I wish this newsgroup had an ability to at least attach a text file with
code. My code to demonstrate this situation is too long, and this newsgroup
tends to reformat the text in a bad way if the line is too long.

But, I'll try to explain it a bit more. Assume in the following that 'timer'
is set up with an interval and event handler:

System::Windows::Forms::Timer^ timer = gcnew Timer() ;

void Handler( Object^, SpeechRecognizedEventArgs^ e )
{
    timer->Enable ; // problem!
}

That is, if I try to launch a timer inside the 'recognized speech' handler
it doesn't enable the timer. I believe it also locks out the timer from then
on (timer no longer responds to any commands). If this code is placed
outside of the handler, it launches the timer just fine.

FYI, using MS VS VC++ 2008 Express (Beta 2) with .NET Framework 3.5 on a
Vista machine. (SAPI 5.3 ala Vista). Managed (/cli) code generation.

I have a workaround, but it's not wonderful. I create an external 'master'
timer that polls whether other timers should be turned on via their
individual flags, and then set the flag of the timer to be launched in the
above handler instead. The disadvantage of course is that this adds an
unpredictable additonal lag (since it can make the request by setting the
timer flag at any point in the master timer's interval), although it is
short by human terms.

I tried moving this to the Recognition Completed handler of the speech
recognizer thinking perhaps it was the extensive recognition processing that
caused the problem. But that handler won't launch a timer either.

Hope that helps in the info department. This could be a problem or a
feature. If a problem, it could be part of SAPI or VC++.It could be a bug in
my code, but I've seen this happen two different ways (or NOT happeneing, if
you will), so this is not likely.  I'm wondering if it is just disallowed in
general to launch a System Timer from an (any?) event handler. Can a Timer
handler launch another Timer, for instance?

Don't hesitate to ask if you want some specific questions asked...

Thanks!

[==Peter==]

OK, I've duplicated the problem in a little bit of code. I've put it below,
you must excuse any line-wrap.

If you want to see, create a console project.Place the code I have below the
Project.CPP file (the one with main()).

Be sure to add System.Speech as a reference, and set it up tp target .NET
Framework 3.5. This code will also likely only work on a Windows VISTA
machine (SAPI 5.3).

Describing the code:

In a 'globals' class it creates a Timer and a SpeechRecognitionEngine (that
recognizes 'yes' or  'no'). Say 'yes' or 'no' into the microphone, and he
Engine's Completed handler writes 'enable timer' to the console and enables
the timer. The Timer should after that write 'tick!' to the display 4 times
a second after that.

What happens is that you will see the 'enable timer' message, proving the
Completed handler fired and enabled Timer, but the 'Tick's never show up
indicating the Timer never fires!

Thus, whether a restriction or a bug, a Timer can't be enabled successfully
in any Speech Recognition event handler (this happens with all of them, I'm
just demonstrting Completed here).

Here is the code:

//------------------------

#include "stdafx.h"

#using <mscorlib.dll>
#using <System.DLL>
#using <System.Windows.Forms.DLL>

using namespace System::Windows::Forms ;
using namespace System ;
using namespace System::Speech::Recognition ;

typedef EventHandler<RecognizeCompletedEventArgs^> Speech_Completed_Handler
;
typedef System::Windows::Forms::Timer              System_Timer    ;

ref class globals
{
public:
static globals()
{
Timer  = gcnew System::Windows::Forms::Timer() ;
Timer->Tick += gcnew EventHandler(&globals::Tick_Handler ) ;
Timer->Interval = 100 ;
Engine = gcnew SpeechRecognitionEngine() ;
Engine->SetInputToDefaultAudioDevice() ;
Engine->RecognizeCompleted += gcnew Speech_Completed_Handler(
&globals::Completed_Handler ) ;
Choices^ choices = gcnew Choices ;
choices->Add( "yes" ) ;
choices->Add("no" ) ;
Grammar^ grammar = gcnew Grammar(choices) ;
Engine->LoadGrammar(grammar) ;
}

static void Completed_Handler(Object^,RecognizeCompletedEventArgs^)
{
Console::WriteLine( "enable timer" ) ;
Timer->Enabled = true ;
}

static void Tick_Handler( System::Object^,EventArgs^ )
{
Console::WriteLine( "tick!" ) ;
}

static SpeechRecognitionEngine^ Engine ;
static  System::Windows::Forms::Timer^ Timer ;
} ;

int main(array<System::String ^> ^args)
{
Console::WriteLine("Speak!");
globals::Engine->RecognizeAsync() ;
Form^ form = gcnew Form() ;
Application::Run( form ) ;
return 0;
}

//------------------------

[==Peter==]

"Which "Timer"?  .NET has at least three different classes named Timer. "

I got to thinking. Maybe this is the problem. Maybe I'm using the wrong
flavor of Timer. I'm using the System::Windows::Form::Timer, which now that
I think of it, is an 'old' Timer class.

Is there maybe a new-and-improved managed Timer class I should look at? I
All I need is one I can enable and disable, set its interval in
milliseconds, and for it to have tick event. I guess to distinguish it I
need it's full 'namespace' and any headers required.

Thanks!

[==Peter==]

[==Peter==]