January 12, 2006

Desktop search + Dragon = Quick file navigation

1Category: Free & easy tools

I first heard about desktop search programs on the technology show, Call for Help. They seemed to have great potential for speeding up file search and file navigation for Dragon users and non-Dragon users alike.

So, I trialled Google Desktop Search and Yahoo! Desktop Search. I chose to keep the Google program because it was the easiest to set up, seems to have the most features, and displays its results as a web page (making it very easy to operate using Dragon NaturallySpeaking).

Why I wanted to use a desktop search program
  • I want to easily access files on my computer without navigating folders in Windows Explorer.

  • I was interested in features like the ability to search the contents of documents, including e-mails.

The advantages of Google Desktop Search
  • Nice, simple interface. Say "start Google Desktop Search" and you will see something that looks like the Google homepage.

  • The cursor automatically appears in the search bar.

  • Not only does it search files and e-mails, but also recently browsed (cached) web pages. I love this feature.

  • It navigates like a regular web page. On my system "go to top" and "go to bottom" don't work, but all other relevant commands appear to work well.

Disadvantages of Yahoo!
  • It looks like dragon users can only navigate menus by voice. I couldn't navigate any of the text boxes or buttons by voice.

  • The cursor doesn't automatically appear in the search bar.

  • It is harder to navigate search results.

I didn't install Windows Desktop Search because...
  • There was a rather involved registration process (even though I already have an MSN passport account).

  • You must install add-ins for less common file types.

  • I didn't see anything about being able to search cached web pages. If it had this feature, I might have tried it out. As it is, I'm very happy sticking with Google unless anyone can persuade me otherwise. :-)

// posted by Melissa @ 8:17 pm
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You don't have to understand how Natlink/Vocola works to use any of the Vocola commands on this site or on speech wiki

Just follow this procedure to incorporate a Vocola command into your Dragon setup:

1. Install Natlink/Vocola.

2. Restart your computer.

3. If the command is for a particular application, open that application and say "edit VoiceCommands" OR If the command is global, say "edit global VoiceCommands".

A blank command file will display.

4. Copy the Vocola command that you want to use to the clipboard (from this site or from speech wiki).

5. Go back to the command file you just displayed, and paste the command on a new line anywhere in the file.

6. Say "refresh macros" to save the commands.

7. Close the command file window.

You're now able to use the new command.

NOTE: Natlink/Vocola is free, versatile and compatible with all editions of DNS (you can even use it to create commands with Standard editions), but it has its quirks. If you're looking for a complete command set with user support, you may want to consider a buying product like Knowbrainer or hiring an SR professional to customise commands for you.

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