Text to Speech: PowerShell coding assistance, please

[GTC]

In an old and closed thread here:

https://www.qb64.org/forum/index.php?topic=3383.msg126966#new

... Prithak gave us a neat little demo of how to use PowerShell to voice text strings:

Code: QB64: [Select]

1.    
2. DO
3.         INPUT "Enter text: "; text$
4.         SHELL _HIDE "Powershell -Command " + CHR$(34) + "Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Speech; (New-Object System.Speech.Synthesis.SpeechSynthesizer).Speak('" + text$ + "');" + CHR$(34)
5. LOOP

Using that code, I want to change the default voice and I gather that I have to incorporate this "method" but I am seriously ignorant of OO programming technique -- especially in regard to how it maps to QB64 code --  so if someone would show me how to incorporate the following Select.Voice code into Prithak's example, then I will be very grateful.

SpeechSynthesizer.SelectVoice("Microsoft David Desktop")

[freetrav]

In an old and closed thread here:

https://www.qb64.org/forum/index.php?topic=3383.msg126966#new

... Prithak gave us a neat little demo of how to use PowerShell to voice text strings:

Code: QB64: [Select]

1.    
2. DO
3.         INPUT "Enter text: "; text$
4.         SHELL _HIDE "Powershell -Command " + CHR$(34) + "Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Speech; (New-Object System.Speech.Synthesis.SpeechSynthesizer).Speak('" + text$ + "');" + CHR$(34)
5. LOOP

Using that code, I want to change the default voice and I gather that I have to incorporate this "method" but I am seriously ignorant of OO programming technique -- especially in regard to how it maps to QB64 code --  so if someone would show me how to incorporate the following Select.Voice code into Prithak's example, then I will be very grateful.

SpeechSynthesizer.SelectVoice("Microsoft David Desktop")

You will have to write out a PowerShell script and then invoke it. The PowerShell code you need is

Code: [Select]

Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Speech
$voice = New-Object -TypeName System.Speech.Synthesis.SpeechSynthesizer
$voice.SelectVoice("Microsoft David Desktop")
$voice.Speak("Take that, Goliath!")

The .NET SpeechSynthesizer class also supports SSML (Speech Synthesis Markup Language); I wrote an article about using it (in connection with a ficlang) at http://www.freelancetraveller.com/features/tbb/ssml.html; the article also covers basic speech synthesis in PowerShell.

(For what it's worth, I think you'd be better off directly calling .NET from QB64, if that's possible.)

[GTC]

Thank you very much for the reply and suggestions.

The .NET SpeechSynthesizer class also supports SSML (Speech Synthesis Markup Language); I wrote an article about using it (in connection with a ficlang) at http://www.freelancetraveller.com/features/tbb/ssml.html; the article also covers basic speech synthesis in PowerShell.

when I click that link I get "404: Page Not Available"

(For what it's worth, I think you'd be better off directly calling .NET from QB64, if that's possible.)

I'd have to study up on that. I was hoping that possibly a line or two could be simply added to Prithak's original code snippet.

[freetrav]

Thank you very much for the reply and suggestions.

when I click that link I get "404: Page Not Available"

I'd have to study up on that. I was hoping that possibly a line or two could be simply added to Prithak's original code snippet.

Link is fixed; I didn't see that the automatic parser included the semicolon (;) as part of the URL. Sorry about that. :)

[SpriggsySpriggs]

@GTC

Always glad to see someone else on the forum using PowerShell to do stuff. I love PowerShell.

[freetrav]

@GTC

Always glad to see someone else on the forum using PowerShell to do stuff. I love PowerShell.

I swear by PowerShell. I swear at VBScript.

[GTC]

@GTC

Always glad to see someone else on the forum using PowerShell to do stuff. I love PowerShell.

Truth be told, I wasn't even aware of it until I cam across Prithak's post. I was aware of SAPI but I gather that's been deprecated by Microsoft.

I have a simple need for my application to echo start/stop/pause/continue commands vocally so that I can be sure of the app's current run status without having to look at the screen. When it is paused I will have "paused" spoken every X seconds to remind me to continue it when appropriate.

As I have mentioned in another thread, I am also interested in being able to issue those commands vocally so that the app is hands free.

[SpriggsySpriggs]

@GTC

Take a look at this