Troubleshooting ZAP! Voice Control

Start with the Vocabulary Files.  Click on each file in the list box and make sure that the Dictionary Words are showing up in the list box that are associated with each file.

Click on the Dictionary Words.  Make sure that the commands are spelled right and that the Sendkeys statements are written properly.  As an example of spelling, the Speech Recognition Engine will more likely recognize a word spelled as "dee" instead of just "d".  So, instead of writing "d six", write "dee six".

Go to the Application form.  Select the application in question and make sure that the right username and Vocabulary File are being used for it.

If, when the Application Command Configuration form is opened and there aren't any applications showing in the Voice Commands Application list box; then somewhere a voice application command or a dictionary word, etc. has been entered incorrectly and is invalid.

It has been experienced that upon first opening ZAP! Voice Command, it doesn't start recognizing words until the Application Command Configuration form is opened first <ALT> + C (while it's open - take a quick gander at the Voice Command Applications list box and make sure that there are entries in it; see note above) and then closed again.  Then reactivate the engine <ALT> + <F1> and begin speaking again.

Microphone Input Problems

It is highly recommended that a "Training Profile" be set up in Windows XP or Vista. Information on how to do that can be found here.

It may also be helpful to use Sound Recorder & Volume Control (Start Menu >> All Programs >> Accessories >> Entertainment) to measure the quality of sound input to the microphone.

Valuable information can also be obtained by going to http://support.microsoft.com/search/ and performing a search for "Microphone Setup Wizard."

Administrator Privileges

ZAP! Voice Control must be run as an Adminstrator in Vista. Any program that must be run as an Administrator in Vista will always prompt the user to allow the program to continue running.

To allow ZAP! Voice Control to run with Administrative privileges, click here.

Unresponsive to commands

Sometimes it seems that although the application is working, it does not "act" upon the voice commands. This is a common situation. An example would be with say Notepad, and the command "copy text" or "paste text" is uttered; but these actions did not actually occur by the program, even though the status bar says it did.

The solution in these cases is to issue a command that affects the application as a whole; for example, say "minimize application" before any other commands are issued and from then on, the application will work.

The reason for this is unknown.