CHAPTER 6

TROUBLESHOOTING outSPOKEN

Chapter Summary

This chapter covers several areas of possible difficulty with outSPOKEN. 
Section 6.1 offers solutions to problems that may be encountered when 
launching outSPOKEN. Section 6.2 troubleshoots outSPOKEN's reading and 
navigation commands. Section 6.3 offers solutions to other possible 
trouble spots.

If you are unable to locate information about the problem you are 
having, please check the file on the outSPOKEN disk called README and 
the Usage Notes which came with outSPOKEN. 

6.1   Launching outSPOKEN

Problem:

When starting the computer, no speech is heard, and no DOS prompt ever 
appears.

Solution 1:

If you are using an external synthesizer, the driver may be unable to 
locate the synthesizer. Verify that the synthesizer is connected to the 
proper port, that it has power, and that it is turned on. It is also 
possible that the driver statement in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file specifies the 
wrong driver or port. Examine the AUTOEXEC.BAT file to verify that the 
proper driver is called and that it specifies the proper port (see the 
README file for an up-to-date list of supported drivers and synthesizers). 
For more information about specifying the proper driver and port, see 
Section 2.3.

Solution 2:

If you are using an internal synthesizer, verify that the manufacturer's 
software drivers (if any) are installed and working. It is important that 
outSPOKEN's synthesizer driver be called after the drivers that are 
shipped with the synthesizer, and not before. Check the AUTOEXEC.BAT file 
to verify that the loading order of these items is correct. For example, 
if you are using the Artic Synphonix 210 speech card, make sure that the 
line specifying SONIXTTS.COM (the driver shipped with the card) precedes 
the line which specifies ARTIC.COM (the outSPOKEN driver for that 
synthesizer). 

Problem:

outSPOKEN does not speak when Windows is launched.

Solution 1:

If you are using an external synthesizer, the driver may be unable to 
locate the synthesizer. Verify that the speech synthesizer is connected to 
the proper port, that it has power, and that it is turned on. It is also 
possible that the driver statement in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file specifies the 
wrong driver or port. Examine the AUTOEXEC.BAT file to verify that the 
proper driver is called and that it specifies the proper port (see the 
README file for an up-to-date list of supported drivers and synthesizers). 
For more information about specifying the proper driver and port, see 
Section 2.3.

Solution 2:

If you are using an internal synthesizer, verify that the manufacturer's 
software drivers (if any) are installed and working. It is important that 
outSPOKEN's synthesizer driver be called after any drivers that are 
shipped with the synthesizer, and not before. Check the AUTOEXEC.BAT file 
to verify that the loading order of these items is correct. For example, 
if you are using the Artic Synphonix 210 speech card, make sure that the 
line specifying SONIXTTS.COM (the driver shipped with the card) precedes 
the line which specifies ARTIC.COM (the outSPOKEN driver for that 
synthesizer).

Solution 3:

If Windows comes up automatically when you start your computer, it is 
being called from the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. In this case, Windows may be 
getting launched before the synthesizer drivers are loaded. Examine the 
AUTOEXEC.BAT file to verify that the line specifying WIN is the last in 
the file (after any outSPOKEN drivers are loaded).

Solution 4:

outSPOKEN's speech driver must not be "loaded high." Check the 
AUTOEXEC.BAT file to verify that the line specifying the synthesizer 
driver is NOT preceded by the words "LOAD HIGH" or the letters "LH". If 
these letters appear, delete them.

Problem:

When launching Windows, only random characters are spoken through the 
synthesizer.

Solution:

If you are using a serial mouse, there may be problems with the mouse 
driver. Running the Microsoft mouse driver (MOUSE.COM) fixes this problem. 
Add the following line to the AUTOEXEC.BAT file after the line that calls 
the synthesizer driver.

C:\WINDOWS\MOUSE /Y

If Windows is installed in a location other than C:\WINDOWS, make sure 
that the statement above reflects this.

Problem:

When trying to launch Windows, an error message states that a device driver 
needed to run Windows in 386 Enhanced mode could not be found. The error 
message suggests running SETUP again to fix the problem.

Solution:

Check the "keyboard=" statement in the [386 Enh] section of the SYSTEM.INI 
file in your Windows directory. Make sure the statement contains the 
correct path to the outSPOKEN directory, and that the file BSIVKD.386 is 
in that directory. If it is not, re-copy this file from the outSPOKEN 
disk. Also verify that the name of the keyboard driver is spelled 
correctly in the "keyboard=" statement of the [386 Enh] section of the 
SYSTEM.INI file. For example, if outSPOKEN is in the default directory, 
C:\OSW, the statement should read:

keyboard=C:\OSW\BSIVKD.386

6.2   Reading and Navigation

Problem:

outSPOKEN is running, but the numeric keypad does not perform outSPOKEN 
functions.

Solution 1:

Check the "keyboard=" statement in the [386 Enh] section of the SYSTEM.INI 
file in your Windows directory. Make sure the statement contains the 
correct path to the outSPOKEN directory. Also verify that the name of the 
keyboard driver is spelled correctly. For example, if outSPOKEN is in the 
default directory, C:\OSW, the statement should read:

keyboard=C:\OSW\BSIVKD.386

Solution 2:

You may have a non-standard keyboard. Check the keyboard type, and verify 
that the information provided in Windows Setup matches your hardware.

Problem:

outSPOKEN does not always place the pointer in the active window after a 
window opens or closes. 

Solution:

outSPOKEN is not always notified of window creations and disappearances. 
outSPOKEN's TOP WINDOW command (KPD SLASH) places the pointer in the upper-
left corner of the active window.

Problem:

outSPOKEN does not always say "button" when reading a button's name.

Solution:

Some applications draw their own buttons instead of using the button 
routines provided by Microsoft Windows. Unfortunately, there is no 
universal technical solution to this problem. The best solution is 
political: we suggest contacting the publisher of the offending software 
to complain about their use of non-standard controls.

Problem:

Menu items containing ellipses () are spelled rather than pronounced.

Solution:

Some synthesizers do not pronounce words which appear to have non-standard 
punctuation. These menu entries are spelled because the ellipsis confuses 
the synthesizer. Turning on Character Substitution in the outSPOKEN System 
Preferences sub-dialog (Section 5.1.8) fixes this problem.

Problem:

outSPOKEN is not reading highlighted text as it becomes highlighted.

Solution 1:

outSPOKEN's Speak Focus feature speaks newly highlighted items. This 
feature can be turned on and off from the outSPOKEN Tracking Preferences 
sub-dialog (Section 5.1.7). It is possible that Speak Focus has been 
turned off. 

Solution 2:

In some color schemes, there is no visible distinction between highlighted 
and non-highlighted text. This is a problem with the color scheme, not 
with outSPOKEN. outSPOKEN is not reporting highlighted text because the 
text does not appear to be highlighted on the screen. To fix this problem, 
select a new color scheme from the Program Manager Color Control Panel.

Solution 3:

If the video driver is not installed properly, unusual problems with 
highlighting may result. Check to be sure that your video driver is 
installed properly. Re-installing the video driver with Windows Setup 
might fix the problem.

Problem:

outSPOKEN is reading everything as it is written to the screen, as if the 
entire screen were highlighted.

Solution 1:

outSPOKEN's Automatic Text feature (CTRL-KPD ENTER) (Section 5.1.8) speaks 
all text as it is written to the screen. It is possible that this feature 
has accidentally been turned on. The SAY-ON command (CTRL-KPD ENTER) 
temporarily toggles this feature on and off. Turning this feature off from 
the System Preferences sub-dialog updates the preferences file, and is 
therefore a more permanent solution. 

Solution 2:

Occasionally when changing video drivers in the Windows Setup program, the 
new colors do not "take" after Windows has been restarted. This is a 
problem with Microsoft Windows, not with outSPOKEN. This problem can lead 
to strange colors being displayed on the screen and to outSPOKEN seeing 
all text as highlighted. To fix this problem, reselect the current color 
scheme in the Color Control Panel of Program Manager.

Solution 3:

Some custom color schemes display normal text as if it were highlighted. 
In such cases, all text would appear to be highlighted. To fix this 
problem, select a different color scheme in the Color Control Panel of 
Program Manager.

Problem:

When using ARROW keys to shift highlighting, sometimes multiple items are 
spoken in the Focus Voice.

Solution:

Sometimes when highlight shifts from one item to another, the application 
re-highlights the old item, then unhighlights it, and then highlights the 
new item. This causes outSPOKEN to read the old item and then the new item 
in the Focus Voice. In such cases, the second item is the one which is 
currently highlighted. If there is any doubt, press the INFO key (KPD 
PERIOD) to verify that the item is highlighted.

Problem:

Backspacing and other Read Caret features do not always respond promptly to 
the Windows cursor keys.

Solution:

outSPOKEN may be trying to follow a non-standard blinking caret. When the 
caret moves, outSPOKEN takes some time to locate it. Increasing the cursor 
blink rate in the Desktop Control Panel helps outSPOKEN to find blinking 
carets more quickly. Simply setting the Cursor Blink Rate as fast as 
possible in the Desktop Control Panel should fix this problem. If you wish 
to increase the blink rate even more, you will need to edit the WIN.INI 
file. The number that governs the cursor blink rate in this file is the 
number of milliseconds between blinks. This means that the lower the 
number is, the faster the caret blinks. The fastest blink rate that can be 
achieved through the Desktop Control Panel is 200 milliseconds. By editing 
the WIN.INI file, this number can be reduced much further, but it must not 
be set too low or outSPOKEN will be unable to locate the caret at all. A 
blink rate value of about 20 is probably the lowest useful value for fast 
machines. On slower machines, such as 386 25-33 MHz, this number should 
not be brought below 40 or so. 

Problem:

A caret is visible on the screen, but backspacing and other Read Caret 
features do not respond to the Windows cursor keys.

Solution 1:

The Read Caret check box in the Tracking sub-dialog of outSPOKEN 
Preferences is not checked. To fix this problem, be sure that this feature 
is turned on (Section 5.1.7).

Solution 2:

Some applications, such as terminal emulators, use non-standard carets. 
This means that outSPOKEN does not respond properly when reading with 
cursor keys, because to outSPOKEN there appears to be no caret at all. 
Many applications offer the option of using a blinking I-bar cursor. If 
this option is available, turning it on may fix this problem.

Problem:

The pointer sometimes gets stuck on an icon in a Program Manager group 
window.

Solution:

Occasionally items in Program Manager groups become partially obscured by 
window edges. outSPOKEN sometimes has difficulty navigating away from such 
items. Selecting Arrange Icons from the Window menu of Program Manager 
fixes this problem.

Problem:

Pressing TOP sometimes places the pointer above the title and menu bars 
instead of below them.

Solution:

Some applications do not differentiate between areas of a window, such as 
title bar, menu bar, and text area. When TOP is pressed, outSPOKEN 
attempts to place the pointer below the title and menu bars, but some 
applications simply do not provide enough information to make this 
possible. In such cases, outSPOKEN places the pointer at the extreme 
upper-left corner of the window.

Problem:

Occasionally, windows are too small to show all of their contents. This 
sometimes results in the left or right edges of a document being invisible.

Solution:

Maximizing the document fixes this problem. This is done by clicking on 
the Maximize button at the upper-right corner of the document window 
(Section 3.3.1.1).

6.3   Other Situations

Problem:

It is not always desirable for outSPOKEN to load automatically when Windows 
is launched.

Solution 1:

Specifying a program path and name on the Load line of the WIN.INI file 
automatically launches that program each time Windows is started. 
outSPOKEN is generally installed on this Load line. To keep outSPOKEN from 
launching, simply delete the statement C:\OSW\GUIACCES.EXE from the Load 
line. If outSPOKEN is installed in a directory other than C:\OSW, the 
statement may not exactly match the one written above, but the form will 
be the same. There are a number of alternatives to launching outSPOKEN 
from the Load line. These options include launching outSPOKEN as a Program 
Item, from the Windows command line, or from the Program Manager Run 
dialog box. These options are explained in detail in Section 2.3.

Solution 2:

Once outSPOKEN has launched, it can be turned off at any time by holding 
down the CTRL and SHIFT keys and pressing the letter O. This quits 
outSPOKEN, but does not interfere with any loading option you are using 
(e.g., launching outSPOKEN from the Load line or Startup group). 

Problem:

Sometimes the pointer vanishes and does not re-appear for a while, but 
outSPOKEN navigation still works.

Solution:

If no mouse is attached to the computer, the pointer may occasionally 
vanish. outSPOKEN still reads and behaves as if there is a pointer, but 
this problem can lead to navigation difficulties. Attaching a mouse to the 
computer should fix the problem.

Problem:

When trying to enter outSPOKEN Preferences, the message "in Preferences 
already" is spoken. The pointer does not move, and no dialog box opens. 

Solution:

An outSPOKEN Preferences dialog is already open, but has been shifted to 
the background. Pressing ALT-TAB cycles through the running applications, 
and one of these is outSPOKEN Preferences. Pressing OK or Cancel closes 
this dialog box.

Problem:

When trying to exit Windows or quit outSPOKEN, outSPOKEN says, "Cannot exit 
outSPOKEN. Close Preferences dialog first." A similar message may be heard 
regarding the Rename Graphic dialog.

Solution:

An outSPOKEN Preferences dialog is open, but has been shifted to the 
background. Pressing ALT-TAB cycles through the running applications, and 
one of these is outSPOKEN Preferences. Pressing OK or Cancel closes this 
dialog box. It is now possible to exit Windows or quit outSPOKEN.

Problem:

Icons, symbols, and pointers no longer have names assigned to them. They are 
now labeled only with numbers.

Solution 1:

All graphics names are stored in files called graphics dictionaries 
(Section 5.2.3). These files are stored in the outSPOKEN directory and 
have the file extension ".DIC". It is possible that these files are not 
being loaded when outSPOKEN launches. 

A.   If the dictionary names have been changed for some reason, outSPOKEN 
will be unable to locate the files. Be sure that your dictionary files 
end with the characters ".DIC".

B.   If the dictionary files have been deleted, outSPOKEN will not be able 
to load them. The original dictionary files can be re-copied from the 
outSPOKEN disk to the outSPOKEN directory on the hard drive.

C.   If the dictionaries have somehow been corrupted, outSPOKEN may have 
trouble loading them. Try replacing the current dictionaries with the 
originals in the OSW directory of your outSPOKEN floppy disk. 

Solution 2:

Graphics are stored with all of their color information. This means that 
when the number of colors (bit depth) is changed, graphics "look" 
different to outSPOKEN. You will need to either rename the icons or switch 
back to your old bit depth.

Problem:

New window, menu, and dialog box tones are not coming out of the PC speaker, 
although those settings are selected in outSPOKEN's Window Preferences sub-
dialog.

Solution:

In order for these features to work, Enable System Sounds must be checked 
in the Sound Control Panel. Once this control is turned on, outSPOKEN's 
window notification sounds will work. 

