Voice Toolkit V4.2.1 for WebSphere(R) Studio
Readme

October 2003

(C) Copyright IBM Corporation 2001, 2003. All Rights Reserved. Note to U.S. Government Users Restricted Rights - Use, duplication or disclosure restricted by GSA ADP Schedule Contract with IBM Corp.

Note: Before using this information and the product it supports, read the general information under "Notices" in this document.

This readme is organized into the following sections:

1.0 INTRODUCTION
2.0 GETTING STARTED
3.0 KNOWN PROBLEMS AND FIXES
    3.1 General
    3.2 Language-specific considerations
    3.3 Speech Recognition Test Tool
    3.4 Editors
    3.5 VoiceXML Testing and Debugging
    3.6 Grammar Test Tool
    3.7 Voice Toolkit Documentation
4.0 NOTICES
5.0 TRADEMARKS
6.0 THIRD-PARTY LICENSES


1.0 INTRODUCTION

This readme provides information on known problems and fixes for both the VoiceXML Application Development and Debug feature, and the Voice Portlet Application Development and Debug feature.

For information on using these features, after installation, refer to the online help:
 
    Help > Help Contents > Voice Tools, or


    Help > Help Contents > Voice Portlet Tools


2.0 GETTING STARTED

To launch the Voice Toolkit, from the Windows Start menu, select Programs > IBM WebSphere Studio > [your base product] (such as, Site Developer 5.0 or Application Developer 5.0).

  • If your WebSphere Studio product is version 5.0 (Help > About WebSphere Studio Site Developer), you should use Update Manager to automatically upgrade the product to version 5.0.1. Connect to the Internet, open WebSphere Studio, and click Help > Software Updates > New Updates. When the Available Updates window completes, check the updates for version 5.0.1, and follow the instructions on the screen.
  • After installing these tools and launching WebSphere Studio, if the Voice perspective is not in the list of available perspectives that can be opened, you should activate the new features in the Update Manager (Help > Software Updates > Pending Changes). Select the check boxes for each of the listed features, and then click Finish. This action confirms the addition of the toolkit plugins to WebSphere Studio.
  • The Welcome (Help > Welcome > Voice Toolkit for WebSphere Studio, or Voice Portlet Tools) contains information on how to get started using the toolkit. We recommend that you read this help file for information on how to start working with these tools. The Welcome screen also contains a link to more detailed Getting Started information, which you can also find in the Contents of the Help window (Help > Help Contents > Voice Tools, or Voice Portlet Tools).
  • In addition to the toolkit help, this package includes certain related publications. To view or print any related publications, you must use the Adobe(R) Reader(R) version 4.0.5 or later. For optimum viewing, use Adobe Reader version 6.0. To download the latest version of Adobe Reader, go to the Adobe Web site at www.adobe.com. Click Get Adobe Reader, and follow the directions.

  • 3.0 KNOWN PROBLEMS AND FIXES

    3.1 General

    • In some configurations, one or more javaw.exe processes might continue running after you exit the toolkit, particularly after an abnormal termination of the program. You can use the Windows Task Manager to find and end any such rogue processes.
    • The projects and files that you create using the Voice Toolkit are saved in the workspace location that you select when you open WebSphere Studio. If you uninstall the Voice Toolkit, the workspace remains on your system so that the files are still available.
    • Files saved in the following directories are deleted when uninstalling the Voice Toolkit. If you create files in these directories, copy them to another folder before uninstalling the Voice Toolkit:


          <toolkit_install_directory>/eclipse/plugins/
              com.ibm.voicetools.engines.wvs_4.2.0
         
          <toolkit_install_directory>/eclipse/features/
              com.ibm.wpstools_4.2.0
         
          <toolkit_install_directory>/eclipse/plugins/
              com.ibm.voicetools.browser.wvrsim_4.2.1
         
          <toolkit_install_directory>/eclipse/logs

    • When you change the Workbench or Workbench > Appearance preferences, the Restore Defaults button might not restore the original defaults. Also, you might have to close and restart WebSphere Studio before the changes take effect.
    • If you receive an "Internal Error - Widget Disposed" error message, close and restart WebSphere Studio to recover from the error.
    • You should use only alphanumeric characters and spaces for directory, folder, and file names. Names should not include non-alphanumeric characters (for example, ~!@#$%^&*).
    • Due to a known problem with Java Sound support in the JRE that is packaged with WebSphere Studio, USB microphones are not supported by the default audio recorder included with the Voice Toolkit.
    • To import or use files from a network resource, map a drive letter to that network resource and import from that network drive.
    3.2 Language-specific considerations
    • If you choose to install non-IBM Text-to-Speech (TTS) languages for use on your voice application server, such as WebSphere Voice Server, you should consult the vendor's documentation for details on the vendor's implementation of VoiceXML 2.0 and Speech Synthesis Markup Language (SSML). In addition, if you use another vendor's languages, you should also use that vendor's tools for generating pronunciations. If you use IBM tools to produce SSML for TTS output, the resulting code might not run as expected in a deployment environment for that language.
    • The VoiceXML Programmer's Guide (pgmguide.pdf), packaged with the toolkit in Help > Help Contents > Voice Tools (or Voice Portlet Tools) > Related documents, contains incorrect information about the alphabets supported in the phoneme tag for SSML. For updated information, see the IBM Text-to-Speech SSML Programming Guide (tts_ssml.pdf), also located in the Related documents.
    • Do not create a project name using DBCS characters. If you do, you will get validation errors, and XML files will not validate.
    • When using the Unknown Pronunciation view, Cantonese words are flagged as "unknown". For correct Cantonese functionality of the tools, your Windows regional setting should be "Chinese-Taiwan", rather than "Chinese-HongKong". If you change the voice language in Voice Tools preferences, you need to close WebSphere Studio in order for the changes to take effect.
    3.3 Speech Recognition Test Tool
    • Do not save the script file in unicode format if you want to run the Speech recognition test tool. If you save the script file in unicode format the Results dialog displays the message "Script Evaluation Error!". This happens whether you select or clear the Use unicode mode check box. To fix this problem, do not save your script file in unicode format, and select the Use unicode mode check box.
    • If you use the Speech recognition test tool and your script file contains DBCS characters for the audio (.ulw) or grammar (.fsg) filename, you must select the Use unicode mode check box. If you do not select the Use unicode mode check box, the result does not display.
    • If you run the Speech recognition test tool and the text phrase to be recognized has DBCS characters, select the Use unicode mode check box. If you do not select the check box the result does not display.
    3.4 Editors
    • When you select text in large VoiceXML files, sometimes it takes a few seconds for the highlighting to appear.
    • If you have a file open in an editor, and you Undo all the changes you have made to the file since your last Save, the file is still considered to have changes pending, even though it is back to its original state.
    • In some configurations, you might experience some problems verifying pronunciations after you have run or debugged a VoiceXML application. If this occurs, close WebSphere Studio, terminate any javaw.exe and engine.exe processes, and restart WebSphere Studio. You can use the Windows Task Manager to find and end any such rogue processes.
    • A <vxml> element must contain another element in order to pass XML validation. For this reason, a VoiceXML document created by the New File wizard inserts a <meta> tag within the <vxml> element.
    • You might experience a problem with long lines of text (such as lines that are thousands of characters in length) in either the VoiceXML editor or SRGS XML editors. Some conditions can cause WebSphere Studio to hang. If this occurs, shut down WebSphere Studio and restart it.

      Open the file with the Default Text Editor in WebSphere Studio (File > Open With or Open With from the Context menu) to split the long lines into smaller ones, then save it and re-open the file in the VoiceXML or SRGS XML editor.

    • If you are working in a VoiceXML file and using Content Assist, and you click in the description pop-up window, the Content Assist window will close. To continue, re-open Content Assist.
    • In the SRGS and JSGF grammar editors, if a rule is defined but not used, no warning will be generated.
    • If you see the syntax error, "An error that cannot be determined exists in the SISR of this grammar," with no line information, it might be due to using invalid SISR syntax in SRGS XML or ABNF grammars. This error can occur in either the grammar or VoiceXML editor if you declare an SISR object, and then reference an undeclared child object of that object.
    • After closing an editor in WebSphere Studio, there might be a delay before you can delete the file.

    3.5 VoiceXML Testing and Debugging
    • If the VoiceXML browser loads a document that specifies an HTTP URI for its DTD, and the DTD cannot be fetched, (for example, if you are disconnected from the network or Internet), the VoiceXML application you are running or debugging will terminate.
    • When using the Run menu, if the Run As submenu is missing use the Run toolbar icon to open the drop-down list.
    • When debugging a VoiceXML application, double-clicking in the ruler bar does not add a breakpoint. To add a breakpoint, right-click in the ruler bar and select Add Breakpoint.
    • While stepping through a VoiceXML application in debug mode, you might experience long delays.
    3.6 Grammar Test Tool
    • When testing a grammar with speech, phrases matching the defined grammar items are listed in the Test Results area. However, unrecognized words are not listed. You will receive no indication that the phrase did not match.
    3.7 Voice Toolkit Documentation
    • If you have Adobe Acrobat(R) 6.0 installed on your system and you open a PDF file in the toolkit's Help window, the Help window might stop responding when you close the PDF file or change to another topic. If this occurs, use the Task Manager to end the Help application, and then reopen the Help window.

    4.0 NOTICES

    The following paragraph does not apply to the United Kingdom or any country where such provisions are inconsistent with local law:

    INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION PROVIDES THIS PUBLICATION "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Some states do not allow disclaimer of express or implied warranties in certain transactions, therefore, this statement may not apply to you.

    This information could include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. Changes are periodically made to the information herein; these changes will be incorporated in new editions of the publication. IBM may make improvements and\or changes in the product(s) and\or the program(s) described in this publication at any time without notice.

    Any references in this information to non-IBM Web sites are provided for convenience only and do not in any manner serve as an endorsement of those Web sites. The materials at those Web sites are not part of the materials for this IBM product and use of those Web sites is at your own risk.

    Information concerning non-IBM products was obtained from the suppliers of those products, their published announcements or other publicly available sources. IBM has not tested those products and cannot confirm the accuracy of performance, compatibility or any other claims related to non-IBM products. Questions on the capabilities of non-IBM products should be addressed to the suppliers of those products.


    5.0 TRADEMARKS

    The following terms are trademarks or registered trademarks of the International Business Machines Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both:
       IBM
       WebSphere

    Adobe, Acrobat, and Reader are trademarks or registered trademarks of Adobe Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both.

    Intel and Pentium are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both.

    Microsoft and Windows are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both.

    Java and all Java-based trademarks and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States, other countries, or both.

    Other company, product, and service names may be trademarks or service marks of others.


    6.0 THIRD-PARTY LICENSES

    This Program includes third-party components which are subject to the following:

    Notwithstanding the terms and conditions of any other agreement you may have with IBM or any of its related or affiliated companies (collectively "IBM"), the following terms and conditions apply to all "third-party components" identified in this section or otherwise in the License information document for this product: (a) all third-party components are provided on an "AS IS" basis; (b) IBM DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL EXPRESS AND IMPLIED WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE WARRANTY OF NON-INFRINGEMENT OR INTERFERENCE AND THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE; (c) IBM will not be liable to you or indemnify you for any claims related to the third-party components; and (d) IBM will not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special exemplary, punitive or consequential damages with respect to the third-party components.