Seven Tips to Reduce Typing and Clicking with Dragon NaturallySpeaking

By Karl Barksdale

Speaking Solutions, Inc. © 2003

For many, the mouse causes more RSI problems than the keyboard! If the goal is to reduce typing and clicking by 50 percent by the end of 2005, students must take advantage of speech recognition and the voice navigation commands to reduce their total number of clicks and keystrokes. Here are seven keystroke and mouse click reducing tips that your students can try the next time they fire up Dragon.

1. Use the MOUSE CLICK command. Position your mouse or digital pen pointer on any active button and instead of clicking, give your finger a rest and say MOUSE CLICK! If a dialog button is active, don't even use your mouse, just say PRESS ENTER to activate the button.

2. Use the SWITCH TO SPELL MODE command (or click WORDS, SPELL MODE) to spell unique names, Web URLs, and e-mail addresses letter by letter. Once a clunky feature in versions 3 and 4, spelling has become fast and accurate -- if you have a good headset and sound card. Spell letters briskly and clearly. Say SPACE to create a space. Say CAP < LETTER > to capitalize a letter. Say SWITCH TO NORMAL MODE (or click WORDS, NORMAL MODE) to return to normal in version 6.0.

3. Learn the military or phonetic alphabet to spell letters that give you trouble in normal spelling mode. (Note: I always have to say ECHO for the letter e when spelling.)

4. Use the multiple backspace command to delete back over spelling errors. For example, say BACKSPACE 1-20.

5. A simple capitalization error takes a combination of keystrokes or mouse clicks to correct. Fix capitalization errors by voice! Select the capitalization error and say CAP THAT, NO CAPS THAT, or ALL CAPS THAT to make the corrections.

6. When working with long documents in Microsoft Word, do not use your mouse to scroll through the document. Use the PREVIOUS PAGE or NEXT PAGE commands to move up and down a page. Use the GO TO TOP and GO TO BOTTOM commands to move to the beginning and end of the documents. To move part of the way down a page use the MOVE DOWN 1-20 and MOVE UP 1-20 commands.

7. Create a Voice Command macro for oft used e-mail and web addresses:
A) Choose TOOLS, ACCURACY CENTER, followed by LAUNCH THE COMMAND BROWSER.
B) Choose CUSTOM and then NEW.
C) Say the name of your voice command in the MY COMMAND NAME box (or hand-enter the name and click the train button to train the voice command name.
D) Enter the text you want to have appear in the CONTENT box when you say your voice command.
E) Say or click SAVE.
F) Try saying your macro/voice command!