Damian Lettie

I have tried using windows media player and Realplayer to rip the CD to .mp3, but it fails and doesn't tell me why.

If three different programs are all having troubles reading the CD then doesn't that suggest there's something wrong with the CD, not the software?

My client this week bought a new recorder and sent me WMA files. I cannot play them.

Have you read WMA files do not load properly?

Connecting to an OpenVMS server, I can see the directory contents, but all the file sizes are 0, copying any file returns an empty file with other VMS-related strangeness.

I think you should use the "Send Bug Report" item in Fling's Help menu to report this. And if you can provide an FTP account name and password in the bug report then I'm sure the problem will found & fixed a lot quicker. We don't need access to your files - an empty directory of our own with write access would suffice. Thanks!

all works well at home... but at school... when I hit F7 to rewind, the cursor disappears from the Word Document, and I am forced to move my hand from the keyboard to click the mouse on the document in order to get the cursor back there and get transcribing again.. For a touch typist, thats the worst thing you can do, take your hands from the keyboard??

A bug like this was fixed in a recent release of Express Scribe. Try asking the school if they can update to the latest version. (v4.30 at the time of writing).

I think your error message was generated by Windows, not Express Scribe.

Microsoft has a knowledge base article that might help you.

Thank you for the advice. Unfortunately it didn't help. I accessed the site you suggested and followed the directions, but we are still unable to transfer the files. Is there anything else I could try?

*.sta files only contain status information. You could delete the *.sta files without losing any actual audio recording or transcript data. You'll lose the status of any old dictations, but Express Scribe should just recreate the status files for current dictations.

Check with the Express Dictate user first though, and make back-ups before you delete anything!

Is there a way after the voice file is transcribed to send the completed document minus the voice file back to the person who sent it via email using Express Scribe?

Select the dictation and select the "Dispatch (Reply with Typing)" menu item, or click on the small tool-bar button with the tool-tip that says "Send the typed work and mark the file as done". Any notes in the dictation will be sent in the body of the email, and any files attached to the dictation (eg. Word documents) will be sent as attachments to the email.

(Things are different if the dictation has been downloaded from an Express Delegate server.)

I'm a medical transcriptionist who is hoping to start with a new on-line company now. I just got the ExpressScribe and am having trouble accessing dictation files from my FTP. The company transferred a dictation file into my FTP and put it in a folder we had made named "Metro", but when I try to get it through ExpressScribe by hitting Load and then going to my C: drive, it's not there. I do see the Metro Folder and open it, but the dictation file does not show up.. There is nothing shown in the folder.

 

This technology/system is pretty new to me, so sorry if I'm missing something obvious, but any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

The "Load" command can't be used for FTP. If you want to download dictations directly into Scribe from an FTP server, you'll need to configure an FTP source in the Incoming tab of the Options dialog, then use the "Sync" command.

On the other hand, if the file really is already in a folder on your desktop then you should be able to use the "Load" command. Does the dictation have one of the supported file extensions?

Our Express Scribe won't transfer files to the computer. Pop-up message reads "scribe.exe - corrupt file. File or directory\DSS_FLDA\s0000000-DESKTOP.sta is corrupt and unreadable. Please run Chkdsk utility". I have downloaded v 4.30 for Windows but it hasn't fixed the problem. Where do I find Chkdsk utility or is there another way to fix this?

I think your error message was generated by Windows, not Express Scribe.

Microsoft has a knowledge base article that might help you.

Changes in Express Scribe v 4.30 for Windows:

• Fixed: Corrupt status (*.sta) files were being written, causing garbage characters to show in Express Dictate's status view.
  
• Fixed: Express Delegate logon email address is no longer case-sensitive.
  
• Fixed: "Rename dictation" tool-bar button image was displaying incorrectly.
  
• Fixed: "Sync" button no longer stays depressed after pressing it when no incoming sources are configured.
  

Changes in MSRS v 4.06 for Windows:

• Added: Ability to upload recordings directly to an Express Delegate server.
  
• Added: Ability to record each recording device in either mono or stereo.
  
• Added: Ability to send a test email from the Options dialog, to confirm that email settings have been configured correctly.
  
• Added: The Recording, Backup and Log folder settings in the Options dialog are now validated.
  
• Added: Playback speed inputs on the "Find and Play Recordings" dialog are now filtered and validated.
  
• Fixed: Application would crash if MP3 was selected as the audio file format but downloading of the MP3 component failed.
  
• Fixed: No longer have a lot of extra noise in the playback when the monitor is enabled.
  
• Fixed: Some early log messages weren't appearing in the log window, or were appearing out of order.
  
• Fixed: Monitor Play/Stop menu items' enabled/disabled states weren't being changed depending on current monitor state.
  
• Fixed: "Unable to start the background service" error was appearing in the log on application startup.
  
• Fixed: No longer adding extra white-space in the <notes> tag in the XML data.
  
• Changed: Minimum supported operating system is now Windows 2000. (Was: Windows 98)
  
• Changed: Recording device options now shows all available devices in one list.
  
• Changed: Options dialog layout is now cleaner and more logical.
  
• Changed: Notes and bookmark description text inputs are now disabled while not recording.
  
• Changed: Main window size reduced to fit in 800x600 resolution.
  

My new Aspire Computer has Vista.. Additionally it does not have a Serial Port for my Pedals. I purchased a Serial to USB adapter to convert my Pedals.

I loaded the Express Scribe software for USB connection, When I plugged the Pedal Cable into the USB port --The New hardware Icon popped up but it could not Find drivers ?

Express Scribe doesn't come with drivers for any serial to USB adapters. You need to download Windows Vista drivers for your adapter from the company that made it.

Changes in Classic FTP v 1.11 for Windows:

• Fixed: Scrolling through the local folder history drop-down list was causing a crash.
  
• Fixed: Security vulnerability if a malicious FTP server hosted a file or folder with a name including a relative path.
  
• Fixed: Being unable to open a local file for writing when downloading from the server no longer causes subsequent FTP commands to fail.
  
• Fixed: Drag-and-drop from Windows Explorer onto anywhere other than the remote file list no longer triggers an upload.
  
• Fixed: Couldn't install on Windows 98 Standard Edition if the common controls DLL hadn't been updated.
  
• Fixed: Crash during the local file view refresh when running on Windows 98.
  
• Fixed: Running Classic FTP no longer causes icons in the Start menu, Windows Explorer, etc. to disappear when running on Windows 98.
  
• Fixed: Double-clicking a folder in the local file list no longer opens a Windows Explorer window when running on Windows 98 or 2000.
  
• Fixed: Couldn't download to the desktop folder when running on Windows 98.
  
• Fixed: No longer send keep-alive commands during download when a file is opened from the remote file list.
  
• Fixed: Cosmetic issues when running on Windows 98.
  
• Changed: Download and Synchronize are now disabled when the current local folder is a virtual folder (eg. My Computer).
  

I have ExpressScribe v 4.28 and I have downloaded a .vox file into the program but the audio is all garbled.

What hardware or software created the file?

Do you know what sample rate it was encoded with?

I find that I cannot keep the .vox checked off in the files list on my program.

Do you mean in the "File Types" tab of Scribe's options dialog?

What other audio software do you have installed on your machine?

The problem is, when I download the latest Mac Scribe.zip (v. 4.26 PowerPC) file it comes up with '-error 95 no mountable disk found'. It gets past the licence acceptance bit, but then comes up with the error once I've pressed Accept.

It sounds like the zip file was downloaded OK, but that you're having trouble opening the DMG file that's inside. A quick Google suggests this error is probably due to an OS X problem rather than any particular DMG file. Are you able to open DMG files from other companies / products OK, or do they all have this problem?

I have my Express Scribe set to automatically download large audio files directly from an on-line FTP storage site. When the file comes into Express Scribe, it shows the correct duration, but appears to only actually download 10% of the file, every file. Thus only giving me the first 3-7 minutes of actual audio of a 50-110 minute duration nad the rest is all dead air. I do not think that it is my sender's issue as every file comes in this way from any source through the FTP site. They are wav and mp3 files that usually about 7mb and up.

To work out where the problem is, try downloading some of the files with a stand-alone FTP client. After the downloads, do the original and downloaded file sizes match? If you play the downloaded files in Windows Media Player do they sound complete? If you try to load the downloaded files into Scribe do they still get truncated?

Twice I have had a DSS file not load on my Windows XP computer. When that happened, I was able to use Philips Speech Exec Software (came with the recorder) to convert the file to a WAV file and Express Scribe was able to load and play the WAV file on the Windows XP computer. Unfortunately, the Windows ME computer cannot play that WAV file, it says it does not have the right codec.

Are you able to install the Philips software on the Windows ME computer? That may install the CELP codec for you, allowing you to open the converted WAV files in Scribe.

Ok, here's the problem : i need my two typists to get all the dictations from our 3 speakers.

 

So, if we are using express delegate and if my typists are using the same ID --> they receive all the dictations, but once a dictations is dispatched (finished), it is not removed from the second typist's list whenever she perform a new sync. So typist 2 is not informed of which dictation she has to transcibe.

Why do you need to assign the same dictations to both typists? If it's a work-around for Express Delegate assigning dictations to typists who aren't ready then I suggest you take a look at the new version of Express Delegate that was released yesterday (v 4.01). The method of assigning dictations to typists has been tweaked so that dictations are no longer assigned to typists until they "ask" for one (eg. when Syncing in Scribe).

Assuming you only need one transcript for each dictation then you can use one account per typist, add them to the same typing pool, and create a rule to assign any incoming dictations to that typing pool. Then let Delegate divide the work up between the two typists automatically. Or do your typists have special criteria for deciding who types which dictation?

Now, if we are using a FTP server and if typists are using the same username and folder --> the first typist that do a sync receive all the dictations and Express scribe remove the dictations from the server, so there is nothing left for the second typist...

So, how about an option in Express Scribe to remove dictations on server side only when the dictations are marked as done ?

You could set the "Manual, one at a time" option for the "Loading Mode" in the Incoming properties dialog, then typists would only get one new dictation whenever they manually Sync. The Express Delegate solution is more elegant though.

I can only access Web Control Panel from the machine where Express Delegate ( the free version) is installed. I cannot access the Web Control Panel from any other machine within the network or internet. I can access other web based apps from the same machine with no problems.

Sounds like a firewall issue. In your case you would have to open port 9103 for TCP traffic.

Have you read through the Making your Computer Accessible from the Public Internet knowledge base article?

- For example, there is no "check all" button to select all the finished dictations and delete. I don't need to keep it because typists are using another software to store and manage transcripted dictations.

There's no "Check all" button, but there's nothing stopping a manager from selecting many finished dictations and deleting them.

- As an alternative if there is no way to easily clean the database, is there any url that we could use to access only "transcribing dictations", I l mean that server dictation url is http://ip:port/dict-list-all, is there any http://ip:port/dict-list-transcribing ?? (ok, i've tried this one and it does not exist but maybe nch team have a magic url ?

There are no "magic" URL's, that I know of.

These both sound like good suggestions though. I recommend you use the "Send improvement suggestion or feedback" link in the Help menu of Delegate's main window to submit them through official channels, to make sure they're not lost. Preferably one idea per submission.

Don't know what's happening, but I used to be able to drag and drop dictation files, once completed, from Express Dictate, to Express Scribe. Now I cannot. Now when I do this, nothing shows up in the Scribe window. I have also tried the File-Load Now and File-Load Dictation File to get Express Scribe to pick up the dictations, but it will not.

Are there already dictations in the Scribe dictation list? Scribe might think the dictation you're trying to load is the same as one that's already loaded, if the previous one came from the same path and file name.

Changes in Express Delegate v 4.01 for Windows:

• Added: Automatic notification emails. [Express Delegate Plus only]
  
• Added: Automatic report emails. [Express Delegate Plus only]
  
• Added: Managers can now unassign or reassign dictations after they have been assigned to a typist.
  
• Added: Events are now logged to the database and can be viewed in the Web Control Panel.
  
• Added: "Copy to new database" button to Database tab of Options dialog.
  
• Added: Database details to Database tab of Options dialog.
  
• Added: Can now send a test email from the Email tab of the Options dialog.
  
• Added: Port numbers in Server options are now range validated.
  
• Added: Client programs can now test for required user roles during connection testing.
  
• Added: Trial status is now shown, when applicable, in the title bar, status bar, web control panel "About" page, and client "Test Connection" results dialog.
  
• Fixed: Errors that were caused by database locking conflicts.
  
• Fixed: Help links on web control panel pages were not working in Mozilla Firefox.
  
• Fixed: "Logged on as" text on web control panel pages was sometimes showing numbers instead of user details.
  
• Fixed: "Users" web control panel page was showing incorrect values for "Pools" and "Dictations" columns when a user had more than one role.
  
• Fixed: "Create New Rule" web control panel page now disables Speaker condition, Typing Pool target and Typist target when their drop-down lists are empty.
  
• Fixed: "Create New Dictation" web control panel page was causing "Problems with this Web page might prevent it from being displayed properly" warnings in Internet Explorer.
  
• Changed: Dictations in typing pools are now assigned to typists when they Sync (in Express Scribe) or view the dictation list (in the Web Control Panel), instead of happening automatically in the background.
  
• Changed: User name must now be unique when creating or modifying an existing user.
  
• Changed: Typing pool name must now be unique when creating or modifying an existing typing pool.
  
• Changed: No longer allow uploading of recordings with a duration of less than one second.
  
• Changed: Default non-secure port number is now 99 (was 96), to avoid a clash with Express Invoice.
  
• Changed: Minimise button now minimises to taskbar notification area.
  

If you are upgrading from v 4.00 and you want to use notifications, reports, or the Web Control Panel log view then you will need to use either "Create empty database" or "Copy data to new database" in the Database tab of the Options dialog. See "Database schema versions" under "Administration: Database" in the help for more details.

one undocumented feature we've encountered (hopefully it is not a bug) is when a transcriptionist deletes a dictation the next time they "sync" it appears again. It stays in the queue until it's dispatched.

If you delete an unfinished dictation from Scribe, only the local copy is deleted. As far as the server is concerned that dictation is still assigned to you, and still not finished, so it will reappear next time you sync. That's by design.

So ... using this logic, could we create an email address (instead of a typing pool) and register every transcriptionist with that email address and they will get a copy of the dictations whenever they sync?

I wouldn't recommend you do this. The first problem that comes to mind is that the dictation would be marked as finished after the first typist dispatches their transcript, leaving no other typist able to dispatch their transcript. (Otherwise it would violate the one recording to one transcript relationship mentioned earlier).

Have an mp3 audio file...in Media Player it shows time length of 1 hour and 11 minutes. Load into Express Scribe and it shows 1 hour and 2 minutes. This happens for all the file...furthermore....

 

Two different other situations:

Media Player shows 1 hour 11 minutes...ES shows 1 hour 2 minutes...but the audio are the same when listening to the end.

 

Other files...ES stops before the end of the audio. Media Player plays more audio...

Please post detailed information about the codec settings of these files. A good start would be to copy and paste the information from the "Text" view in MediaInfo.

Also, when asking for help with a particular piece of software, be sure to mention your operating system and which version of of the application you are running.

Changes in Express Dictate v 5.06 for Windows:

• Added: The email subject can now be customised for dictations sent by email.
  
• Added: Data folder setting is now validated.
  
• Added: Express Delegate connection test now validates that the user has the role of speaker. (Requires Delegate v4.01 or later.)
  
• Added: "Express Delegate Options" help content.
  
• Fixed: Moving a dictation to another folder (eg. during sending or recovery) now aborts with an error message if the file already exists in the destination folder.
  
• Fixed: Generation of the internal dictation ID can no longer generate an ID that is already used on the current machine.
  
• Fixed: Express Delegate logon email address is no longer case-sensitive.
  
• Fixed: Couldn't install on Windows 98 Standard Edition if the common controls DLL hadn't been updated.
  
• Fixed: Cosmetic issues when running on Windows 98.
  
• Fixed: Volume display meter wasn't cleared when playback or recording were stopped.
  
• Removed: "Restore defaults" button from "Send to Typist Recipient Properties" dialog.
  
• Changed: Default Express Delegate port number is now 99. (To match Delegate v4.01 and later.)
  

I really need this function, my clients are waiting for it and are not very happy with Express Scribe/Dictate/Delegate because of this problem...

Any idea when it will be released ?

It is not in the current internal build of Express Delegate v4.01. No news about future releases.