Voice Jotter Registered Version 2.0 Released July 1998 Installation Instructions Copy the program file VOICEJOT.OPA in the drive and directory where you would like to record your memos (registered version only-shareware records to M:\WVE\VOICEJOT regardless). If you wish to install the optional help file, VOICEJOT.HLP, make sure it is in the same diretory as VOICEJOT.OPA. You may also wish to copy the Psion Word application and/or plain text versions of this documentation file, respectively, to a directory of your liking, perhaps M:\WRD\: VOICEJOT.WRD VOICEJOT.TXT Install the application by hitting Menu and selecting Apps... Install (or just hit Psion-I) in your System Screen. Use the left/right cursor keys to select VoiceJot, or hit Tab if you installed VOICEJOT.OPA to other than M:\APP. For all but the most basic use you must 'Assign' a button on the icon strip to Voice Jotter. (The 'icon strip' is the row of buttons between the screen and the keyboard.) You have two main options: The default uses the Jotter button for the built-in Jotter application as normal. Control-Jotter is used for Voice Jotter. For this setup put the cursor on the VoiceJot icon in the System Screen, hit Menu, and choose Apps... Assign Button (or just hit Psion-A). Pick 'Control+Jotter' from the list and you're ready to go. For Single-Handed Power-up Recordings To set up single-handed use, 'Assign' Voice Jotter the Jotter button (go to the System Screen and put the cursor on the VoiceJot icon and choose Apps... Assign Button [or just hit Psion-A] and change the 'Modifier' line to 'None' and then pick Jotter on the top line [or Sheet for 3a users or Data for left handed use]). You will probably then wish to 'Assign' the built-in Joter application the Control-Jotter button. This Version of Voice Jotter I've tested it as much as I can, and as far as I know everything works. PLEASE let me know if you find any bugs/weird things happening so can fix them!! Email me at: tylernt@yahoo.com. This version is missing the enhanced Jotter button control. I've never heard back from Tom Dobilin of Macro Sys to get permission to use some of his code. Using Voice Jotter For optimum usefulness it is strongly recommended that you assign Voice Jotter the Jotter button and the built-in Jotter application Control+Jotter. Also keep Voice Jotter running all the time, otherwise, power-up recording doesn't work, among other problems. Besides, Voice Jotter only takes about 20K when idle, a little more when playing / recording etc. When recording I recommend having the mike about an inch away, experiment to find the right distance for you. Unfortunately the Psion actually starts recording as long as a quarter or even half-second after the signal, nothing I can do about that at this point. Voice Jotter allows up to 8 memos; that's as many as would conveniently fit on the screen, and due to the fact that sound files take up so much memory I think it unlikely you'd need more than that. I usually just whip out my Psion to make a voice memo if I don't have time to type it in; later I'll play the file and type it in to the appropriate application & delete the voice memo. Most of the keyboard shortcuts can be used with or without pressing Psion. Hold down the Psion key for about a second when turning on your machine to prevent reminders and power-up sounds from playing (say, if you were in a meeting). Hey I like to show off my Psion but not during a PR! The Idea Basically, the idea is to be able to flip open your Psion, hit a key, record you memo, and then snap your machine machine shut and slip it back into your shoulder holster (or pocket). Well, you get the idea. (I'm still trying to figure out how to open my Psion with one hand though.) Features Hit Control-Jotter (or whatever button you Assigned Voice Jotter) with your Psion off, and Voice Jotter will begin recording automatically to easily record a memo. ("Power-up recording.") Voice Jotter will beep at you to remind you if you have new voice memos, you can change this to a silent reminder, to play your memos, or even play a sound file as the reminder. Use 'Mark As New' (Psion-M) to mark a previously played memo as 'New.' (Registered verion only.) 'Use as Alarm' lets you name a voice memo and copy it to a WVE\ directory for use in the Agenda or Time application as an alarm, or editing with the SoundMaster program. The program will record to the directory from which it was run, so if you wish to use an SSD install Voice Jotter there. (Registered version only--shareware records to M:\WVE\VOICEJOT\ regardless.) I realize it's not a very elegant way of doing it, but I don't have an SSD... see 'The Story Behind Voice Jotter.' Tip: install Voice Jotter to a \WVE\ directory to have memos show up as alarms without naming and making copies of them. Preferences Recording Max record time will set the maximum length of time to record before stopping. If there is not enough memory for that length, the record time is simply shortened to the availible space, though still leaving about 32K to keep everything running. Power-up Record Power-up record means that if the Psion powers up and sends Voice Jotter to the foreground (i.e., hit Voice Jotter's assigned button with the Psion off) it will automatically start recording. It will then optionally repeat (parrot) your memo, optionally send Voice Jotter the the background, and then shut your Psion off again about four seconds later. This is the main feature of Voice Jotter, but it requires the proper setup. Please see 'Installation' in this documentation file for more information. Send to Background After Record After a power-up record, if you want Voice Jotter to stay in the foreground and just turn off, so that next time you turn on Voice Jotter is still there to remind you of your memos, set the "Send to Background" feature to "Never" or "Normal Record Only." For normal records, you can set VoiceJotter to go to the background after recording, so you can be working on something, jot a voice memo, and be automatically back to where you were without fiddling with Shift-System or cursoring around the System screen. (You can also hit Esc to send Voice Jotter to the background.) Use 'Always' or 'Normal Record Only' to enable this. Volume Levels Self-explanatory. Beeps You can change how Voice Jotter signals you when it starts or ends recording: short or long beeps, a click, or silent. For 'beeps,' a low/high tone means recording has started, high/low tone means recording has ended. Reminders You can set a reminder to be used when you switch on your Psion. You can choose beeps; a click; no reminder; a silent reminder that just brings Voice Jotter to the foreground; a WVE file; or to play your memos themselves as the reminder. Power-up Sound You can also pick a sound to be played on powerup. Set "Play after reminder sound" to Yes if you want both the reminder and the power-up sound, No if you don't want to play the power-up sound unless there are no memos. Notes! If you exit and restart Voice Jotter you lose the New Memo status and time/day stamps, not to metion all of your Preferences settings. Power-up recording doesn't work if Voice Jotter isn't running. Leaving Voice Jotter running all the time is recommended. Problems occur if you delete a voice memo file outside of Voice Jotter. Voice Jotter creates a temp file in M:\OPD\ when running. History Version History Beta version .99b released March 2, 1998. Version 1.0: Added check for less than 2 seconds recording time. Changed screen update to be faster, as well as check free memory routine... records and parrots much faster! Program automatically creates needed directories M:\WVE\VOICEJOT and M:\OPD and eliminated installation of VOICEJOT.PIC. Deleting files outside of Voice Jotter no longer causes exit. Stopping playback passes some keystrokes to input handler (so if you hit up arrow it stops playing AND cursors up). On recording failure (if Sound is turned off in the System Screen) the program does not create a fileless entry. Version 2.0: Psion up/down as well as Psion+shortcuts works. Added capability to tap Jotter to get Jotter and hold Jotter to get Voice Jotter. Added using voice memos as reminders to shareware version. Added memo time lengh to display. Added ability to record to any drive/directory. Now says '1 Voice Memo' instead of '1 Voice memos' (and wasted 16 lines of code doing it too! ;-)) Added new separate help file and context-sensitive help buttons to dialogs. Added ability to hold down Psion key when turning on to keep reminder/power-up sounds silent. (They say necessity is the mother of invention. :-/) Added use of Psion-L and Psion-Enter to play all memos. Removed ability to hold down Jotter for Voice Jotter and tap for Jotter. Version 2.01: Fixed bug in context-sensitive help system. Only 2 restrictions to shareware version now: Can't mark memos new again and can record only to internal disk. Here's the story behind Voice Jotter: I was considering buying a Sharp Wizard when a friend of mine first showed me his Series 3c. My jaw dropped and I couldn' sleep nights until I bought my Psion. I really liked the external dictation buttons on the Psion Series 5 but didn't have $800 to blow on one and so went with the 3c instead. I downloaded and tried a couple of shareware voice memo recorders. Memo-Voc has a cool VAR (Voice Activated Recording) feature but was practically useless (accidental turn-ons, had to leave your Psion on, etc). PUR, Power-Up Recorder, was nice and I used it for the trial period but disliked the slow screen update. But worst of all I'd record myself a voice memo or two and then forget about them, and by the time I remembered to play them it was too late! So I needed some kind of reminder. That and I'm a control freak and like lots of options. Those were the major reasons for Voice Jotter. And why the name Voice Jotter? Well, it's like the Jotter application only you use your voice, plus it's the only icon I could think of to use. Hey I'm a programmer not an icon artist. Voice Jotter took about 3 weeks to program the beta (working about an hour or so a day). Some people say I spend too much time on my Psion. You decide: the battery usage monitor says I spent 47 hours, 27 minutes in ten days. (Of course I use it for my job too.) I don't plan to do much with Voice Jotter by the way of updates unless I get some feedback. I wrote Voice Jotter mainly: * To learn OPL * Because I couldn't afford a Series 5 but wanted to do voice recordings * To help defray they cost of my 3c by writing shareware. I'd love to receive comments/suggestions (and registrations ;-)) Reverse Translation Please do not reverse translate this version. Disclaimer There is no warranty of any kind, expressed or implied with this program Voice Jotter. The author Tyler N. Thueson accepts no responsibility for any loss directly or indirectly due to the use of the program. Use at your own risk.