DECtalk Text Command List

NOTE: CAPS indicate the SHORTest legal subset.

The DECtalk in-line text commands are listed by function, the command and some brief notes.

COMMA PAUSE:

[:COMMa DDD] Default is 95ms.DDD is delta +/- from 95.

DEFINE VOICE:

[:DEFIne XX DD (SAVE)] XX is vocal param. SAVE => voice VAL

(Alternate):

[:DV XX DD (SAVE)] DD is decimal value.

DIAL TONE:

[:DIAL "D,ddd-ddd-dddd"] Comma causes pause in dial sequence

ENABLE:

[:ENABle] After flush cmd or after FLUSH_SPEECH

ERROR:

[:ERROr Ignore] Ignores all errors

[:ERROr Text] Error as text string

[:ERROr Escape] Returns esc seq

[:ERROr Speak] Speaks error msg

[:ERROr TOne] Tone on cmd error

FLUSH:

[:FLush All] (OBSOLETE) No longer available

[:FLush Until DD] Until Index DD

[:FLush Mask DD] Mask & Index Match

[:FLush Mask After DD] After Index DD

[:FLush Mask Speech] Cmds still executed

CTRL C² Stop/flush. Returns CTRL A

INDEX:

[:INdex Mark DD] Insert Index Mark. (DD is index value)

[:INdex Reply DD] Insert Index & Reply when spoken

[:INdex Reply Query] Respond with last index seen

LANGUAGE:

[:LANG ENGlish] Speak English (default)

[:LAng SPANish] Speak Spanish

LOAD VARIABLES:

[:LOadv XX YY] XX, decimal val 0-9, YY is cmd variable. Used with Set Var

LOG:

[:LOg TExt ON/OFf] Log all text. Default is off

[:LOG Phonemes ON/OFF] Log phonemes

MODES:

[:MOde Math ON/OFf] Math symbols spoken. Default Off (except Citation)

[:MOde Europe ON/OFf] European monetary pronunciation.

[:MOde SPell ON/OFf] Spell all words

[:MOde Name ON/OFf] Say proper names. (Optional feature)

[:MOde Citation ON/OFf] Some words spoken differently when spoken alone.

[:MOde Latin ON/OFf] American/Castilian Spanish switch.

PAUSE:

[:PAuse DDD] DDD in 1/100 of sec. (Asynch command)
Ctrl-N ²

PERIOD PAUSE:

[:PEriod DDD] Default = 470ms, DDD is delta from 470

PHONEME INTERPRETATION:

[:PHoneme ARpabet (SPeak/ ON/OFf] Speak text within square brackets as Arpabet phonemes. Default off

PITCH CHANGE:

[:PItch DD] Default = 35Hz. DD is delta from 35

POWER STATUS²:

[:POWEr Sleep DD] Low power mode after DD sec

[:POWEr Interval DD] Low power beep DD sec

[:POWEr Speak] Speak battery status

[:POWEr STatus] Receive from Express power/battery status

PRONOUNCE NAME:

[:PRon Name]Name Speak proper name (Option)

PUNCTUATION:

[:PUnct None] No punct spoken

[:PUnct Some] Some punct spoken (default)

[:PUnct All] All punct spoken

[:PUNct Pass] Bypass some preprocssing

RATE SELECTION:

[:RAte DDD] Default = 180wpm. Range 75-650

RESUME:

[:REsume] Resume speech
Ctrl-O ²

SAY MODE:

[:SAy Clause] Speak at clause end

[:SAY Word] Speak at word end

[:SAY Letter] Speak at letter end

SET VARIABLES:

[:SEtv DD] DD is 0-9. Set vars previously loaded. Used with Load Vars

SYNCHRONIZATION:

[:SYnc] Act as a clause end. Syncs async commands.
CTRL K (obsolete)

TIMEOUT:

[:TImeout D] Force speech after D seconds. Default is NONE

TONE:

[:TOne DD,dd] DD is Freq in Hz. dd is Duration in ms.

TSR²:

[:TSR ON/OFf ] Sends private character sequences to the TSR. Off disables the transmission.Default is on

TYPING TABLE:

[:TYpe DD (:) PHONE] DD is Keyboard code, : = use pitch shift, PHONE is a phoneme

VERSION²:

[:VErsion Speak] Speaks firmware version

[:VERsion STatus] Receive firmware version from Express

VOICE SELECTION:

[:NAme X] X=P,H,F,D,B,R,U,W,K,V

(Alternate):

[:NX] No space between N and X

VOLUME¹:

[:VOlume Set DD] 0-99, Default = 5

[:VOlume Up DD] Increases volume by DD

[:VOlume Down DD] Decreases volume by DD

(Alternate):

[:VS DD] Set volume to DD

XON/XOFF²:

Ctrl-Q/Ctrl-S Serial line handshaking

¹ DECtalk PC
² DECtalk Express

Last updated 10/28/96

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