# Voice commands

You can perform a variety of actions in Dragon Professional Anywhere via voice command (instead of mouse, keyboard or microphone button); this can significantly speed up report creation. To see the list of voice commands available to you, say what can I say or select the menu icon > What You Can Say. The voice commands are categorized, with a main command and some alternatives. We recommend learning the commands that you find most useful.

For example, you're correcting your dictation and need to replace the last paragraph: say select last paragraph and record new information.

## Visual feedback

In the General pane of the Options dialog box, you can decide where the visual feedback is displayed when a voice command is recognized. Select one of the following:

- DragonBar - The voice command bubble is anchored to the Dragon Professional Anywhere user interface.
- Mouse - The voice command bubble is anchored to your mouse cursor.
- Text - The voice command bubble is anchored to your text cursor.
- System Tray - The voice command bubble is anchored to the notification area.

## Step-by-step commands

Step-by-step commands execute a series of actions via a single voice command. You can create, modify, copy and delete step-by-step commands. Creating and modifying step-by-step commands is only recommended for experienced users.

You can press hotkeys or microphone buttons to execute the step-by-step commands that you've created (personal) or the ones that have been created by your administrator (shared); for more information on assigning hotkeys/microphone buttons, see: Setting your input preferences.

Note: After saying a step-by-step command, pause to ensure that the command is performed before you continue.

Important: For security reasons, step-by-step commands must not contain sensitive information, such as user names or passwords.

To create a step-by-step command, do the following:

1. Say manage commands or select the menu icon > Manage Step-by-step Commands.
2. Select + and fill in the Name, Description (optional) and Spoken form fields.
3. Select New Step and select the type of step you want; repeat as necessary.
4. Select Apply All.

### Spoken form

If how the name of the step-by-step command is written and how it's pronounced are very different, make sure that the Spoken form (how it's pronounced) reflects this.

When you enter a spoken form, follow these rules:

- Use alphabetic characters and single spaces only. Don't use:

  Digits (for example, use 'twelve' instead of '12') unless they're part of common words (for example, use '3D' instead of 'three D').

  Punctuation marks (for example, ., ", ! or ?).

  Symbols (for example, +, & or $) except for hyphens used in compound words (for example, 'C-spine').

  Double spaces.

- Follow standard capitalization rules (for example, use capital letters for proper names).

- Avoid using capital letters (except for acronyms or if the standard capitalization rules require it, see above).

- For acronyms that are spelled out, use capital letters (for example, CIA); if they're not recognized, separate the capital letters by spaces (for example, C I A).

- For acronyms that are pronounced as words, use lowercase (for example, use 'pet CT' for 'PETCT' or 'pick' for 'PICC').

- Don't use very short names that are acoustically difficult to capture (such as one syllable only).

- Use full words instead of abbreviations (for example, use 'without' instead of 'wo').

- Check for typos.

### Tips

- A red line around a field means that it's mandatory or you haven't filled it in correctly.
- Use the icons to move existing steps up and down (), insert steps into the middle of a sequence of steps () and delete steps ().
- Select a step-by-step command from the left pane to modify it.
- Select the copy icon to copy an existing step-by-step command and use it as a template for a new one. The new step-by-step command has the same description and steps as the one you copied; the Name and Spoken form fields are empty.
- To undo changes, copy or delete a step-by-step command, select and hold (or right-click) it and select Revert Changes, Copy or Delete.
- If a step-by-step command is consistently not executed properly, add Wait or Wait for Window steps to it.
- Using the Run Step-by-step Command or Execute Voice Command step type you can embed one (or more) step-by-step commands or voice commands into another step-by-step command. When the overall step-by-step command is executed, all embedded commands are also executed.

### Step types

Open Application - open the specified app (if it's already open, the focus switches to this app). Specify the following properties:

Target - enter the full path and name to the app's EXE file.

Arguments - enter the command line argument you want the app to open with; for example, a template.

Start in - browse for the folder in which the app or file should open (the working directory).

Run as - select the app window size (normal, minimized or maximized).

Wait - set a waiting time in milliseconds to pause between steps; for example, 500 ms for the app to open with the specified template. Range: 50-2500 ms.

Wait for Window - pause until a window with the specified title has the focus or the set waiting time expires. Specify the following:

Window title - enter the name of the window you want the step-by-step command to wait for.

Waiting time (ms) - set a waiting time. Range: 50-10000 ms. If the set waiting time expires, the execution of the step-by-step command will be stopped.

Note: Apps hosted in Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome aren't supported (for example, the step-by-step command waits for Edge, but it doesn't wait for an app hosted in Edge).

Run Step-by-step Command - browse for the existing personal or shared step-by-step command that you want to embed; the embedded command is executed as a step.

Execute Voice Command - browse for the voice command that you want to embed; the embedded voice command is executed as a step.

Switch to Plate Mode - enter plate mode to dictate license plates or vehicle identification numbers (VINs). This feature is only available with specific server configurations and if you've selected the Law Enforcement specialty during logon.

Enter Text - enter a short text block that you want written at the cursor position in your app (for larger text blocks that you insert regularly, use auto-texts).

Press Keys - enter the sequence of keys that you want pressed. See below for the input format you must use. You can also enter text and combine keys with modifiers.

Press Hotkey - select the edit icon and press one or more modifier keys and a letter/number. For more information, see: Using hotkeys.

Microphone On - turn the microphone on.

Microphone Off - turn the microphone off.

The following keys can be entered in the Press keys field (use curly brackets):

Key | Input format |  | Key | Input format
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Backspace | {BACKSPACE} or {BS} |  | F1 - F24 | {F1} to {F24}
Break | {BREAK} |  | Return | {RETURN}
Caps lock | {CAPSLOCK} |  | Help | {HELP}
Scroll lock | {SCROLL} |  | Decimal | {DECIMAL}
Delete | {DEL} or {DELETE} |  | Separator | {SEPARATOR}
Down arrow | {DOWN} |  | Space | {SPACE}
End | {END} |  | Select | {SELECT}
Enter | {ENTER} |  | Print | {PRINT}
Esc | {ESCAPE} or {ESC} |  | Execute | {EXECUTE} or {EXEC}
Home | {HOME} |  | Snapshot | {SNAPSHOT}
Insert | {INS} |  | Cancel | {CANCEL}
Left arrow | {LEFT} |  | Windows | {WINDOWS} or {WIN}
Num lock | {NUMLOCK} |  | Applications | {APPLICATIONS} or {APPS}
Page down | {PGDN} |  | Clear | {CLEAR}
Page up | {PGUP} |  | NUMPAD0 - NUMPAD9 | {NUMPAD0} or {NP0} to {NUMPAD9} or {NP9}
Right arrow | {RIGHT} |  |  |
Tab | {TAB} |  |  |
Up arrow | {UP} |  |  |
Add | {ADD} |  |  |
Subtract | {SUBTRACT} |  |  |
Multiply | {MULTIPLY} |  |  |
Divide | {DIVIDE} |  |  |

The following modifiers can be entered in the Press keys field (always used with other keys):

Modifier | Input format
--- | ---
Shift | +
Ctrl | ^
Alt | %

Examples:

Sequence executed | Input format
--- | ---
Alt+Ctrl+s | %^s
Shift+Tab | +{Tab}

### Example 1: Creating a confidential email

Name Confidential email

Description This command opens Microsoft Outlook, creates a new email message, enters CONFIDENTIAL in the subject line and places the cursor in the body of the email.

Steps

Open Application

Target C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14\OUTLOOK.EXE

Wait

Waiting time (ms) 2000

Press Hotkey

Hotkey Ctrl + N

Press Keys

Keys {TAB} {TAB}

Enter Text

Text CONFIDENTIAL

Press Keys

Keys {TAB}

### Example 2: Creating a to do list

Name Create a new to do list

Description This command opens Notepad to create a list of tasks. The cursor is placed in the first numbered item and the microphone is turned on.

Spoken form new to do list

Steps

Microphone Off

Open Application

Target C:\ Windows\System32\notepad.exe

Run as Maximized

Wait

Waiting time (ms) 2000

Enter Text

Text TODO LIST

Press Keys

Keys {ENTER}

Enter Text

Text 1.

Microphone On

### Example 3: Checking the weather

Name Check the weather

Description This command opens Internet Explorer with a website where you can find the current weather conditions.

Spoken form weather check

Steps

Microphone Off

Open Application

Target C:\Program Files (x86)\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe

Arguments http://weather.yahoo.com/

Run as Maximized

## Text selection voice commands

For example: select this word - select this sentence - select this paragraph - select all

To use text selection voice commands, the cursor must be placed within text. If your cursor is in an empty paragraph, these voice commands aren't executed.

Once text is selected (via voice command), you can:

- Apply text formatting.
- Correct the text by over-dictation.
- Say add to vocabulary to manage the Vocabulary.
- Say make that an auto-text to manage auto-texts.

## Select & say voice commands

Select & say voice commands can be used to select recorded or typed text and correct, replace, delete or format it via voice. These commands select the closest instance of the text to the left of the current cursor position. You can select single words, phrases, whole sentences or punctuation marks. For example:

1. Say client is a thirty year old male with a history of drug use

The recognized text: Client is a 30-year-old male with a history of drug use

2. Say select thirty year old male

The selected text: Client is a 30-year-old male with a history of drug use

For longer text passages, use through to select text from the first to the last word of your required selection. For example:

1. Say client is a thirty year old male with a history of drug use

The recognized text: Client is a 30-year-old male with a history of drug use

2. Say select client through history

The selected text: Client is a 30-year-old male with a history of drug use

Note: The range of these commands is approximately one page up and down.

### Editing selected text

Once text is selected, the Corrections menu is displayed and you can correct, replace, delete or format the selected text, replace misrecognized text with recognition alternatives, etc. For example:

- Say choose and the number of the correct recognition alternative. For example:

1. Say: client is a thirty year old male with a history of drug use

The recognized text: Client is a 13-year-old male with a history of drug use

2. Say select thirteen, the recognition alternatives are listed.

The selected text: Client is a 13-year-old male with a history of drug use

3. Say choose and the number of the correct recognition alternative.

- Say the text you want or type in new text.
- Say add that to vocabulary or do not recognize that word to manage the Vocabulary.
- Say make that an auto-text to manage auto-texts.
- Say format that bold/italic/etc. to format the text.
- Say scratch that to delete the selected text.
- Say deselect that to deselect the text.

To display a list of available voice commands, say what can I say.

Note: The cursor automatically returns to its previous position when you correct text using the Corrections menu.

### Navigating between multiple instances of selected text

Once text is selected, say select again or select previous to scroll backwards and select next to scroll forwards through the text to find other instances of the text. When navigating between multiple instances of the text, phonetically similar matches are also highlighted. For example:

1. Say client has been on parole for two years and wants to move abroad

The recognized text: Client has been on parole for 2 years and wants to move abroad

2. Say select to

The selected text: Client has been on parole for 2 years and wants to move abroad

3. Say select again

The next selected text: Client has been on parole for 2 years and wants to move abroad

#### Remarks

- The commands select again, select previous and select next are only available when the Corrections menu is displayed.
- The range of these commands is approximately one page up and down.

### Go back

Say go back to return the cursor to its position prior to the selection command. For example:

1. Say client is a twenty year old female

The recognized text: Suppliant is a 20-year-old female|

2. Say select suppliant

The selected text: Suppliant is a 20-year-old female

3. Say client

The replaced text: Client| is a 20-year-old female

4. Say go back, the cursor returns to the position prior to the selection command: Client is a 20-year-old female|

#### Remarks

- The cursor automatically returns to its previous position when you correct text using the Corrections menu.
- | is the cursor position.
- The command go back doesn't work after you've changed the cursor position manually or typed text.

## Undo that/redo that

Say undo that to undo your last operation and redo that to reverse an undo-operation. The behavior of these commands is dependent on the text editor you're using:

Undo that: is the same as pressing Ctrl + Z or the undo button in your text editor.

Redo that: is the same as pressing Ctrl + Y or the redo button in your text editor.

Note: The commands undo that and redo that don't work if your text editor has no or different functions assigned to pressing Ctrl + Z and Ctrl + Y.

## Resuming recording

To go to a specific text position and delete everything that was recorded after that point, say resume with and the word before the text to be deleted. Use this command during recording if irrelevant content is recorded (for example, a question from a colleague or background noise). You can also use this command to reformulate what you said or to correct misrecognized text. For example:

1. Say client has been on parole for two years and wants to move abroad
2. A colleague interrupts you.
3. Say sure I'll be available at five

The recognized text: Client has been on parole for 2 years and wants to move abroad sure I'll be available at 5

4. Say resume with abroad

The corrected text: Client has been on parole for 2 years and wants to move abroad|

#### Remarks

- Only use resume with immediately after recording. It doesn't work after you've used another voice command, changed the cursor position manually or typed text.
- Resume with has a range of approximately 150 words.