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XtrAgent™ Speech Output Tags

Developed by Tomer Berda, Copyright (C) DirectXtras LLC. 1998.

Last updated: 6.1.98

The Microsoft Agent services support modifying speech output through special tags inserted in the speech text string. These tags help you change the characteristics of the output expression of the character.

Speech output tags use the following rules of syntax:

- All tags begin and end with a backslash character (\).
- The single backslash character is not enabled within a tag. To include a backslash character in a text parameter of a tag, use a double backslash (\\).
- Tags are case-insensitive. For example, \pit\ is the same as \PIT\.
- Tags are whitespace-dependent. For example, \Rst\ is not the same as \ Rst \.

Unless otherwise specified or modified by another tag, the speech output retains the characteristic set by the tag within the text specified in a single Say method. Speech output is automatically reset through the user-defined parameters after a Say method is completed.

Some tags include quoted strings. This means that you have to use two quote marks to designate the tag's parameter or concatenate a double-quote character as part of the string. The latter is shown in this example:

Set Genie=Sprite 1

Say (Genie, "This is \map="&QUOTE&"Spoken Text"&QUOTE&"="&QUOTE&"Balloon text"&QUOTE&"\.")

The following tags are supported:

Chr, Ctx, Emp, Lst, Map, Mrk, Pau, Pit, Rst, Spd, Vol

The tags are primarily designed for adjusting text-to-speech (TTS)-generated output. Only the Mrk and Map tags can be used with sound file-based spoken output.

Note: Microsoft Agent does not support all the tags documented in the Microsoft Speech SDK. Parameters may also vary depending on the TTS engine installed.

##### Chr Tag

Description

> Sets the character of the voice.

Syntax

> \Chr=string\

> Part | Description
> string | A string specifying the character of the voice. "Normal" (Default) A normal tone of voice. "Monotone" A monotone voice. "Whisper" A whispered voice.

Remarks

> This tag is supported only for TTS-generated output. The range of values for the parameter may vary depending on the installed TTS engine.

##### Ctx Tag

Description

> Sets the context of the output text.

Syntax

> \Ctx=string\

> Part | Description
> string | A string specifying the context of the text that follows, which determines how symbols or abbreviations are spoken. "Address" Addresses and/or phone numbers. "Email" Electronic mail. "Unknown" (Default) Context is unknown.

Remarks

> This tag is supported only for TTS-generated output. The range of values for the parameter may vary depending on the installed TTS engine.

##### Emp Tag

Description

> Emphasizes the next word spoken. This tag must immediately precede the word.

Syntax

> \Emp\

Remarks

> This tag is supported only for TTS-generated output. The range of values for the parameter may vary depending on the installed TTS engine.

##### Lst Tag

Description

> Repeats last spoken statement for the character.

Syntax

> \Lst\

Remarks

> This tag enables a character repeat its last spoken statement. This tag must appear by itself in the Say method; no other text or parameters can be included. When the spoken text is repeated, any other tags included in the original text are repeated, except for bookmarks. Any .WAV and .LWV files included in the text are also repeated.

##### Map Tag

Description

> Maps spoken text to text displayed in the word balloon.

Syntax

> \Map="spokentext"="balloontext"\

> Part | Description
> spokentext | A string specifying the text for spoken output.
> balloontext | A string specifying the text for word balloon output.

Remarks

> This tag enables you to use different spoken text than that displayed in the word balloon.

##### Mrk Tag

Description

> Defines a bookmark in the spoken text.

Syntax

> \Mrk=

> number\

> Part | Description
> number | A Long integer value that identifies the bookmark.

Remarks

> When the server processes a bookmark, it generates a bookmark event. You must specify a number greater than zero (0) and not equal to 2147483647 or 2147483646.

See Also

> Bookmark

> event

##### Pau Tag

Description

> Pauses speech for the specified number of milliseconds.

Syntax

> \Pau=

> number\

> Part | Description
> number | The number of milliseconds to pause.

Remarks

> This tag is supported only for TTS-generated output. The range of values for the parameter may vary depending on the installed TTS engine. The speech engine supplied with Microsoft Agent supports values from 10 (0.01sec) to 2550 (2.55sec).

##### Pit Tag

Description

> Sets the baseline pitch of the output to the specified value in hertz.

Syntax

> \Pit=

> number\

> Part | Description
> number | The pitch in hertz.

Remarks

> This tag is supported only for TTS-generated output. The range of values for the parameter may vary depending on the installed TTS engine. The speech engine supplied with Microsoft Agent supports values from 50 to 400.

##### Rst Tag

Description

> Resets all tags to the default settings.

Syntax

> \Rst\

##### Spd Tag

Description

> Sets the baseline average talking speed of the speech output.

Syntax

> \Spd=

> number\

> Part | Description
> number | Baseline average talking speed, in words per minute.

Remarks

> This tag is supported only for TTS-generated output. The range of values for the parameter may vary depending on the installed TTS engine. The speech engine supplied with Microsoft Agent supports values from 50 to 250.

##### Vol Tag

Description

> Sets the baseline speaking volume of the speech output.

Syntax

> \Vol=

> number\

> Part | Description
> number | Baseline speaking volume: 0 is silence and 65535 is maximum volume.

Remarks

> The volume setting affects both left and right channels. You cannot set the volume of each channel separately. This tag is supported only for TTS-generated output.