Grammar Guide

A guide to Voice Type grammar annotations

Sending keystrokes to an application

The annotation prefix &keys: instructs Voice Manager to interpret the characters following the prefix as a sequence of keystrokes to be sent to the application. For example:

        <start> = <select> <all> .
        <select> = select .
        <all> = all:"&keys:[alt e]a" .

With this grammar enabled, Voice Manager will send the keystrokes [alt e]a upon recognizing select all.

Variables

The assignment of variables is done with the &X: annotation. This annotation has the following form:

&X:i:s

where i is an integer greater than zero and s is a string. This has the effect of assigning the value s to variable i. For example,

   <blue> = blue:"&X:1:[down]" .

assigns down to be the value of X1. Referencing variables is done with the @X(i) operator (where i is a positive integer). For example:

   <change-color> = <set> <color> <to> <colors> .
   <set>  = set .
   <color> = color:"&keys:[alt o]c[home]@X(1)[enter]" .
   <colors> = <blue>  .
   <blue> = blue .

When Voice Manager recognizes the phrase set color to blue the annotation on blue sets the value of X(1) to [down]. The annotation on color is &keys:[alt o]c[home]@X(1)[enter]. The variable @X(1) is replaced by its value [down] and voice manager sends the following keystrokes:

    [alt o]c[home][down][enter]

The @count() variable

In order to use the @count annotation you need to put the following line at the end of you grammar file:

 EXTERN <Extern_counts> .

This enables you to use the <Extern_counts> nonterminal and the @count(i) annotation. The nonterminal <Extern_counts> has the following rewrite rule:

    <Extern_counts> = one       | two       | three     |
                      four      | five      | six       |
                      seven     | eight     | nine      |
                      ten       | eleven    | twelve    |
                      thirteen  | fourteen  | fifteen   |
                      sixteen   | seventeen | eighteen  |
                      nineteen  | twenty    | thirty    |
                      forty     | fifty     .

The annotation @count(i) specifies the value of the i-th count nonterminal. For example, if you have the grammar rule:

 <sample> = <print> <Extern_counts> <copies> <of> <pages> <Extern_counts> <through> <Extern_counts> .

and the user utters: print five copies of pages one through three. Then:

@count(1) has the value of the first <count> encountered (in this case "5")

@count(2) has the value of the second <count> encountered (in this case "1")

@count(3) has the value of the third (in this case "3").

Here's an example that will work with IBM Works:

      <font-size> = <change> <font> <size> <to> <Extern_counts>  .
      <change> = change .
      <font> = font .
      <size> = size:"&keys:[ctrl f][alt s]@count(1)[enter]" .
      <to> = to .

      EXTERN <Extern_counts> .

Consider the case where the user says Change the font size to twelve. The annotation for twelve sets the count(1) variable to 12. The annotation on size is &keys:[ctrl f][alt s]@count(1)[enter]. The @count(1) variable is replaced with 12 yielding:

&keys:[ctrl f][alt s]12[enter]

The @repeat(i, s) annotation

The @repeat(i, s) function constructs a string of i instances of the string s. For example, the annotation @repeat(4, [down]) will be replaced by [down][down][down][down]. A typical use of this annotation is as follows:

<move-command> = move right <count> words:"&keys:@repeat(@count(1),[shift[right]])" .


EXTERN <Extern_counts> .

Consider the case where this grammar is active and Voice Manager recognzies move right three words. The count(1) variable has the value 3. The annotation on words is &keys:@repeat(@count(1),[shift[right]]). Replacing @count(1) by its value yields &keys:@repeat(3,[shift[right]]). The @repeat sequence is performed yielding &keys:[shift[right]][shift[right]][shift[right]].

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