Use this command to create a new document or template in Announce!. You can open phrase files, which contain a list phrases, or a voice file containing a single phrase. You can open an existing document with the Open command.
Toolbar:
Select the type of new file you want to create.
New Phrase File:
Creates a new phrase file.
New Voice Editor:
Creates a new voice editor window.
New Phrase:
Creates a new phrase in the currently active phrase file window. This option will only be available if the currently active window is a phrase file
Use this command to open an existing phrase file or voice file in a new window. You can open as many windows as you like, subject to available memory. Voice editor windows open on large phrases can use large amounts of memory. Voice editor windows open on large phrases can use large amounts of memory, however Announce! will prompt you if this condition is detected, and can automatically split the file into phrases and load the phrases into a phrase list window.
You can use the Window menu to switch among open documents.
If you have a document on your screen that you no longer want to use, choose the Close command to close it.
You can create new documents with the New command.
Keyboard: Ctrl+F12
Toolbar:
File Name
Type or select the filename you want to open. This box lists files with the extension you select in the List Files of Type box.
Select the type of file you want to open. Select the type of file you want to open. VAP phrase files will be opened into a Phrase List Window. Files of type VOX or WAV will normally be opened into a voice editor window. See Digitized Voice File Types.
Use this command to close the active window. If you close a document without saving, you lose all changes made since the last time you saved it. Before closing an unnamed document, Announce! displays the Save As dialog box and suggests that you name and save the document.
If you are closing a phrase file, and there are voice editor windows open on one or more of the phrases in the window, Announce! will close the voice editor windows first. If changes have been made to these windows, Announce! will prompt you to save these changes first.
You can also close a window by using the Close command on the document .
In order to improve speed of operation, cutting or copying phrases to the clipboard does not actually copy the data, but stores a pointer to the file. If the clipboard contains a pointer to data in the window that you are closing, Announce! will warn you with a dialog before proceeding.
Keyboard: Cntrl+F12
Double-click on the window close box (top left hand button of the window)
Use this command to close all windows. If changes have been made, Announce! will prompt you to save the data. Before closing an unnamed document, Announce! displays the Save As dialog box and suggests that you name and save the document.
You can also close a document by using the Close command on the document.
In order to improve speed of operation, cutting or copying phrases to the clipboard does not actually copy the data, but stores a pointer to the file. If the clipboard contains a pointer to data in the window that you are closing, Announce! will warn you with a dialog before proceeding.
Use this command to save the active document and the current name, location, and file format. When you save a document for the first time, Announce! displays the Save As dialog box so you can name your document. If you want to change the name, location, or format of an existing document, choose the Save As command.
Keys:SHIFT+F12
Toolbar: 
Use this command to save and name the active window with a specified file format.
Notes: To save a document with the existing name, format, and location, use the Save command.
To save phrases in a phrase window to individual files, use the Save Phrases in the Phrase Menu.
Key:F12
File Name:
Type a new filename to save a document with a different name or in a
different file format. Use the current name, or select a name in the list
to save a document with an existing filename.
Note: A filename can
contain up to eight characters and an extension of up to three
characters. Announce! adds the extension you specify in the Save File As Type box.
Drives:
Select the drive in which you want to store the document.
Directories:
Select the directory in which you want to store the document.
Save File As Type
Announce! can save files in various file formats.
Phrase files can be
saved as:
1. VAP (VBase40) files.
VAP
files are compressed files containing multiple phrases. They are limited
to a single sampling rate and to ADPCM format. Phrases in voice editor
windows can be saved as a new phrase in the original source Phrase window,
or as individual voice files in these formats:
2. VOX (compressed ADPCM) files.
3. WAV Windows format sound files.
Use this command to remove the selected phrases from a phrase file, or to remove selected samples from a voice editor, and to store them on the clipboard.
This command is unavailable if you have no selected text or phrases.
In order to improve speed of operation, cutting phrases from a phrase list to the clipboard does not actually copy the data, but stores a pointer to the file. Closing the window after cutting or copying some phrases to the clipboard will cause a dialog to appear, since once the window is closed, the data will no longer be available.
Note that cutting phrases to the clipboard replaces the contents previously stored there.
Toolbar:
Keys:CTRL+Del
Use this command to remove selected phrases from a phrase file, or to remove selected samples from a voice editor. The data removed will be lost unless the window is closed without saving.
This command is unavailable if you have no selected text or phrases.
Toolbar:
Keys:Delete
Use this command to copy selected phrases or samples onto the Clipboard. This command is unavailable if you have nothing selected in the active window.
Copying a selection to the Clipboard replaces the contents previously stored there.
Toolbar: 
Keys:CTRL+Insert
Use this command to insert a copy of the Clipboard contents at the insertion point. This command is unavailable if the Clipboard is empty, or if the active window cannot accept the data on the clipboard. Voice Editor windows will not accept multiple phrases.
Toolbar:
Keys: Shift+Insert
Use this command to select all the phrases in a phrase file, or to select all the samples in a voice editor window.
Use this command when you have a large phrase file and you are searching for a particular phrase. Searching is always case-insensitive, from the top of the file.
Use this command to change the script for a phrase in a phrase window. Announce will show a dialog into which you can insert or change the script. You can also play the script from this dialog, so that if you are updating the script to match an existing voice file, you can type the words as they play on your sound device. The loop play mode may also be useful.
Mouse: Double click on the script field in the phase list window
Use this command to open a voice editor window on a phrase in a phrase file. When the voice editor window is closed, or saved, the data will be saved back into the phrase file. However the changes will not be permanent until the phrase file itself is saved.
Toolbar:
Mouse: Drag the selected item onto the main Announce window
Use this command to alphabetically sort all the phrases in a phrase list by filename
Use this command to alphabetically sort all the phrases in a phrase list by phrase script
Use this command to create a new phrase with the contents of a VOX or WAV file.
Drag the file from File Manager and drop it onto the Phrase window.
Use this command to convert a phrase or phrases to compressed format, using the appropriate algorithm for your voice card as specified in the Setup Menu.
Use this command to convert a phrase or phrases to 16 bit linear format, using the appropriate algorithm for your voice card as specified in the Setup Menu.
Announce! will convert your phrases to linear automatically if you select any of the voice processing commands.
Your phrases will be converted back to compressed format when you save as VOX files or as VAP (VBase40) files, or if you select the Compress command.
Use this command to rename the phrases in a file from a text file containing the desired phrase names. All phrases are renamed in order from the top of the file, until the end of the text file or until all phrases are renamed.
Use this command to save the phrase names in a phrase file to a text file. This file can be modified using a text editor and loaded back into the phrase list with the Load Names from File command. This method is useful if you have a large number of phrases to rename.
Use this command to insert silence into a voice editor window. The silence will be inserted at the current selection point. The amount of silence can be adjusted as required.
Use this command to insert a tone into a voice editor window. Click a button to select a standard dtmf or call progress tone, or make your own tone. Announce! can generate two simultaneous tones, which are added together and amplitude modulated (if required) with a third tone.
Use this command to merge the contents of the clipboard to a voice editor window, by adding the new waveform to the waveform in the window. The timing of the original waveform is not affected, unlike the Paste command which inserts new samples into the waveform. The start time of the new selection can be moved in the window by clicking and dragging the mouse in the square in the top left corner of the merged samples. The cursor will change to a rectangle when over this point. You can test the effect of this command by choosing the play command, which will prompt you with a dialog to ask if you wish to hear the phrase with or without the merged samples.
Save your changes or abandon the merge operation by selecting the Merge command again. This will uncheck the Merge menu item, and load the merged samples permanently into the waveform if you choose to save changes.
Toolbar: 
Use this command to set the amount of silence at the beginning and end of a phrase or phrases. This command can be used in both voice editor and phrase file windows.
Announce! will use silence detection to find the start and end of each phrase. If there is more silence than specified by the leading and trailing silence parameters set in the dialog, Announce! will shorten the silence period to that specified. If there is less silence than specified, Announce! will add silence as necessary.
This command is useful to ensure that phrases can be concatenated with the correct amount of silence between each one in order to sound natural.
The Pad Silence dialog allows you to set the silence detection level, and the amount of silence required at the start and end of each phrase. We recommend you first experiment with the settings in a voice editor window, where Announce! will show you the silence detect level in the window. Once you have set up the silence level parameter, you can go back to the phrase file window, select all your phrases and perform the pad silence operation on all phrases with one command.
This command is used to quieten periods of noisy silence in gaps between words and at the start and end of phrases. Announce! uses silence detection to find the start and end of each word, and inserts complete silence into the gaps. There is a transition period between the end of the word and the silence where the previous samples are decayed exponentially to zero to avoid unnatural sounding transitions.
The Clean Silence dialog allows you to set the silence detect threshold, and also the minimum amount of silence which can be detected as silence. In addition, you can change the period of decay at the start and end of each word. The effect of the settings is shown graphically in the window, when using this dialog in a voice editor window.
Announce! uses the Loudness Envelope to make the changes. If you select Cancel, Announce! does not save changes, but leaves the loudness envelope display in the window. You may then customize the envelope using the mouse, before saving changes or cancelling the operation completely by selecting Loudness Envelope in the Effects menu.
The Test button allows you to hear the effect of your filter before saving changes
Use this command to filter a phrase to alter the sound or remove unwanted noises. You can set a lower cut-off frequency, an upper cut-off frequency, and the order of the filter, which is a measure of how sharp the cut-off will be.
The dialog normally shows the amplitude response of the filter, however the phase response is also available by pressing the Show Phase button.
The Test button allows you to hear the effect of the filter before saving changes.
Use this command to add an echo effect. Often a slight echo (1 echo, delayed 50 ms, -10db decay) is enough to add more presence to your prompts. You can set the number of echoes, the amount that the level of each echo is reduced by, and the time between echoes. Adding more echoes, with larger delays and less decay will produce some strange effects, and may cause clipping to occur.
The Test button allows you to hear the effect of your echo before saving changes.
Once you have found the right parameters, you can select all the phrases in the file and process them all with one command.
Use this command to speed up or slow down a phrase or selection. Announce! does not do pitch adjustment, so the pitch of the voice will alter accordingly.
The Test button allows you to hear the effect of your changes before saving changes.
Use this command to silence a portion of a phrase in a voice editor window without altering the timing. The selected samples are reduced to silence but are not removed.
Use this command to increase or reduce the gain of a phrase.
All phrases in a phrase file can be processed with one command. If this command is used in a voice editor window, only the gain of the current selection is altered.
The Test button allows you to hear the effect of your changes before saving changes. See also Loudness Envelope as below.
Use this command when your phrase is displayed in a voice editor window to graphically change the gain of parts of your phrase. After you have selected this command, the menu item will be checked, and you will see a line across the center of the window. Also, you will see a scale appear on the left hand side of the window, showing the relative gain level. The center line is the default gain of 0dB, or x1. Use the mouse to click on the line and drag it. The line shows how much the gain will be adjusted. It is possible to increase the gain, decrease the gain, and fade in and out. If the envelope line is moved above the center line, the level of the signal will be increased, and if it is moved below the center line, the gain will be reduced.
This is a word that will become louder at the end of the word, giving it more emphasis. To hear the effect of your envelope changes, use the Play command. This will give you the option to hear the clip with or without the envelope changes. You will be prompted to save your changes into the original samples if you choose the envelope command again.
Use this command to change the sampling rate of a phrase. Announce! will show a dialog containing a drop-down selection box to allow you to select one of the most common sampling rates, or type your desired sampling rate into the edit box.
Sampling rate conversion is faster if the new sampling rate is an exact multiple of the previous one. Sample rate conversion to the voice card rate is automatic when saving to voice files.
StatusBar: RATE button
Use these commands to select where to play and record phrases. If you have both a Windows sound card and a Voice card, you can easily test the sound quality with both systems by using this menu.
The currently active playback device is shown with a check mark on the menu.
Use this command to start a recording session. Announce! will bring up the record dialog. This dialog is different depending on whether you have chosen to use a voice card or a sound card.
With both cards, the record dialog will show you the script for the currently selected phrase. You can record directly into the phrase. If you change the script for the phrase, a new phrase will be created. You can scroll back and forth through the phrases using the Last and Next buttons.
When you choose record from a voice editor window, Announce! will show a dialog which will allow you to record a single phrase into the voice editor window. The phrase will be inserted at the cursor.
Toolbar:
Use this command to play a phrase from a phrase file window, or to play the entire clip in a voice editor window. Once playing, the command can be terminated by clicking on the stop button, choosing stop from the play/record menu, pressing the escape key, or just clicking in a window. When playing to an 8 bit sound device, Announce! will show a warning if your waveform has exceeded the maximum value allowable.
Toolbar:
Mouse: Double click on the icon to play. Click anywhere to stop play.
Use this command to play a selection from a phrase in a voice editor window. Once playing, the command can be terminated by clicking on the stop button or choosing stop from the play/record menu.
Toolbar: 
Use this command to stop a play function.
Toolbar: 
Mouse: Click in a window.
Use this command to make a connection through the phone system to your voice card from another phone. Announce! will go onhook on the voice card line, and wait for an incoming ring. If a ring is received, Announce! will go offhook on the line to answer the call. If the cancel button is pressed, Announce! will go back offhook on the line. See also 'wait for ring before offhook in the VoiceCard dialog in the Setup menu
This command will set Announce! into a mode where all play commands continuously loop until terminated by the stop command. This is useful when evaluating short phrases, and when transcribing pre-recorded phrases into script text.
Use this command to tell Announce! about your Windows sound card, and the parameters specific to recording with a sound card. When using recording with silence detection, you may need to alter the silence detection parameters to ensure good pause detection.
Increasing the non-silence detect time will help to remove coughs and other noises in between prompts, but you may also miss short prompts such as "one", or "two".
Increasing the silence detect time will ensure that pauses between phrases in a larger prompt, such as "press 1 for support,<pause> press 2 for sales" will not be detected as 2 separate prompts. However the minimum pause between each prompt recording must be greater than the silence detect time or you will have more than one prompt in each phrase. (this is not a big problem however since you can easily split them up afterwards with the Split Phrase command)
Most Windows sound cards support recording at different sampling rates. We recommend sampling at the same sampling rate as your voice card. However, some sound cards will only record at specific frequencies (usually 11025Hz and 22100 Hz). In this case the recording sample rate must be set to one of the supported rates. Phrases will be converted to the voice card frequency when the files are saved as voice files.
Sample rate conversion will be much faster if you use an exact multiple of the final sampling rate.
You can select one of the provided sampling rates from the drop-down selection box, or you can type your desired sampling rate into the edit box.
Use this command to tell Announce! about your voice card. The type of card that Announce works with is specified during setup, however Announce! can be used to convert between different manufacturers compression algorithms using this dialog. It is important to correctly specify all the parameters in this dialog for your voice card to work correctly.
Sampling Rate
Announce! also needs to know the sampling rate used by your voice card. You can select one of the provided sampling rates from the drop-down selection box, or type the sampling rate into the edit box.
Record Silence Timeout
This field sets the maximum amount of silence in seconds before the voice card will stop recording. If set to zero, recordings will not terminate on silence.
Hardware Interrupt
Some cards require that you set the hardware interrupt in use by the card. The correct interrupt should be entered here.
Voice File Compression
Use this command to set up the type of compression and decompression to use. In addition, you can change the default file extensions to be used for compressed voice files. These extensions are used in the file dialog boxes and when saving phrases in compressed (VOX) format to individual files.
Use this command to change the font used by all windows.
Use this command to enable an alternative method of graphically showing the samples in voice editor window. The normal Announce! method for displaying samples in a voice editor window is to take the average of the samples corresponding to each pixel on the screen. Using the max envelope will always show the largest valued samples. This is sometimes useful to find whether samples stored as linear can be converted to compressed voice files without clipping.
Use this dialog to change the colours used by Announce! in voice editor windows. Announce! normally uses the Windows system colours for drawing waveforms, cursors and other graphical objects in the voice editor window, and in the phrase list window. You can change the colours of the different objects in a voice editor window by selected an object using the radio button, and then choosing the colour associated with that object from the colour boxes. Note there are actually 2 colours associated with some items such as cursors, which are displayed superimposed on top of the display. A different colour will be shown for these items depending on whether they are over a white portion of the screen or a black portion. This ensures that the cursor is always visible.