Beginner hurdles: Could not find wantedPydPath: C:\python38-32\lib\site-package\natlinkcore\PYD etc

[fusentasticus]

Hi guys, that's the error message I get when trying to setup natlink !! BTW much thanks for keeping natlink alive! I think I've worked my way through the problems, but let me report. There seems to be a couple of easily fixed logic errors.

First Hurdle

• I checked that C:\python38-32\Lib\site-packages\natlinkcore\PYD does indeed exist, so the error message does not make sense!
• And the cryptic part of the error message"So if Dragon is running, close it" adds to my confusion.
• I tried closing Dragon, even killed the service process.
• Yes, I run in an elevated 'cmd' shell.
• I have env variable: DICTATIONTOOLBOXUSER =D:\Dropbox\DictationToolBox
• For full discombobulation, I'm prompted to start Dragon after the error message. So that implies that the installation is OK!

Now, I looked in the log tab (neat) and saw that the Dragon program itself could not be found. So I fixed that and verified that the DNS install path is filled out (in the info tab): nice -- it's there along with a file path. That apparently was the problem -- so I'm reporting that the error message was wrong.

Second Hurdle

Then, I close configuration program and I start Dragon, but it hangs and says:

I shut it down, recheck configuration and start Dragon again. This time it comes up! Not quite sure what happened.

Third Hurdle

OK, so how do I verify that the installation now works?

I want to proceed with installing Caster, just need to check that natlink is working before I continue. I do have a natlinkstatus file that says:

[usersettings]
DNSInstallDir = C:\Program Files (x86)\Nuance\NaturallySpeaking14

NatlinkPydOrigin = C:\python38-32\lib\site-packages\natlinkcore\PYD\natlink_3.8_UNICODE.pyd

NatlinkPythonExecutable = C:\python38-32\pythonw.exe
NatlinkmainDebugCallback = 1
NatlinkmainDebugLoad = 1
UserDirectory = D:\Dropbox\Natlink User

[fusentasticus]

Thanks to @LexiconCode for helping me out. In reverse order,

Hurdle 3) A message box like this

should pop up when natlink has been installed and registered, upon starting Dragon. The contents depend on startup choices made with natlink configure.

Hurdle 2) The dreaded dd990001-bb89-1d2-b031-0060088dc929 error in this case was apparently because the natlink version installed via pip contained a corrupted v13/v14 pyd file (its name isnatlink_3.8_UNICODE.pyd).

Hurdle 1) I found it less confusing to use the cli version of natlink. I wanted to dive into the code for the gui version, but it's build with some proprietary system. I suggest dropping it, the cli version did the job just fine.