Trying to get in touch with Edgar

[Aurah2]

I am trying to get in touch with forum user Edgar. I have limited use of my arms and am trying to program Dragon NaturallySpeaking and the Omnipedal quad (footpedals) to allow me to edit audio in audacity. It sounds like Edgar has extensive experience using Dragon to navigate audacity.

Edgar made the following post in 2010:

Dragon NaturallySpeaking controlling Audacity

Permanent link to this post Posted by Edgar » Sun Jun 20, 2010 7:52 pm

I do a lot of audio editing with Audacity and I used Dragon NaturallySpeaking extensively in the process. I have developed over 30 custom DNS commands for Audacity about half of which directly access menu or keyboard shortcuts and the other half are more extensive command scripts. I have attached the file "DNS commands" (as a .txt file although in reality it is a .XML file; XML files are not allowed for upload -- you will need to change the file extension before importing it into Dragon).

Some of the commands:
clip front
clip end
close top track (will need to be modified to suit your screen resolution in window size)
create new track
end of track
export
export multiple
first label (inserts a label at the beginning)
new project
open metadata editor
play
stop
stop here
play at speed
selection tool
zoom tool
zoom in
zoom in <1-20>
zoom out
zoom out <1-20>
zoom to selection

[waxcylinder]

I am trying to get in touch with forum user Edgar. I have limited use of my arms and am trying to program Dragon NaturallySpeaking and the Omnipedal quad (footpedals) to allow me to edit audio in audacity. It sounds like Edgar has extensive experience using Dragon to navigate audacity.

If you click on his name in the post - where it says "Posted by Edgar » Mon Jun 21, 2010 1:52 am "

then you should get a screen where you will see a couple of options
a) E-mail address: E-mail Edgar
b) PM: Send private message

Click on one of those blue links (on that page not here, those are dummies) to send an email or a PM

WC

[steve]

then you should get a screen where you will see a couple of options
a) E-mail address: E-mail Edgar
b) PM: Send private message

The "PM" feature becomes available to registered users when they become regular contributors to the forum.
The email link is only available to moderators and administrators.
These restrictions are in place to protect the privacy of forum users, and to prevent spammers from signing up the forum and spamming by PM or email.

We don't have a mandate to pass on contact details, so it's up to Edgar to decide if he wants to reply.

[steve]

I've sent an email to Edgar, so as long as he still has the same email address, he will be notified about this topic.

[Edgar]

I got Steve's email (and would probably have seen this thread when I logged on the board immediately after reading my email <grin>).

I still use Audacity extensively (but I have not updated beyond 2.0 for reasons which have little to do with Dragon). I am using DPI 15 & KnowBrainer 2017 and AutoIT3. KnowBrainer 2017 is a very useful tool which works along with Dragon and is available at no cost if you are disabled. AutoIT3 is a compiled Basic-like scripting language which is free. Due mainly to RSI I have very limited ability to keyboard or mouse.

I have converted all of my Audacity Dragon commands into KnowBrainer commands (the code is almost always exactly the same it just runs way faster on KnowBrainer). Many of my commands are screen resolution/window size and position/toolbar dependent. I have also made a few significant modifications to Audacity to make it more Dragon-friendly.

All that being said… I control Audacity virtually completely by voice. I have lots of spare time and am happy to help anyone do the same.

I am trying to get in touch with forum user Edgar.

How may I help?

In no specific order, here are my current Audacity editing commands:
Trim Back
Trim Front
Clean Silence
Export Them All
Change Export Location
Fix Name
Transfer <1to100> Labels
Slow Tab <1to20>
Center Label
Zoom Selection
Zoom Back
Zoom Front
Generate Silence Dialog
Skip To Here
Insert Time <dictation>
Pauls D Click
Brick Wall Limiter
Amplify Down <1to20>
D Clicker
DC Offset
Noise Reduction
Silence <THISorTHAT>
Repair <THISorTHAT>
Pauls D Click <THISorTHAT>
Compress <THISorTHAT>
Close <THISorTHAT> Project
Amplify <THISorTHAT>
Normalize <THISorTHAT>
Jump To Here
Export Then Exit
Pro Fade Out
Tail
Play Here At Speed
Trim Both
Trim Dialog
Mark Silence
Mark Silence Dialog
Find Silence
Remove Leading Label
Analyze Vinyl Track Gaps
Export These Tracks
All Done
Export With New Name <1to20>
Analyze Custom Track Gaps
Analyze CD Track Gaps
Create Profile
Apply Noise Reduction
Get Profile
Remove DC Offset
Tale
Select Text
Insert Final Label
Silence Finder
Display Labels
Analyze Tiny Silence
Get Another Name <1to20>
Make Labels
Remove Label
Repeat Effect
Remove Track Gap
Find Zero Crossing
Edit Labels
Fade In
Repair
Wave Export
Export And Close Project
Apply Wave Chain To All
Apply Wave Chain
Preferences
Trim Silence
Adjustable Fade
Amplifier Dialog
Rename Before Exporting
Silence Audio
Select All
Compressor Dialog
Compressor
Amplify Down One Half
Inspect Front
Make It Fit
Inspect Back
Amplify Everything Up <1to10>
Amplify Everything Down <1to10>
Remove Rumble
Amplify Up <1to10>
Repair Clicks
Mono To Stereo
Split Stereo Track
Make Stereo Track
Remove Clicks
Fix Clipping
Normalize
Remove Noise
Trim Front
Add New Track
Export This MP4
Trim Back
Export Overwrite
Export This Video
Export Project
Prepend <1to10> Tracks
Append <1to20> Tracks
Remove Last Bit
Close Inspection
Scroll Right <1to100>
Scroll Left <1to100>
Exit
Play Preview <1to20>
Change Playback Speed Moderate
Change Playback Speed Slow
Change Playback Speed Fast
Remove Those Labels
Remove Front
Remove From Here
Fit Vertically
Insert Leading Label
Select Between Labels
Export Selection
Draw Tool
Add Leading Label
Remove Trailing Label
Zoom Here
Sync Lock Tracks
Page Left
Page Right
Insert Label Here
Play From Start
Change Playback Speed
Played Here At Speed
Edit Metadata
Insert Blank Label
Play Here
Preview Cut
Close Track
Export
Play At Speed
Stop Here
Append Second Track
Close Top Track
Track Panel
Add To End
Open Metadata Editor
Analyze Silence
<DELETEorCUT> To End
Get To End
Zoom In <1to20>
Zoom Out <1to20>
Zoom Tool
Selection Tool
Zoom Out
Stop
Play
Zoom In
Home
End Of Track
Fit In Window
Insert Label
Export Multiple
Save Project As
Create New Track
Quit
New Project
Import Audio

[Aurah2]

Thanks, Edgar! I also have RSI and have very limited ability to use a keyboard or mouse. I'm relatively skilled at using Dragon for general computer use, but I've been trying to make a podcast in Audacity for several months now and I'm stumped. How can I edit audio without my arms?

I downloaded and have been using the commands from your 2010 post, especially play and zoom in and out. I've also compiled a list of about 50 of the audacity commands most essential to my work – commands that I would like to program into Dragon. Many of these are included in your list of current audacity editing commands. It would be incredible if you could send me the code for your current audacity commands so that I don't have to code each command individually. I have no programming experience, so this all feels daunting. Also, can you tell me more about KnowBrainer and AutoItT3?

What work do you do in audacity? I find dragons time delay (when I say ""stop,"" for instance), is too long to do time sensitive commands. I'm also finding it difficult to do fine edits that require selecting very specific sections of the audio. I'm currently trying to program foot pedals for time sensitive commands like play, stop here, pause, etc. I also have someone helping me program foot pedals to scroll left and right. Do you find Dragon works sufficiently for time sensitive and very specific edits? Do you know anyone else who uses foot pedals?

I would love to talk (maybe on the phone?) and learn more about how you use audacity. What modifications have you made to audacity to make it more Dragon friendly, and how can I do the same?

[Edgar]

How can I edit audio without my arms?
[…]
I would love to talk (maybe on the phone?) and learn more about how you use audacity. What modifications have you made to audacity to make it more Dragon friendly, and how can I do the same?

I'm going to break this up into separate answering posts…
We generally do not share personal information like phone numbers and email @dresses on the forum. It's also better to have these kinds of discussions in an open thread so that someone coming along later can learn from them. That being said, I don't mind talking to you on the phone or via email and we can work out the details (if necessary) via a Private Message (PM).

First, some questions…
What version of Audacity do you use? What operating system are you using? Desktop/laptop; monitors? What version of Dragon? Have you tried a trackball mouse, if so, which one(s)? Is your need casual (a hobby, occasional use - a couple of hours a week or less) or more professional-like (a couple of hours a day or more)? I use a highly customized Audacity 2.0.1; Windows 7 SP 1 Pro; Desktop with two large 1920 X 1080 monitors; Dragon DPI 15; Logitech wireless Trackman mouse and Kensington wireless Trackball; I program (virtually hands-free) professionally many hours each day (Microsoft Visual Studio 2013 plus various Basic-like scripting languages in their own IDEs). I'm a sound technician (most would say "engineer" but real engineers have engineering degrees and hate it when others usurp the designation). I have my own studio and do studio recordings as well as live concerts in the field. I use Audacity exclusively for audio editing eventually producing limited quantity audio CDs or WAV files delivered digitally.

I have been a (very small) contributor to Audacity over the last few years (since version 1.3.8); I have provided code enhancements and bug fixes; I also am a member of the Manual editing team. I created (and maintain) a version of Audacity based on the 2.0.1 release; its GUI is drastically different (from an accessibility standpoint: it is almost completely font sensitive - family, size & color), the user has almost complete control of the coloring of each individual aspect (not the "Themes" concept which Audacity uses), as well as other interface "improvements". Most, if not all, of these have been discussed here on this board in the Features section. There are many thousands of lines of code changes involved! Anyone who wants to play with it is welcome to a free copy either as compilable code or ready-to-use executable.

[Aurah2]

I use audacity 2.1.3. I’m working on a laptop – the HP Spectre x360 convertible 13. I have Windows 10; an Intel Core 7-7500U CPU @2.70 GHz 2.90 GHz processor; 16 GB RAM; and a 64-bit operating system. I use Dragon professional version 15. I do not have any additional monitors, although I would love a larger screen. I have not tried a trackball mouse, but I use a stylus on my laptop’s trackpad. Using the stylus causes me pain after moderate use, but is okay when I use it in brief spurts. My need is professional. If I could physically do so, I would be working on audio editing 3 – 6 hours a day. I produce my own podcast, edit another podcast, and make prerecorded content for a radio station. I’m hoping to do this work long-term.

[Edgar]

I've also compiled a list of about 50 of the audacity commands most essential to my work – commands that I would like to program into Dragon. Many of these are included in your list of current audacity editing commands. It would be incredible if you could send me the code for your current audacity commands so that I don't have to code each command individually. I have no programming experience, so this all feels daunting. Also, can you tell me more about KnowBrainer and AutoItT3?

In reverse order…
AutoIt3 https://www.autoitscript.com/site/autoit/downloads/ (other Dragon users prefer AutoHotKey https://autohotkey.com/, also free, open-source but NOT Basic-like). If you are not an experienced programmer AutoIt3 is probably easier to learn to program. Basically, what this gives you is a much more powerful Basic-based scripting language in which you can program much more than what's available with Dragon or even KnowBrainer (although there are some drawbacks). You probably don't need this level of functionality unless you use Dragon to control your computer extensively many hours a day.

KnowBrainer http://www.knowbrainer.com/ If you use Dragon more than a few minutes a day this is a must! It is free if you get a letter from your doctor stating your disability; even paying the full price is well worth it (there is a free 30-day trial). The version of Basic which Dragon uses has been extinct for over a decade; KnowBrainer gives you access to a Basic which is up-to-date and up to 100 times faster than the Dragon version. KnowBrainer comes with about 3000 commands and there is a forum http://www.knowbrainer.com/forums/forum/index.cfm?nocookies=yes which is the most active Speech Recognition forum in the world (there are many extremely knowledgeable active users).

I will be happy to help you to get Dragon and Audacity to work together as well as possible. Once I have the answers to my questions about Audacity and Dragon versions I can create a Import file tailored to your versions and needs. Feel free to post a list of the things you think that Dragon should be able to help you with and I will work up the custom commands.

One final question… When you use Audacity is it maximized on your desktop or does it only cover a portion of your desktop? If it is not maximized would it be practical for you to use it maximized? If not, I might need to know the exact size and location of its window, as sometimes commands are screen pixel location specific which changes if the window is moved around. Audacity is almost completely accessible via keyboard so is highly susceptible to control via Dragon but sometimes it's just easier to use Dragon to brute force the mouse pointer over a control! At some point I might need a screen grab so I know where all of your toolbars are located.

I have attached (as a text file) a snip of XML which includes all of my current Audacity Dragon commands. If you're not a programmer it will look ugly <grin>! I have not sifted through all of them so there might be some external functions which I haven't provided. We'll go into those details when we start tailor-making your versions.

[Edgar]

I find dragons time delay (when I say ""stop,"" for instance), is too long to do time sensitive commands. I'm also finding it difficult to do fine edits that require selecting very specific sections of the audio. I'm currently trying to program foot pedals for time sensitive commands like play, stop here, pause, etc. I also have someone helping me program foot pedals to scroll left and right. Do you find Dragon works sufficiently for time sensitive and very specific edits? Do you know anyone else who uses foot pedals?

I see that you have interjected an answer to one of my earlier posts but I have not read it yet. If I am judicious with my use of the trackball it does not bother my RSI.

One of the reasons that I use KnowBrainer is that it deploys/executes commands about 100 times faster than Dragon; when I say "stop" Audacity stops virtually instantly (although my computer is 15 years old it was bleeding edge at the time - quad core 3.0 gigahertz but the ram is slow by today's standards). Another workaround is to have Audacity play the audio at a slightly slower speed (for very fine edits I often reduce the speed to 50% - but rarely slower). I use the Time controls to make time sensitive selections and have crafted a couple of commands to help with that:

Time controls.png (4.72 KiB) Viewed 760 times

I've never used foot pedals nor do I know anyone who does.

I've also attached a couple of images which show you what my customized Audacity looks like.