12.0

Note: These Desktop search shortcuts,

like the Web search shortcuts, can be

disabled or enabled on the Commands

tab of Dragon’s Options dialog. Their

option also controls the Help search

shortcut (“search Dragon Help for…”)

Opening and Closing Programs and Windows

You can use your voice to open any item present on your desktop (including files, folders, and shortcuts): just

say open followed by the item’s name. (You can also use the verbs start, launch or show.) For instance, to

open an item called “winter projects”, you could say open winter projects. (It’s helpful to have names that

are easy to speak!)

IMPORTANT: This works at any time, even if the desktop is not visible. This is a powerful feature, but if

you don’t need it, consider disabling it. (See the checkbox on the Commands tab of the Options dialog.)

Dragon has a similar option for Start menu items: you can start a program or other item that is in the Start

menu by its name. For instance, start DragonPad, open Internet Explorer, start Notepad, start Paint, or start

Windows Explorer. This works at any time, even if the Windows Start menu is not open. Consider disabling this

powerful feature if you don’t need it. (See the Commands tab of the Options dialog.)

TIP Do you need to say "start Word", "start Microsoft Word" or "start Microsoft Office Word 2007"? In the Start

Menu (on your Windows taskbar), look under Programs. Whatever the final submenu is called is the name

Dragon may expect--except for popular applications listed in the Help; for these, shorter names are supported.

If you find the listed name inconvenient, you can create a shortcut to the application and rename that shortcut

to something easy; once you have done that, you can also use the easier name to open the application.

To open the Start menu, say click Start or click Start menu. This menu and other menus can be navigated by

voice, as you will see.

To close the active window, you can say click close, close window or press F4.

Resizing Windows and Switching Between Them

To minimize an active window, say click minimize or minimize window (the window remains on your screen,

minimized as a taskbar icon). To maximize (enlarge to fit the screen) an active window, say click maximize.