1. How-to make Slint speak (or not).

Slint provides these screen readers and reviewers:
espeakup, speehchd-up and fenrir on the console, orca in graphical
environments.

Additionally, several hardware speech synthesizers can be used in
console mode, using speakup.

fenrir can be installed with slapt-get, the other software are already
installed in Slint64-14.2.1.2, up to date as of Thursday 11 June 2019.

To enable or disable orca just type as regular user orca-on or orca-off.
This stands for the user in concern and will be effective at next startx
command or graphical log in.

All console screen readers are managed running as root the command:
speak-with
Here is its output with no argument (if fenrir has not been installed it
won't be mentioned):

root[~]# speak-with
Usage: /usr/sbin/speak-with <screen reader> or <hard synthesizer> or none
Choose a console screen reader to talk with among:
  espeakup (Console screen reader connecting espeak-ng and speakup)
  fenrir (Modular, flexible and fast console screen reader)
  speechd-up (Console screen reader connecting Speech Dispatcher and speakup)
or use one of the supported hard synthesizers:
  acntsa apollo audptr bns dectlk decext ltlk soft spkout txprt
or type  "/usr/sbin/speak-with none" to mute all screen readers.
root[~]#

The hardware speech synthesizers listed are those available in the
running kernel or shipped as modules.

Example of commands and associated output:

root[~]# speak-with speechd-up
Starting speechd-up
Should speechd-up be also started at next boot? [Y/n] 
Done.

As soon as you type the command, previously used screen readers will be
stopped and speechd-up will begin talking.

If you answer Y (the default) to the question:
Should speechd-up be also started at next boot?
spechd-up will be continue to be used at next boot.
If instead you answer n the screen reader used before typing speak-with
speechd-up will be used after next boot.

Other examples:

root[~]# speak-with apollo
Stopping speechd-up...
Should apollo be also used at next boot? [Y/n] 
Done.

root[~]# speak-with none
Do you also want a mute console at next boot? [Y/n] 
OK
root[~]#

2. How to save and store the settings of your screen reader.

For orca, just make the changes in the Orca screen reader GUI.

For espeakup, speechd-up and the hardware synthesizers, you can save
the settings you make using keyboard shortcuts, for instance to increase
or decrease the rate of seech or the sound volume. Just type as root:
speakup-save

These settings will be restored at next boot: the startup scripts
rc.espeakup and rc.speechd-up runs the command speakup-restore for you.

The settings of the running synthesizer are saved when you type
speajup-restore. If you then type the command using another synhesizer,
its specific settings will also be saved.

On the other hand, the speakup settings of espeakup and speehchd-up are
the same, so hose you save will be used restored for both, as both use
the same speakup_soft driver.

As a reminder, here are the key bindings for most settings that you
might want to save:
spk key_f9 = punctuation_level_decrease
spk key_f10 = punctuation_level_increase
spk key_f11 = reading_punctuation_decrease
spk key_f12 = reading_punctuation_increase
spk key_1 = volume_decrease
spk key_2 = volume_increase
spk key_3 = pitch_decrease
spk key_4 = pitch_increase
spk key_5 = rate_decrease
spk key_6 = rate_increase

In the table above spk is the speakup key CapLock, or Ins/0 on a numeric
keypad. For instance to increase the rate you could press and hold the
CapsLock key then press the 6 key.

Some settings available only on specific hardware synthesizers do not
have associated key bindings. Then to set a new value you echo it in
/sys/accessibility/speakup/<synth>/<parameter>
For instance to change the voice in use by an apollo 2 you could write:
echo 2 > /sys/accessibility/speakup/apollo/voice
speakup-save will also save this setting.

Caveat: I never used a speech synthesizer, so the explanation below is
only an assumption based in the speakup_apollo driver, consistent with
is manual, found in:
https://archive.org/stream/DolphinApollo2Manual/Dolphin_Apollo_2_Manual_djvu.txt

3. Hopw to make emacs speak

You can use either emacspeak or speechd-el. To enable or disable one of
them type as regular either one of these commands:

switch-on emacspeak
switch-on speechd-el
switch-off emacspeak
switch-off speechd-el

Then just type:
emacs

Enabling one of these software disables the other one.

4. Credits

Thanks to the developers of aforementioned software.

The scripts speak-with, speakup-save and speakup-restore are genuine but
their logic is inspired by the scripts talkwith and speakupconf written
respectively by the Speakup Team and Charles Hallenbeck, the Speakup
Team and Steve Holmes.

Didier Spaier
Sunday 2 June 2019

Last modified on 10 June 2019 
