WD: Word Speak Plug-in Module for Word 5.0, 5.1 (MW0979)

Last reviewed: February 5, 1998
Article ID: Q111665

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.1

SUMMARY

The following is the complete contents of the application note titled "MW0979: Word Speak Plug-In Module for Word 5.0, 5.1."

You can obtain this FastTip from the following sources:

  • Microsoft's World Wide Web Site on the Internet
  • The Internet (Microsoft anonymous ftp server)
  • Microsoft Download Service (MSDL)
  • Microsoft FastTips Technical Library
  • Microsoft Product Support Services

For complete information, see the "To Obtain This Application Note" section at the end of this article.

THE TEXT OF MW0979

  Microsoft(R) Product Support Services Application Note (Text File)
          MW0979: WORD SPEAK PLUG-IN MODULE FOR WORD 5.0, 5.1
                                                   Revision Date: 2/94
                                                       1 Disk Included

The following information applies to Microsoft Word, versions 5.0, and 5.1 for Macintosh.

| INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT AND ANY SOFTWARE THAT MAY     |
| ACCOMPANY THIS DOCUMENT (collectively referred to as an Application |
| Note) IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER      |
| EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED      |
| WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND/OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR       |
| PURPOSE. The user assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and    |
| the use of this Application Note. This Application Note may be      |
| copied and distributed subject to the following conditions:  1) All |
| text must be copied without modification and all pages must be      |
| included;  2) If software is included, all files on the disk(s)     |
| must be copied without modification;  3) All components of this     |
| Application Note must be distributed together;  and  4) This        |
| Application Note may not be distributed for profit.                 |
|                                                                     |
| Copyright (C) 1994 Microsoft Corporation.  All Rights Reserved.     |
| Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.       |
| Apple and Macintosh are registered trademarks; and MacinTalk,       |
| Macintosh Centris, and Macintosh Quadra are trademarks              |
| of Apple Computer.                                                  |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|

INTRODUCTION

The MW0979 disk included with this Application Note contains Word Speak, a plug-in module for Microsoft Word versions 5.0 and 5.1 for the Macintosh that lets you use your Macintosh computer and the Apple MacinTalkª II software to ''speak'' selections from a Microsoft Word document. You select the text you want, then choose the voice you want the computer to use. When you choose the Speak Selection command, the computer speaks the text.

Word Speak runs on Macintosh AV computers, such as the Macintosh Quadra(TM) 840AV and the Macintosh Centris(TM) 660AV, and any other computer on which Apple's MacinTalk II or MacinTalkPro II software has been installed.

MacinTalk II and MacinTalkPro II were created by Apple as part of its development technology. The MacinTalk II and MacinTalkPro II system software is available through Apple development sources.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

In addition to the Microsoft Word Speak Plug-in Module file, you must have the following:

  • System 6.0.7 or later.
  • Microsoft Word 5.0 or 5.1.
  • Apple Computer's MacinTalk II or MacinTalkPro II software installed in your System Folder.
  • MacinTalk II voices will run on any Macintosh computer with at least 150K of RAM available; MacinTalkPro II voices require a Macintosh LC II or above, with 700K to 2.75 MB of RAM available. (The RAM requirements vary for each voice.)

INSTALLING THE MICROSOFT WORD SPEAK PLUG-IN MODULE

  1. Quit Word.

  2. Drag the Word Speak PIM icon into the Word Commands folder, which is usually located inside the Word folder.

  3. Restart Word.

USING THE WORD SPEAK PLUG-IN MODULE

After you have installed the Word Speak plug-in module and started Word, two new commands appear on the Tools menu: Speak Selection and Pick Voice.

To tag a selection to be spoken with a particular voice

  1. Select the text you want.

  2. From the Tools menu, choose the Pick Voice command.

  3. Choose a voice from the drop-down list.

  4. Adjust the Rate, Pitch, and Modulation slider controls to change the characteristics of the voice. If you want to restore the original default settings of the voice, click the Reset button.

  5. Click the Test button to try out the options you chose.

  6. Click OK.

Word Speak inserts a voice tag (represented by a small, nonprinting icon) at the beginning of the selected text.

To have the computer speak a selection

  1. Select the text. The selected text can include any number of voice tags.

  2. From the Tools menu, choose Speak Selection.

    NOTE: If no text is selected when you choose the Speak Selection command, the computer will speak the entire paragraph that contains the insertion point.

You can use several different voices in one sentence. Suppose, for example, that you want the first two words of the sentence to be spoken in one voice, and the remaining six words to be spoken in a different voice. Select the first two words, use the Pick Voice command to choose voice options, and then click OK. Then select the last six words, use the Pick Voice command to choose new voice options, and then click OK. To have the computer speak the sentence, select the entire sentence, and choose Speak Selection from the Tools menu. Word uses the voice specified in the first tag to speak the first two words, then it loads the second voice and speaks the last six words.

  NOTE: Word Speak will not speak hidden text.

To remove a voice tag

  1. Turn on the Show Hidden Text option if the voice tag is not visible. (To locate the Show Hidden Text option, choose Preferences from the Tools menu, and choose the View icon.)

  2. Select the icon.

  3. Press the DELETE key.

TROUBLESHOOTING

"Word Speak: Text-To-Speech not available."

This error message appears if you choose either the Speak Selection or Pick Voice commands without having installed the Apple MacinTalk software. See the ''System Requirements'' section for information about obtaining this software. Make sure that you have restarted your computer after installing this software.

"Word Speak: Not enough memory to complete the operation."

You have specified a voice that requires more memory than you have on your computer. Try selecting a different voice. (The MacinTalkPro II voices require more memory than the standard MacinTalk II voices.)

When I choose Speak Selection command, the voice loads but doesn't speak.

You may have selected only the icon representing the voice tag. Make sure that you select the text itself, or position the insertion point in the paragraph that you want the computer to speak before choosing the Speak Selection command.

TO OBTAIN THIS APPLICATION NOTE

The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Software Library:

 ~ MW0979.HQX (size: 68020 bytes) 

For more information about downloading files from the Microsoft Software Library, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q119591
   TITLE     : How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services


- If you are unable to access the source(s) listed above, you can
   have this Application Note mailed or faxed to you by calling
   Microsoft Product Support Services Monday through Friday, 6:00 A.M.
   to 6:00 P.M. Pacific time at (425) 635-7200. If you are outside the
   United States, contact the Microsoft subsidiary for your area. To
   locate your subsidiary, call Microsoft International Customer
   Service at (425) 936-8661.


Additional reference words: appnote 5.10 5.00 softlib macword macword5
PlainTalk
Keywords : kbappnote kbfile kbusage
Version : 5.00 5.10


THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Last reviewed: February 5, 1998
© 1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.