TTS C++ program can only run on developing PC - c++

Question

I followed the instructions given by the SAPI 5.1 “Text-to-Speech Tutorial”, compiled the sample code given by the tutorial(The instructions and the sample code are the same as those given by SAPI 5.3 TTS Tutorial! and SAPI 5.4 TTS Tutorial!). The compiled program works fine on the XP PC where it was built, but it will not work on other XP and Win 7 PCs. The other 2 PCs have no Speech SDK installed. But the SAPI 5.1 demo program TTSApp and MS Excel 2003 Text-to-Speech function work very well on these 2 PCs.
Why the tutorial program can only run on the development PC and other 2 programs can run on all PCs?
The development PC has XP sp3, Visual Studio 2008 and SAPI 5.1 installed. When I build the project I selected pre-compiled header. In step 1 below, there is no “#endif” in the stdafx.h file so these lines are inserted after "#include ".
Error message from the XP PC: this application failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect. Reinstall the application may fix this problem.
Error message from Win7 PC: The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect. Please see the application event log or use the command-line sxstrace.exe tool for more detail
Below is the tutorial.
Microsoft Speech SDK
SAPI 5.1
Text-to-Speech Tutorial
This tutorial covers a very basic text-to-speech (TTS) example. The console application is one of the simplest demonstrations of speech. It is the "Hello World" equivalent for TTS. An equivalent sample for a Windows application using a graphical interface (and event pump) is available in Using Events with TTS.
The sample builds up from the simplest (though nonfunctional) COM framework to speaking a sentence. Steps are provided for each new function. The sample even goes one step beyond demonstrating the use XML tags to modify speech. The Complete Sample Application is at the bottom of the page.
Step 1: Setting Up The Project
Step 2: Initialize COM
Step 3: Setting Up Voices
Step 4: Speak!
Step 5: Modifying Speech
Step 1: Setting up the project
While it is possible to write an application from scratch, it is easier to start from an existing project. In this case, use Visual Studio's application wizard to create a Win32 console application. Choose "Hello, world" as the sample when asked during the wizard set up. After generating it, open the STDAfx.h file and paste the following code after "#include " but before the "#endif" statement. This sets up the additional dependencies SAPI requires.
#define _ATL_APARTMENT_THREADED
#include <atlbase.h>
//You may derive a class from CComModule and use it if you want to override something,
//but do not change the name of _Module
extern CComModule _Module;
#include <atlcom.h>
Code Listing 1
Next add the paths to SAPI.h and SAPI.lib files. The paths shown are for a standard SAPI SDK install. If the compiler is unable to locate either file, or if a nonstandard install was performed, use the new path to the files. Change the project settings to reflect the paths. Using the Project->Settings. menu item, set the SAPI.h path. Click the C/C++ tab and select Preprocessor from the Category drop-down list. Enter the following in the "Additional include directories": C:\Program Files\Microsoft Speech SDK 5.1\Include.
To set the SAPI.lib path:
1. Select the Link tab from the Same Settings dialog box.
2. Choose Input from the Category drop-down list.
3. Add the following path to the "Additional library path":
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Speech SDK 5.1\Lib\i386.
4. Also add "sapi.lib" to the "Object/library modules" line. Be sure that the name is separated by a space.
Step 2: Initialize COM
SAPI is a COM-based application, and COM must be initialized both before use and during the time SAPI is active. In most cases, this is for the lifetime of the host application. The following code (from Listing 2) initializes COM. Of course, the application does not do anything beyond initialization, but it does ensure that COM is successfully started.
#include <stdafx.h>
#include <sapi.h>
int main(int argc, char* argv[])
{
if (FAILED(::CoInitialize(NULL)))
return FALSE;
::CoUninitialize();
return TRUE;
}
Code Listing 2
Step 3: Setting up voices
Once COM is running, the next step is to create the voice. A voice is simply a COM object. Additionally, SAPI uses intelligent defaults. During initialization of the object, SAPI assigns most values automatically so that the object may be used immediately afterward. This represents an important improvement from earlier versions. The defaults are retrieved from Speech properties in Control Panel and include such information as the voice (if more than one is available on your system), and the language (English, Japanese, etc.). While some defaults are obvious, others are not (speaking rate, pitch, etc.). Nevertheless, all defaults may be changed either programmatically or in Speech properties in Control Panel.
Setting the pVoice pointer to NULL is not required but is useful for checking errors; this ensures an invalid pointer is not reused, or as a reminder that the pointer has already been allocated or deallocated
#include <stdafx.h>
#include <sapi.h>
int main(int argc, char* argv[])
{
ISpVoice * pVoice = NULL;
if (FAILED(::CoInitialize(NULL)))
return FALSE;
HRESULT hr = CoCreateInstance(CLSID_SpVoice, NULL, CLSCTX_ALL, IID_ISpVoice, (void **)&pVoice);
if( SUCCEEDED( hr ) )
{
pVoice->Release();
pVoice = NULL;
}
::CoUninitialize();
return TRUE;
}
Code Listing 3. Bold text represents new code for this example.
Step 4: Speak!
The actual speaking of the phrase is an equally simple task: one line calling the Speak function. When the instance of the voice is no longer needed, you can release the object.
#include <stdafx.h>
#include <sapi.h>
int main(int argc, char* argv[])
{
ISpVoice * pVoice = NULL;
if (FAILED(::CoInitialize(NULL)))
return FALSE;
HRESULT hr = CoCreateInstance(CLSID_SpVoice, NULL, CLSCTX_ALL, IID_ISpVoice, (void **)&pVoice);
if( SUCCEEDED( hr ) )
{
hr = pVoice->Speak(L"Hello world", 0, NULL);
pVoice->Release();
pVoice = NULL;
}
::CoUninitialize();
return TRUE;
}
Code Listing 4. Bold text represents new code for this example.
Step 5: Modifying Speech
Voices may be modified using a variety of methods. The most direct way is to apply XML commands directly to the stream. The commands are outlined in XML Schema. In this case, a relative rating of 10 will lower the pitch of the voice.
#include <stdafx.h>
#include <sapi.h>
int main(int argc, char* argv[])
{
ISpVoice * pVoice = NULL;
if (FAILED(::CoInitialize(NULL)))
return FALSE;
HRESULT hr = CoCreateInstance(CLSID_SpVoice, NULL, CLSCTX_ALL, IID_ISpVoice, (void **)&pVoice);
if( SUCCEEDED( hr ) )
{
hr = pVoice->Speak(L"Hello world", 0, NULL);
// Change pitch
hr = pVoice->Speak(L"This sounds normal <pitch middle = '-10'/> but the pitch drops half way through", SPF_IS_XML, NULL );
pVoice->Release();
pVoice = NULL;
}
::CoUninitialize();
return TRUE;
}
Code Listing 5. Bold text represents new code for this example. This is the complete code sample.

Answer 1

You have to install the C++ runtime which comes with an installer (redist).
VC++ 2008 redist
VC++ 2008 SP1 redist
Which one to install depends on the VS service pack - if SP1 then SP1 if not the not.
EDIT: A second way is to link the runtime libraries static. This increases the size of the executable but you don't need additional requirements on the target machine.