java speech Synthesizer

[chaminga]

i'm new to java speech api. and i want to build simple java speech application. This is the code

import javax.speech.*;
import javax.speech.synthesis.*;
import java.util.Locale;

public class HelloWorld {
	public static void main(String args[]) {
		try {
			// Create a synthesizer for English
			Synthesizer synth = Central.createSynthesizer(
				new SynthesizerModeDesc(Locale.ENGLISH));

			// Get it ready to speak
			synth.allocate();
			synth.resume();

			// Speak the "Hello world" string
			synth.speakPlainText("Hello, world!", null);

			// Wait till speaking is done
			synth.waitEngineState(Synthesizer.QUEUE_EMPTY);

			// Clean up
			synth.deallocate();
		} catch (Exception e) {
			e.printStackTrace();
		}
	}
}

when i use this code it gives java.lang.NullPointerException.
I would be great full if anybody can explain the reason for the exception.

Reguards
Chaminga.

[Eranga]

Can you post the complete error message here to see?

[Eranga]

And also please use the code tags next time when you are posting here in the forum. Unformated codes are really hard to read. If you don't know how to do it, check my forum signature.

[chaminga]

I would be really thank full to your reply.
Complete error message is
java.lang.NullPointerException at HelloWorld.main(HelloWorld.java:17)

[chaminga]

Error occurred because of synth.allocate();

[Eranga]

What you've on line 17? I cannot see any line numbers, so it's better to sent it.

Actually what you've post in the above post is not the complete error, or the stack trace you comes with. Post the complete message.

[chaminga]

line 17th is synth.allocate();
may i know the reason for the Nullpoint Exception.
thank you

[Eranga]

Your synth object could be null. Did you check that?

[chaminga]

hmmmm i checked :(

really really thankful to ur help.

[chaminga]

hmmmm i checked :(

really really thankful to ur help.

[JosAH]

line 17th is synth.allocate();
may i know the reason for the Nullpoint Exception.
thank you

Have you actually installed one of the available speech systems? Note that this Java extension (javax.speech) just offers the 'Java way' of a speech synthesis system, you need an actual system to do the job; compare this with the jdbc framework: you still need a database engine to do the job; the jdbc classes just give you the API.

kind regards,

Jos

[chaminga]

Thank u jos.

Do i need to install any other application to avoid this problem.

regards,
Malmi.

[chaminga]

What is FreeTTS 1.2
is that support for java speech api.

regards,
Chaminga.

[JosAH]

What is FreeTTS 1.2
is that support for java speech api.

regards,
Chaminga.

Yes, use that one; I did the same today and incorporated it in my own private language; it comes with two APIs: its own and the JSAPI stuff; it's a bit of a hassle to install everything properly but it works with a few different voices and they keep on whining about a 'mbrola' database not being installed; the documentation tells you more about that mbrola initiative (it doesn't run properly with MS Windows).

kind regards,

Jos

[chaminga]

Thank u Jos.

Regards,
Chaminga.

[JosAH]

Thank u Jos.

You're welcome of course; so which interface did you use? The official (but a bit stripped down) JSAPI or FreeTTS's own interface? I used the latter because for me the JSAPI didn't work (I still have to figure out what I did wrong).

kind regards,

Jos

[chaminga]

Hi Jos,

I tried using FreeTTS but still i cannot find the reason for the error.
I really really want to build speaking application but i'm still on the start. :(

regards,
Chaminga.

[JosAH]

I tried using FreeTTS but still i cannot find the reason for the error.

What errors? This is my little test program and it works (you have to make most of the jars visible in the ./lib folder). Note the nasty mbrola blahblahblah message on stdout. Also note that I'm using freeTTS's own API ...

import com.sun.speech.freetts.Voice;
import com.sun.speech.freetts.VoiceManager;

public class T {

    public static void main(String[] args) {

        String voiceName = "kevin16"; // the only usable general purpose voice

        VoiceManager voiceManager = VoiceManager.getInstance();
        
        Voice voice = voiceManager.getVoice(voiceName);

        // some effects:
        // helloVoice.setPitch(20.0f);
        // helloVoice.setDurationStretch(0.3f);
        // helloVoice.setRate(100.0f);
        // helloVoice.setVolume(1.0f);
        
        voice.allocate();        
        voice.speak("Oh man this is a crappy voice");
        voice.deallocate();
    }
}

kind regards,

Jos

[chaminga]

I used this code

then i got this error. May i know the reason for that sir.


System property "mbrola.base" is undefined. Will not use MBROLA voices.
Jul 8, 2010 2:30:13 PM com.sun.speech.freetts.Voice allocate
SEVERE: Can't load voice java.util.zip.ZipException: ZipFile closed
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.Error: java.util.zip.ZipException: ZipFile closed
at com.sun.speech.freetts.Voice.allocate(Voice.java:3 51)
at T.main(T.java:21)
Caused by: java.util.zip.ZipException: ZipFile closed
at java.util.zip.ZipFile.ensureOpenOrZipException(Zip File.java:413)
at java.util.zip.ZipFile.access$1100(ZipFile.java:29)
at java.util.zip.ZipFile$ZipFileInputStream.read(ZipF ile.java:445)
at java.util.zip.ZipFile$1.fill(ZipFile.java:230)
at java.util.zip.InflaterInputStream.read(InflaterInp utStream.java:141)
at java.io.FilterInputStream.read(FilterInputStream.j ava:116)
at sun.nio.cs.StreamDecoder.readBytes(StreamDecoder.j ava:264)
at sun.nio.cs.StreamDecoder.implRead(StreamDecoder.ja va:306)
at sun.nio.cs.StreamDecoder.read(StreamDecoder.java:1 58)
at java.io.InputStreamReader.read(InputStreamReader.j ava:167)
at java.io.BufferedReader.fill(BufferedReader.java:13 6)
at java.io.BufferedReader.readLine(BufferedReader.jav a:299)
at java.io.BufferedReader.readLine(BufferedReader.jav a:362)
at com.sun.speech.freetts.en.us.PronounceableFSM.load Text(PronounceableFSM.java:91)
at com.sun.speech.freetts.en.us.PronounceableFSM.<ini t>(PronounceableFSM.java:60)
at com.sun.speech.freetts.en.us.PrefixFSM.<init>(Pref ixFSM.java:26)
at com.sun.speech.freetts.en.us.CMUVoice.setupUtteran ceProcessors(CMUVoice.java:116)
at com.sun.speech.freetts.en.us.CMUVoice.loader(CMUVo ice.java:77)
at com.sun.speech.freetts.Voice.allocate(Voice.java:3 48)
... 1 more




regards,
Chaminga.

[JosAH]

I used this code

then i got this error. May i know the reason for that sir.


System property "mbrola.base" is undefined. Will not use MBROLA voices.
Jul 8, 2010 2:30:13 PM com.sun.speech.freetts.Voice allocate
SEVERE: Can't load voice java.util.zip.ZipException: ZipFile closed
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.Error: java.util.zip.ZipException: ZipFile closed
at com.sun.speech.freetts.Voice.allocate(Voice.java:3 51)
at T.main(T.java:21)
Caused by: java.util.zip.ZipException: ZipFile closed
at java.util.zip.ZipFile.ensureOpenOrZipException(Zip File.java:413)
at java.util.zip.ZipFile.access$1100(ZipFile.java:29)
at java.util.zip.ZipFile$ZipFileInputStream.read(ZipF ile.java:445)
at java.util.zip.ZipFile$1.fill(ZipFile.java:230)
at java.util.zip.InflaterInputStream.read(InflaterInp utStream.java:141)
at java.io.FilterInputStream.read(FilterInputStream.j ava:116)
at sun.nio.cs.StreamDecoder.readBytes(StreamDecoder.j ava:264)
at sun.nio.cs.StreamDecoder.implRead(StreamDecoder.ja va:306)
at sun.nio.cs.StreamDecoder.read(StreamDecoder.java:1 58)
at java.io.InputStreamReader.read(InputStreamReader.j ava:167)
at java.io.BufferedReader.fill(BufferedReader.java:13 6)
at java.io.BufferedReader.readLine(BufferedReader.jav a:299)
at java.io.BufferedReader.readLine(BufferedReader.jav a:362)
at com.sun.speech.freetts.en.us.PronounceableFSM.load Text(PronounceableFSM.java:91)
at com.sun.speech.freetts.en.us.PronounceableFSM.<ini t>(PronounceableFSM.java:60)
at com.sun.speech.freetts.en.us.PrefixFSM.<init>(Pref ixFSM.java:26)
at com.sun.speech.freetts.en.us.CMUVoice.setupUtteran ceProcessors(CMUVoice.java:116)
at com.sun.speech.freetts.en.us.CMUVoice.loader(CMUVo ice.java:77)
at com.sun.speech.freetts.Voice.allocate(Voice.java:3 48)
... 1 more




regards,
Chaminga.

Not all the .jar files are visible from your class (also reread my previous reply). For the time being stick them all in the lib/ext directory of your JRE so they always can be found. You need all the cmu*.jar files, the en_us.jar file, freetts, jsapi, mbrola and the voices jar files.

kind regards,

Jos