Hi,

I'm just about to start training as a Garden Designer. I have pain in my hands (completely unable to type), and have been using DNS preferred for some time now.

Before I begin my course, I want to create a custom vocabulary of all the Latin plant names I will need to use on a day-to-day basis. I'm hoping I will be able to find some lists somewhere on the Internet and import them to a new user -- which will save me having to start from scratch and spell every single word. Obviously I will have to train each plant name separately so that Dragon knows what it sounds like. Am I right in thinking this is a possibility? I seem to remember that you could import lists of vocabulary provided only one 'word' (or in my case plant name) was written on each line. Is this correct?

As you can imagine, this will be quite an undertaking and I will be using this custom vocabulary for the length of my course (three years) and well beyond (whether this is more education or work I'm not sure yet -- depends on my health).

Before I start by obviously want to to make absolutely sure that I will be able to move this custom vocabulary with me from computer to computer, and from version to version as I upgrade. I also have a hand-held voice recorder (Olympus DS-330) , which I'm hoping to use for note taking, so the custom vocabulary will also have to move from user to user.

I really need the computer to be almost totally hands-free, and will need to use spreadsheets etc.

So, is the above possible? And which version of Dragon do I need -- preferred or professional? Would the Knowbrainer software be necessary/valuable?

Many thanks for any advice you can give,

Sophie

You will have no trouble creating a custom list of Latin plant names.  There are also very many websites where you can "borrow" the information.  If you create this list as a .txt file it can be imported Into the Dragon Vocabulary.  Each individual name (presumably Linnean binomial taxonomy) should be on an a separate line.  You might have more trouble with the pronunciations.  There are one or two websites that give phonetic renderings.  You can add the pronunciations as "pseudo-phonetics" as the vocabulary spoken form by separating your plants name from the phonetic rendering by a "\" - as:

clematis\cle ma tuhs (not tested in Dragon)

You can also create a vocabulary with the spoken form as the common name and the written form as the Latin name if you wish.

You can export the custom vocabulary and import it into other user files or onto another computer.  As a geologist I have a custom wordlist of some 2000 mineral names and other discipline specific words that I created years ago and that has been moved to each new version of Dragon (and shared with other users).

Note that you cannot store your Latin names formatted (italicised) in the Vocabulary.  If you wish to add your plant list correctly formatted you will need (in Preferred) to add each name as a Text and Graphics Command.  This would be much less convenient in terms of creating your list as each name would have to be added as a separate command. 

With Dragon Professional and a little scripting you could create your formatted lists in a more convenient form but you would need to "get your hands dirty" programming as well as in the garden.

NaturallySpeaking Preferred or Professional will allow you to add your plant name lists and to work in Excel (although Excel support in both versions is relatively limited if you are a "power user".  If you need complete hands-free operation you need the Professional version of Dragon although you may need to become involved with programming the application yourself or purchasing a third party add-in such as KnowBrainer.

Graham

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www.itspeaking.co.uk

Hi,
first of all -- thank you very much for your answers.  Secondly, I just clicked on 'accept this answer' by accident -- considering DNS ' habit of mishearing things and clicking on arbitrary buttons, perhaps it would be a good idea to have an 'are you sure you want to accept this answer' box available to doublecheck?  (I don't really know what 'accept this answer' is supposed to mean) Anyway, apologies for not getting back to you both sooner.
Graham -- thanks for such a comprehensive reply.  Unfortunately I am still a little at a loss of where to start.  Are t here some web sites that go back to basics and explain how to build a custom vocabulary from scratch?
It would be better to have the words in italics, but I guess the most important thing is productivity and ease-of-use.

how much effort with this entail?  I've no idea myself...
If I decide it is beyond me, it would appear that preferred and Know brainer would do -- PROVIDED I really can take my custom vocabulary with me whenever I upgrade, or from user to user (as in the case of the handheld voice recorder). 
Thanks also to Lunis for your advice...
Sophie

Sophie,

Contact me off list and I can send you some training notes on how to construct a Custom Vocabulary and Text & Graphics Commands.

Don't worry about moving custom lists - the Custom Vocabulary is totally portable.  You can even use the custom dictionary from MS Word in NaturallySpeaking.

Graham

 

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www.itspeaking.co.uk

As Graham pointed out, the main advantage of the professional version of NaturallySpeaking is the ability to create personal Advanced-Scripting commands.  Other advantages include roaming user profile, Citrix support and network support; most of which probably holds no value for you.  Adding KnowBrainer 2006 to Preferred will not turn Preferred into Professional but in many ways it will be equivalent to NaturallySpeaking Professional on steroids because it adds 10,000 + commands, the ability to create additional personal Advanced-Scripting commands, fix a number of shortcomings in NaturallySpeaking and cost significantly less than purchasing NaturallySpeaking Professional.

Everyone would be a little better off upgrading to Professional but judging from your posting, it probably doesn't justify the expense.  Adding KnowBrainer would be far less expensive and KnowBrainer already includes complete hands-free control of your computer right down to creating commands verbally.  Even NaturallySpeaking Professional isn't completely hands-free.

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