Windows Desktop (WinUI) Applications

Develop Windows Desktop (WinUI) applications that speak and listen using your favorite Windows App SDK development tools. This includes development environments such as Microsoft Visual Studio.

The following sections describe the steps for integrating LexiconKit with Windows Desktop (WinUI) applications.

LexiconKit Assemblies

LexiconKit includes Windows App SDK compatible .NET assemblies to support most applications' target framework. If you need a specific target framework, then contact Chant Product Support.

To access LexiconKit .NET classes within a Windows Desktop (WinUI) application, add project references with the applicable nuget package depending on the application type and desired speech APIs:

• Select the application project in the Solution Explorer
• Right-click the mouse and select the Manage Nuget Packages… menu item.
• Enter Chant in the search bar.
• For Acapela TTS, Cepstral Swift, Microsoft Azure Speech, Microsoft SAPI5, Micosoft Speech Platform, and Microsoft WindowsMedia (via WinRT C++) speech technologies:
  • Select the Chant.LexiconKit.Windows package and press the Install button.

• For Microsoft WindowsMedia (via WinRT .NET) speech technologies:
  • Select the Chant.LexiconKit.WinRT.WindowsMedia package and press the Install button.

To access the LexiconKit .NET classes within your application that target Acapela TTS, Cepstral Swift, Microsoft Azure Speech, Microsoft SAPI5, Micosoft Speech Platform, and Microsoft WindowsMedia (via WinRT C++) speech technologies, add references to the Chant shared and LexiconKit assemblies in your code.

using System;
...
using Chant.LexiconKit.Windows;
using Chant.Shared.Windows;

These applications require the applicable LexiconKit Speech API library in the same directory (Appx) as the application .exe.

To access the LexiconKit .NET classes within applications that target Microsoft WindowsMedia (via WinRT .NET) speech technologies, add references to the Chant shared and LexiconKit assemblies in your code.

using System;
...
using Chant.LexiconKit.WinRT.WindowsMedia;
using Chant.Shared.WinRT.WindowsMedia;

These applications do not require a LexiconKit Speech API library.

Object Instantiation

Declare variables for the LexiconKit classes, instantiate instance, add the event handlers, and set the credentials.

private NLexiconKit _LexiconKit;
private NSAPI5Synthesizer _Synthesizer = null;
public MainWindow()
{
    InitializeComponent();
    // Instantiate LexiconKit
    _LexiconKit = new NLexiconKit();
    if (_LexiconKit != null)
    {
        // Set credentials
        _LexiconKit.SetCredentials("Credentials");
        _Synthesizer = _LexiconKit.CreateSAPI5Synthesizer();
        if (_Synthesizer != null)
        {
            _Synthesizer.APIError += this.Sythesizer_APIError;
        }
    }
}

Event Callbacks

Event callbacks are the mechanism in which the class object sends information back to the application such as there was an error.

private void Recognizer_RecognitionCommand(object sender, RecognitionCommandEventArgs e)
{
    if ((e != null) && (e.Phrase != null))
    {
        ...
    }
}

private void Synthesizer_WordPosition(object sender, WordPositionEventArgs e)
{
    if (e != null)
    {
        int startPosition = e.Position;
        int wordLength = e.Length;
        ...
    }
}

Package.appxmanifest Capablities

If the application uses cloud-based speech technologies, it requires Internet (client) capabilities. Select Internet under Package.appxmanifest Capabilities in Visual Studio or add the following to the Package.appxmanifest file:

<Capabilities>
    <rescap:Capability Name="runFullTrust" />
    <Capability Name="internetClient"/>
</Capabilities>

Platform Target

Set the project Platform target to either x86 for 32-bit application or x64 for 64-bit application as follows:

Development and Deployment Checklist

When developing and deploying .NET applications, ensure you have a valid license, bundle the correct Chant class libraries, and configure your installation properly on the target system.

Review the following checklist before deploying .NET Applications targeting Microsoft SAPI, Microsoft Speech Platform, or Microsoft WindowsMedia (via WinRT C++) speech technologies:

Review the following checklist before deploying .NET Applications targeting WindowsMedia (via WinRT .NET) speech technologies:

• Develop and deploy .NET applications to any system with a valid license from Chant. See the section License for more information about licensing Chant software.
• Copy Chant.LexiconKit.WinRT.WindowsMedia.dll and Chant.Shared.WinRT.WindowsMedia.dll assemblies to the target system or merge them with your application using an obfuscator like .NET Reactor by Eziriz.

Sample Projects

Windows Desktop (WinUI) sample projects are installed at the following location:

• Documents\Chant\LexiconKit 11\WinUI\Windows\cs.