SpeakOn CalcPad version 1.0.1, 20 March 2015
Page updated May 2020
This page contains information on system requirements, download and installation.
If you have been referred to this page directly, note that the SpeakOn CalcPad Home page where you can find general information and all important links is:
here
This page is part of the
SpeakOn manual which contains a comprehensive tutorial about using SpeakOn.
The instructions below relate to SpeakOn CalcPad which is referred to simply as SpeakOn.
SpeakOn can be used with Microsoft Windows 10, 8 / 8.1 and 7.
SpeakOn is written in Java and requires Java 8. It is self-voicing so the Java Access Bridge is not required.
SpeakOn is small and efficient and will run at the recommended processor speed and memory specified for your operating system.
SpeakOn uses the internet extensively and a broadband connection is required. Depending on the type of operation SpeakOn is performing, internet connection is not required all the time.
As mentioned above, SpeakOn requires Java 8; 32-bit is recommended but 64-bit also works. Before you start to install SpeakOn, check that no other version of Java is installed on your computer. If Java is not installed, don't worry as the SpeakOn installer will direct you to install Java 8 before SpeakOn itself is installed.
The easiest way to check if Java is installed is to bring up the 'Add or Remove programs' dialog located in the control panel. One way to do this is to press:
[Ctrl + Esc]. In Windows 10 search for 'remove', the first item is 'Add or Remove programs', press [Enter] to bring up the 'Add or Remove programs' dialog.
Tab a few times until you get to the list of programs installed on your computer. Go down the list and check that if Java is present, it is version 8. If it is another version remove it.
The SpeakOn installer is
here
You can either run the installation file from the internet or save it on your hard disc and run it from there.
When the installer starts it will check your computer for the Java Runtime Environment. If it was not found on your computer, it will offer to download the Java 8 installer for you. In this case, when running the Java installer, it is recommended that you choose the default values.
After the installation of the Java 8 runtime (if required), the installation of SpeakOn itself will start. After confirming that you accept the licence agreement, SpeakOn is installed in the folders specified further down this page.
SpeakOn checks automatically for updates and needs to run its installer from time to time. In addition you might want SpeakOn to assign file associations to be able to run media files. Both operations require admin permission. In theory the UAC (User Account Control) should pop up asking for permission to elevate to admin level; in practice it might not and SpeakOn just stops working.
If you don't want the UAC to come up, you have two options:
Disable the UAC altogether
Allow SpeakOn to run as administrator using the desktop shortcut properties dialog (this method does not always work)
To access the property dialog of the SpeakOn icon on the desktop and enable SpeakOn to be run as administrator, do the following:
With the focus on the SpeakOn shortcut, press [Alt + Enter] to open the 'Shortcut properties' dialog.
Press [Ctrl + Tab] to move the focus to the Compatibility page.
Tab a few times and check the 'Change settings for all users' check box; press [Enter] to open the 'Compatibility for all users' dialog.
Tab a few times and check the 'Run as administrator' check box.
Tab a few times and press OK to confirm your selection; you are back in the 'Shortcut properties' dialog.
Tab a few times and press OK to confirm your selection.
To start SpeakOn, use the SpeakOn CalcPad shortcut on the desktop. When you start SpeakOn for the first time it may take slightly longer than usual to start. When SpeakOn starts, as it is self-voicing, speech will start automatically. If it does not, see the end of this page for trouble-shooting.
You can read the rest of the user manual including the 'Getting started with SpeakOn' page and a step-by-step tutorial here
SpeakOn installs itself in:
32-bit computers:
C:\Program Files\SpeakOn-CalcPad
64-bit computers:
C:\Program Files (x86)\SpeakOn-CalcPad
After you run SpeakOn for the first time, the following folder is created:
User and application data:
Windows 10, 8 / 8.1 and 7
C:\users\yourusername\AppData\Roaming\SpeakOn\CalcPad
#### Updating SpeakOn from a previous version
The easiest way to update SpeakOn is within SpeakOn itself as explained
here
Alternatively you can download and install a new version of SpeakOn on top of your current installation; the installer will invite you to remove your old SpeakOn installation version first.
Remove SpeakOn using 'Add or remove programs' in the Control Panel.
If you don't intend to use SpeakOn again, delete the folder above; this will remove all settings associated with SpeakOn.
When SpeakOn starts, the program should start to speak using the eSpeak voice synthesizer. You can change to other synthesizers and voices later as explained in the manual.
If speech does not start the most likely cause is the Java installation. SpeakOn uses Java 8. If either Java is not installed or an incompatible version is installed, the program will not work.
If Java is not installed, this should have been detected during SpeakOn's installation and, in this case, the user would have been guided to install Java first. If you suspect that Java may not be installed or an incompatible version of Java is installed, probably the easiest way is to remove SpeakOn and repeat the installation procedure outlined above.
If you have any questions, there is a self-help SpeakOn low traffic
mailing list
for announcements and discussions on all matters relating to SpeakOn use.
[ Next - Getting started with SpeakOn ]