combined installer natlink/vocola/unimacro beta (charlie) version released
Submitted by Quintijn on Fri, 02/22/2008 - 09:29.
Hello all,
People have been waiting a long time for a complete installer which incorporates recent changes and works with Vista and NatSpeak 9.5. I want to thank Scott Weinstein for making the previous installer, which served us several years. Unfortunately Scott has no time any more to maintain this installer.
Others unfortunately didn't succeed taking over. So I decided in the beginning of January to try to do it. It took some time, because I hit upon several issues which are described im my unimacro website as well. Note this is a beta (charlie) version, which is not tested by many people yet.
please try - at your own risk - and report your experiences.
Having said that, I want to announce this new installer: setup-natlink-3.1.charlie.
See installation pages on unimacro website for more details.
The highlights:
-no .net needed anymore
-installer which installs natlink/vocola and unimacro files, as they are in the natlink repository and in the unimacro repository (of SourceForge).
-The installer files also on SourceForge, the website mentioned above has the appropriate links.
-configuration GUI program, written in wxPython.
-all needed the registry settings are done in the configuration GUI. The installer only installs files and makes two entries in the start menu.
-natlink/vocola and unimacro now come in one installer.
-it works, at least in one, mine, Vista computer, but there was some struggling with UAC (User Account Control). I have a special page on this issue.
-I advise to install on C:\natlink or D:\natlink...
Vocola:
-the callback sequence has been changed, Vocola (_vocola_main to be precise) gets a special treatment in the natlinkmain beginCallback function. See explanation page for more information about this important change.
-can now manage more languages, English always being the default
-can also, optionally, take unimacro actions. Needs in that case the include file "usc.vch" to do unimacro shorthand commands. This include file is copied to the Vocola commands directory automatically if you choose that option.
-Simpscrp can be disabled, and another commands file editor can be specified. If Simpscrp is disabled the reloading of Vocola command files is done with a "os.system" call from python. The python window flashes short when this happens. You will also notice that the reloading of commands is done only when something has been changed in a command file. And at loading time of NaturallySpeaking, or when you change user speech profiles.
Unimacro:
-should need more attention after this release.
-in this release only a few grammars are put into the NatLink user directory by default. See instructions on above-mentioned website.
Greetings, Quintijn
improved to 3.1.delta
I just uploaded a slightly improved installer: 3.1.delta, which installs natlink/vocola and unimacro.
At my new installed (Windows XP) machine I hit a nasty error right at the start of the configure program, which I hope I have fixed now.
I also improved a few texts in the installer wizard.
Please try (again) and report. I did not receive feedback yet on success or failure of this new installer.
Quintijn
Finally I have some feedback
Finally I have some feedback for you! Below are my experiences when installing everything from scratch (apart from using existing vocola commands) on a new XP computer. Most things work just fine, but there are some commands that I thought unimacro handled which I am lacking (see end, "Try some standard unimacro"):
NaturallySpeaking_Preferred_B.exe
Run & register online
Skip training (will move my user profile to new computer later)
Install mouseless browsing firefox addon
download python2.3.5neededfornatlink.exe from SF
Unzip to temp folder
Run Python-2.3.5.exe, install with all default settings
Question: What are the other three will files inside the archive?
download setup-natlink-3.1.delta.exe from SF
Run, install to c:\perh\natlink
Start natspeak
- vocola and unimacro do not work
Restart computer
)
Re-read instructions (
Installed other three files inside python archive
Start natspeak
- still no vocola or unimacro
Open natlink configuration GUI
- enable natlink
- enable vocola (at this point, I wondered about what different options meant, and re-read instructions for second time, finding configuration section ). Point config to a copy of my existing vocola folder
- enable unimacro
Folder structure (guess it is better to use local drive than network drive):
c:\perh\natlink
c:\perh\natlink\natlink
c:\perh\natlink\vocola
c:\perh\natlink\unimacro
Startup log:
use default (simpscrp) for editing vocola command files
getUserDirectory: C:\perh\natlink\unimacro
getLanguage: enx
getUser: Per Haglund (logitech)
IniGrammar switched on: tasks (1.12)
initializing/loading DictGrammar!!
messageDictGrammar initialized
_general, files in wordsFolder C:\perh\natlink\unimacro\enx_words\Per Haglund (logitech): []
IniGrammar switched on: general (---)
fillInstantVariables for
IniGrammar switched on: lines (1.10)
warning _folders, virtualdrive "nl" does not exist: d:\natlink
warning _folders, folder "unimacro" does not exist: "nl:\unimacro"
warning _folders, folder "natlink system" does not exist: "C:\Program Files\natlink\macrosystem\core"
warning _folders, file "python natlinkmain" does not exist: "C:\Program Files\natlink\macrosystem\core\natlinkmain.py"
IniGrammar switched on: folders (1.20)
Starting natlinkmain with language: enx (DNSversion: 9, WindowsVersion: XP)
natlinkmain CVS version: 1.21
natlinkmain started (imported)
Restart natspeak
- "Messages from Python Macros" Window shows up, sign that installation good
Try "Edit global commands"
- "simpsrcp call failed ???"
- Windows OS popup to select appropriate application, choose notepad
- Close notepad
Try "Edit global commands"
- "simpsrcp call failed ???" in log, but notepad opens
Disable simpsrcp in GUI, restart natspeak
Try "Edit global commands"
- Notepad opens, no warnings in log
Try "task position 1"
- Log shows expected output, "setting task position: 1"
Set task position 3, try "task 2"
- Works
Switch tasks a few times
- windows explorer crash
- Dr watson debugger crash
Kill natspeak.exe process, drwatson32.exe (?), ctfmon.exe processes, restart natspeak
Switch tasks a few times
- windows explorer crash
- Dr watson debugger crash
kill only drwatson32.exe (?), windows explorer restarts
Switch tasks a few times
- no crash
Try some standard unimacro
- "up two" -> typed, no cursor movement??
- "OK" -> typed, not equivalent of Enter key??
- "backspace 5" -> 5 previous characters deleted as expected
- Firefox browsing works as usual
Comments:
- Great job! Thanks for all the hard work
- Some commands not working - see above. Did i miss something?
- Nice with clear status in GUI, and guide to select folders popping up when enable Vocola / Unimacro
- Nice with reminder to restart natspeak when exit GUI - maybe same thing at end of natlink install?
- Maybe remove your entries in _folders and replace with standard locations (as examples)? Not a big issue
Per Haglund wrote: Finally
Finally I have some feedback for you!
Thanks, I will comment below.
Question: What are the other three will files inside the archive?
Well, you experienced yourself. They should be installed all (well ... the pyXML file is only needed by voicecode).
The others are the windows extensions for python and wxPython, which is used by the configure program (and by voicecode).
Folder structure (guess it is better to use local drive than network drive):
c:\perh\natlink
c:\perh\natlink\natlink
c:\perh\natlink\vocola
c:\perh\natlink\unimacro
Looks good, I think on a network drive this will work (nearly) equally well. Please try.
Try "Edit global commands"
- "simpsrcp call failed ???"
- Windows OS popup to select appropriate application, choose notepad
I do not know why simpscrp fails. But without it vocola works as well now. I must make a fix in case importing simpscrp already gives an error, because in that case now _vocola_main.py (and with it all the command files) cannot even start.
Switch tasks a few times
- windows explorer crash
- Dr watson debugger crash
Kill natspeak.exe process, drwatson32.exe (?), ctfmon.exe processes, restart natspeak
Probably a ctfmon problem.
I repeat a sample of node 1352:
To remove ctfmon.exe if your using Windows XP (...) follow these steps:
- Open "Regional and Language Options" in the control panel
- Click the "Languages" tab
- Click the "Details" button under "Text services and input languages" heading
- Click the "Advanced" tab
- Place a check mark in "Turn off advanced text services" under the "System Configuration" heading
Mike
Try some standard unimacro
- "up two" -> typed, no cursor movement??
- "OK" -> typed, not equivalent of Enter key??
- "backspace 5" -> 5 previous characters deleted as expected
This is the grammar _keystrokes.py, which I moved into the folder "DisabledGrammars" in the installer. Because it can hit too often if you are not aware of its presence. Simply move (or copy) from this folder into the unimacro folder, toggle the microphone and the commands above will be in.
Comments:
- Great job! Thanks for all the hard work
- Some commands not working - see above. Did i miss something?
- Nice with clear status in GUI, and guide to select folders popping up when enable Vocola / Unimacro
- Nice with reminder to restart natspeak when exit GUI - maybe same thing at end of natlink install?
- Maybe remove your entries in _folders and replace with standard locations (as examples)? Not a big issue
I will note your remarks. More information at the end of the installer is already in, maybe not clear enough.
I will work on a unimacro user directory like the vocola user directory.
Greetings, Quintijn
Quintijn wrote: Looks good,
Looks good, I think on a network drive this will work (nearly) equally well. Please try.
That is how I used to have it before, never noticed any real problems but thought this might improve performance slightly. So it definitely works but right now I can't tell if there is any difference.
Probably a ctfmon problem.
I repeat a sample of node 1352:
To remove ctfmon.exe if your using Windows XP (...) follow these steps:
- Open "Regional and Language Options" in the control panel
- Click the "Languages" tab
- Click the "Details" button under "Text services and input languages" heading
- Click the "Advanced" tab
- Place a check mark in "Turn off advanced text services" under the "System Configuration" heading
Ok, will let you know if the problem reappears
This is the grammar _keystrokes.py, which I moved into the folder "DisabledGrammars" in the installer. Because it can hit too often if you are not aware of its presence. Simply move (or copy) from this folder into the unimacro folder, toggle the microphone and the commands above will be in.
Beautiful! Everything is working as expected now.
Thanks for the quick response. Overall, I think the installer worked really well. Next step for me will be to copy my natspeak profile across and investigate host-specific Vocola command files, but I will cover any problems with those stages outside of this thread.