User manual NUANCE DRAGON NATURALLYSPEAKING STANDARD 4 - QUICK START

Quick Start NaturallySpeaking Dragon TM 03-201-40-01 August 1999. Version 4.0. Dragon Systems® 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 these patents. The software is subject to one or more of these U.S. patents: 4,783,803; 4,803,729; 4,805,218; 4,805,219; 4,829,576; 4,829,578; 4,837,831; 4,866,778; 4,903,305; 4,914,703; 5,027,406; 5,202,952; 5,428,707; 5,526,463; 5,680,511; 5,715,367; 5,754,972; 5,765,132; 5,794,189; 5,799,279; 5,809,453; 5,818,423; 5,822,730; 5,850,627; 5,903,864; 5,909,666; 5,915,236; 5,920,836; 5,920,837. © Copyright 1999 Dragon Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this manual or software may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval systems, without the express written consent of Dragon Systems, Inc. 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 Dragon Systems is aware of the trademark, the first occurrence of the designation is printed with a trademark (TM) or registered trademark (®) symbol. Dragon Systems, the Dragon Systems logo, and NaturallySpeaking are registered trademarks and BestMatch, Select-and-Say, Vocabulary Builder, and Vocabulary Editor are trademarks of Dragon Systems, Inc. Corel and WordPerfect are registered trademarks of Corel Corporation. GoldMine is a registered trademark of GoldMine Software Corporation. Lotus and Lotus Notes are registered trademarks of Lotus Development Corporation. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks and Outlook is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. 03-201-40-01 Contents Starting Dragon NaturallySpeaking the first time 1 Welcome 2 Creating a user 2 Selecting a user type 3 Adjusting your microphone 4 Training Dragon NaturallySpeaking 6 Starting to Dictate 7 Preparing to dictate 7 Dictating 9 What is that small yellow box? 10 How do I add punctuation? 10 How do I start a new paragraph or line? 11 How do I erase the last thing I said? 11 How do I correct mistakes? 12 How do I Select-and-Say to revise text? 21 How do I undo an unwanted change? 22 How do I select the same text again? 22 How do I "unselect" words? 23 How do I go to the end or beginning of the page? 23 How do I capitalize a word? 23 How do I bold, italicize, or underline words? 24 How do I copy text to another program? 25 How do I exit the program? 25 How do I become an expert? 26 Dragon NaturallySpeaking iii QUICK START Dragon NaturallySpeaking® lets you talk to almost any Windows® program instead of typing. As you speak, your words are transcribed onto your screen and into your document. With Dragon NaturallySpeaking, you can also start programs, open menus, and click buttons by using your voice. This booklet helps you get started quickly. It describes the steps you need to complete the first time you start the program, and then explains the basics of dictating in "Starting to Dictate" on page 7. Starting Dragon NaturallySpeaking the first time Start Dragon NaturallySpeaking from the Windows Start menu. v The name of your specific product edition (for example, NaturallySpeaking Preferred) appears on your Start menu. The NaturallySpeaking menu may contain other items not pictured here. The first time you start Dragon NaturallySpeaking, you need to create a "user" before you can begin talking to the computer. A user stores information the program needs to recognize your speech (for example, information about how you pronounce different words). Dragon NaturallySpeaking 1 QUICK START Welcome The New User Wizard guides you through the steps of creating a user. You may be able to complete these steps without difficulty, but if you have trouble you can find answers to common questions in the following sections. Creating a user On the Create User page, enter a name for your user speech files and choose a speech model and vocabulary. v The "Select user type" step appears only in Dragon NaturallySpeaking Preferred and Professional. Your speech files store all the information Dragon NaturallySpeaking gathers about you, such as how you pronounce different words and which words you use most frequently. Q: I don't know which "speech model" to choose. A speech model provides Dragon NaturallySpeaking with acoustical data about the sound patterns that make up different words. The wizard chooses a speech model for you based on your computer's speed and available memory (RAM). The "BestMatchTM" speech models can make the product more accurate but require more computer memory and a faster processor. We recommend that you accept the speech model the program chooses; however, if you're age 9 to 15 (or have a high voice), you should select the "Student" version of the recommended speech model. Student models are designed for recognizing higher-pitched voices. Q: How long does it take to create a "user"? Completing the New User Wizard usually takes about 45 minutes. The step in which you "train" Dragon NaturallySpeaking for your voice may take only a few minutes or up to 30 minutes, depending on the speed of your computer. While completing the wizard, you can take as many breaks as you want. Just leave the wizard running (and click the Pause button if you're training the program) and continue when you're ready. 2 Dragon NaturallySpeaking QUICK START Q: I don't know which "vocabulary" to choose. A vocabulary consists of the words the program will recognize when you say them and data about how often different words are used. The wizard chooses a vocabulary for you based on your computer's speed and available memory (RAM). The "BestMatch" vocabularies can make the product more accurate but require more computer memory and a faster processor. We recommend that you accept the vocabulary the program chooses; however, if you're age 9 to 15, you should select the "Student" version of the recommended vocabulary. Student vocabularies contain more of the words younger speakers use and different statistics about how often words are used. Selecting a user type If you have Dragon NaturallySpeaking Preferred or Professional, the wizard asks you to select a "user type" to specify how you intend to dictate. If you'll be speaking into a microphone connected to your computer, choose "Directly to the computer." The other option applies when you're setting up Dragon NaturallySpeaking for use with a portable recorder. If you're interested in doing this, you can learn how after you become more familiar with the program. See your Dragon NaturallySpeaking User's Guide for more information. Dragon NaturallySpeaking 3 QUICK START Adjusting your microphone The Audio Setup Wizard shows you how to position your microphone and tests that your voice can be heard loud and clear. Q: How should I hold my handheld microphone? If you're using a handheld microphone, here are some tips for positioning it correctly: s s Hold the microphone one to three inches from your mouth. Point the microphone at the side of your mouth, not at the front (so it won't pick up the sounds of your breathing). If the volume meter (in the Results box on the screen) turns red, try holding the microphone slightly farther from your mouth. s The next section provides tips for positioning a headset microphone. Your software package may include a headset microphone or a handheld microphone. The Audio Setup Wizard prompts you to select the type of microphone you'll be using. NOTE If you switch to a different microphone, you should run the Audio Setup Wizard again to recalibrate the computer's audio settings. (On the Dragon NaturallySpeaking Tools menu, click Audio Setup Wizard.) 4 Dragon NaturallySpeaking QUICK START Q: How should I position my headset microphone? The pictures below show how to position a headset microphone. Whenever you talk to your computer, start by making sure your microphone is in the right position. If the microphone is out of place, the program won't be able to hear you as clearly and may make more mistakes. The side of the microphone that you should speak into may be marked with a colored dot or the word "Talk." If you need to move the microphone out of the way, you can lift the "boom" up and over your head, rather than bending it out of position or removing the headset. Position the microphone in front of your mouth and a little off to the side. The microphone should not touch your mouth, but it can be almost touching (about a half inch from your lips). Dragon NaturallySpeaking 5 QUICK START Training Dragon NaturallySpeaking No two people sound exactly alike, so you have to spend some time training Dragon NaturallySpeaking to understand your pronunciation. You do this by reading part of a book or a story aloud into your microphone (you can choose from several texts). As you read, the program learns how you pronounce different sounds and saves this information in your speech files. Q: I've read the same word three times, but the yellow arrow keeps pointing to it. If you keep reading the same words, and the yellow arrow won't advance, just click Skip Word. Q: I can't get beyond the first screen ("Welcome to the world of continuous speech recognition"). To advance through the first two screens, you must say the sentences without pausing. For the rest of the screens, it's okay to pause in the middle of a sentence. If you still cannot advance, you can try running the Audio Setup Wizard again. Click Cancel to close the training dialog box (and click "Yes" to close without saving changes), and then click Back to return to the Adjust Microphone page. After running the Audio Setup Wizard again, click Next to return to the training program. TIP You can take breaks while you're training the computer. Just click Pause. v A yellow arrow shows you where to start reading. Q: I made a mistake. What should I do? Don't worry. You should try to read exactly what you see on the screen, but it's okay if you read something incorrectly. The computer will either ignore the mistake or display the yellow arrow so you can read the text again. You can also click Back Up to reread something you misread, but this is not required. 6 Dragon NaturallySpeaking Starting to Dictate I f you're new to Dragon NaturallySpeaking, read this section to learn the basics. You can also run the Quick Tour to see Dragon NaturallySpeaking in action. (On the Dragon NaturallySpeaking Help menu, click Quick Tour.) Dragon NaturallySpeaking can help you write more efficiently, but making it work well requires some effort from you. Dragon NaturallySpeaking actually learns about your voice and pronunciation as you use it. When you use words the program doesn't know, it will make mistakes, and you'll have to stop and correct them. It may take a while (perhaps even a few weeks) before you feel comfortable and productive using Dragon NaturallySpeaking. You can find out more about how to make the program work well for you by reading your Dragon NaturallySpeaking User's Guide. Preparing to dictate Follow the steps in this section whenever you want to use Dragon NaturallySpeaking: 1 Start Dragon NaturallySpeaking from the Windows Start menu, if it's not already running. If there's more than one Dragon NaturallySpeaking user on the computer, the Open User dialog box appears so that you can choose your user name. Dragon NaturallySpeaking 7 QUICK START The Dragon NaturallySpeaking window opens. Note: The Playback toolbar is only in the Preferred and Professional editions. Note: The Vocabulary menu is only in the Professional edition. Microphone icon Microphone icon on the taskbar The Dragon NaturallySpeaking window is a simple word processor specifically designed for dictating. NOTE If this is the first time you have started the program, you'll need to create a user. Follow the directions on the screen and see "Starting Dragon NaturallySpeaking the first time" on page 1. 2 Position your microphone correctly. (For tips, see "Adjusting your microphone" on page 4.) Start the program you want to talk to. You can talk to almost any Windows program, but we recommend that you use the Dragon NaturallySpeaking window to practice. When you have finished dictating, you can save your document or use voice commands to copy your text into any other program, such as e-mail. You can use your voice to start any program that appears 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.) Your Dragon NaturallySpeaking User's Guide explains how to start programs by voice. 3 8 Dragon NaturallySpeaking QUICK START 4 Turn the microphone on. (If you're using a handheld microphone, make sure it's switched on.) There are two ways to turn the microphone on: s s Click the red microphone icon window or on the taskbar. in the Dragon NaturallySpeaking Press the plus (+) key on the numeric keypad. Notice that the microphone icon points upward when the microphone is on. The computer is now "listening." When you have finished talking, turn the microphone off by clicking the microphone icon again (or pressing the plus key again). NOTE You can change the keyboard shortcut for turning the microphone on and off. If you're using a portable computer, you may want to change the key to something more convenient, such as a Function key. (On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Hotkeys tab to change the keyboard shortcut.) Once the microphone is on, there's a "hands-free" way to make it stop listening. Just say "Go to Sleep." To reactivate it, say "Wake Up." 5 Click in the window of the program you want to talk to. Clicking in a window makes it active (the title bar becomes highlighted). Dragon NaturallySpeaking always types your words into the active window. Dictating Dictate the sentences below. As you speak, remember that you're talking to a computer, not a person. This means that you must speak clearly, enunciating each word. Talking to a computer is not the same as talking to a person. A person will probably understand what you are trying to say even if you shout or whisper. Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9 QUICK START As Dragon NaturallySpeaking begins working, it may take a few moments for the first words to appear. NOTE If nothing happens, try repeating the steps in "Preparing to dictate" on page 7. Make sure you click in the program window before you speak. Don't be surprised if there are some mistakes. Often, small adjustments, such as speaking a bit more clearly, can make a big difference. Try dictating the same words again and see if speaking more clearly helps the program get all the words right. Later in this practice session you'll learn a way to correct mistakes and, at the same time, teach the program how to do better. What is that small yellow box? The small yellow box you see when you dictate is called the Results box. It displays early "guesses" at what you're saying while Dragon NaturallySpeaking figures out your exact words. Its purpose is to provide visual feedback while the computer processes your speech. Results box You can drag the Results box anywhere on the screen or make it disappear when you're not speaking. (On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Results box tab. Drag the "Auto hide delay" slider to control how long the box remains visible.) How do I add punctuation? You must tell the computer where to put punctuation. Dictate the sentence below and say "comma" and "period" to add the punctuation marks. When talking to a computer [comma] try to say every word clearly without trailing off at the end of a sentence [period] Notice that Dragon NaturallySpeaking does some formatting for you. It automatically capitalizes the first word in a sentence and puts two spaces 10 Dragon NaturallySpeaking QUICK START after a period. (If you prefer only one space between sentences, you can change this setting. On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Dictation tab. Clear the "Two spaces after period" box.) To dictate other punctuation, just say the name of the punctuation mark. You can find a complete list of punctuation marks on your Quick Reference card. How do I start a new paragraph or line? You can start a new paragraph by saying the command "New Paragraph." This is the same as pressing the ENTER key twice. To start a new line, say "New Line." This is the same as pressing the ENTER key once. Say "New Paragraph," and then dictate the sentences below. Have you noticed how clearly newscasters on TV and the radio speak [question mark] When you talk to a computer [comma] it helps to speak as clearly as a newscaster [period] How do I erase the last thing I said? You can erase the last words you dictated by saying "Scratch That." Dictate the sentence below (without pausing). I can delete the last thing I said without touching the mouse or keyboard When the words appear in your document, pause and then say "Scratch That" to erase them. Don't pause between the words "scratch" and "that." When you say "Scratch That," Dragon NaturallySpeaking erases the last thing you dictated. This may be a full sentence, a phrase, or just one word, if that's all you said before pausing. Dragon NaturallySpeaking 11 QUICK START You can say "Scratch That" more than once to keep erasing previous words or phrases. If you repeat the command, you must pause before saying it again. About "Scratch That" "Scratch That" is a quick and easy way to erase wrong words, but it won't prevent the same mistakes from happening again. Only by correcting errors in the Correction dialog box can you teach Dragon NaturallySpeaking not to make the same mistakes again. How do I correct mistakes? Dragon NaturallySpeaking doesn't know it has made a mistake unless you correct it. As you correct its mistakes, you actually teach the program not to make the same mistakes again. You can correct mistakes as soon as they happen or go back and correct them later. This section describes each approach. Correcting mistakes vs. revising Sometimes words are wrong because you change your mind about what you want to say, not because Dragon NaturallySpeaking makes a mistake. For example, you dictate "Tuesday," and then decide it should be "Monday." Never use the Correction dialog box to make this kind of change. Doing so would cause Dragon NaturallySpeaking to associate the sound of one word with the written form of another. Use the Correction dialog box only when you're correcting speechrecognition mistakes.To revise text when you change your mind, use Select-and-SayTM or the mouse and keyboard. (See "How do I Select-and-Say to revise text?" on page 21.) 12 Dragon NaturallySpeaking QUICK START Correcting mistakes as soon as they happen If you tend to fix your typing mistakes as soon as they happen, you'll probably prefer to fix speech-recognition mistakes right away, too. When you see a mistake, you can stop and correct it by saying "Correct That." To correct your last word or phrase: Dictate the paragraph below and watch the screen for mistakes. (If there are no mistakes, just continue dictating until you see one, for example, read aloud from a book or magazine. Eventually, a mistake will appear.) Correcting mistakes helps Dragon NaturallySpeaking learn not to make the same mistakes again. When I correct a mistake, Dragon NaturallySpeaking is able to associate my pronunciation with the correct word. The next time I say the word, Dragon NaturallySpeaking should be able to recognize it correctly. When a mistake appears, say "Correct That." This opens the Correction dialog box. The box displays the last words Dragon NaturallySpeaking 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 resize the Correction dialog box by dragging a corner or side. Note: The Play Back button is only in the Preferred and Professional editions. v The Correction dialog box shows you a list of the words or phrases it considers the most likely matches for what you said. If the "Correct That" command doesn't work (for example, if the word "correct" is typed in your document), you may have paused in the middle of the command. Dragon NaturallySpeaking 13 QUICK START Start a new paragraph and repeat the exercise. When you see a mistake, say "Correct That" again, without pausing between the two words. If Dragon NaturallySpeaking doesn't recognize the command (for example, hears "Correct the" instead of "Correct That" and displays the word "the" in the Correction dialog box), you may need to say the command more clearly. Start a new paragraph and repeat the exercise. When you see a mistake, say "Correct That" again and emphasize the word "that." TIP You can use a keyboard shortcut to open the Correction dialog box. It's the minus (-) key on the numeric keypad. About "Correct That" Using "Correct That" to correct your last phrase is practical only when the phrase is fairly short (fewer than 20 words). A longer phrase may not fit completely in the Correction dialog box, and it's more difficult to find a correct alternative in the list when the phrase you're correcting is long. To fix mistakes in a long phrase, you can correct just the specific wrong words. See "Going back and correcting mistakes later" on page 18. 14 Dragon NaturallySpeaking QUICK START Using the Correction dialog box When the Correction dialog box opens, if the correct word or phrase is in the list of choices, you can simply choose it. Text box To choose the correct text: There are two ways to choose the correct text: s s Say "Choose" and then the number of the correct alternative. For example, say "Choose 2" (or "Choose Numeral 2"). Click the correct alternative, and then click OK (or say "Click OK"). This closes the Correction dialog box and enters the text into your document. If none of the choices exactly matches what you said, you must enter the correct text. To enter the correct text: There are two ways to enter the correct text: s s Start typing the correct word or phrase into the text box. As you type, the list shows alternatives that match what you've typed so far. Start spelling the correct word or phrase. Say the letters continuously and quickly, not one at a time. Dragon NaturallySpeaking 15 QUICK START When you see the correct choice, you can choose it (by mouse or voice). If the correct choice doesn't appear, finish typing or spelling it and then click OK (or say "Click OK"). Spelling in the Correction dialog box When you're spelling in the Correction dialog box, this is what you can say: s s s s s s s s s s letters (a­z) International Communications Alphabet (alpha, bravo, and so on) numbers (0­9) punctuation "Cap" (to capitalize the next letter) "Double" (to enter the next letter twice, for example, "Double a") "Space Bar" or "space" (to insert a space) "Backspace" "apostrophe ess" special characters For more information, see Appendix B in your Dragon NaturallySpeaking User's Guide. TIP When one of the choices in the Correction dialog box is almost correct, you can select it and use it as a starting point without entering the text into your document. Just click it or say "Select" (not "Choose") and then the number of the choice. For example, say "Select 3" (or "Select Numeral 3"). Then edit the word or phrase. When you're working in the Correction dialog box, you can also use your voice to move the cursor and to select and delete words and characters. See your Dragon NaturallySpeaking User's Guide for more information. 16 Dragon NaturallySpeaking QUICK START Teaching the program new words when making corrections Often the reason Dragon NaturallySpeaking makes a mistake is that it doesn't know the word you're trying to dictate. Dragon NaturallySpeaking has a vocabulary that contains the thousands of words it's capable of recognizing. If you dictate an unusual name or specialized term, it may not be in the vocabulary. By using the Correction dialog box to correct these mistakes, you also teach the program the new word. If you use "Scratch That" instead, or edit your document by typing, the program doesn't learn the word and won't recognize it the next time you say it. To add a new word when correcting: 1 Start dictating the names of people you know. Watch the screen for errors. For example, suppose you dictate the name "Ellen Rusinow," but the program types "Ellen Ruston Isle." 2 As soon as Dragon NaturallySpeaking makes a mistake, say "Correct That." Text box 3 In the text box, select just the incorrect words (by mouse or voice). Dragon NaturallySpeaking 17