How do I set application audio volume for VA

[joepoway]

I have been able to set the application volumes for several of my flight sim add-ons but I cannot do this for VoiceAttack. In the application drop down window of the "Set Audio Level" page VoiceAttack does not appear and I have tried manually entering in "VoiceAttack and VoiceAttack.exe" but neither has any effect.

Is it not possible for VA to set its own volume?

I am running version 1.8.5.12

Thanks in advance
Joe

[Pfeil]

Make sure the "Audio Output Type" option on the "Audio" tab of the VoiceAttack options window is set to "Integrated Components"

"VoiceAttack" should appear in the "Application" dropdown of the "Set Audio Level" action, even if it has not yet played any audio (and thus does not appear in the volume mixer yet, which also means it cannot be affected by the "Set Audio Level" until audio has been played).

[joepoway]

I did as you suggested and still no VA showing in the drop down box.

Joe

[Pfeil]

If you have the "Minimize to System Tray" option checked, the "VoiceAttack" entry will be removed from the taskbar, and will not show up in certain dropdowns, like the one for the "Set Audio Level" action, as it cannot be used for targeting.

You could try targeting the process, rather than a window title, by prefixing it with the "~" character, E.G.

Code: [Select]

Toggle mute for application [~VoiceAttack] audio


[joepoway]

I currently run several programs with P3D flight sim and by hitting one button on my throttle I set 4 other programs to the desired level and it works great. I was hoping I could also just set a level for VA but apparently this cannot be done in the same manner?

I'm not sure what you are suggesting are use saying type in  ~VoiceAttack  manually into the application window?

Joe

[Pfeil]

Into the input field next to the "Application" label of the "Set Audio Level" action, yes.

This only changes how the application is targeted, not how the action functions. I used the "Toggle Mute" option in my example, but the other options like "Level" and "Offset" should also work, provided VoiceAttack has played audio before you attempt to use them.

[joepoway]

Again I did as you suggested and no difference

Joe

[Pfeil]

Do you see "VoiceAttack" in the volume mixer?

[joepoway]

Yes as always and all the other programs change levels with no issue.

It seems the problem is VA will not show up in the drop down and therefore will not be recognized.

Joe

[Pfeil]

On my machine I can set the absolute (using "Level") or relative (using "Offset") volume using either targeting method (or the "~" prefixed process targeting method when the "Minimize to System Tray" option is enabled).

Is there an entry in the log when the command executes indicating the volume could not be set?

It seems the problem is VA will not show up in the drop down and therefore will not be recognized.

As mentioned, the entries in the dropdown are only relevant when targeting applications using a window title, and if you have the "Minimize to System Tray" option enabled, it is perfectly normal for VoiceAttack to not appear in that list.

[joepoway]

No there is not. I have closed other programs and executed the command and see the "Unable to set application audio: XXX  error but none show up for VA. 

BTW I did not see your suggestion to uncheck the minimize functions but have done so on all of them and closed and reopened VA still no good.  VoiceAttack now appears and I haver selcted it but again nothing.

Might I have to reboot?

Joe

[Pfeil]

I didn't suggest unchecking the "Minimize to System Tray" option as it should have no bearing on whether the application can be targeted using its process name.

You could try rebooting, yes.

[joepoway]

I unchecked it to be able to select it in the drop down menu but that made no difference, I'm rebooting now.

Joe

[joepoway]

After Reboot still no affect. I'm at a loss why every other program works and even now that I can select VA from the drop down menu since I unchecked the minimize function it still will not respond and there is no error being thrown either?

Joe

[Pfeil]

What does your command like like, in its entirety? Either right-click the action list and choose "Copy All as Text", then paste into a code block (click the "#" button) here, or take a screenshot and attach it.

[joepoway]

Here are 2 screen shots (jpg files) one is the code for a few programs using a button and the other is a test for just VA using a voice command. Neither works for VA but the others programs in the larger one work fine.

Joe

[joepoway]

Here's the VAP file attached

[Pfeil]

That command works on my machine.

Try the command attached to this post and check the output in the log (it should be 33, 50, 100 if you have the log set to show new entries at the top).


As an aside, you can press Win-Shift-S to open the Snip & Sketch app, which allows you take screenshots and save them to a file.

[joepoway]

Yes the 3 blue boxes 33 50 and 100 show but the mixer volume does not change. I used the moixer volume and moved it to several setting prior to executing the command and nothing changes? Also I have tested VA responses and the volume of a text to speech response is tracking with the manual changes I make in the mixer. It's just that VA will not change itself?

Joe

[joepoway]

As a note I'm running Windows 10 Pro v 2004 if that matters but it didn't work with v1909 either as I recall.

Joe

[Pfeil]

If you're seeing those values in the log, it indicates Windows is reporting those values to VoiceAttack. Have you tried playing back a sound or TTS phrase to check whether the volume appears to be changing, even if it's not visually changing in the volume mixer (as you only mention checking the volume after manual changes)?


Are you using any audio-related applications aside from the driver software from the manufacturer of your soundcard? E.G. EarTrumpet?

[joepoway]

Yes I have changed the mixer volume and it does change the TTS phrases volume just fine.
I run SoundSwitch at times but have tried the VA profiles with and without it launched and no difference.

Also remember VA changes all the other programs just fine. I can move the mixer volumes around for all the other programs and VA resets them as the profile states.

Joe

[joepoway]

Oh and yes I have tested the volume and it doesn't change just like the mixer window doesn't change.

Joe

[joepoway]

I assume it must be some other VA setting I have that is different from your settings that is telling VA to ignore the change or not over write something?

Joe

[Pfeil]

It's likely the settings on your machine differ from those on mine, though whether that would lead to specifically the volume of VoiceAttack itself being unable to be altered programmatically is less likely.

You could try resetting the config file using the "Reset Defaults" button on the "General" tab of the VoiceAttack options window, though I'd recommend backing up your config file using the "Export Settings" button on the "System / Advanced" tab beforehand.

Just in case, you could try running VoiceAttack as admin (by checking the "Run VoiceAttack as an Administrator" option on the "System / Advanced" tab of the VoiceAttack options window).


One other thing you could do is to check whether the lack of change also occurs with other applications, that should use the same Windows API methods VoiceAttack does.

E.G. if you run NirCmd with the parameters "setappvolume voiceattack.exe 0.5", and check whether the volume changes.

[joepoway]

Ok
Thanks for your help I will try some of the above mentioned suggestions although I always run VA as administrator.

Very strange that any and all apps I try with VA work as expected but not VA.

Thanks again
Joe

[joepoway]

I just reset default settings after a backup and low and behold your profile now works.
That obviously mean one or more of my settings is preventing VA from changing itself.

I have attached my settings that did not allow it to work perhaps you can find something.

Thanks in advance
Joe

[Pfeil]

Importing those settings did not prevent VoiceAttack's volume from being set on my machine, but good that you've got it working on yours.

[joepoway]

OK

Even stranger now. When I imported back in my settings that were not working they appear to be working now for your profile you sent me and mine that previously did not work.

Any idea on what the resetting to default and then re-importing my original settings would have done to fix the issue for VA volume commands?

Joe

[Pfeil]

In theory it shouldn't have any effect on something like the volume mixer, but it could be going to the default settings caused a setting or cached data within Windows itself to correct itself somehow.

Good to know, should someone else encounter this in future.