                          CHAPTER VI
                       FILE MANAGEMENT




    VI-A. General features.


    In chapter I we have seen that VOXPARLE had to be
initialized with the name of the directory in which all the
files of the program are installed. This is important for the
file management because the program must actually know at any
time where to find the file that you need.

    VOXPARLE uses five different types of files: the driver
files (bearing the extension .COM), the files to initialize
the drivers (bearing the extension .INI), the profile files
(bearing the extension .PFL), the dictionary files (bearing
the extension .DTN) and lastly the speech synthesizer
parameter files (bearing the extension .SNT).



    VI-B. The speech synthesizer driver file.


    This file is essential for the working of the program and
is specific to the synthesizer. It must be run before loading
VOXPARLE into memory for it constitutes the interface between
VOXPARLE and the speech synthesizer (see chapter I). The list
of synthesizer drivers is not exhaustive and increases as new
models appear on the market.



    VI-C. The profile file.


    VI-C-1. Introduction.

    In the previous chapters we explained a number of
functions such as toggling the different echo facilities on
and off (characters, words, lines etc.), performing the
automatic reading of screen areas and menus and building
windows and macros.

    A profile file is a file containing all those states and
definitions with different values from a file to another. You
can thus create as many profiles as you like, each of them
having a configuration specific to a given application
program.

    The number of profiles are only limited by the size of the
medium on which VOXPARLE file directory is.

    Whenever VOXPARLE is run the profile called VOXPARLE.PFLis created and the profile called STANDARD.PFL is loaded, all
that being automatically performed. You can always recover the
basic profile, i.e. echo facilities and macros by loading the
profile VOXPARLE.PFL. You can also create a profile called
STANDARD.PFL which will be configured as you like and
automatically loaded whenever VOXPARLE is run. If the program
cannot find the file a beep is given out and the basic
configuration remains active.



    VI-C-2. Creating a profile.

    Keystroke:
    CTRL-F5

    Message:
    The speech synthesizer speaks "Saving profile".

    Description:
    Once you have determined all the values of the profile you
have to write them in a file on the medium used in order to be
able to use them again later. The function is waiting for you
to type the file name (eight characters maximum), then you
have to depress the RC key to trigger the execution of the
operation.

    Note:
    After the validation the data is written on the medium but
remain valid. The current profile assumes the name of the file
saved. If the file already exists in VOXPARLE directory it is
replaced by the new one. From time to time the system may not
be able to transfer the data. The synthesizer then pronounces
the message "Not available". In such cases you must wait for a
more favourable moment and repeat the operation.



    VI-C-3. Loading a profile from within reading mode.

    Keystroke:
    CTRL-F1

    Message:
    The speech synthesizer speaks "Loading profile".

    Description:
    The function is waiting for you to type a profile name and
press the CR key. If the file exists in the directory
initialized when VOXPARLE was run the values which it contains
are then loaded into memory and become active.
    In this function the TAB key allows you to obtain the list
of the files available. Before pressing the TAB key you can
type characters to be more specific about the list of files to
display.

    Note:
    If the file cannot be found a beep is given out and thevalues are not modified. If the system is not able to satisfy
the transfer request the synthesizer pronounces "Not
available" and you must repeat the operation later. The ESC
key enables you to exit the function without loading a new
profile.


    VI-C-4. Name of the current profile.

    Keystroke:
    CTRL-F2

    Message:
    The speech synthesizer speaks "Active profile".

    Description:
    This facility informs you about the profile being used.

    Note:
    The name extension is not pronounced. Only the eight
characters maximum making up the name are spoken.


    VI-C-5. Loading a profile from outside reading mode.

    Syntaxes:
    VOXPARLE /1:file
    VOXPARLE /3:file

    where: file is the name of the profile to load.

    Description:
    We have seen in this chapter that it was possible to
create a profile specifically configured for each application
program. Loading a profile from MS-DOS command line offers the
possibility to automatically load the good profile for a given
aplication by including the appropriate commands in a batch
file (see your MS-DOS manual for more information about batch
files).
    Example: suppose that you have WORD as a word processor
and that you made a profile called WORD.PFL. You can then
create the following batch file:

    WD.BAT (name of the batch file)
    ===============================
    @ECHO OFF (removes the display on the screen)
    C:\VOXPARLE\VOXPARLE /1:WORD (loads the profile WORD.PFL)
    CD C:\WORD (changes directory)
    WORD(runs the word processor WORD)
    C:\VOXPARLE\VOXPARLE /1:STANDARD (removes the profile
WORD.PFL and loads the profile STANDARD.PFL)
    CD C:\ (comes back to the root of the hard disk)
    ===============================

    Later on you will only have to type WD on MS-DOS command
line then to press the ENTER key to run WORD and its
associated profile. When you have finished working and quit
WORD the profile WORD will be replaced by the profileSTANDARD.

    Note:
    You may use two loading paremeters: /1: or /3:. The first
one only loads the profile whose name is specified afterwards.
The second one allows you to load a profile and a dictionary
file, both having the same name (see chapter VI-D). If the
profile specified cannot be found in VOXPARLE directory a beep
is given out and the current profile remains the same.



    VI-D. The dictionary file.


    VI-D-1. Introduction.

    Here the word dictionary means files containing
correspondence tables between two terms. Those files allow you
to correct mispronounciations of the synthesizer you use or to
clarify abreviations often come across. Each dictionary file
is limited to about 1200 characters. However, the number of
files is only limited by the size of the medium.

    Whenever VOXPARLE is run the dictionary file called
STANDARD.DTN is automatically loaded into memory. The contents
of this file must be as general as possible. If the program
cannot find the file a beep is given out and no dictionary is
loaded into memory.

    VI-D-2. Creating a dictionary.

    There are several stages involved in creating a dictionary
file used by VOXPARLE. The creation process requires an ASCII
editor, i.e. a text editor and a utility included in VOXPARLE
package. Those operations must be carried out in VOXPARLE main
directory. (By default this is the directory of the same
name.) The first stage therefore consists in going into
VOXPARLE directory (see your MS-DOS manual for more
information about directories).


    VI-D-2-1. Creating the source file.
    You must now write your dictionary using the MS-DOS
editors, that is EDIT or EDLIN OR ANY OTHER ASCII editor.
    Several rules must be respected in order to obtain
coherent results. First of all the file name must be made up
of eight characters maximum and always bear the extension
.DIC. Next each line must be made up of two parts separated by
the sign "equals to". The left part represents the abreviation
or the word to correct while the right part represents the
word or group of words which the speech synthesizer must
actually pronounce.
    For instance:

    PHONBOOK.DIC (file name)
    ===============================
    bd=boulevard    drv=drive
    ave=avenue
    st=street
    ===============================

    The characters may be upper case or lower case letters,
the result will be the same. Only alphabetic characters
including accents are accepted in the dictionary.

    VI-D-2-2. Converting the source file.
    Once the .DIC dictionary file has been written and saved
in the directory you have to perform a command to convert it
and obtain the .DTN file which will be loaded into memory.
    The directory includes a utility which will achieve this
operation. Suppose that you had to convert the file named
PHONBOOK.DIC, simply type the following syntax:

    VXPDICTN PHONBOOK
then press CR.

    The utility then begins to work and the synthesizer speaks
the current operations. The result of this work is a new file
called PHONBOOK.DTN which VOXPARLE will be able to use.

    VI-D-2-3. Notes.
    The file called PHONBOOK.DIC is still in the directory and
may be enriched later. However, do not forget to perform the
conversion operation after each modification so as to update
the corresponding .DTN file.


    VI-D-3. Loading a dictionary from within
                        reading mode.

    Keystroke:
    CTRL-F3

    Message:
    The speech synthesizer speaks "Loading dictionary".

    Description:
        The function is waiting for you to type a dictionary
name and press the CR key. If the file exists in the directory
initialized when VOXPARLE was run its contents is then loaded
into memory and can be used.
    In this function the TAB key allows you to obtain the list
of the files available. Before pressing the TAB key you can
type characters to be more specific about the list of files to
display.

    Note:
    If the file cannot be found a beep is given out and the
contents of the memory is not modified. If the system is not
able to satisfy the transfer request the synthesizer
pronounces "Not available" and you must repeat the operation
later. The ESC key enables you to exit the function without
loading a new dictionary.
    Maximum size of the dictionary: whenever VOXPARLE isloaded into memory the place allocated is equal to the size of
the biggest dictionary available in the file directory.
Consequently no dictionary will be troncated when loaded into
memory if it is present as VOXPARLE is run.


    VI-D-4. Name of the current dictionary.

    Keystroke:
    CTRL-F4

    Message: The speech synthesizer speaks "Active
dictionary".

    Description:
    This facility informs you about the dictionary being used.

    Note:
    The name extension is not pronounced. Only the eight
characters maximum making up the name are spoken.


    VI-D-5. Loading a dictionary from outside
                        reading mode.

    Syntaxes:
    VOXPARLE /2:file
    VOXPARLE /3:file

    where: file is the name of the dictionary to load.

    Description:
    We have seen in this chapter that could create several
dictionaries whose contents is specific to the abreviations or
vocabulary of a particular application program. Loading a
dictionary from MS-DOS command line offers the possibility to
automatically load the good dictionary for a given aplication
by including the appropriate commands in a batch file (see
your MS-DOS manual for more information about batch files).
    Example: suppose that you often consult the phone book and
that you made a DICTIONARY called PHONBOOK.DTN. You can then
create the following batch file:

    PHONE.BAT (name of the batch file)
    ==================================
    @ECHO OFF (removes the display on the screen)
    C:\VOXPARLE\VOXPARLE /2:PHONBOOK (loads the profile
PHONBOOK.DTN)
    CD C:\MINITEL (changes directory)
    KC (runs the communication software)
    C:\VOXPARLE\VOXPARLE /2:STANDARD (removes the DICTIONARY
PHONBOOK.DTN and loads the dictionary STANDARD.DTN)
    CD C:\ (comes back to the root of the hard disk)
    ===============================

    Later on you will only have to type PHONE on MS-DOS
command line then to press the ENTER key to run the
communication software and its associated dictionary. When youhave finished working and quit the electronic phone book the
dictionary PHONBOOK will be replaced by the DICTIONARY
STANDARD.

    Note:
    You may use two loading paremeters: /2: or /3:. The first
one only loads the dictionary whose name is specified
afterwards. The second one allows you to load a profile and a
dictionary file, both having the same name (see chapter VI-C).
If the dictionary specified cannot be found in VOXPARLE
directory a beep is given out and the current dictionary
remains the same.



    VI-E. The speech synthesizer parameter file.


    VI-E-1. Creating a parameter file.

    Keystroke:
    CTRL-F6

    Message:
    The speech synthesizer speaks "Saving synthesizer
parameters OK".

    Description:
    Most speech synthesizers offer the possibility to modify
some of their parameters such as the speed, the pitch, the
volume control etc (see below). This facility allows you to
write all those values in a file so as to easily recover a
personal synthesizing.

    Note:
    The file thus created bears the name of the synthesizer
driver and the extension .SNT. If the system is not able to
satisfy the transfer request the synthesizer pronounces "Not
available" and you must repeat the operation later. The ESC
key enables you to exit the function without saving the
parameters.


    VI-E-2. Loading the synthesizer parameters.

    The parameters are automatically loaded into memory when
VOXPARLE is run. If the program finds the parameter file
corresponding to the synthesizer installed the new values are
effective. In any other case the parameters remain the default
settings.

    You can only create one parameter file for a given
synthesizer. Each time you save the file the former values are
replaced by the new ones.
