Can comments talk?

[Mike54]

I am using the text to speech function and I would like to be able to select a cell and have Excel read me the inserted comment, you know the one indicated by the red corner. Can anyone tell me if this is possible please?
Mike54 (UK)

[Mark W.]

Only behind your back!

Sorry, I could resist.

Sounds like a call for VBA assistance. VBA-ers, what say you?

[ This Message was edited by: Mark W. on 2002-04-19 08:58 ]

[Mark O'Brien]

Not sure what the Text to Speech function is to be honest. You can do "everything" in VBA though. (even if it means waiting for the next version of Excel )

Tell me more about Text to Speech and we can maybe start working on it.

[Joe Was]

This is a custom function:

Function CommentText(rCellWithComment As Range)
CommentText = WorksheetFunction.Clean(rCellWithComment.Comment.Text)
End Function

It gos in a module.

To use it you must:

use a syntax of, " =CommentText(A1)"

Subsitute the cell address you want the comment of returned for like the "A1" in the above syntax.
If the cell has no comment none will be returned!

In the source comment cell have a comment. That cell will have a red upper right corner which triggers the comment for that cell. In the calling cell put the function call and it will display the comment of the source cell as a text line in or extending to the right of the calling cell.

Use the above code to send the text of a comment to a cell to the right of your sheet or as I do, to a new sheet just for speech text.

Then in your macro code use the New Excel XP SpechToText function to speak your text back as the routine is runnung.

Hope this helps. JSW

[Joe Was]

Mark,
SpechToText is only in XP. It is an addition to VBA which reads text strings to a speach processor so your sound card can output it. The function is strait foreword and can use literal text lines, cell references or variables. It works, code-wise like "MsgBox." Or the assistant "msoAnimationBeginSpeaking" in Excel 2000, only TextToSpech works and does what you think it will, unlike the MSO Speaking, which is a joke. Hope this helps. JSW

[Mark O'Brien]

Thanks Joe. I'm just a poor boy with XL97 and XL2000.

XP sounds amazing! Making your computer talk and letting you change the worksheet tab colours. (I saw it on the XL XP box screenshots)

Do you still have to type text and formulae into the sheet or can XP "magic" them in.

PS. Every time I see you type your intials, "JSW", I keep checking to see if someone is using the username "Jet Set Willy". (do a google search for this classic game)

Thanks again.

[Joe Was]

Mark,
Not much different from 2000. You know Microsoft, like DOS; most of what was in the last DOS was coded in the second DOS, just not released. A little in this release a little in the next release.

Excel is the same way. Only sometimes they take something out of the new release, like 97 to 2000 did with "Sounds." I was dumbfounded and could not believe Microsoft would remove Sounds from 2000.

XP is way ahead of 97, it's not that much better than 2000 though. XP is tighter more integrated, more network and internet friendly than 2000. Has some bells and whistles added and is faster. I have not found anything I liked in 2000 that has been removed from XP. Like they did in 2000.

I use 2000 at the office and XP at home and have never had a problem between them, except for "TextToSpeech" code on 2000. The macro execution in 2000 just ignores the code, like 2000 does with other XP only code. The rest of the XP macro runs fine, a good point for both XP and 2000. Its not like it kills your machine, as some 97 code does with 2000, so XP is tighter and cleaner and has better help. I do like XP better than 2000.

I have never seen "Jet Set Willy," [will check it out though] I do not use a handle on the net, JSW is my initials. JSW

[NateO]

This does look like good stuff. Here's microsoft's take on the subject.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...xlmthSpeak.asp

Mark, I think if you get the new xp piehole data port, you can upload the appropriate data.

XL2000 is no good for this. It can be done by laying down some vocal tracks and vba out the wazzou, but I'd write it off, save few hundo and picking up xl2002.

Have a great weekend!

_________________
Cheers, NateO
"Me no are no nice guy."

[ This Message was edited by: NateO on 2002-04-19 12:28 ]

[Jack in the UK]

joe wars as ever posting gems, joe PLEASE post more you know your stuff, and as you will have read on a personal note i refer to you.

||||||||||

be careful XP can be twitchy on old PC drivers are big issue, many like i (ive no excel even) have the money to buy copies of latest kit, XP my company have in Win and Office over lan and field staff also dial in!

now XP wil have issue I PROMISE you, but mty IT dept (i help a MASSIVE amount and they me) say its ok, but we are uncovering issues, printer and dual bin are agro as we have found today, no manula feeds it tray 1, thisis down to drivers, XP is driver ridden.... be careful i hear loads of agros and complaints.

Also back to the cut.. speach is OK but watch the sound card even the chip will efect this, AMD will not work well at professional level of musik, OK acid and VST scroe will fail as will vidio edits into mpg vile systems.

its all about XP, it has fuinny ways, you might be luucky or might not

my call is this there is a utility in VB that allows highlight tect and click it reads it VERY nice on Download.com on the cnet site forgot whats it called.

just a over view...from hands on experiance i have every day.

[NateO]

Looks like Stevie Roman is all over this (like a cheap suit) (for xl '97 & '00):

http://vb.oreilly.com/news/speech_0400.html

Ran into this by accident...Looks like you can take the few hundo to happy hour.

I haven't tried it, taking his word for it....

_________________
Cheers, NateO
"Me no are no nice guy."

[ This Message was edited by: NateO on 2002-04-19 15:09 ]