11.0

Boosting Productivity with Custom Commands

In previous lessons, you learned various built-in voice commands to perform actions such as formatting text,

searching the Internet, creating a new e-mail, creating a new appointment… The higher editions of Dragon also

allow the creation of custom commands.

There are several types of custom commands; this workbook presents the “Text-and-Graphics” type, which

allows you to define boilerplate for Dragon to paste wherever you utter the command. As the name indicates,

this boilerplate can contain graphics, such as logos, scanned signatures, maps… Quick and easy to create, Text-

and-Graphics commands provide considerable time savings and convenience. In editions Professional and Legal,

you can even include fields in them—a very easy way to create templates that can be both created AND

navigated by voice.

Creating Boilerplate Commands (“Text-and-Graphics” Type)

Step 1: Open the MyCommands Editor—you can say add new command or choose Add New Command in

the Tools menu.

Step 2: Think of a name for your command and enter it in the MyCommand Name field.

IMPORTANT

: The command's name is the phrase you will say to cause the command to execute. Choose it

well! It should be easy to remember and easy to say, like Paste Signature Block and Enter Home Directions.

Choose a descriptive, meaningful name (as opposed to a name like “macro 3”.)•

Make it neither long nor short (between 2 and 5 words is usually best). Avoid single words, and •

phrases you may need to dictate.

Use words that are easily pronounced and recognized (all words in the command name should be in •

the Vocabulary), and avoid symbols—for instance, use “number” instead of “#”, otherwise Dragon

would expect to hear “number sign” or “pound sign” when you say the command.

Step 3: In the Description field, enter some information about your command. This is optional, but it helps

remember any important details about the command (its intent, when and where you might use it…).

The following step applies only to the higher editions of Dragon.

Step 4: Optionally, choose a group. In the Group field, you can highlight and overwrite the default.

Creating custom commands groups can later

allow you to locate and manage many commands

quickly. Aim to name your groups meaningfully:

for instance, the name of the application or task

for which you are creating the command(s).

Once a command Group is defined, you can add

more commands to that group (Dragon will now

include it in the “Group” drop-down list).