transcribe.
To get the best accuracy from a handheld recorder, use an external
microphone if you are not achieving your desired accuracy with a built-in
microphone. Most recorders allow you to plug in an external microphone
to replace the unit’s built-in one. A headset microphone is best, since it
keeps the microphone at a constant distance from your mouth. Try using
the headset microphone included with Dragon NaturallySpeaking®.
If you’re using the recorder’s built-in microphone, keep it at a consistent
distance from your mouth. It should be at the corner of your mouth,
about an inch or two away. See the instructions included with your
recorder or experiment to find the best distance.
Speaking clearly will improve transcription accuracy no matter what
recorder you have. Remember that you’re talking for transcription to a
computer, not to a person. Speak clearly and pronounce each word.
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16
Customizing Dragon
NaturallySpeaking
ou can customize DragonNaturallySpeaking® to make it work better
for your needs. The Options dialog box, for example, lets you
change the spacing after periods, select what key turns the microphone
on, and adjust other parts of the software.
The Options dialog box
From the Tools menu on the DragonBar, click Options. The dialog box
that opens lets you customize some features of Dragon
NaturallySpeaking®. The box is divided into seven tabbed sections:
Correction, Startup/Shutdown, View, Hot keys, Text-to-speech
(available in Preferred edition only), Miscellaneous, and Formatting.
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Correction options
Correction options
The first group of Correction options affect the Correction menu, which
is the list of alternate recognitions that appears when you select words in
your document. When you’ve learned the correction commands
thoroughly, you may want to check “Show only the choices” to hide the
instructions and commands that normally appear on the Correction
menu.
“‘Select’ commands bring up Correction menu” opens the Correction
menu when you select text by voice using any of the “Select”
commands.
“‘Correct’ commands bring up the spell dialog” opens the Spell dialog
box every time you correct a word or phrase in the text you are dictating
using the “Correct” commands. If this is not checked, the Correct
commands will behave the same as the Select commands.
“Automatic playback on Correction” plays your recorded voice through
the speakers whenever the Correction menu opens. (Available in
Preferred edition only.)
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“Show only the choices” makes Dragon NaturallySpeaking® display only
the list of correction choices in the Correction menu, removing
instructions and commands from this menu to save you space on-screen.
You may want to select this option after you have become familar with
the correction commands in Dragon NaturallySpeaking®.
If you find that the Correction menu often misses the correct word, try increasing
the number of choices displayed.
When the “Anchor” option is selected, the Correction menu remains in
the same location on-screen, instead of moving to a new place each time
you make a correction.
“Enable double-click to correct in DragonPad” opens the Correction
window when you double-click on a word in the DragonPad.
Other options
The second group of options in this dialog box lets you set additional
correction preferences. The “‘Select’ commands option searches
backwards” makes Dragon NaturallySpeaking® look backward in your
document when you select text by voice. It is best to leave this box
cleared, to let the program search both forward and backward to find the
nearest occurrence of the words you want.
The next option lets you choose whether you want to spell words in the
Spell dialog box or directly in your document. If “‘Spell’ commands
bring up Spell dialog” is not checked, then spelling commands will put
text right into your document. (For more information about spelling
commands, see “Spelling as you dictate” on page 50).
Clicking the button “Restore defaults” restores the original installation
settings.
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Startup/Shutdown options
Startup options
Selecting “Microphone on (asleep) at startup” makes Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® start up with the microphone on, but sleeping. This
is useful if you have physical limitations that prevent you from using the
keyboard or mouse to turn on the microphone.
“Launch DragonPad at startup” opens the DragonPad each time Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® is opened. If you use the DragonPad often, you will
probably want to select this box.
Leave the next three boxes selected to make Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® recognize the widest variety of commands. Try
clearing one or more of these boxes if you want to conserve memory.
The “Enable mouse motion commands” option lets you move the
mouse by voice. The mouse motion commands are especially useful if
you have physical problems that prevent you from using the mouse by
hand. With this option selected, you can click the Speed button to
change the speed of mouse movement when moving the mouse by
voice. For more information on mouse motion commands, see “Moving
the pointer with the mouse motion commands” on page 119.
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Shutdown options
When you shut down Dragon NaturallySpeaking®, the program will ask
you if you wish to save your user files. If you want Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® to always save your user files without asking, select
the “Automatically save user files without asking” option.
Clicking the button “Restore defaults” restores the original installation
settings.
View options
The View tab allows you to change the display and location of the
DragonBar and Results box.
DragonBar options
The control for the DragonBar mode lets you place the DragonBar at the
top or bottom of the screen, make it a floating window you can position
freely, make it “cling” to the top of whatever program you’re dictating to,
or hide it altogether, leaving only an icon in the Windows® tray at the
bottom of the screen.
The “Show messages” check box controls whether information and
status messages appear in the DragonBar. For example, when you open
your user files and perform other tasks, messages confirming these
These options are
not available in the
Essentials and
Standard editions.
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actions will apear in the DragonBar. The microphone status and mode
information are also displayed. In the Standard and Essentials editions,
the “Show messages” option is selected by default and cannot be
cleared.
The “Show extras” check box controls whether the Extras menu is
displayed (available in Preferred edition only). When selected, the
Extras bar menu items are accessible.
If both check boxes (“Show messages” and “Show extras”) are cleared,
the Extras menu items are displayed in the main DragonBar (Preferred
edition only).
Results Box options
If the “Beep after recognition” check box is selected, Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® will beep each time it recognizes a word or phrase.
If the “Anchor” check box is selected, the Results box will stay in the
same place on the screen instead of moving as you speak. Some people
find that this makes it easy to glance at while dictating.
The “Auto-hide delay” control affects how long the Results box stays on
the screen after you finish speaking. The default setting, “Never hide,”
keeps the Results box on the screen so you can view it easily.
Clicking the button “Restore defaults” restores the original installation
settings.
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Hot key options
The microphone hot key lets you turn the microphone on and off. You
can change it and six other hot keys on the tab Hot keys of the Options
dialog box. To change a hot key, click on the button with the hot key’s
name. A dialog box will appear titled “Set Hot Key.” Press the new key
and click OK.
For the Microphone on/off key, the default (automatically installed)
choice of (+) on the numeric keypad is a good one for most people. That
key is large and easy to find. The Correction key, which opens the
Correction menu, has the default setting of (-) on the numeric keypad.
To force Dragon NaturallySpeaking® to recognize what you say as a
command, not dictation text, hold down the CTRL key as you speak. To
force Dragon NaturallySpeaking® to type what you say as dictation (even
words that are also commands), hold down the SHIFT key as you speak.
These are the default key settings and there is usually no need to change
them.
The DragonBar menu key lets you open the NaturallySpeaking® menu
on the DragonBar by pressing the star (asterisk) key (*) on the numeric
keypad. You can change this to a different key if you wish.
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If you have a laptop or if you use a keyboard with no numeric keypad, it
is best to change these default key settings to make them more
convenient for you. Feel free to change the settings to choose whatever
keys you prefer.
The Microphone sleep/on key lets you set a key to switch the
microphone between sleep mode (listening only for the words “Wake
Up” or “Listen to Me”) and the on mode (listening to everything you
say). The default setting is the slash (/) key on the numeric keypad.
The Press-to-talk key lets you set a key that causes the microphone to
turn on for as long as you hold down the key and to turn off when you
release it. The Press-to-talk key is not predefined. You can choose a
Press-to-talk key if you want one by clicking the “Press-to-Talk” button
in this dialog box, then pressing the key you want. The microphone will
turn on while you hold down this key and turn off when you release it.
Clicking the “Restore defaults” button restores the original installation
settings.
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Text-to-speech options (Preferred edition only)
The Text-to-speech tab affects how Dragon NaturallySpeaking® reads
text to you in its synthesized voice. See page 141 for instructions on
using this feature.
Move the Volume, Pitch, and Speed controls to change the sound of the
computer’s voice. Click the “Read text” button to have the computer
read the text in the Preview box. You can edit the Preview box text if
you want.
The “Unload text-to-speech button” lets you temporarily remove this
feature from memory. Having text-to-speech loaded does not affect the
transcription performance of Dragon NaturallySpeaking®.
Clicking the “Restore defaults” button restores the original installation
settings.
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Miscellaneous options
The “Pause Required Before Commands” control affects the length of
the pause required before commands. Leave this at the default setting.
If your commands are being recognized as dictation or if Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® is not recognizing commands, these problems may
be related to the length of pauses. See “Troubleshooting” on page 211.
The “Speed vs. Accuracy” control affects how much computer
processing Dragon NaturallySpeaking® uses as it recognizes your speech.
The default setting varies from computer to computer. On most
computers, the automatic settings works best.
The “Disk space reserved for recording” control affects how much disk
space Dragon NaturallySpeaking® uses to record the sound of your voice
as you speak. It uses this recording to play back what you said during
proofreading and corrections. One megabyte can store about a minute of
sound. To turn off speech recording, change this setting to zero.
The “Automatically back up user files every <5> saves” control changes
how often Dragon NaturallySpeaking® backs up your user files. There’s
no need to change this control. To back up your user files more reliably,
store them separately from your computer on a removable disk,
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CD-ROM, or on a different computer on the same network. See
“Backing up user files” on page 207 for instructions.
The “Store corrections in archive” control allows you to save a certain
amount of acoustic data. As you make corrections and perform additional
training using the Acoustic Optimizer, Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
stores this acoustic data in an archive and uses it to enhance recognition
accuracy. By default, the amount of acoustic data saved is set to 60
minutes.
The setting “Use Active Accessibility for menu and dialog control”
controls how Dragon NaturallySpeaking® understands menu names and
dialog box controls. Leave this box selected for best results.
In most programs, you can select menu commands and dialog box
options just by saying the menu name or option name (such as “Edit” or
“Print”). Optionally, you can add “Click” before the menu or option
name, such as “Click Edit” or “Click Print.” Selecting the setting
“Require ‘Click’ to select menu or control” in this dialog box means that
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will recognize only “Click Edit,” not “Edit”
by itself. Leave this box cleared unless you find that Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® is confusing your dictation and commands or if
you’re having trouble controlling menus and dialog boxes by voice.
The “Restore defaults” button restores the original installation settings.
Backing up user files
As you use Dragon NaturallySpeaking®, it adapts to your voice and
learns your individual added words, improving accuracy the more you
use it. It saves these improvements in your user files and it’s important to
back up these files regularly. Making regular backups, perhaps every
week, saves having to start from scratch (with reduced accuracy) should
something happen to your computer.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® will make a backup automatically every fifth
time you save your user files. (You can change this frequency on the
Miscellaneous tab of the Options dialog box; see page 206.) The
program will also save a copy of your files when you click Back Up User
from the NaturallySpeaking® menu on the DragonBar. The backups
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® makes, however, are stored on the same
computer as your original files. To back up more reliably, copy your user
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files to a CD or removable storage disk and store them away from your
computer.
To back up your user files, start Windows® Explorer and find the
NaturallySpeaking® folder. For most users, this folder is in the directory
C:\PROGRAM FILES\DRAGON. Open the NaturallySpeaking® folder.
Inside will be a folder called Users, and inside that is a separate folder for
each user on the machine. This folder with your user name is the one to
back up. Here is what a typical path looks like:
C:\PROGRAM FILES\DRAGON\NATURALLYSPEAKING\USERS\DAN
This folder is too large to fit on a floppy disk. For a safe backup, copy
this folder to a CD or removable storage disk. Store the disk at another
location (at home, for example, if your computer is at work).
If your computer is on an office network, you may be able to copy your
user files to the server or storage area on your network, where it can be
safely backed up by your employer’s information systems staff.
Formatting options
The “Insert two spaces after period” control puts two spaces after each
period when you dictate, which is a throwback to manual typewriter
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style. If this box is not selected, Dragon NaturallySpeaking® types one
space, which is the way books and other printed matter are typeset.
Change this setting as you prefer.
When the “Automatically format telephone numbers, currency, times,
and other numbers” option, the “Automatically format Web and E-mail
addresses” option, and the “Allow pauses while speaking numbers and
addresses” option are selected, dictating numbers, Web addresses, and
other commonly spoken items is much easier because Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® will format them automatically.
The “Euro symbol or abbreviation” box lets you change what’s typed
when you say “euro” or “euro sign” during dictation.
If the “Format postal codes”option is selected, Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® will format UK postal codes automatically. Select
this option if you are in the UK or often enter UK addresses.
The “Restore defaults” button restores the original installation settings.
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17
Troubleshooting
f Dragon NaturallySpeaking® is not working as you expect, the
suggestions in this chapter can help you sort out what may be going
on. When you’re troubleshooting problems, close all other applications,
restart your computer, and start only Dragon NaturallySpeaking® (if the
problem is one you can reproduce in this context). Running Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® by itself simplifies the task of making the program
work properly.
The most frequent technical problems are caused by a poor or
inadequate sound system. With a poor sound system, the microphone
and sound card combination in the computer provide a signal to Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® that is not clear enough for the program to
accurately recognize speech. A second common source of trouble is a
conflict between Dragon NaturallySpeaking® and other programs
consuming system resources.
Testing your sound system
Test your sound system to see if it gives Dragon NaturallySpeaking® a
clear representation of your voice. You can test your system using the
Dragon NaturallySpeaking® Audio Setup Wizard. You already used the
Audio Setup Wizard when you first created a new user, just before
training Dragon NaturallySpeaking® to recognize your voice.
Technical Support
If you need to obtain technical support for Dragon
NaturallySpeaking®, refer to the online Help topic “Technical
Support” for contact information. From the Help menu on the
DragonBar, click “Help Topics” and find the “Technical Support”
topic. Also refer to page 259 in this manual.
I
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Each of these sound testing procedures tests your microphone and
sound card in combination. If you have several microphones or sound
cards, you can test each combination in turn, but there’s no way to test a
microphone or sound card independently. Sometimes a microphone
model that works well with one sound card will work poorly with
another. If you are using a USB microphone, the sound card is included
as part of the microphone and bypasses the sound card in your computer.
To test your sound system automatically:
1Click Accuracy Center on the Tools menu on the DragonBar. The
Accuracy Center appears (as shown on page 152).
2Click or say “Check your audio settings.” The Audio Setup Wizard
appears.
3Follow the on-screen instructions as described on page 16. The wizard
will end with a measurement of sound quality, as shown below.
▲ This sample test result is for a sound system that is working well.
Acceptable values for the signal-to-noise ratio range from 15 to 30. If
your measured value is below this range, you probably need to change
your microphone, your sound card, or both.
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Fixing sound problems
To fix sound problems, try these steps. As you make adjustments, use
the Dragon NaturallySpeaking® Audio Setup Wizard to test sound
quality automatically.
■Make sure the microphone is positioned properly (see “Audio
Setup” on page 16).
■Check that the microphone is plugged into the mic jack on your
sound card.
■Disconnect your speakers from the computer, in case they’re
interfering with the microphone signal.
■Be sure the microphone cable isn’t entwined with power cables or
other wiring that could cause interference.
■Update your sound card driver to the latest version available. Free
updates are usually available from the sound card manufacturer’s
Web site.
■Try other microphones, including USB microphones, to see if the
quality of the sound signal improves.
■Try other sound cards to see if sound quality improves.
■If you have a laptop, try unplugging it and operating only on battery
power.
■If you have a laptop, try using a USB microphone.
■As a last resort, try moving your computer to another location to see
if electrical noise in the building wiring is interfering with your
sound hardware.
Other problems and solutions
Here are some common problems users may encounter, along with
suggested solutions.
No response when dictating
Symptom: You’ve previously been dictating successfully, but now when
you speak into the microphone there’s no response.
Possible causes and solutions: Check that the microphone is plugged into
the correct jack on the sound card. Check that the microphone is turned
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on in Dragon NaturallySpeaking® and is not in sleep mode. Check that
the window into which you want to dictate is active. To make a window
active, click once on its title bar. To check that a window is active and
can receive dictation, type a few characters on the keyboard and make
sure they show up on your computer screen.
Problems with commands
Symptom: Commands are often typed as text.
Possible cause: Dragon NaturallySpeaking® expects no pauses between
the words in the command.
Solution: Run the words in the command together as you say them so
there are no pauses in the middle. If this doesn’t work, decrease the
“Pause Required Before Commands” value on the Miscellaneous tab of
the Options dialog box (see page 206).
Symptom: Commands said after dictation are sometimes typed as text.
Possible cause: Dragon NaturallySpeaking® expects a longer pause
between dictation and the command.
Solution: Pause for a longer time before saying the command. If this
doesn’t work or is awkward, decrease the “Pause Required Before
Commands” value on the Miscellaneous tab of the Options dialog box
(see page 206).
Symptom: One or more specific commands are always typed as text.
Possible causes and solutions: Try saying the command while holding down
the CTRL key. If the command still doesn’t work, this command is not
available in the application you are using. If the command does work
with the CTRL key held down, retrain the command so that the
computer will recognize it more accurately (see “Training a word or
command” on page 167).
Symptom: You are unable to select text by voice in a particular
application.
Cause: Some applications do not support selecting text by voice.
CHAPTER 17 Troubleshooting
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Solution: There is no solution—you can select by voice only in supported
applications.
Very low accuracy
Symptom: Recognition accuracy is very low (less than about 80 percent).
Causes: This might be due to other programs competing with Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® for system resources. Or, your sound signal may be
of poor quality.
Solutions:
■Be sure that the microphone element is pointed toward your mouth
(take off the windscreen to check).
■Reduce or eliminate background noise.
■See “Testing your sound system” above (page 211) to check your
microphone and sound card.
■Turn off other software programs that may be running in the
background, such as appointment reminder programs and antivirus
software, to see if this helps the problem.
Problems with added words
Symptom: Dragon NaturallySpeaking® types words that you didn’t say,
even when you’re not speaking.
Cause: The program is hearing sounds that it interprets as words.
Solutions:
■Move the microphone toward the corner of your mouth.
■If the microphone is already at the corner of your mouth, move it
further away (outward) from your mouth.
■Clip the microphone cord to your shirt or tuck it in your belt so it
doesn’t rustle against your clothes.
■Reduce background noise.
■Check that your sound system is not introducing static. See “Testing
your sound system” on page 211. If you have a laptop, test it when
operating from batteries alone as well as from an electrical outlet.
CHAPTER 17 Troubleshooting
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Slow performance
Symptom: The performance of Dragon NaturallySpeaking® is very slow
in general. The computer lags far behind your dictation. Accuracy may
also be very low (less than 80 percent).
Causes: This might be due to other programs competing with Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® for system resources. Or, your sound signal may be
of poor quality, so that Dragon NaturallySpeaking® must spend
processing time filtering the noise.
Solutions:
■Be sure that the microphone element is pointed toward your mouth
(take off the windscreen to check).
■Reduce or eliminate background noise.
■See “Testing your sound system” above (see page 211) to check
your microphone and sound card.
■Turn off other software programs that may be running in the
background, such as appointment reminder programs and antivirus
software, to see if this helps the problem.
In Dragon NaturallySpeaking® version 6, it is possible to gain speed by creating a
new user and choosing a vocabulary that is smaller than the recommended one. To do
this, create a new user (from the NaturallySpeaking® menu on the DragonBar, choose
Open/Manage Users, then click New). From the first screen of the New User Wizard that
appears (as shown on page 14), click the Advanced button. In the Advanced dialog box
that appears, from the Vocabulary Size list choose a smaller vocabulary than the
recommended vocabulary size.
TIP
APPENDIX
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 217
Commands List
his appendix lists some of the Dragon NaturallySpeaking®
commands. Most of the commands listed here are described in
detail elsewhere in this guide. For more information about commands,
follow the page references provided throughout the appendix. This
appendix does not list all the Dragon NaturallySpeaking® commands. To
see many more commands, use the Sample Commands window (see
page 96) and the Command Browser (see page 96).
Which commands work in which
programs?
Some commands work only in certain types of programs. For example,
“Set Font Bold” works only in programs where you can make text bold.
The best way to find out if a command works in your application is to try
it within an application. You can also use the Command Browser to see if
a command will be recognized in your application. See page 96 for more
information on the Command Browser.
If you say a command that does not work in the program you are using, the
DragonBar may show a message, for example, “Formatting commands cannot be used
here.”
T
TIP
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
218
Controlling the microphone
Controlling the DragonBar
SAY TO
Go to Sleep or
Stop Listening
Make the microphone stop listening temporarily.
Wake Up or
Listen to Me
Reactivate the microphone when it’s sleeping.
Microphone Off Turn the microphone off. (You cannot turn it back on by
voice.)
SAY TO
Give Me Help Open the Dragon NaturallySpeaking® online Help.
Display Sample
Commands
See a list of available commands in the currently open
applications.
Save Speech
Files
Save your user files.
Select Tray Icon
Only Mode
Hide the DragonBar. You can show it by clicking on the
microphone icon in the system tray (on the lower right
of most computer screens) and choosing Restore
Previous DragonBar mode.
Manage Users Open the Manage Users dialog box.
Train My User Perform additional training to improve accuracy.
Check Audio Open the Audio Setup Wizard.
Show The
Accuracy
Assistant
Open the Accuracy Assistant window.
Open Accuracy
Center
Open the Accuracy Center window.
Bring Up
Command
Browser
Open the Command Browser window.
Create
Command
Make a new command. (Available in Preferred edition
only.)
Edit Vocabulary Open the Vocabulary EditorTM.
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 219
View
NaturallySpeak-
ing Options
Open the Options dialog box.
Show Extras Bar Display the Extras toolbar on the DragonBar.
(Available in Preferred edition only.)
Hide Extras Bar Removes the Extras toolbar. (Available in Preferred
edition only.)
Start
DragonPad or
Open
DragonPad
Open the DragonPad word processor.
Give Me Help Display Dragon NaturallySpeaking® online Help.
What Can I Say Display the Sample Commands List.
Close
NaturallySpeak-
ing
Exit the Dragon NaturallySpeaking® program.
SAY TO
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
220
Controlling the DragonPad
Adding paragraphs, lines, and spaces
SAY TO
Save Document Save the current document.
Save File As Save the current document in a different location or
using a different name.
Print Document Print the current document.
Print Page 1 to
3
Print the page range you specify.
Display Toolbar Display the DragonPad toolbar.
Start Playback Have your dictation played back to you. (Available in
Preferred edition only.)
Find Word Use the Find tool.
Quit
DragonPad
Exit the DragonPad.
SAY TO
New Line Press the ENTER key once.
New Paragraph Press the ENTER key twice. (Capitalizes the next word
automatically.)
Tab Key Press the TA B key.
Space Bar Press the space bar.
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 221
Selecting text
Selecting specific words
For more information about these commands, see “Selecting text by
voice” on page 40.
Selecting an entire line or paragraph
For more information about these commands, see “Selecting an entire
paragraph or line” on page 42.
SAY TO
Select glass Select a specific word or words that are
visible on screen, in this example, the word
glass.
Select Again Select the same text again but in a different
place that is also visible on screen.
US/Canada: Select It was
Through night
Other Dialects: Select It
was To night
Select a range of words visible on screen. In
this example, It was a dark and stormy night
is the selected text.
Unselect That Unselect (clear) selected text.
SAY THEN THEN
Select Next Line
Previous Paragraph
Forward 2...20 Lines
Back 2...20 Paragraphs
Last
APPENDIX Commands List
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222
Selecting a word or character
You can also say “Select Word,” “Select Line,” “Select Paragraph,” or “Select
Character.”
For more information about these commands, see “Selecting a word or
character” on page 43.
Selecting a document
Correcting text
For more information about these commands, see “The Correction
menu” on page 36 and “Spelling as you dictate” on page 50.
SAY THEN THEN
Select Next Word
Previous Character
Forward 2...20 Words
Back 2...20 Characters
Last
SAY TO
Select Document or
Select All
Select all the text in your document.
SAY TO
Select [text] Select the text you specify and display the
Correction menu.
Select That Select the last utterance.
Correct That Correct the selected text or the wrong utterance.
Spell Spell a word (brings up the Spell dialog box).
Spell g-l-a-s-s Spell the next word, in this example, glass.
Spell That g-l-a-s-s Correct either the last thing you said or selected
text by spelling the correction, in this example,
glass.
TIP
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 223
International Communications Alphabet
When spelling in the Spell dialog box, you can use the International
Communications Alphabet to enter letters. For a complete list of
alphabet choices, see the online Help.
When spelling, you can also say “letter,” as in “letter alpha,” or “a as in
alpha,” and so on.
Publishing symbols
When spelling in the Spell dialog box, you can enter the following
special characters by voice. (If the program has trouble recognizing a
character, try using the longest available spoken form.)
FOR SAY FOR SAY
a Alpha n November
bBravo oOscar
c Charlie p Papa
dDelta qQuebec
e Echo r Romeo
fFoxtrot sSierra
gGolf t Tango
hHotel uUniform
i India v Victor
jJuliett wWhiskey
k Kilo x Xray
lLima yYankee
mMike z Zulu
TO ENTE R SAY
™trademark sign or trademark
©copyright sign or copyright
®registered trademark sign or registered trademark or
registered sign or registered
†dagger
‡double dagger
paragraph sign or paragraph
§section sign or section
NOTE
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
224
Currency symbols
When spelling in the Spell dialog box, you can enter the following
special characters by voice. (If the program has trouble recognizing a
character, try using the longest available spoken form.)
Accented and international characters
When spelling in the Spell dialog box, you can enter the following
special characters by voice. (If the program has trouble recognizing a
character, try using the longest available spoken form.)
—em dash
–en dash
-soft hyphen
(nonbreaking
space)
nonbreaking space or nonbreakable space or no break
space or unbreakable space
TO ENTE R SAY
$dollar sign or dollar
¢cent sign or cent
£ pound sterling or sterling or sterling sign
¥yen sign or yen
(or EUR) euro sign or euro
ƒguilder sign or guilder
¤general currency or general currency sign or
international currency or international currency sign
TO ENTE R SAY
´ (acute) accent acute or acute
` (grave) accent grave or grave or backquote
˜ (tilde) accent tilde or tilde
¨ (umlaut) accent umlaut or umlaut or dieresis
ˆ (circumflex) accent circumflex or circumflex
¸ (cedilla) accent cedilla or cedilla
TO ENTE R SAY
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 225
á, Á, é, É, í, Í, ó, Ó,
ú, Ú, ý, Ý
a accent acute or a acute
Cap e accent acute or Cap e acute
and so on
à, À, È, è, ì, Ì, ò, Ò,
ù, Ù
a accent grave or a grave
Cap e accent grave or Cap e grave
and so on
ã, Ã, ñ, Ñ, õ, Õa accent tilde or a tilde
Cap n accent tilde or Cap n tilde
and so on
ä, Ä, ë, Ë, ï, Ï, ö, Ö,
ü, Ü, ÿ, Ÿ
a accent umlaut or a umlaut
Cap e accent umlaut or Cap e umlaut
and so on
â, Â, ê, Ê, î, Î, ô, Ô,
û, Û
a accent circumflex or a circumflex
Cap o accent circumflex or Cap o circumflex and
so on
ç, Çc accent cedilla or c cedilla
Cap c accent cedilla or Cap c cedilla
å, Åa angstrom
Cap a angstrom
¡inverted exclamation point or
inverted exclamation mark
¿inverted question mark
«open angle quotes or begin angle quotes
US/Canada: open euro quotes
»close angle quotes or end angle quotes
US/Canada: close euro quotes
ßeszet or German sharp or German sharp s
or sharp s
œoe ligature or ligature oe or oe diphthong
æae ligature or ae diphthong or ligature ae
ðIcelandic eth or eth
þIcelandic thorn or thorn
ºmasculine ordinal
TO ENTE R SAY
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
226
Mathematical symbols
When spelling in the Spell dialog box, you can enter the following
special characters by voice. (If the program has trouble recognizing a
character, try using the longest available spoken form.)
ªfeminine ordinal
šs wedge
„double comma
TO ENTE R SAY
¼one quarter sign or one quarter or quarter sign or quarter
½one half sign or one half or half sign or half
¾three quarters sign or three quarters
×multiply sign or multiply or times sign or times
÷divide sign or divide
±plus or minus sign or plus or minus or plus minus sign or
plus minus
‰per thousand or per mille
¦broken vertical bar
¬logical not sign or logical not or not sign or not
¯macron sign or macron
°degree sign or degree
¹superscript 1
²superscript 2 or squared or square
³superscript 3 or cubed or cube
µGreek mu or micro
øo slash
·centered dot or middle dot or center dot
‚alternate comma
TO ENTE R SAY
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 227
Deleting and undoing
Deleting the next or previous line or paragraph
For more information about these commands, see “Deleting the next or
previous paragraph or line” on page 48.
SAY TO
Delete That Delete selected text. (For more information, see
“Deleting specific words” on page 48.)
Backspace Press the BACKSPACE key. To press it more than
once, say Backspace 2, Backspace 3, and so on (up to
20).
Undo That or
Undo Last Action
Undo the last action.
Scratch That Erase the last thing you said or selected text. You can
say “Scratch That” up to 10 times to keep erasing
previous words or phrases. (For more information, see
“Deleting the last words you dictated” on page 47.)
Resume With
Dear Susan
Search backward to find a specific word or words, so
you can continue dictating from that point. In this
example, resume dictating with Dear Susan. (For more
information, see “Going back as you dictate” on page
47.)
SAY THEN THEN
Delete Next Paragraph
Previous 2...20 Paragraphs
Forward Line
Back 2...20 Lines
Last
APPENDIX Commands List
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228
Deleting the next or previous word or character
For more information about these commands, see “Deleting the next or
previous word or character” on page 48.
Moving around in a document
Going to the top or bottom of a document
Going to the top or bottom of a page
For more information about these commands, see “Going to the top or
bottom of a page or document” on page 43.
SAY THEN THEN
Delete Next Word
Forward Character
Previous 2...20 Words
Back 2...20 Characters
Last
SAY THEN
Go to Top
Move to Top of Document
Beginning of Document
Start of Document
Bottom
Bottom of Document
End of Document
SAY TO
Page
Up
Move up one page (equivalent to pressing the PAGE UP
key).
Page
Down
Move down one page (equivalent to pressing the PAGE
DOWN key).
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 229
Going to the beginning or end of a line
For more information about these commands, see “Going to the
beginning or end of a line” on page 44.
Placing the insertion point before or after a specific word
For more information about these commands, see “Placing the insertion
point before or after a specific word” on page 44.
Moving up or down a paragraph
For example, you can say “Move Up a Paragraph” or “Move Down 6
Paragraphs.” For more information about these commands, see “Moving
up or down a paragraph or line” on page 45.
SAY THEN
Go to Beginning of Line
Move to Start of Line
End of Line
SAY TO
Insert Before glass Place the insertion point before a specific word or
words that are visible on screen. In this example, the
insertion point is placed before glass.
Insert After glass Place the insertion point after a specific word or
words that are visible on screen. In this example, the
insertion point is placed after glass.
Insert Before That Place the insertion point before selected text that is
visible on screen.
Insert After That Place the insertion point after selected text that is
visible on screen.
SAY THEN THEN
Move Up a Paragraph or 1 Paragraph
Down 2...20 Paragraphs
Back
Forward
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
230
Moving up or down a line
For example, you can say “Move Up a Line” or “Move Down 6 Lines.” For
more information about these commands, see “Moving up or down a
paragraph or line” on page 45.
Moving right or left a word
For example, you can say “Move Right a Word” or “Move Forward 6
Words.” For more information about these commands, see “Moving right
or left a word or character” on page 45.
Moving right or left a character
For example, you can say “Move Right a Character” or “Move Left 6.” For
more information about these commands, see “Moving right or left a
word or character” on page 45.
SAY THEN THEN
Move Up a Line or 1 Line
Back 2...20 Lines
Down
Forward
SAY THEN THEN
Move Right a Word or 1 Word
Forward 2...20 Words
Left
Back
SAY THEN THEN
Move Right a Character or 1 Character
Forward 2...20 Characters
Left
Back
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 231
Copying, cutting, and pasting text
For more information about these commands, see “Copying, cutting,
and pasting text” on page 46.
Capitalizing text
Capitalizing or uncapitalizing text already in your document
For more information about these commands, see “Capitalizing (or
uncapitalizing) text already in your document” on page 56.
SAY TO
Copy Selection Copy selected text to the Clipboard.
Cut Selection Cut selected text.
Copy That Copy the selected text to the Clipboard.
Cut That Cut the selected text.
Paste That Paste the contents of the Clipboard.
Copy All to Clipboard Copy all the text in your document to the
Clipboard.
SAY TO
Cap That or Capitalize
That
Capitalize the selected text or the last thing
you said.
Format That Capitals or
Format That Initial Caps
or Format That Cap or
Format That Caps
Capitalize the selected text.
All Caps That Make the selected text all capitals.
Format That All Caps or
Format That Uppercase
Make the selected text all capitals.
No Caps That Make the selected text lowercase.
Format That No Caps or
Format That Lowercase
or Uncapitalize That or
Uncap That
Make the selected text all lowercase.
APPENDIX Commands List
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232
In many applications the commands “Cap That,” “Capitalize That,””All Cap
That,” and “No Caps That” work on the selection and on the last thing you said. All other
capitalization commands work only on selected text.
Capitalizing or uncapitalizing the next word you say
For more information about these commands, see “Capitalizing text” on
page 54.
Capitalizing or uncapitalizing consecutive words
For more information about these commands, see “Capitalizing text” on
page 54.
SAY TO
Cap glass Start the next word with a capital, in this example,
Glass.
All Caps glass Type the next word in all capitals, in this example,
GLASS.
No Caps Jack Type the next word in all lowercase, in this example,
jack.
No Space glass Type the next word without a space before it; for
example, window No Space glass = windowglass.
SAY TO
Caps On Turn initial caps on.
Caps Off Turn initial caps off.
All Caps On Turn all capitals on.
All Caps Off Turn all capitals off.
No Caps On Turn all lowercase on.
No Caps Off Turn all lowercase off.
No Space On Turn no spaces on.
No Space Off Turn no spaces off.
NOTE
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 233
Hyphenating or compounding text
Formatting text
Adding or removing bold, italics, and underlining
For more information about these commands, see “Bold, italics, and
underlining” on page 58.
SAY TO
Hyphenate That Hyphenate either the last thing you said or
the selected text.
Format That With Hyphens Hyphenate the selected text.
Compound That Compound either the last thing you said or
the selected text.
Format That Without Spaces Compound the selected text.
SAY TO
Bold That Apply bold to the selected text.
Italicize That Apply italics to the selected text.
Bold Italicize That Apply bold and italics to the selected text.
Underline That Apply underlining to the selected text.
Restore That or
Format That Plain or
Format That Normal
or Format That
Regular
Remove formatting from the selected text.
APPENDIX Commands List
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234
Changing font face
For more information about these commands, see “Changing font face”
on page 57.
Changing font size
For more information about these commands, see “Changing font size”
on page 57.
SAY THEN
Set Font Arial
Format That Courier
Courier New
Garamond
Helvetica
Palatino
Times
Times New Roman
SAY THEN
Set Size 8
Format That Size 10 point
Set Font Size 12
any point size from 4 to 100, as well as 120
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 235
Changing font style
For more information about these commands, see “Changing font style”
on page 57.
Changing a combination of font face, size, and style
For more information about these commands, see “Changing a
combination of font face, size, and style” on page 57.
SAY THEN
Set Font Bold
Format That Italics
Bold Italics
Underline
Strikeout
Plain or Plain Text or Normal or Regular
SAY THEN THEN THEN
Set Font Times 8 Bold
Format That
Times New
Roman
10 point Italics
Times New
Roman
(any point
size from 4 to
100, as well
as 120)
Bold Italics
Arial (any point
size from 4 to
100, as well
as 120)
Underline
Courier (any point
size from 4 to
100, as well
as 120)
Plain or Plain
Text or
Normal or
Regular
APPENDIX Commands List
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236
Aligning text
For more information about these commands, see “Aligning text” on
page 59.
SAY TO
Center That or Format
That Centered
Center the current paragraph.
Left Align That or Format
That Left Aligned
Left align the current paragraph.
Right Align That or Format
That Right Aligned
Right align the current paragraph.
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 237
Entering numbers
TO ENTE R SAY
5five or numeral five
23 twenty three
179 one hundred (and) seventy nine or one seventy nine
NOTE: The word “and” is optional.
5423 five thousand four hundred (and) twenty three
5,423 five [comma] four twenty three
12,537 twelve thousand five hundred and thirty seven
142,015 one hundred and forty two thousand and fifteen
35.23 thirty five [point] two three
0.03 All Dialects: zero [point] zero three
Outside US/Canada: nought [point] nought three
43.28% forty three [point] twenty eight [percent sign]
22 January 1999 twenty two January nineteen ninety nine
April 9, 2001 April nine comma two thousand and one
14/07/85 fourteen [slash] oh seven [slash] eighty five
6/12/00 six [slash] twelve [slash] double oh or six [slash] twelve
[slash] double zero
NOTE: If you say “oh oh,” you must then say “Format
That Number” to remove the extra space.
1/22/2000 one [slash] twenty-two [slash] two thousand
8:30 eight [colon] thirty
4:45 am four forty five a m
10:22 pm ten twenty two p m
5:00 PM five o’clock p m
£45 US/Canada: pound sterling sign forty five
Other Dialects: forty five pounds
$99.50 ninety nine dollars and fifty cents
£5 million US/Canada: pound sterling sign five million
Other Dialects: five million pounds
$3.9 billion US/Canada: three point nine billion dollars
Other Dialects: dollar sign three point nine billion
1/2 one half
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
238
Telephone numbers
You can say North American phone numbers (of 7, 10, or 11 digits) without
hyphens by pausing briefly between each group of numbers. To dictate other phone
numbers, including European phone numbers, you must say all the punctuation,
including the hyphens. For more information, see "Telephone numbers” on page 65.
1/4 one fourth or one quarter
15/16 fifteen sixteenths or fifteen over sixteen
3 7/8 three and seven eighths or three and seven over eight
9/12 nine [slash] twelve or nine over twelve
5 3/56 five [space bar] three [slash] fifty six
130/70 one thirty over seventy
VRoman five
XXIV Roman twenty Roman four
TO ENTER SAY
617-965-5200 six one seven nine six five fifty two hundred
1-800-555-1212 one eight hundred five five five one two one two
(617) 965-5200 [open parenthesis] six one seven [close
parenthesis] nine six five five two hundred
1-212-555-1212 one two one two five five five one two one two
(01628) 894150 open parenthesis oh one six two eight close
parenthesis space bar eight nine four one five oh
027 629 8944 oh two seven space bar six two nine space bar
eight nine four four
61-7-4695-2055 six one hyphen seven hyphen four six nine five
hyphen two zero five five
(65) 2778590 open parenthesis six five close parenthesis two
seven seven eight five nine zero
TO ENTE R SAY
NOTE
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 239
Postal and ZIP codes
For more information about entering numbers, see “Dictating numbers”
on page 61.
Changing number format
For more information about these commands, see “Dictating numbers”
on page 61.
TO ENTER SAY
02460 oh two four six zero
02460-1458 oh two four six zero [hyphen] one four five eight
NOTE: The hyphen is not optional.
K1A 0M5 Postal Code k one a oh m five or
Postal Code kilo one alpha zero mike five
X0A 0H0 Postal code x oh a oh oh o or
Postal code x-ray zero alpha zero hotel zero
SL7 1LW Postal Code s l seven one l w or
Postal Code sierra lima seven one lima whiskey
SAY TO
Format That Number Convert a number from text to numeric format
(for example, convert one hundred to 100).
Format That Spelled Out Convert a number from numeric to text format
(for example, convert 100 to one hundred).
Start Numbers Mode/
Numbers Mode On
Tell Dragon NaturallySpeaking® to recognize
all your dictation as numbers, typed as
numerals.
Stop Numbers Mode/
Numbers Mode Off
Resume normal dictation of text and numbers.
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
240
Entering punctuation and special characters
TO ENTER SAY TO ENTE R SAY
&ampersand or
and sign
*asterisk
’apostrophe ’sapostrophe s
@ at sign ` backquote
‘open single quote
or begin single
quote
’close single quote
or end single quote
“open quote
open quotes or
begin quote or
begin quotes
”close quote or
close quotes or
end quote or
end quotes
\backslash /slash or
forward slash
:(space) colon : numeric colon
,(space) comma ,numeric comma
^caret —dash
.dot or point .US/Canada: period
Other Dialects: full stop
$ dollar sign ... ellipsis
=equal sign euro sign/euro
!US/Canada:
exclamation point
All Dialects:
exclamation mark
- hyphen or numeric
hyphen
{open curly bracket
or left curly bracket
US/Canada:
open brace or left
brace
}
close curly bracket
or right curly
bracket
US/Canada:
close brace or right
brace
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 241
[open square
bracket or left
square bracket
US/Canada:
open bracket or left
bracket
] close square
bracket or right
square bracket
US/Canada:
close bracket or
right bracket
(All Dialects:
open parenthesis or
left parenthesis
US/Canada:
open paren or
left paren
Other Dialects:
open bracket or
left bracket
)All Dialects:
close parenthesis
or right parenthesis
US/Canada:
close paren or
right paren
Other Dialects:
close bracket or
right bracket
< open angle bracket < less than
>close angle bracket >greater than
- minus sign # number sign or
hash sign or
sharp sign
US/Canada:
number sign or
pound or
pound sign
%percent sign +plus sign
£US/Canada:
pound sterling sign
Other Dialects:
pound sign or
pound
?question mark
§section sign ;semicolon
(space) space bar (tab) tab key
~tilde _underscore
| vertical bar :-( frowny face
:-) smiley face ;-) winky face
TO ENTER SAY TO ENTE R SAY
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
242
Playing back and reading text (Available in
Preferred edition only)
Playing back dictation
For more information about these commands, see “Listening to your
recorded voice (Preferred edition only)” on page 134.
Using text-to-speech
For more information about these commands, see “Text-to-speech
(Preferred edition only)” on page 141.
SAY TO
Play That Back or Play That
or Play Selection
Play back the selected text.
Play Back Line Play back dictation for the current line.
Play Back Paragraph Play back dictation for the current paragraph.
Play Back Document Play back dictation for the whole document.
Play Back Screen Play back dictation for the text in view.
Play Back to Here or
Play Back Up to Here
Play back dictation from the top of the
document window to the insertion point.
Play Back from Here or
Play Back Down from Here
Play back dictation from the insertion point
to the bottom of the document window.
SAY TO
Read Line Read back the current line.
Read Selection Read back the selected text.
Read Paragraph Read back the current paragraph.
Read Document Read back the whole document.
Read Screen Read back the text in view.
Read to Here or
Read Up to Here
Read back from the top of the document window
to the insertion point.
Read from Here or
Read Down from Here
Read back from the insertion point to the bottom
of the document window.
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 243
Working with your desktop and windows
Starting programs and opening documents and folders
For more information about these commands, see “Starting programs”
on page 102 and “Opening documents and folders” on page 103.
Switching windows
For more information about these commands, see “Switching between
open windows” on page 103.
SAY TO
Start Calculator Start a program on your Windows® Start menu or
desktop, in this example, Calculator.
Start Mail Start your default e-mail program.
Start proposal.doc Open a document on your Windows® Start menu or
desktop, in this example, proposal.doc.
Start My
Documents
Open a folder on your Windows® Start menu or
desktop, in this example, My Documents.
Click Start or Click
Start Menu
Open a menu, in this example, the Start menu.
Give Me Help Open Dragon NaturallySpeaking® online Help.
What Can I Say Display the Dragon NaturallySpeaking® Sample
Commands for the application you are currently
working in.
SAY TO
Switch to Internet Explorer Switch to a different program window, in
this example, Internet Explorer.
Switch to Previous Window Switch to the previous window (equivalent
to pressing ALT+TAB).
Switch to Next Window Switch to the next window (equivalent to
pressing ALT+SHIFT+TAB).
Switch to DragonPad Switch to the DragonPad window.
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
244
Opening and closing menus
For more information about these commands, see “Opening and closing
menus” on page 105.
Selecting buttons, tabs, and options
For more information about these commands, see “Selecting buttons,
tabs, and options” on page 106.
SAY TO
Click File or
File
Open a menu or activate a menu command, in this
example, the File menu.
Cancel Close an open menu.
SAY TO
Click OK or OK Activate a button or option, in this example, OK.
Click Properties or
Properties
Activate a tab in a tabbed dialog box, in this
example, the Properties tab.
Go to Next Tab or
Move to Next Tab or
Click Next Tab or
Next Tab
Switch to the next tab in a tabbed dialog box.
Go to Previous Tab or
Move to Previous Tab
or Click Previous Tab
or Previous Tab
Switch to the previous tab in a tabbed dialog
box.
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 245
Resizing and closing windows
For more information about these commands, see “Resizing and closing
windows” on page 108.
E-mail commands
The following commands work only when you are in a supported e-mail
program. For more information, see “Working with e-mail” on page 83.
E-mail commands
You can say “Mail,” “E-mail,” “Message,” or “Memo” in any of the commands
specific to e-mail.
SAY TO
Click Maximize Maximize the active window.
Click Minimize Minimize the active window.
Click Restore Restore the active window to its previous size.
Click Close Close the active window.
Click Control Menu Open the Control menu for the active window.
Click System Menu Open the System menu for the active window.
SAY TO
Check For New Mail or
Check For Mail or
Check For E-mail or
Check Mail or
Refresh Mail
Check the Inbox for new messages.
Create Mail or
Create New Mail or
New Mail or
New E-mail or
New Message
Create a new e-mail message.
Open Mail or
Open E-mail or
Open That
Open the selected e-mail message.
Close Mail or
Close E-mail or
Close That
Close the selected e-mail message window. This
command does not close your main e-mail
program.
TIP
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
246
The following commands work if you have a message selected in your
Inbox or if you are currently in an e-mail message.
Replying to, forwarding, sending, printing, and deleting e-mail
The following commands let you move around when editing e-mail. You
can also use the regular text editing commands to compose your
messages.
SAY TO
Reply Mail or
Reply Message or
Reply To E-Mail or
Reply To Message
Reply to the sender of the current message.
Reply to All Reply to all recipients of the current message.
Forward Mail or
Forward E-Mail or
Forward Message
Forward the current message.
Send Mail or
Send E-Mail or
Send Message
Sends the current message.
Send Now or
Send Mail Now
In AOL only, sends the current message
immediately.
Send Later or
Send Mail Later
In AOL only, sends the current message later.
Print Mail or
Print E-Mail or
Print Message
Prints the current message.
Delete Mail or
Delete E-Mail or
Delete Message
Deletes the current message.
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 247
Editing a message
You can also say “Move To” instead of “Go To” in any of the commands above.
SAY TO
Go To To Field or To Move to the To field. In AOL only, you can say
“Send To.”
Go To CC Field or CC Move to the CC field. In AOL only, you can say
“Copy To.”
Go To BCC Field or
BCC
Move to the BCC field.
Go To Subject Field or
Subject
Move to the Subject field.
Go To Body Field or
Body
Move to the Body field.
Go To First Field or
First
Move to the first field of the view.
Go To Next Field or
Next
Move to the next field of the view.
Go To Previous Field
or Previous
Move to the previous field of the view.
Go To Last Field or
Last
Move to the last field of the view.
TIP
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
248
Using Microsoft Internet Explorer
Navigating the Web
SAY TO
Go to Address Move to the Address box.
Click Go or Go There Go to the Web page specified in the Address
box (same as pressing the ENTER key).
Go to Favorite United
Nations
Go to a Web page on your Favorites list, in this
example, United Nations.
Refresh or Reload Refresh the current Web page (same as clicking
the Refresh button).
Click Help on
Searching or Help on
Searching
Follow the link or click the button, in this
example, Help on Searching.
Click Contact Us or
Contact Us
Follow the link that appears in an image when
the mouse moves over it, in this example,
Contact Us.
Choose 2Select an alternative from the numbered list and
enter it in your document. You can say any
number that appears in the list.
Next Match or Next Select the next matching link or object on the
page.
Previous Match or
Previous
Select the previous matching link or object on
the page.
Click That or That One Click the selected link, edit box, and so on.
Stop Loading Stop loading a Web page (same as clicking the
Stop button).
Go Back Load the previous Web page in your history list
(same as clicking the Back button).
Go Forward Load the next Web page in your history list
(same as clicking the Forward button).
Go Home Go to your home page (same as clicking the
Home button).
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 249
Moving around a Web page
Working with forms
SAY TO
Page Down Scroll down one screen (same as pressing the
PAGE DOWN key).
Page Up Scroll up one screen (same as pressing the
PAGE UP key).
Line Down Scroll down one line (same as clicking the down
arrow in the scroll bar once).
Line Up Scroll up one line (same as clicking the up
arrow in the scroll bar once).
Go to Top Scroll to the beginning of the Web page.
Go to Bottom Scroll to the end of the Web page.
Start Scrolling Down Start automatic scrolling toward the end of the
page.
Start Scrolling Up Start automatic scrolling toward the beginning
of the page.
Stop Scrolling Stop automatic scrolling.
Speed Up Increase scrolling speed. (Say it again to speed
up more.)
Slow Down Decrease scrolling speed. (Say it again to slow
down more.)
Next Frame Go to the next frame in a multiframe page.
Previous Frame Go to the previous frame in a multiframe page.
Next Pane Go to the next pane in the browser application.
Previous Pane Go to the previous pane in the browser
application.
SAY TO
Type Text or Edit Box Go to the first place on a Web page where you
can enter text.
Click Check Box or
Check Box
Enumerate all check boxes on the page and go
to the first one.
Click Image or Image Enumerate all images with links on the page
and go to the first one.
APPENDIX Commands List
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
250
You can use standard editing commands to work with text that you enter
in a Web form.
For more information about Microsoft® Internet Explorer® commands,
see “Using E-Mail and Microsoft Internet Explorer” on page 83.
Working hands-free
Pressing keyboard keys
For lists of commands you can use to press keyboard keys, see “Pressing
keyboard keys” on page 109.
Moving the mouse pointer and clicking the mouse
For lists of commands you can use to move the mouse pointer and click
the mouse, see the mouse movement commands starting on page 115.
Choose 2Select the image, option, button, and so on
from the enumerated list of choices. You can say
any number that appears in the list.
Click Radio Button/
Radio Button
Enumerate all option (radio) buttons on the
page and go to the first one.
Click List Box or List Box Enumerate all the boxes with a list of choices
(drop-down lists) on the page and go to the first
one.
Show Choices Open a list of choices.
Hide Choices Close a list of choices.
Cancel Choices Deactivate a list of choices, leaving the most
recent choice selected.
Choose Thursday or
Thursday
Choose an entry from a list of choices, in this
example, Thursday.
SAY TO
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 251
A
abbreviations 73
accuracy
improving 151, 168
measuring 151
troubleshooting 215
with a recorder 194
Accuracy Assistant 152
Accuracy Center 152
Acoustic Optimizer 153
acronyms 73
Active Accessibility 207
add a word 156
adding paragraphs, lines, and spaces 220
additional training 22
Advanced Settings dialog box 191
All Caps Off 55
All Caps On 55
All Caps That 56
All Caps [text] 55
America Online 83
American English 12
apostrophe ’s 70
applications
opening 102
switching 103
audio
testing 211
Audio Setup Wizard 16
Audio Setup wizard
using 212
Australian English 12
automating your work 123
B
backing up user files 207
BACKSPACE key 49
backups 206
Bold That 58, 233
bold, adding or removing 233
bookmarks. See Favorites
British English 12
bulleted text 59
buttons, selecting 106
C
Cap That 56
Cap [word] 54
Capitalize That 56
Capitalize That 56
capitalizing text 231
already in a document 56
applying lowercase 55-56
consecutive words 54-55
next word 54
Caps Off 55
Caps On 55
Center That 59
characters
deleting 48-49
moving to next/previous 45
selecting 43
check boxes, selecting 106
clicking the mouse 118
Command Browser 96, 155
Command Mode 80
Index
Index
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
252
commands
browsing available commands 96, 98
training 167
troubleshooting 214
undoing 227
using with a recorder 186
which ones work in which programs 217
See also custom commands
See also the Appendix for a list of commands
composing. See dictation
Compound That 72
compound words 71-72
contact names, adding 160
contractions. See apostrophe ’s
Copy All to Clipboard 46, 105
Copy That 46, 231
copying text 46
copying text to other programs 46, 104
Correct [text] Through [text] 3, 41
Correct [text] To [text] 3, 41
correcting
commands for 222
recommended methods 136
Correction menu 36
Correction options 198
creating a new user 13
custom commands
creating 125
deleting 129
renaming 130
searching 124
Text and Graphics 123
types of 123
viewing 123
See also Vocabulary Editor
custom words, deleting 164
Cut That 42, 46, 231
cutting text 46
D
dates 64
Delete That 48
deleting commands. See custom commands,
deleting
deleting text
backing up and resuming dictation 47
characters 48-49
last words dictated 47
lines 48
paragraphs 48
specific words 42, 48
deselecting text 41
dialects
dictating times of day 64
spelling and punctuation conventions 2
dictation
healthy 176
learning 146
tips for 143
workflow recommendations 133
Dictation Mode 80
documents
moving to top/bottom 43
opening 103, 243
selecting all text in 42
Drag-and-drop transcription 191
Dragon NaturallyMobile recorder 180, 189
used as microphone 194
DragonBar 25, 30
Extras toolbar on 31
hiding 201
options 201
Tray Icon Only mode 201
DragonPad 25
E
electrical interference 172
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 253
Index
e-mail 83, 245
adding contact names 160
checking for new 84
closing 84
composing 84
deleting 86
dictating 85
forwarding 86
navigating fields 85
opening 84
printing 86
replying to 86
sending 86
transferring dictation 85
e-mail addresses, dictating 74
ENTER key 220
ergonomics 175
errors, reducing 151
Eudora 83
Euro symbol, changing 209
Extras toolbar 31
F
Favorites, in Web pages 87
folders, opening 103, 243
fonts, changing 57
Format That 58
Format That Centered 59
Format That Left Aligned 59
Format That Number 63
Format That Right Aligned 59
Format That Spelled Out 63
Formatting options 208
formatting text 56, 233
applying bold 58
applying italics 58
applying underlining 58
changing font face, size, and style 57
removing formatting 58
fractions 66
frames 93
G
Give Me Help 29
Go to Beginning of Line 44
Go to Bottom 43
Go to End of Line 44
Go to Sleep 28, 218
Go to Top 43
H
handheld recorder. See recorder
healthy computing 175
help
online 29
homophones, tips for selecting 41
Hot key options 203
Hyphenate That 71
hyphenated words 70
dictating 71
hyphens 71
preventing 71
removing 71
I
ICD-PCLINK 180
icons, selecting 107
improving performance. See accuracy
Indian English 12
Insert After [text] 44
Insert Before [text] 44
installation 9
installing recorder software 180
International Communications Alphabet 110, 223
Internet addresses 74
Index
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
254
Internet Explorer
adding a favorite Web page 88
clicking check boxes, list boxes and radio
buttons 92
clicking images 92
clicking named buttons 92
commands for 248
dictating URLs 88
entering a Web address 88
entering text in a text box 89
following links 90
frames and panes 93
going back or forward in Web pages 89
going to a favorite Web page 87
scrolling in a Web page 93
Italicize That 58, 233
italics, adding or removing 58, 233
J
James, Henry 149
K
keyboard editing shortcuts 49
keyboard, pressing keys 109-113
L
laptops
electrical interference in 172
Left Align That 59
lines
adding 220
deleting 48
moving to beginning/end of 44
moving up/down 45
selecting 42
low accuracy 152
lowercase, applying 55
M
macros. See custom commands
measurements. See abbreviations
menus, opening and closing 105, 244
microphone
icon in taskbar 32
improving accuracy 170
on/off key, changing 203
parts of 16
plugging in 8
proper positioning 16
sleep mode 28
turning on and off 28, 218
turning on/off 218
Microsoft
Outlook Express 83
Miscellaneous options 206
modes 80
mouse
clicking 118
motion commands, enabling 200
moving the pointer 115, 117, 119
MouseGrid 115
Move to Bottom 43
Move to Top 43
moving around a document 228
before/after specific words 44
to beginning/end of line 44
by paragraphs or lines 45
scrolling 109
to top/bottom of page 43
by words or characters 45
multiple users 15
MyCommands. See custom commands
N
names
adding 160
dictating 72
Natural Language Commands 95
new commands. See custom commands, creating
new features in version 6 3
New Line 220
New Paragraph 220
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 255
Index
New User Wizard 181
new user, creating 13
No Caps Off 56, 74
No Caps On 56, 74
No Caps That 56
No Caps [text] 55
No Space 72
No Space Off 72
No Space On 72
numbers 61, 237
changing formats 63
currency 62
dates 64
fractions 66
Roman numerals 67
telephone numbers 65
times of day 64
Numbers Mode 63-64
O
Olympus DS-150/650 Recorder 183-184
opening
documents 243
e-mail 84
folders 103, 243
opening and closing menus 244
opening applications 102
Options dialog box 197
options, selecting 106
P
Page Down 43
Page Up 43
pages. See moving around a document
paragraphs
adding 220
deleting 48
moving up/down 45
selecting 42
Paste That 46, 231
pasting text 46
Pause Required Before Commands control 206
periods, spacing after 208
phone numbers 65, 238
Play That Back 134
playback controls 242
playing back dictation 134, 242
possessives. See apostrophe ’s
postal and ZIP codes 68
posture 175
programs, opening. See opening applications
proper names, dictating 72
properties of words 166
punctuation 69, 240
R
Read That 141
reading text 242
recorded voice playback 134
recorder
correcting mistakes 193
improving accuracy with 194
installing software for 180
transcribing with 187
transcribing with Drag-and-drop 191
recorders
proofreading with 140
removing Version 5 10
renaming commands. See custom commands,
renaming
Restore That 58, 233
restricted command set 186
Results Box
options 202
Resume With 47, 186
retrain 155
revising text. See Select-and-Say
Right Align That 59
Roman numerals 67
S
’s 70
Index
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide
256
Sample Command window 98
Scratch That 42, 47
scrolling 109
scrolling, in Web page 93
searching while selecting 41
Select Again 41
Select All 42
Select Document 42
Select-and-Say
selecting text 40
again 41
changing search direction 199
characters 43
commands for 220
a document 42
lines 42
paragraphs 42
punctuation 40
specific words 41, 43
Set Font 57
Set Size 57
shortcuts for editing by keyboard 49
Shutdown options 201
Skip Word button 21
sleeping 28
slow performance, troubleshooting 216
software installation 9
Sony ICD-BP recorder 182, 184
Sony ICD-R100 recorder 180, 183
Sony Memory Stick IC Recorder ICD-MS 180,
182, 184, 188-189
Sony Memory Stick Voice Editor 180
sound cards 171
sound system
testing 211
troubleshooting 213
Southeast Asian English 12
Space Bar 220
spaces
after periods 208
spaces, adding 220
speakers, plugging in 9
special characters 75, 223-224, 226, 240
Speed vs. Accuracy control 206
speed, improving 172
Spell Mode 80
Spell That 37
Spell [text] 50
spelling
as you dictate 50
spoken form 165
starting applications. See opening
applications
starting programs 243
Startup options 200
Stop Listening 28
Strikeout That 58
student voice models 13
switching windows 103, 243
system requirements 171
T
Tab key 106, 220
tabs (dialog box), selecting 106
tape recorder. See recorder
technical support 211
See also troubleshooting
teenage voices 13
telephone numbers 65, 209
testing sound system 211
text-to-speech 141, 242
times of day 64
training
commands 167
for recorded speech 183
troubleshooting 22
words 167
Transcribe from dialog box 190
Dragon NaturallySpeaking User’s Guide 257
Index
troubleshooting
accuracy problems 215
commands 214
low accuracy 152
no response when dictating 213
recorder transcription 193
slow performance 216
sound system 213
training 22
typeface, changing 57
U
UK English 12
Uncapitalize 56
Uncapitalize That 56
Underline That 58, 233
underlining, adding or removing 233
Undo That 227
unselecting text 41
Upgrading 10
URLs, dictating 88
user directory 208
user files
backing up 207
creating 13, 181
multiple users 15
users
creating new 181
users. See user files
V
Version 5, removing 10
View options 201
vocabularies
managing 167
vocabulary
adding contact names 160
Vocabulary Editor 163
vocabulary tools 156
vocal health 176
Voice It Link 180
W
Wake Up 218
Web addresses 74, 88
What Can I Say 30
what’s new in version 6 3
windows
closing 108, 245
resizing 108, 245
switching between 103
Word Properties dialog box 166
words
adding 156-157
adding a list 162
changing properties 166
deleting 42, 48
moving to next/previous 45
placing insertion point before/after 44
selecting 41, 43
training 167
workflow 133
written form 165
Y
years 64
Z
ZIP codes 68
Technical Support
If you purchased your product directly from a
certified ScanSoft Applications Solutions
Partner, contact them directly for technical
support.
The answers to many Dragon
NaturallySpeaking® technical support
questions can be found on our Web site at
www.ScanSoft.com/NaturallySpeaking/
support/.
Information and Sales
ScanSoft, Inc.
9 Centennial Drive
Peabody, MA 01960
USA
Web: www.ScanSoft.com/NaturallySpeaking/

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