" /> PakPlace: April 2006 Archives

« March 2006 | Main | May 2006 »

April 09, 2006

How to import scripts

I was asked this question, and unfortunately I cannot find it in the iListen user manual (1.6 or the addendum) or on the web site knowledgebase. So, I will illustrate it here - fortunately it is not that difficult.

You must have iListen running. Switch to it - the running iListen application.

Under the File menu, select the first item "Commands..." (as of 1.6.8 there is a voice commands for this: Show Commands Window)

ilisten menu

The commands window should appear:

Ilisten commands window

Now, are you going to be importing a script for a particular application, or for global/everywhere use? If it is for global use then you are in the right place (see the drop down menu above that says "Type: Global".) If you are going to be importing a script for a particular application, you need to click on the drop down menu above "Type:" and select the only other entry, "Application Specific."

Click the "Import..." button at the bottom and select the text file with the script in it. If this is a global script, iListen will then import the scripts into a new pack with a new name, otherwise it will create a script pack with the same name as the application.

Hopefully it will import them with out any problems. Importing and exporting can be a little touchy. If iListen has problems importing the Applescript for particular commands, it will give you a cryptic (unless you understand Applescript and iListen scripting) error message and you must hit the okay button to continue importing. For each particular command that it had problems with, the type column will show "Applescript (uncompiled)". This means that iListen could not compile, or translate the Applescript text into working code. If you open that particular command (double click on it or press the "Edit..." button) sometimes you might see a missed return or a whole bunch of garbled characters. Fix it if you can, otherwise, you can always disable the command using the check box next to the name in the command listing window or in the command editing window itself.

April 08, 2006

Package of Global Extra Scripts

One of these things that I am constantly doing in command mode is moving the cursor around and just dealing with input fields and trying to edit text, etc. I am usually only in dictation mode when I am actually "dictating" - since in my experience iListen has a tendency to aggressively turn every noise or utterance into a word (or command), if I stay in dictation mode I either have to turn off my microphone or I end up with lots of spurious text.

So, early on I developed a whole set of commands for moving the cursor around, among other things. They are general-purpose commands, usable for text editing, moving between input fields in applications, selecting text and other items, moving around menus, navigating the finder, etc. Lots of them are just multiple repetitions of the same command. I wish iListen had a way to repeat the same action without having to write it out - Dragon works beautifully in this regard with its natural command macro syntax.

The list of commands in this package is as follows:


Backspace
Backspace Eight
Backspace Five
Backspace Four
Backspace Nine
Backspace Seven
Backspace Six
Backspace Ten
Backspace three
Backspace two
Center Cursor
Choose Dock
Choose Edit Menu
Choose File Menu
Choose Menu
Close Window
Command Down Arrow
Command Up Arrow
Copy That
Copy This
Cut That
Cut This
Delete Five
Delete Four
Delete Key
Delete Six
Delete Three
Delete Two
Don't Save
Duplicate Item
Edit Item
Expose Application Windows
Expose Desktop Windows
Expose Windows
Find Again
Find Something
Finder Back
Finder Forward
Grab Capture Selection
Last Window
Minimize Window
Mouse Click
Mouse Double Click
Move Down
Move Down Five
Move Down Five Select
Move Down Four
Move Down Four Select
Move Down One
Move Down One Select
Move Down Six
Move Down Six Select
Move Down Ten
Move Down Three
Move Down Three Select
Move Down Two
Move Down Two Select
Move Left
Move Left Five
Move Left Five Select
Move Left Four
Move Left Four Select
Move Left One
Move Left One Select
Move Left Six
Move Left Six Select
Move Left Three
Move Left Three Select
Move Left Two
Move Left Two Select
Move Right
Move Right Five
Move Right Five Select
Move Right Four
Move Right Four Select
Move Right One
Move Right One Select
Move Right Six
Move Right Six Select
Move Right Three
Move Right Three Select
Move Right Two
Move Right Two Select
Move Up
Move Up Five
Move Up Five Select
Move Up Four
Move Up Four Select
Move Up One
Move Up One Select
Move Up Six
Move Up Six Select
Move Up Ten
Move Up Three
Move Up Three Select
Move Up Two
Move Up Two Select
New Document
Next Utility Window
Next Window
Open Document
Open Item
Page Down Three
Page Down Two
Page Setup
Page Up Three
Page Up Two
Paste That
Paste This
Print This
Save Document As
Select Desktop
Select Down Arrow
Select Left
Select Right
Select Up Arrow
Shift Tab
Shift Tab Six
Shift Tab Three
Shift Tab Two
Show Preferences
Space bar
Tab Key Four
Tab Key Six
Tab Key Three
Tab Key Twelve
Tab Key Two
Trash Item
Undo That
Undo This
Word Left
Word Left Select
Word Left Six
Word Left Six Select
Word Left Three
Word Left Three Select
Word Left Two
Word Left Two Select
Word Right
Word Right Five
Word Right Five Select
Word Right Four
Word Right Four Select
Word Right Select
Word Right Six
Word Right Six Select
Word Right Three
Word Right Three Select
Word Right Two
Word Right Two Select
Zoom In
Zoom Out
Word Left Four
Word Left Four Select
Word Left Five Select
Word Left Five
Word Left One Select
Word Right One Select
Get Info
Quit This Application
Press Delete
Switch Dashboard