Troubleshooting

Writing Vocola commands is straightforward with a little practice. This page summarizes some potential problems and possible solutions.

Problems

1. My command isn't recognized.
2. My command doesn't work right.
3. Command execution is very slow.
4. My command sequences are misrecognized as dictation.
5. The WSR window says "This command is not available now" when I'm trying to dictate.
6. When I try to dictate, the WSR "Alternates panel" comes up.
7. My dictation shortcut doesn't work.
8. Accented characters don't work.
9. "Exception creating SAPI grammar: An attempt to load a CFG grammar with a LANGID different than other loaded grammars."
10. WSR keeps recognizing little words I didn't say.

Possible solutions

1. My command isn't recognized.

   Some possible causes:

   • Your microphone is muted or not plugged in.
   • WSR is not listening. Make sure the WSR icon in the system tray is bright blue.
   • You didn't save the Vocola command file in which you defined the command.
   • Your command had a syntax error.

     Errors are reported in the Vocola log window. The window will pop up when errors happen, but only if it is closed. If it is open but obscured by other windows, check it for error messages. (Generally it's best to keep it closed so you'll find out when errors happen.)

     Read the error message and correct the problem. (Say "Show Error" to see the Vocola statement for the first error in the last file.) Save the file, close the log window, and try your command again.

   • You defined the command for a specific context but you're speaking it in a different context.

     Make sure you put the command in the Vocola command file for the application you're running, or in a global command file.

     If your command appears within a context statement, make sure the context string appears in the title of the current window.

2. My command doesn't work right.

   Some possible causes:

   • A non-Vocola command with the same words is being executed. If this is the case you will see "Non-Vocola recognition" in the log window (when the log level is anything but "Errors Only").
   • You need to use quotation marks in your command's actions, for example because a keystroke sequence contains a space character. See Quotes and Whitespace.
   • Keystrokes are being sent faster than the application can handle them. Insert calls to WaitForWindow or Wait.
3. Command execution is very slow.

   Make sure you're not running with the log window open but minimized. For some reason the component Vocola uses to display the log messages has tremendous overhead when minimized.

   In some cases WSR gets in a bad state. Restart WSR, or reboot.

4. My command sequences are misrecognized as dictation.

   See the discussion in Command Sequences.

5. The WSR window says "This command is not available now" when I'm trying to dictate.

   This can happen if you try to dictate a phrase starting with "Caps" or "No Caps". WSR isn't smart enough to favor your dictation over its disabled commands like "Caps <word>".

   The best solution is to completely disable WSR dictation for the offending applications using the registry. Start C:\Windows\regedit.exe and navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Speech\Preferences\AppCompatDisableDictation. Right-click in the right-hand pane, choose New > String Value, and enter the executable name of the problematic application (e.g., excel.exe). You can create additional values for additional applications.

   If you don't have permission to edit your registry, one workaround is to dictate your phrase and then say "Cap That".

   This problem can also happen for phrases starting with WSR command words like "move" or "change". Say e.g., "literal move..." instead.

6. When I try to dictate, the WSR "Alternates panel" comes up.

   Vocola dictation works only if the WSR option to "Enable Dictation Everywhere" is turned off. Right-click the WSR tray icon and find it in the "Options" menu.

   Also note that WSR raises the alternates panel whenever you dictate with text selected in a speech-enabled context. Many text entry fields are fully speech-enabled by WSR, even in editing applications whose main window is not speech-enabled.

7. My dictation shortcut doesn't work.

   The SAPI dictation shortcuts capability used by Vocola appears to be somewhat buggy. Sometimes you need to restart WSR for modifications to take effect. (Exit Vocola, exit WSR, start WSR, and start Vocola.) Occasionally a shortcut just won't work, or will work intermittently.

8. Accented characters don't work.

   Make sure your command file is saved as Unicode or UTF-8. Then accented characters should work correctly in both command words and command actions.

9. "Exception creating SAPI grammar: An attempt to load a CFG grammar with a LANGID different than other loaded grammars."

   If you get this error when launching Vocola, make sure your "system locale" matches your "speech recognition language". Find your system locale in Control Panel > Regional and Language Options > Administrative > System Locale. Find your speech recognition language in Control Panel > Speech Recognition Options > Advanced speech options > Language.

   One user reported they also had to make sure their "language format" matched, via Control Panel > Regional and Language Options > Formats.

10. WSR keeps recognizing little words I didn't say.

    You exhale or shift in your chair and WSR thinks you dictated "and". Make a Vocola command that will recognize any such words and do nothing — for example, (And|End|Home) = ""; WSR will still make these mistakes but nothing will happen.