Introduction

Voice2CAD is a speech recognition software designed to streamline CAD workflows by allowing users to execute commands via voice. This manual will guide you through installation, setup, and usage of the software, including license activation, microphone configuration, language settings, voice training, command creation, confidence threshold management, and troubleshooting.

Getting Started

System Requirements

• Operating System: Windows (with speech recognition support)
• Microphone: Built-in or external microphone
• Internet: Required for license activation and updates
• Excel: For importing command templates (optional)

Installation

1. Download the latest version of Voice2CAD from downloads.html.
2. Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions.
3. Launch the application after installation.

Activating a License

1. Launch Voice2CAD: Open the application. On first run, you’ll see the End User License Agreement (EULA).
2. Accept EULA: Read the agreement in the EULA window, check "I have read and agree to the terms," and click Accept. The application will close if you decline.
3. Navigate to Subscription Page: After accepting the EULA, the main window opens to the Import page. Click Subscription in the left navigation panel.
4. Enter Email: In the "License Management" section, input your email address in the Email field.
5. Activate License: Click Activate License. If you’ve purchased a license, the software will validate it with the server.
   • Success: The "Status" field updates to "License Active" or "Trial Active," showing details like "Licensed To" and "Days Remaining."
   • Failure: If the license isn’t found, you’ll see "License not found." Ensure your email matches your purchase or click Purchase License to buy one.
6. Offline Mode: If internet is unavailable, Voice2CAD may use cached license data if previously activated.

Setting Up Your Microphone

1. Check Hardware: Ensure your microphone is connected (internal or external).
2. Windows Microphone Setup:
   • Go to Control Panel > Sound > Recording.
   • Select your microphone, click Set Default, then Properties.
   • In the Levels tab, adjust the microphone volume (start at 80-100).
   • Test by speaking; the green bars should move.
3. Voice2CAD Initialization: On startup, Voice2CAD checks microphone compatibility. If it fails, a warning appears: "Speech recognition failed to initialize. Please check your microphone settings."

Understanding Confidence Threshold and Command Overrides

Confidence Threshold in Settings

The Confidence Threshold is a key feature in Voice2CAD that determines how certain the speech recognition engine must be before executing a voice command. It’s adjustable in the Settings page and plays a critical role in balancing accuracy and responsiveness.

What It Does

• Range: 0% to 100%.
• Purpose: Sets the minimum confidence level the speech recognition engine needs to reach for a command to be executed. For example:
  • At 80%, the engine must be 80% sure it correctly heard "Draw Line" before acting.
  • At 50%, it’s less strict, allowing commands to execute with lower certainty.
• Default: Typically set to a moderate value (e.g., 70%), but adjustable based on your needs.

How to Adjust It

1. Navigate to Settings: Click Settings in the left navigation panel of the main window.
2. Locate Confidence Threshold: Scroll to the "Speech Recognition" section.
3. Adjust Slider: Move the slider left (lower threshold) or right (higher threshold).
   • Lower (e.g., 50%): Useful for accents or noisy environments; more commands are recognized, but false positives may increase.
   • Higher (e.g., 90%): Ensures accuracy; fewer misrecognitions, but some valid commands might be ignored.
4. Check Value: The percentage is displayed next to the slider (e.g., "75%").
5. Test: Say a command (e.g., "Start Listening") to see if it works with the new setting.

When to Change It

• Foreign Accent: Lower it if your accent causes recognition issues.
• Background Noise: Increase it in noisy environments to reduce false triggers.
• Testing: Start low to ensure commands work, then raise it for precision.

Double-Clicking Commands in History to Override Confidence Threshold

Voice2CAD allows you to set custom confidence thresholds for individual commands via the History page. This feature is useful if certain commands are consistently misrecognized or overly sensitive.

What It Does

• Custom Threshold: Overrides the global Confidence Threshold for a specific command.
• Access: Double-click a command entry in the History list to adjust its threshold.
• Granular Control: Fine-tune recognition for commands that need special attention (e.g., frequently used or hard-to-recognize phrases).

How to Use It

1. Go to History: Click History in the left navigation panel.
2. View Entries: The History list shows past commands with details like:
   • Command name (e.g., "Draw Line")
   • Timestamp
   • Actions
   • Confidence (e.g., "Confidence: 82%")
   • Threshold Used (e.g., "Global threshold: 70%" or "Custom threshold: 85%")
   • Status (e.g., "Executed" or "Not Executed")
3. Double-Click a Command: Select an entry (e.g., "Draw Line") and double-click it.
4. Threshold Override Window:
   • Title: Shows the command (e.g., "Override Threshold for Draw Line").
   • Current Threshold: Displays the current value (e.g., "Current threshold: 70.0%").
   • Input Box: Pre-filled with the current threshold (e.g., "70.0").
5. Set a New Threshold:
   • Enter Value: Type a number between 0 and 100 (e.g., "85.0").
   • Click OK: Saves the custom threshold for that command.
   • Clear Threshold: Click Clear Threshold to revert to the global setting.
   • Cancel: Closes without changes.
6. Validation: If you enter an invalid value (e.g., "150"), a warning appears: "Please enter a valid number between 0 and 100."
7. Confirmation: After setting, the History entry updates to show "Custom threshold: [new value]%."

Example Scenario

• Problem: "Draw Circle" executes only 60% of the time with a global threshold of 80%.
• Action:
  1. In History, find "Draw Circle" with "Confidence: 65%" and "Status: Not Executed."
  2. Double-click it.
  3. Change the threshold from 80.0% to 60.0% and click OK.
• Result: Next time you say "Draw Circle," it executes if the confidence is 60% or higher, ignoring the global 80% threshold.

Tips

• Monitor History: Check "Confidence" vs. "Threshold Used" to identify commands needing adjustment.
• Reset: Use "Clear Threshold" to remove custom settings if they cause issues.
• Save: Changes are saved automatically to ApplicationSettings, persisting across sessions.

Why Use It

• Precision: Raise the threshold for commands prone to false positives (e.g., similar-sounding phrases).
• Accessibility: Lower it for commands your voice struggles with (e.g., due to accent or pronunciation).

Setting Up Language Based on Regional Settings

1. Default Language: Voice2CAD uses your Windows regional settings (CultureInfo.CurrentCulture) to set the speech recognition language.
2. Check Language Pack:
   • In the main window, look at the bottom-left corner for "Language: [Name]".
   • If it says "(Not Supported)," install the appropriate language pack:
     • Go to Settings > Time & Language > Speech.
     • Under "Speech language," select your language and click Download if prompted.
3. Restart Voice2CAD: Close and reopen the app after installing the language pack to apply changes.

Setting Up Windows for a Foreign Accent

1. Language Pack: Ensure the installed speech language matches your primary language, even if you have an accent (e.g., English (United States) for an Australian accent).
2. Voice Training: See the next section to train Windows Speech Recognition for better accuracy with your accent.
3. Adjust Confidence Threshold:
   • Go to Settings page.
   • Move the Confidence Threshold slider (0-100%). Lower it (e.g., 60%) if your accent causes recognition issues.

Training Your Voice with Windows Speech Recognition

1. Open Speech Training:
   • Go to Control Panel > Ease of Access > Speech Recognition.
   • Click Train your computer to better understand you.
2. Follow Prompts: Read the provided sentences aloud. Complete at least one session (10-15 minutes).
3. Repeat: For foreign accents, do multiple sessions to improve accuracy.
4. Test in Voice2CAD: After training, test recognition by saying "Start Listening" (see "Turning On the Microphone" below).

Creating a Template and Understanding Identifiers

Voice2CAD uses Excel templates to define voice commands, enabling you to customize how voice phrases trigger actions in your CAD software or system. Each command consists of a Voice Phrase and a series of Actions, with specific identifiers to control behavior. This section explains the updated identifier set, including the * identifier for opening paths, the HOLD feature, and how to structure your template.

Template Structure

• Column A: Voice Phrase – The spoken phrase (e.g., "Open Website").
• Column B onwards: Action 1, Action 2, etc. – Individual actions executed sequentially from left to right when the phrase is recognized.

Each action in a column is processed independently, moving left to right, allowing you to build complex macros.

Updated Identifiers and Examples

Identifiers prefix actions to define how they’re executed. Here’s the revised set with the * identifier:

• None: Single key press (no identifier needed for letters, numbers, or special keys) - Example: a, 1, enter - Result: Presses "a", "1", or Enter
• ~: Emulates keyboard typing for a text string - Example: ~Line - Result: Types "Line" character by character
• #: Copies text to clipboard and pastes it (clears manual clipboard content) - Example: #LongText - Result: Pastes "LongText" via clipboard
• *: Opens a path (website, file, or folder) using the default application - Example: *https://voice2cad.com - Result: Opens the website in your browser
• HOLD[key][seconds]: Holds a modifier key (e.g., CTRL, SHIFT) for specified seconds - Example: HOLDCTRL1 - Result: Holds Ctrl for 1 second
• !: Adds a delay in milliseconds before the next action - Example: !20 - Result: Pauses for 20ms

Notes

• Single Keys: Letters (a-z, A-Z), numbers (0-9), and special keys (e.g., enter, f1) don’t need identifiers unless modified by HOLD or combined with text.
• Clipboard Warning for #: Using # overwrites the clipboard. Avoid manual clipboard operations (e.g., copying text elsewhere) during execution, as they’ll be lost.
• Path Opening with *:
  • Websites: Use full URLs (e.g., *https://www.example.com).
  • Files: Use full file paths (e.g., *C:\Docs\drawing.dwg opens in the default CAD app).
  • Folders: Use directory paths (e.g., *C:\Projects opens in File Explorer).
  • Paths must be valid; invalid paths may silently fail or show an error depending on system settings.
• Execution Order: Actions run sequentially from Column B to the right.

HOLD Feature Explained

The HOLD identifier lets you press and hold modifier keys (e.g., Ctrl, Shift, Alt, Windows) for a specified duration while subsequent actions execute.

• Format: HOLD[key][seconds] (e.g., HOLDSHIFT2).
• Supported Keys:
  • CTRL (Control)
  • SHIFT
  • ALT
  • WIN (Windows key, left), LWIN (left Windows), RWIN (right Windows)
• Time: Duration in seconds (e.g., 2 for 2 seconds). The key is held down, the next action executes, and then the key is released.
• Example:
  • Command: "copy" → HOLDCTRL1, c
  • Result: Holds Ctrl for 1 second, presses "c" (emulates Ctrl+C), then releases Ctrl.

Delay with "!"

The ! identifier adds a pause between actions.

• Format: ![milliseconds] (e.g., !20 for 20 milliseconds).
• Purpose: Ensures timing between actions, useful for CAD software or after opening paths.
• Example:
  • Command: "open delayed" → *C:\Projects, !500, enter
  • Result: Opens the folder, waits 500ms, presses Enter.

Opening Paths with "*"

The * identifier triggers the system to open a specified path using the default associated application or browser.

• Format: *path (e.g., *https://voice2cad.com or *C:\file.txt).
• Supported Paths:
  • Websites: Opens in your default browser (e.g., *https://www.google.com).
  • Files: Opens with the default app (e.g., *C:\drawing.dwg might open in AutoCAD).
  • Folders: Opens in File Explorer (e.g., *C:\Users\Public).
• Example:
  • Command: "visit site" → *https://voice2cad.com, !1000, enter
  • Result: Opens the website, waits 1 second, presses Enter (e.g., to submit a form).

Supported Action Keys

These keys can be used as actions without identifiers (unless modified by HOLD or combined with text). They’re derived from KeyboardUtils.cs:

• Navigation: enter, tab, space (or spacebar), backspace, delete, home, end, pageup (or pagedown), up, down, left, right
• Function Keys: f1, f2, f3, f4, f5, f6, f7, f8, f9, f10, f11, f12
• Modifiers: shift, ctrl, alt, win, lwin, rwin (use with HOLD for duration)
• Other: esc (or escape), printscreen (or prtsc), numlock
• Letters and Numbers: a-z, A-Z, 0-9 (case-sensitive unless "Ignore Capslock Status" is enabled in Settings)
• Special Characters: ~, @, #, $, %, ^, &, *, (, ), _, +, {, }, |, :, ", <, >, ?, `, -, =, [, ], \, ;, ', ,, ., / (shift applied automatically where needed, e.g., ! requires shift).

Creating a Template

1. Open Excel and create a new spreadsheet.
2. Add headers: Voice Phrase (A1), Action 1 (B1), Action 2 (C1), etc.
3. Example Template:

   Voice Phrase	Action 1	Action 2	Action 3	Action 4
   Draw Line	~Line	!500	enter
   New File	HOLDCTRL1	n
   Paste Text	#LongText	enter
   Open Website	*https://voice2cad.com	!1000	enter
   Copy Selection	HOLDCTRL2	c	!100	v
   Open Drawing	*C:\drawing.dwg	!2000

   • Draw Line: Types "Line," waits 500ms, presses Enter.
   • New File: Holds Ctrl for 1 second, presses "n" (Ctrl+N).
   • Paste Text: Pastes "LongText" via clipboard, presses Enter.
   • Open Website: Opens the URL, waits 1 second, presses Enter.
   • Copy Selection: Holds Ctrl for 2 seconds, presses "c" (Ctrl+C), waits 100ms, presses "v" (Ctrl+V).
   • Open Drawing: Opens the file in the default app (e.g., AutoCAD), waits 2 seconds.

Tips for Success

• Case Sensitivity: Use lowercase for special keys (e.g., enter, not ENTER) unless specifying text with ~ or #.
• Timing: Use ! sparingly; excessive delays can slow workflows. Test with small values (e.g., !20).
• HOLD Limits: Keep durations reasonable (e.g., 1-5 seconds) to avoid locking modifier keys.
• Clipboard Caution: After using #, restore manual clipboard content if needed, as it’s overwritten.
• Path Accuracy: Ensure * paths are correct (e.g., include https:// for websites, full paths for files/folders). Test paths manually first if unsure.

Creating Macros

Macros are multi-step commands defined in the Excel template.

Example Macro

"Start Drawing"

• Says "Line," waits 1 second, types "10,20," and presses Enter.

Tips

• Use ! for timing between steps.
• Combine # and ~ for text input variations.
• Use * to open files or folders as part of the macro.

Importing an Excel Sheet

1. Go to Import Page: Click Import in the left navigation.
2. Browse File: Click Browse, select your .xlsx file (e.g., commands.xlsx), and the path appears in the text box.
3. Import Commands: Click Import. If successful, commands appear in the list below with timestamps.
4. Verify: Check the list to ensure all phrases and actions loaded correctly.

Turning On the Microphone and Testing the Software

1. Enable Microphone: Ensure your microphone is set up (see above).
2. Start Listening:
   • In the main window, click Start Listening (bottom of left panel).
   • If licensed, the button changes to "Say/Click 'Stop Listening'" and turns blue.
3. Test Commands:
   • Say a command from your template (e.g., "Draw Line").
   • Check the History page to see if it was recognized and executed.
4. Stop Listening: Say "Stop Listening" or click the button to pause recognition.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Troubleshooting

• "Speech recognition failed": Check microphone connection and Windows speech settings. Restart Voice2CAD.
• "License not found": Verify email and internet connection. Purchase a license if needed.
• Commands not working: Ensure commands are imported and say "Start Listening" to activate.
• Accent recognition issues: Train Windows Speech Recognition and adjust Confidence Threshold lower.
• "Software Disabled": Update to the latest version via downloads.html.
• No sound from microphone: Test in Windows Sound settings; ensure it’s not muted or volume is too low.

Additional Tips

• History Page: Double-click an entry to set a custom threshold for specific commands.
• Settings: Enable "High Priority Mode" for faster response times (may increase CPU usage).
• Support: Visit help.html or contact support at joseph@voice2cad.com for assistance.