PTA not working for me

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PTA not working for me

Postby Sleazey on Wed Nov 09, 2005 8:18 pm

I am attempting to use the left ALT key as the PTA key. It just does not work at all.

I like to use PTA because I have 3 computers in one room, and my son(s) and I like to fly/fight together, and without PTA, sometimes my machine picks up their spoken commands (and vice-versa). I also feel that it reduces the cpu load on the machine if voice response software is not continuously tring to interpret ambient noise and sound effects as speech commands.

If I use the Keyboard tester, I can see the Left ALT key being held down, but whatever I say does NOT show up on the keyboard.

If I change the profile to not use PTA, then keyboard tester shows the proper keys being clicked by the particular voice command I speak.

Not sure what I am doing wrong. I have the latest version downloaded 2005/11/08 from your website.

Also, I would like to add my vote for allowing ANY key to be used as the PTA key. I dislike using the various Cntl/alt, mouse keys, etc. since those have so many special meanings in windows.

Also, I have a Saitek stick and I have had a lot of bad experiences with assigning joystick buttons that send in shifted, or alt'ed, or cntl'ed keys. I find it is safest if I map joystick buttons to send only unmodified alphabetic keys.

Also, I look forward to using DirectX buttons as PTA keys.
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Postby Shift_E on Wed Nov 09, 2005 9:19 pm

Your not using the VAC on/off switch as a PTA are you? If you are it will not work the way you think it will as VAC takes too much time to initialize SAPI. The reason I ask is you can assign virtually any keystroke for PTA, but not for the on/off switch. Also it’s working fine for me. Of course I could have totally screwed up on the last update and up loaded the wrong install.

Could you verify you are using the PTA and not the on/off switch, if it still doesn’t work let me know, I’ve made some minor changes to VAC so maybe an update is in order.

DirectX input, the jury is still out on that for me. Right now VAC System is very light on system resources and I’m really trying to keep it that way. I’m still looking to see the impact DirectX will play on VAC.

Hope this helps,
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Postby Sleazey on Thu Nov 10, 2005 12:13 am

In the VACBuilder 1.7.6, the section titled "Profile Activation Keys",
I am using the first pair of buttons, the ones titled "Push to activate Voice Commands". I tried using the L-Alt key, since that was the least objectionable choice. I am not using the Exclusive flag.

!!Light bulb just went on as I was typing this reply!!!

The first box is just in case I want a modifier on my selected key, is that it? I can't use the L ALT key all by itself as the PTA key, right? I need something like L ALT in the first box, and NUMPAD / in the second box. Or, just NUMPAD / in the second box.

Ok, why can't I use other keys, like \, or many other keys? The pull down box shows a lot of keys, but not all the typeable keys on the keyboard. (Like, \ | ~ ` @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) - _ = + ; : < > etc.)
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Postby Shift_E on Thu Nov 10, 2005 1:04 am

You are correct, you can use either or both and the key must be depressed while you speak the command, just like a microphone on a two-way radio. Also, PTA will not work with the PTD active, you must use one or the other, not both.

That's true, I didn't put all the keys in there, but surely you can find one to use that isn't used in the game can't you? :D If you can't find a key to use, let me know and I'll add more.

So does PTA work or not?

Hope this helps,
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Postby Bearcat on Sat Dec 10, 2005 5:25 pm

Hi ya Ron... Same problem... R-ALT... or R-CTRL key.. when you say either or are you saying I should be able to use just the CTRL or ALT key or a combination?

I have really added to my profile so now I am beginning to have issues... LOL.
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Postby Shift_E on Sat Dec 10, 2005 6:06 pm

Bearcat wrote:Hi ya Ron... Same problem... R-ALT... or R-CTRL key.. when you say either or are you saying I should be able to use just the CTRL or ALT key or a combination?

I have really added to my profile so now I am beginning to have issues... LOL.


Hey BC,

It’s been a long time, how are you?

I believe the game sees the PTA key and the issued VAC command as a key combination and that’s the problem you may be having. I’ll try and explain that a bit better.

For example, say you have an action “Raise Gear” which will send the “g” key when activated by VAC. Each time you say “Raise Gear” the “g” key is sent and all is fine, but now you assign a PTA key like “R-Alt”. So you press “R-Alt” and say “Raise Gear”, the game sees “R-Alt+g” and the command is not recognized. Some games this will not matter, but games that allow key combinations will be a problem.

That said, here’s what I use to solve the problem. I’ll assign a mouse button as the PTA key, and then tie a joystick button to that mouse button. Each time I press the joystick button, it’s sending the PTA to VAC and the game will not see a key combination sent when VAC issues the key command.

I hope that makes sense, if not let me know and we’ll get it solved. :)
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