Create python module for implementing speech-dispatcher modules

[sthibaul]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.
It would be convenient to be able to write speech-dispatcher modules in python, to leverage the pypi/etc. flexibility and dynamism.

Describe the solution you'd like
We'd have a python module that basically exposes libspeechd_module in a pythonic way.

[MirS0bhan]

this could be implemented more conveniently by creating an sd_python module. This would allow the use of a Python file to implement all native module APIs. Since many modern models now provide their own Python APIs, a generic implementation is no longer adequate.

[sthibaul]

? I don't understand the distinction that you make between your proposal and mine.

by creating an sd_python module

You mean a speech-dispatcher module? What would it do? How would we tell it what synthesis it should use?

allow the use of a Python file to implement all native module APIs

What python file? Do you mean different speech-dispatcher modules? Or do you mean that a single sd_python module would have different python backends? (but then, why, when speech-dispatcher already has a module system)

many modern models now provide their own Python APIs

Many, but not all, so we need to keep the existing modules.

a generic implementation is no longer adequate

There are still some synths which only expose a command-line tool.

[MirS0bhan]

I set up an LLM for my system using the generic module, but I realized I need ‘stop’ and ‘pause’ functionality to have more control. I looked into the native module, but I couldn’t find clear documentation on how to write or build one (and I’m not a C developer). Perhaps I’m misunderstanding how it works, but I’m suggesting a generic Python module that simply calls Python method APIs. We could configure the module by pointing it to a specific Python file that handles all the speak, pause, and stop methods.

[sthibaul]

I looked into the native module, but I couldn’t find clear documentation on how to write or build one

Have you seen https://htmlpreview.github.io/?https://github.com/brailcom/speechd/blob/master/doc/speech-dispatcher.html#Output-Modules ?

We could configure the module by pointing it to a specific Python file that handles all the speak, pause, and stop methods.

That's why I mean by "a python module that basically exposes libspeechd_module in a pythonic way". A python-based module would just need to expose a few methods, just like is done in the C case with module_speak, module_stop, module_pause, etc., and the python module would handle calling them as appropriate, like done in the C case.

[MirS0bhan]

That's why I mean by "a python module that basically exposes libspeechd_module in a pythonic way". A python-based module would just need to expose a few methods, just like is done in the C case with module_speak, module_stop, module_pause, etc., and the python module would handle calling them as appropriate, like done in the C case.

Yeah, I just wanted to say this is a great idea, please implement it as soon as you can! 😄

[sthibaul]

As the issue tags say, help is welcome on this because:

as soon as you can!

I ended up being the only maintainer for a lot of accessibility software, so don't expect it soon...