How to connect Cortana commands to custom scripts?

Question

This may be a little early to ask this, but I\'m running Windows 10 Technical Preview Build 10122. I\'d like to set up Cortana to have custom commands. Here\'s how she works:

Answer 1

You can create commands for Cortana to listen for. These commands need to be described in a XML file called Voice Command Definitions or VCD.

Here's an example:

    
        HomeControl
        Control alarm, temperature, light and others

        
            Activate alarm
            [Would] [you] [please] activate [the] alarm [please]
            Activate alarm
            Activate {builtin:AppName} alarm
            Activating alarm
            
        
        ...
    

After create this definition, you need to register it at App Startup:

protected async override void OnLaunched(LaunchActivatedEventArgs e)
{
    ...
    // Install the VCD
    try
    {
        StorageFile vcdStorageFile = await Package.Current.InstalledLocation.GetFileAsync(@"HomeControlCommands.xml");
        await VoiceCommandDefinitionManager.InstallCommandDefinitionsFromStorageFileAsync(vcdStorageFile);
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine("There was an error registering the Voice Command Definitions", ex);
    }
}

An then override the App.OnActivated method to handle when the events are triggered:

protected override void OnActivated(IActivatedEventArgs e)
{
    // Handle when app is launched by Cortana
    if (e.Kind == ActivationKind.VoiceCommand)
    {
        VoiceCommandActivatedEventArgs commandArgs = e as VoiceCommandActivatedEventArgs;
        SpeechRecognitionResult speechRecognitionResult = commandArgs.Result;

        string voiceCommandName = speechRecognitionResult.RulePath[0];
        string textSpoken = speechRecognitionResult.Text;
        IReadOnlyList recognizedVoiceCommandPhrases;

        System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine("voiceCommandName: " + voiceCommandName);
        System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine("textSpoken: " + textSpoken);

        switch (voiceCommandName)
        {
            case "Activate_Alarm":
                System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine("Activate_Alarm command");
                break;

The tutorial shows the complete code.

After you do all of this, you can call your batch scripts using ProcessStartInfo or System.Diagnostics.Process.Start.

Also, if you are interested in responding to the user through Cortana window, check this post regarding Cortana in background.