Voice Command 1.6 Button 5 problem SOLVED!
 

*POST AND CAB FILE UPDATED 2/18/07 TO REFLECT USE OF BLANK PATH VALUE*

PPC6700 = $549.99
Voice Command 1.6 = $39.99
Working button 5 = Priceless!

If you're not interested in my long-winded explanation for how I figured out the solution just scroll down to the Solution section below.

Alright, I know this issue has been irking Apache users ever since MS blessed us with the otherwise excellent version 1.6 of voice command. I actually came upon the solution to the button 5 problem by accident back in the VC 1.5 days when you had to manually add a registry entry in order to get VC to work over BT. That registry entry (a string value called "Path" in HKLM\Software\OEM\VoiceCommand) is what allowed voice command 1.5 to take over the BT headset button from the built-in Cyberon app. You changed that path to point to the voicecmd.exe instead of sddialer.exe and it then changes the app that gets called when you press that button.

One day about six months ago I was setting up my 6700 after a hard reset and noticed that I could not assign button 5 (remember this was in the VC 1.5 days). It drove me crazy because I always re-assign that as my voice command button. Eventually I got some time and went through all of the reg tweaks I installed from my extrom one by one, with a hard reset in between and discovered that I had made an error in that Path value (had put in extra quotes). As soon as I corrected that entry, voila... button 5 worked normally again.

Flash forward to VC 1.6. When everyone was having problems with button 5 I remembered my previous experience and I thought I had messed with it to try to solve it. I guess I didn't try hard enough because I was looking at it again today and saw the very obvious problem staring me right in the face--that "Path" string value gets deleted by the VC 1.6 installation. It is not examined by the OS until you soft reset though so you'll notice that after you install 1.6 button 5 works fine until you soft reset.

So, create a string value called "Path" and leave the path blank or put in the path to a valid exe file on your device. Then soft reset. As long as the path you put in there goes to a valid file then you'll notice you've regained full control of your button 5. If you choose to put in a path to an exe file you will find that it launches when you press the button on your BT headset. For example, if you put in the link to sddialer.exe (the Cyberon app) then both it and voice command will get launched when you press the BT headset button. I can't think of any reason you would want to do this, but if you have a reason then that is how you do it. :)

The previous solution (making the path to \Windows\rundll32.exe) is no longer necessary since a blank path works just the same. Although calling rundll.exe should not cause any harm, it is cleaner to use a blank path. Thanks to dprout69 for that revelation.

SOLUTION:

Use a registry editor to navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\OEM\VoiceCommand and create a new string value called "Path" (no quotes). For the data, leave it blank (or insert a valid path to an .exe file on your system if you want that .exe to run when you press the BT headset button). Then close your registry app, power off your device and then soft reset with the stylus (or whatever method you use to soft reset). The soft reset is crucial. After it comes back up, try to assign your button 5 to something (I suggest voice command!) and see if it works. You should also be able to assign button 5 (press and hold) to something else and it will work too. You will know if you made an error in the path if button 5 still brings up notes despite being set to another program in button settings.

For those who want to save some time or aren't comfortable editing the registry, I have attached a zip file containing a cab file (updated 2/18/07) you can copy over to your device. The only thing it does is make that single registry entry (using a blank path), and it is removable if you care to remove it someday.

This fix can't be implemented prior to installing VC 1.6 (i.e. in any of the custom ROMs), because the VC installation is what deletes that value. So you will have to make this change every time you install VC 1.6.

I am posting this to ppcgeeks and pdaphonehome. Feel free to post it elsewhere if you want.

That only took you 5 hours to write up :wink: . Nice work

Heh, I had a few interruptions. :) Also had to make sure I sufficiently tested it before calling it solved.

Now to go find voice command and see whats all the hype about.

good job though! I hope you posted here first!

:twisted:

I'm alittle twisted right now but when I'm mot and if this works your awesome! Thanks so much for ur time!
~Mike

one question, this is under the assumption that the user has installed VC. However, button 5 is still not assignable with just the rom and no VC. Honestly, all this is from memory since I am at a bar right now. I will check this.

Good place to be colonel! You shouldn't even be checking this site. Take a night off, man!

Mike, I'm not sure what "twisted" means exactly in this context but it sounds fun too. :)

Yes colonel, except for in your ROM (or any rom that has removed the Cyberon voice dialer) you need to modify that reg entry to point to something else (again I suggest rundll32.exe). Otherwise you will have the same problem with button 5 even without voice command installed. Some users in your thread were reporting problems with button 5 even without VC, which is what caused me to look at that registry value again.

So yeah, you should make the change to your next rom revision. And no, deleting the entry entirely will cause the same problem with button 5. On the apache that value needs to exist and point to a valid .exe in order for button 5 to be assignable.

Hope that helps.

GREAT JOB!!!!!! Thanks for sharing!

luv2chill,

GREAT WORK! This patch works as advertised!! I simply could not get used to a different button for VC (hard to teach an old dog new tricks). My thanks and compliments to you..

luv2chill, THANKS! I have used the cab it works. I can assign what I want to button 5 press and press and hold. I may be misunderstanding 1 part though. When I press my BT headset VC launches (if I make a command or not) the gateway goes back to the phone speaker. Is this right? I also have an audio gateway installed so when I activate VC from my BT I say audio and it goes to speaker for a split second then gateway opens right back up so I can listen to music.(plantronics 510 and 655) I love the option to use button 5 again. Thanks again BOO