Speech

[IdeasVacuum]

Looking for a text-to-speech library that will work with SB on Andriod. Presumably Google text-to-speech is going to be the answer, anyone dabbled?

[jamirokwai]

Have a look at this: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/doc ... _synthesis

It says, support in Android is available. I tried on an iPhone - MobileSafari doesn't work for now.

Cheers
J.

[IdeasVacuum]

That's interesting jamirokwai, though the tutorial is aimed at browsers.
Searching for 'speech synthesis' delivers the other end of the scale - tutorials aimed at Android devices:
https://android-developers.googleblog.c ... ch-in.html

So, not sure - for the app I have in mind, which is SmartPhone only, I think it might be better to use a language designed for developing Android Apps.

[jamirokwai]

That's interesting jamirokwai, though the tutorial is aimed at browsers.
Searching for 'speech synthesis' delivers the other end of the scale - tutorials aimed at Android devices:
https://android-developers.googleblog.c ... ch-in.html

So, not sure - for the app I have in mind, which is SmartPhone only, I think it might be better to use a language designed for developing Android Apps.

The page says - although I am not sure, what browser Android phones have -

Chrome for Desktop and Android have supported it since around version 33, without prefixes.

^^

[Peter]

Quick 'n Dirty implementation of speechSynthesis:

SpeechSynthesis-Module:

Code: Select all

EnableExplicit

DeclareModule SpeechSynthesis
  
  EnableExplicit
  
  Global IsInitialized
  
  Declare Init(Callback)
  
  Declare Speak(Text.s, Voice = 0, Rate = 1, Pitch = 1)
  
  Structure sVoices
    Name.s
    Language.s
  EndStructure
  
  Global NewList Voices.sVoices()
  
EndDeclareModule

Module SpeechSynthesis
  
  ! var voices = [];
  
  EnableExplicit
  
  Procedure Init(Callback)
    
    ! function populateVoiceList() {
    
    !   if (typeof speechSynthesis === "undefined") return;
    
    !   voices = speechSynthesis.getVoices();
    
    Protected Name.s
    Protected Language.s
    
    ClearList(Voices())
    
    !   $.each(voices,function(a,b) {
    !     v_name     = b.name;
    !     v_language = b.language;
    
    AddElement(Voices())
    Voices()\Name = Name
    Voices()\Language = Language
    
    !   });
    
    !    v_callback();
    
    ! }
    
    ! populateVoiceList();
    
    ! if ( typeof speechSynthesis !== "undefined" && speechSynthesis.onvoiceschanged !== undefined ) speechSynthesis.onvoiceschanged = populateVoiceList;
    
  EndProcedure  
  
  Procedure Speak(Text.s, Voice = 0, Rate = 1, Pitch = 1)
    
    !  var utterThis = new SpeechSynthesisUtterance(v_text);
    
    !  utterThis.voice = voices[v_voice];
    !  utterThis.pitch = v_pitch;
    !  utterThis.rate  = v_rate;
    
    !  window.speechSynthesis.speak(utterThis);
    
  EndProcedure
  
EndModule

Demo:

Code: Select all

XIncludeFile "SpeechSynthesis.sbi"

#Dialog = 0
#Xml = 0

Runtime Enumeration
  #txtToSpeak
  #cboVoices
  #cmdSpeak
  #trkRate
  #trkPitch
EndEnumeration

Procedure Speak()
  
  Protected TextToSpeak.s = GetGadgetText (#txtToSpeak)
  Protected Voice         = GetGadgetState(#cboVoices)
  Protected Pitch         = GetGadgetState(#trkPitch)
  Protected Rate          = GetGadgetState(#trkRate)
  
  SpeechSynthesis::Speak(TextToSpeak, Voice, Rate, Pitch)
  
EndProcedure


Procedure Main()
  
  Protected XML.s
  
  XML = "<window id='#PB_Any' name='test' text='SpeechSynthesis' minheight='auto' flags='#PB_Window_ScreenCentered | #PB_Window_SystemMenu'>" +
        "  <vbox>" +
        "    <text text='Enter some text in the input below and press the speak-button to hear it. change voices using the dropdown menu.' />" +
        "    <empty />" +
        "    <editor id='#txtToSpeak' text='SpiderBasic is new web client-side programming language based on established BASIC rules.' height='60' flags='#PB_Editor_WordWrap' />" +
        "    <empty />" +
        "    <hbox expand='item:2'>" + 
        "      <text text='Rate:' flags='#PB_Text_VerticalCenter' />" + 
        "      <trackbar id='#trkRate' min='0' max='2' value='1' />" +
        "    </hbox>" + 
        "    <hbox expand='item:2'>" + 
        "      <text text='Pitch:' flags='#PB_Text_VerticalCenter' />" + 
        "      <trackbar id='#trkPitch' min='0' max='2' value='1' />" +
        "    </hbox>" + 
        "    <empty />" +
        "    <hbox expand='item:2'>" + 
        "      <text text='Voice:' flags='#PB_Text_VerticalCenter' />" + 
        "      <combobox id='#cboVoices' height='25' />" +
        "    </hbox>" + 
        "    <empty />" +
        "    <button id='#cmdSpeak' text='Speak!' height='60' />" +
        "  </vbox>" +
        "</window>"
  
  If ParseXML(#Xml, XML) And XMLStatus(#Xml) = #PB_XML_Success
    
    If CreateDialog(#Dialog) And OpenXMLDialog(#Dialog, #Xml, "test")
      
      SetWindowTitle(DialogWindow(#Dialog), "SpeechSynthesis: " + Str(ListSize(SpeechSynthesis::Voices())) + " Voices loaded")
      
      ForEach SpeechSynthesis::Voices()
        AddGadgetItem(#cboVoices, -1, SpeechSynthesis::Voices()\Name)
      Next
      
      SetGadgetState(#cboVoices, 0)
      
      BindGadgetEvent(#cmdSpeak, @Speak())
      
      DisableGadget(#trkPitch, #True)
      DisableGadget(#trkRate, #True)
      
    Else  
      Debug "Dialog error: " + DialogError(#Dialog)
    EndIf
  Else
    Debug "XML error: " + XMLError(#Xml) + " (Line: " + XMLErrorLine(#Xml) + ")"
  EndIf
  
EndProcedure

SpeechSynthesis::Init(@Main())

Greetings ... Peter

// Edit 11.04.2024: The code has been changed so that it now also works with Firefox. However, considerably more voices are loaded in the Chrome browser (321 voices) than in Firefox (5 voices).

[IdeasVacuum]

Interesting code Peter but I can't get it to work

The Demo Window is not displayed? Tried it on Win7 x86 + FireFox and also as an APK. The Debug Window is displayed but it is empty.

[Peter]

@IdeasVacuum: can you take a look into the Browser-Console (<F12>)? Perhaps there is an Error-Message?

Greetings ... Peter

[IdeasVacuum]

Hi Peter

Nothing at all in the Console - no errors, warnings, info or debug info. Win7x86 + FireFox 54.0

[Quin]

Quick 'n Dirty implementation of speechSynthesis:

SpeechSynthesis-Module:

Code: Select all

EnableExplicit

DeclareModule SpeechSynthesis
  
  EnableExplicit
  
  Global IsInitialized
  
  Declare Init(Callback)
  
  Declare Speak(Text.s, Voice = 0, Rate = 1, Pitch = 1)
  
  Structure sVoices
    Name.s
    Language.s
  EndStructure
  
  Global NewList Voices.sVoices()
  
EndDeclareModule

Module SpeechSynthesis
  
  ! var voices = [];
  
  EnableExplicit
  
  Procedure Init(Callback)
    
    ! window.speechSynthesis.onvoiceschanged = function() {
    
    If IsInitialized 
      ProcedureReturn
    EndIf
    
    !    voices = window.speechSynthesis.getVoices();
    
    Protected Name.s
    Protected Language.s
    
    ClearList(Voices())
    
    ! $.each(voices,function(a,b) {
    
    !    v_name     = b.name;
    !    v_language = b.language;
    
    AddElement(Voices())
    Voices()\Name = Name
    Voices()\Language = Language
    
    !  });
    
    IsInitialized = #True
    
    !    v_callback();
    ! };
    
  EndProcedure  
  
  Procedure Speak(Text.s, Voice = 0, Rate = 1, Pitch = 1)
    
    !  var utterThis = new SpeechSynthesisUtterance(v_text);
    
    !  utterThis.voice = voices[v_voice];
    !  utterThis.pitch = v_pitch;
    !  utterThis.rate  = v_rate;
    
    !  window.speechSynthesis.speak(utterThis);
    
  EndProcedure
  
EndModule

Demo:

Code: Select all

XIncludeFile "SpeechSynthesis.sbi"

#Dialog = 0
#Xml = 0

Runtime Enumeration
  #txtToSpeak
  #cboVoices
  #cmdSpeak
  #trkRate
  #trkPitch
EndEnumeration

Procedure Speak()
  
  Protected TextToSpeak.s = GetGadgetText (#txtToSpeak)
  Protected Voice         = GetGadgetState(#cboVoices)
  Protected Pitch         = GetGadgetState(#trkPitch)
  Protected Rate          = GetGadgetState(#trkRate)
  
  SpeechSynthesis::Speak(TextToSpeak, Voice, Rate, Pitch)
  
EndProcedure


Procedure Main()
  
  Protected XML.s
  
  XML = "<window id='#PB_Any' name='test' text='Dialog example' minheight='auto' flags='#PB_Window_ScreenCentered | #PB_Window_SystemMenu'>" +
        "  <vbox>" +
        "    <text text='Enter some text in the input below and press the speak-button to hear it. change voices using the dropdown menu.' />" +
        "    <empty />" +
        "    <editor id='#txtToSpeak' text='SpiderBasic is new web client-side programming language based on established BASIC rules.' height='60' flags='#PB_Editor_WordWrap' />" +
        "    <empty />" +
        "    <hbox expand='item:2'>" + 
        "      <text text='Rate:' flags='#PB_Text_VerticalCenter' />" + 
        "      <trackbar id='#trkRate' min='0' max='2' value='1' />" +
        "    </hbox>" + 
        "    <hbox expand='item:2'>" + 
        "      <text text='Pitch:' flags='#PB_Text_VerticalCenter' />" + 
        "      <trackbar id='#trkPitch' min='0' max='2' value='1' />" +
        "    </hbox>" + 
        "    <empty />" +
        "    <hbox expand='item:2'>" + 
        "      <text text='Voice:' flags='#PB_Text_VerticalCenter' />" + 
        "      <combobox id='#cboVoices' height='25' />" +
        "    </hbox>" + 
        "    <empty />" +
        "    <button id='#cmdSpeak' text='Speak!' height='60' />" +
        "  </vbox>" +
        "</window>"
  
  If ParseXML(#Xml, XML) And XMLStatus(#Xml) = #PB_XML_Success
    
    If CreateDialog(#Dialog) And OpenXMLDialog(#Dialog, #Xml, "test")
      
      ForEach SpeechSynthesis::Voices()
        AddGadgetItem(#cboVoices, -1, SpeechSynthesis::Voices()\Name)
      Next
      
      SetGadgetState(#cboVoices, 0)
      
      BindGadgetEvent(#cmdSpeak, @Speak())
      
      DisableGadget(#trkPitch, #True)
      DisableGadget(#trkRate, #True)
      
    Else  
      Debug "Dialog error: " + DialogError(#Dialog)
    EndIf
  Else
    Debug "XML error: " + XMLError(#Xml) + " (Line: " + XMLErrorLine(#Xml) + ")"
  EndIf
  
EndProcedure

SpeechSynthesis::Init(@Main())

Greetings ... Peter

Just tested, and this still appears to work for me! Excellent work!