improving my python script

Question

I have an interesting python script (not sure if it has been done before) It uses

import os
os.system("say %s" % say) 
#and I have added;
os.system("say -v whisper %s" % say)

but now there are new voices in lion and i want to know how to get those voices and if there is a centralized list.

here is what i am talking about

stack overflow works on being positive, if someone doesn't give an answer that doesn't fit your exact criteria, you generally don't give them -1, instead you promote the answer you think is best — pyInTheSky
– pyInTheSky, Commented Sep 30, 2011 at 18:44
@WinstonEwert: If "lol" bothers you, you're not going to be happy with the state of language in a decade. — user1114
– user1114, Commented Sep 30, 2011 at 18:46
@JeremyBanks, perhaps, but I reserve the right to complain about it. — Winston Ewert
– Winston Ewert, Commented Sep 30, 2011 at 19:02

aus · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-30 19:02:02Z

4

The manual doesn't doc which voices are available. But I believe the syntax is just using the name like so:

> say -v Karen Hello

I don't have access to my Mac right now but I found this list from here:

American English: Jill, Samantha and Tom
Australian English: Karen and Lee
British English: Daniel, Emily and Serena
South African English: Tessa

There is also other languages as well.

UPDATE:

say -v ? spits out:

MacBook-Austin:~ Austin$ say -v ?                                                                   
Agnes               en_US    # Isn't it nice to have a computer that will talk to you?              
Albert              en_US    #  I have a frog in my throat. No, I mean a real frog!                 
Alex                en_US    # Most people recognize me by my voice.                                
Bad News            en_US    # The light you see at the end of the tunnel is the headlamp of a fast approaching train.                                                                                  
Bahh                en_US    # Do not pull the wool over my eyes.                                   
Bells               en_US    # Time flies when you are having fun.                                  
Boing               en_US    # Spring has sprung, fall has fell, winter's here and it's colder than usual.                                                                                              
Bruce               en_US    # I sure like being inside this fancy computer                         
Bubbles             en_US    # Pull the plug! I'm drowning!                                        
...

If you do not see the voice you are looking for when you do a say -v ? you can install more.

edited Sep 30, 2011 at 19:02

answered Sep 30, 2011 at 18:44

aus

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3 Comments

millimoose Over a year ago

@Shameer: You could also update your question to specify what precisely "doesn't work for all" instead of downvoting and expecting people to guess what's going on.

aus Over a year ago

For all names/voice? What do you mean specifically?

millimoose Over a year ago

@Shameer Sorry, I assumed "doesn't work for all" was an answer stating your reason for downvoting.

millimoose · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-30 18:41:17Z

3

From the say man page:

-v voice, --voice=voice

Specify the voice to be used. Default is the voice selected in System Preferences. To obtain a list of voices installed in the system, specify '?' as the voice name.

Most of the new voices are downloaded on demand from the Speech panel in System Preferences

answered Sep 30, 2011 at 18:41

millimoose

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5 Comments

Shameer Over a year ago

doesnt have all of them that are in system preferences like sangeeta

millimoose Over a year ago

What does say -v '?' output then, and can you make a screenshot of which ones are in System Preferences?

millimoose Over a year ago

@Shameer: At least on my system, say -v '?' | cut -f 1 -d ' ' | xargs -I __ -n 1 say -v __ Hello worked for all the voices listed. The ones I installed from System Preferences were there as well. (Note: the ones I installed, not the ones listed as available / enabled.)

Shameer Over a year ago

can i upload screenshots here?

millimoose Over a year ago

The list you made a screenshot of also lists voices that haven't been installed, but can be downloaded from Apple and installed automatically. You have to enable the voices you want and click "OK" to install them – the article @aus mentions describes this. After they're installed, they will be available to "say" regardless of whether or not they're enabled in that screen.

greg0ire · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-30 18:40:33Z

2

Hopefully, this command comes with some documentation, so you could try this command in your shell to get more information:

say -h
say --help
man say

UPDATE The man page I found says the default voice is the voice selected in System preferences. So I guess you can find all the different voices there.

answered Sep 30, 2011 at 18:40

greg0ire

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