I use aka.speech and it keeps crashing Max after a couple of minutes.

Is there an alternative I could try? I was hoping to look at lspeak from the lobjecs but the ftp seems to be down :(

I use aka.speech and it keeps crashing Max after a couple of minutes. 

aka-speech-crash

If you're on mac OSX you can use applescript messages to Bill Orcutt's [shell] external. This patch should get you up and running in no time at all.

I downloaded a version from maxobjects but it doesn't work. I get an error: unknown external object type

I have never seen this error before. Not quite sure what to make of it. Maybe it's Max 5's way of saying it's an old CFM external?

Since yours is obviously working, could you tell me where you got it from? Maybe you could attach it?

never mind just found a newer version that seems to work...

I have to admit though that I don't understand the shell external at all...

is there a way to control the speed as well??

so far no crashes. thanks.
I have to admit though that I don't understand the shell external at all...
is there a way to control the speed as well??


Format your message to [shell] like this:

osascript -e 'say "[[rate 160]] apples and pairs" using "Zarvox"'

It seems to be like 160 is the default speed, you can go quite a lot slower but I've found that above about 300 things start getting unintelligible. You can also use [[emph +]] and [[emph -]] directly before a word to augment or subtract emphasis from it.

The [shell] object helps you run command lines as if you were typing into Apple's Terminal application. I really only use it to run applescripts but I'm sure it is capable of a lot more.

that's great. I will give it a try. thanks so much.

I have a new question about the [shell] object if you don't mind.

If I use plain old AppleScript in my Terminal I can run multiple texts simultaneously. With the shell object I can't. I have two objects set up and send each a different text at the same time. The texts are spoken one after the other.

Is this a Max limitation, a shell limitation... or is there a workaround??

I have a new question about the [shell] object if you don't mind. 

If I use plain old AppleScript in my Terminal I can run multiple texts simultaneously. With the shell object I can't. I have two objects set up and send each a different text at the same time. The texts are spoken one after the other.
Is this a Max limitation, a shell limitation... or is there a workaround??

aka.speech crash