Transfering global.dvc Options

[GatorRay]

I have just upgraded my PC and have installed my DNS Prof 4.0 on my new Dell Pentium IV 2GB/512/WinXP. The WinXP was factory installed. I successfully installed the DNS Prof 4.0 (starting with the Prof 3.1 and then each successive upgrade to 4.0). I'm using an Andreas ANC USB headset. VR is excellent EXCEPT that I'm back to square one with all my global commands and macros created in my previous machine (PIII 600 MHz/256/Win98SE) also using the same USB headset
I transferred the /natspeak/user/current file to the new PC /current folder. According to the "properties" and utilizing the notepad editor, all the files in the global.dvc were transferred (100+ MB). I used the instructions in the book "DNS Complete" by Parmod Ghandi.
My questions:
1. Why didn't all my macros transfer?
2.Since I'm effectively by-passing the sound card using the USB headset mike, I would assume that the info would be stored and retrieved without the vagaries of having a new sound card to muddy the picture. Is this incorrect thinking?
3. I did install the sapi4 (schapi.exe) file BEFORE installing the DNS on the new PC as I am aware that WinXP comes with the sapi5 which DNS Prof 4.0 doesn't support.
Any help with these? I am slowly re-creating all my macros (I'm a physician and have many patient medication profiles stored: ie <"1234 medications"> brings up a long list of meds and allergies without having to dictate each time. Saves lots of time.
Thanks for your time and help.
Ray

[John Wickett]

Ray,

I am assuming that your macros were originally created in DNS 4 Pro. If that is so, and you have kept the same user name, then you should be able to overwrite the new .dvc file with the old one. This usually works best if you re-create the directory structure on the new machine, copy in everything from <<username>> on down and THEN install DNS. Failing that, if you still have the old machine then follow the instructions to export commands and then import them into the new machine using the DNS utility.

My preferred methodology would be to open the old .dvc file in DOS, copy and paste the macros you created into a new DOS file. Then open the new .dvc and paste in the macros. If you created your macros as GLOBAL, then you paste them to the end of the GLOBAL STATE observing the proper }}}} placement. If they are in a special STATE then just type in the STATE and then do the pasting.

If you are unsure about how to do this, let me know and I can give more explicit advice. Once you have done the above, you may find that it is beneficial to create a new user.

Since you already have the Professional version, why don't you get the upgrade to version 6.1 which is quite cheap? Also pick up SayWhatPro which does a great job of converting your commands to version 6. Since you have the machine to handle the latest version, it sems a shame not to take advantage of the increased speed and recognition.

John

[GatorRay]

Hi John,
Here are some questions/responses for you.

<<I am assuming that your macros were originally created in DNS 4 Pro.>> CORRECT.

<<If that is so, and you have kept the same user name,>> THIS MAY BE THE CLUE TO MY PROBLEM, AS I CREATED A NEW USER NAME ON THE NEW 'GONK-U-LATOR' (that's my pet name for my new and powerful PC). I USED RAY2GB INSTEAD OF RAY600 SO, OF COURSE, THE .DVC FILE DIDN'T RECOGNIZE THE OLD DIRECTORY, CORRECT?
..<< then you should be able to overwrite the new .dvc file with the old one.>>

<< This usually works best if you re-create the directory structure on the new machine, copy in everything from <<username>> on down and THEN install DNS.>> SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT PRIOR TO INSTALLING DNS4.0 I WOULD JUST TYPE IN THE STRUCTURE UNDER THE LOCAL DRIVE C: STARTING WITH 'USER' ON DOWN? WITH INSTALLATION OF THE BARE/NAIVE PROGRAM BY WAY OF ALL THE UPGRADE DISCS TO PROF 4.0 WITHOUT ANY MACROS, I WOULD THEN HAVE TO COPY/TRANSFER THE GLOBAL.DVC FILES FROM THE WIN98SE OLD PC TO THE WINXP NEW PC AFTER INSTALLING THE DNS4.0??? ALSO, I SHOULD INSTALL THE SPCHAPI.EXE FILE PRIOR TO INSTALLATION OF THE DNS4.0, CORRECT?
<<Failing that, if you still have the old machine then follow the instructions to export commands>> WHERE WOULD THESE INSTRUCTIONS BE FOUND? SORRY TO BE SO DENSE.

<< and then import them into the new machine using the DNS utility.>> WHERE IS THIS DNS UTILITY?

<<My preferred methodology would be to open the old .dvc file in DOS,>> CAN THIS ALSO BE DONE IN THE 'NOTEPAD'?

<<copy and paste the macros you created into a new DOS file. Then open the new .dvc and paste in the macros. If you created your macros as GLOBAL, then you paste them to the end of the GLOBAL STATE observing the proper }}}} placement.>> MOST WERE CREATED FOR APPLICATION SPECIFIC RATHER THAN GLOBAL UNDER THE 'NEW COMMAND WIZARD'

<< If they are in a special STATE then just type in the STATE and then do the pasting.>> DO YOU MEAN 'APPLICATION-SPECIFIC'?

<<If you are unsure about how to do this, let me know and I can give more explicit advice. Once you have done the above, you may find that it is beneficial to create a new user.>> ONCE ALL INSTALLED THEN CREATE THE RAY2GB, CORRECT?>>

<<Since you already have the Professional version, why don't you get the upgrade to version 6.1 which is quite cheap? Also pick up SayWhatPro which does a great job of converting your commands to version 6. Since you have the machine to handle the latest version, it sems a shame not to take advantage of the increased speed and recognition.>> HOW MUCH BETTER AND MORE FUNCTIONAL IS THE DNS PRO 6.1? ALSO, WOULD IT BE BETTER SUITED TO MY NEW PC THAN THE DNS PRO4.0?

I sincerely appreciate you time and efforts. I'm only semi-sophisticated about this software and my PC's, so forgive any apparently ignorant question or comments.

Ray

[John Wickett]

Ray,

Yes, you should have used the same name. Since DNS is already installed, create a directory structure for the "old" user name (everything from Ray600 on down, copy in everything from the old computer under that name and then create a new user under that name on the new machine. you should get a message which says something about "that user already exists, do you want to use the voice files?" and you just say yes. Then run the ASW and you should be off and running.

<< SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT PRIOR TO INSTALLING...>> - yes, create the directory structure under C:, install SCHAPI.exe, copy in the old files from <<username>> on down and then install DNS 4 and create a user with the same name as the old install. You should get the same message as above.

<<DNS UTILITY...>> go into Help and type "export" and follow the instructions. I find it faster just to move the .dvc.

<<CAN IT BE DONE IN NOTEPAD>> I see no reason why not, but DOS is so elegantly simple I have always used it for this task.

Since your macros are application specific, you will have to crete a new STATE and when you open the .dvc you will see what I mean. Each application is a STATE unto itself and the macros under that STATE apply to that application only. You might have STATE equal GroupWise, then COMMAND equal "Open Mail" and then SendKeys "{Enter}".

With regards to creating a new user, I would first try it using the old user name with the old .dvc you have copied in. If you are experiencing problems, then create the new user. Once the new user is created you can run the Import function (Help - Import) or overwrite the new user .dvc with the old user .dvc.

<<HOW MUCH BETTER...>>> I find that version 6.1 is a great improvement over v4. There are some things I don't like about it but the speed, recognition and accuracy cannot be ignored. It is also designed to run on XP, unlike v4.

John

[GatorRay]

John,
Well, I'm still rather frustrated not being able to get my commands transferred. I'm sure I'm not doing something correctly.
I first installed the schapi.exe on the new PC, then copied all the files on the old PC from Ray600 down on the old PC; created a new directory structure on the new PC and installed those Ray600 files. I then installed the sequence of discs of DNS Prof(from 3.0 to 3.5 to 4.0) and I went through the setup procedure, created the same user name Ray600 on the new PC. When I finished it, I did brief training sequence after the ASW. I tried to dictate known commands but no old commands followed. I do think I'll have to do the export/import functions. Is that under the vocabulary part of the tool bar or under tools?
Your other suggestion to open the old .dvc file in DOS is not clear to my pea-brain. How is that done? I can do it under notepad or wordpad, I think.
Parmod notes that vocabulary cannot be transferred/copied from 1 PC to another so I'm suspicious that neither can commands be transferred. Most of my commands in DNS are "application-specific: Dragon NaturallySpeaking".
Another odd thing - when I open the Windows Explorer and view the directory tree, not only is Ray600 there but Ray6000. I'm certain that I did not hit an extra "0". I tried to install last week and the exact same thing occurred! Must be some Halloween spooks hanging around here?? I did uninstall the previous DNS using the uninstall program wizard screen but I still found Ray2GB I originally used!
I also have the DNS Mobile software I purchased several yrs ago with the VoiceIT recorder (at one point I WAS able to use it on a very slooooow PII166/144 laptop) but when I try to install it on this PIV2.0GB/512/Win XP after completing the other installation, I got an error message saying that it could not install since it couldn't find a certified copy of the DNS! Really odd!
Sorry to be so dense. I'm still relying on my old PC but really want to do this. If the DNS 6.1 will be worth the $150 for what I use it for, I'll strongly consider it, but if I simply purchase the upgrade and I still can't transfer all my commands it also will not be so hot. Any other help you can provide will be greatly appreciated. I've tried to get Lon, a fairly savvy IT colleague of mine to assist but he wasn't around today to help with this attempt. Perhaps I'm just not doing things in the right sequence.
Ray

[John Wickett]

Ray,

Have to run, but try installing everything. including 4Pro, but do not create a user. Add USER to directory structure. Copy in everything from ray600 on down and then go in and create ray600 user and it should work.

If not, let me know and I can either talk you through it or give you a couple of other ideas. I have shared .dvc files for governent departments across the country in the upgrade from 3 to 4, so there is no reason we can't get it to work for you.

John

[GatorRay]

I'll do my best soon.
I'm grateful for your patience!
Ray

[John Wickett]

Ray,

If it doesn't work we willl set up a time and I will talk you through appending commands in DOS.

John