A script for spelling out strings using macOS's `say` command

alfa.rb

#!/usr/bin/env ruby

# A script for spelling out strings using macOS's `say` command.

# Uses the NATO/ICAO spelling alphabet, mostly.
# Mapped to spellings that produce the desired effect, specifically with the Fiona voice.
# Didn't use phonemes as these are not reliably available for recent (Nuance) voices.
# TODO: Use ICU to get Unicode character names
mapping = {
  'a' => 'alfa',
  'å' => 'alfah-alfa',
  'ä' => 'alfah-ehcko',
  'b' => 'bravo',
  'c' => 'charlie',
  'd' => 'delta',
  'e' => 'echo',
  'f' => 'foxtrot',
  'g' => 'golf',
  'h' => 'ho-tel',
  'i' => 'india',
  'j' => 'juliet',
  'k' => 'kilo',
  'l' => 'lemur',
  'm' => 'mike',
  'n' => 'november',
  'o' => 'oscar',
  'ö' => 'oscar-ehcko',
  'p' => 'papa',
  'q' => 'queen',
  'r' => 'romeo',
  's' => 'sierra',
  't' => 'tango',
  'u' => 'uniform',
  'ü' => 'uniform-ehcko',
  'v' => 'victor',
  'w' => 'whiskey',
  'x' => 'ecks ray',
  'y' => 'yankey',
  'z' => 'zulu',
  '-' => 'dash',
  '0' => 'zero',
  '1' => 'one',
  '2' => 'two',
  '3' => 'three',
  '4' => 'fower',
  '5' => 'fife',
  '6' => 'six',
  '7' => 'seven',
  '8' => 'eight',
  '9' => 'niner',
  ' ' => 'space',
  '|' => 'pipe symbol',
  '/' => 'forward slash',
  '\\' => 'backslash',
  '(' => 'left bracket',
  ')' => 'right bracket',
  '[' => 'left square bracket',
  ']' => 'right square bracket',
  '=' => 'equals sign',
  '+' => 'plus sign',
  '"' => 'double quotation mark',
  '`' => 'backtick',
  ',' => 'com-ah',
  '\'' => 'an a postrophy',
  ';' => 'semi-colon',
  ':' => 'colon',
  '?' => 'question mark',
  '^' => 'hat symbol',
  '.' => 'full stop',
  '%' => 'percent sign',
  '&' => 'ampersand',
  '>' => 'greater than sign',
  '<' => 'less than sign',
  '$' => 'dollar sign',
  '@' => 'at sign',
  '#' => 'hash'
}

#https://unfinishedbitness.info/2015/02/10/taming-talk-on-os-x/
#https://developer.apple.com/library/content/documentation/UserExperience/Conceptual/SpeechSynthesisProgrammingGuide/FineTuning/FineTuning.html

input = ARGF.read.to_s.strip

spelt = []

input.each_char do |chr|
  mapped = mapping[chr.downcase]

  mapped = "[[char LTRL]] #{chr} [[char NORM]]" if mapped.nil? # This doesn't work terribly well. Has problems with preceding pauses.
  mapped = "[[slnc 100]] uppercase  #{mapped} [[slnc 50]]," if chr.downcase != chr

  spelt << mapped
end

say_string = "[[pmod 10]]\n"

spelt.each_with_index do |s, i|


  if i == spelt.count-1
    say_string << ", and [[slnc 150]]"
  end

  say_string << "#{s}"

  say_string << "[[slnc 400]] "

  if ((i % 3) == 2 and (i != spelt.count-2) and (i != spelt.count-1))
    say_string << "[[slnc 800]]\n"
  end

end

say_string = "Stand by. [[slnc 2000]] #{say_string} [[slnc 1500]] I say again: [[slnc 800]] #{say_string} [[slnc 400]] Clear"
puts input

exec "say -v Fiona \"#{say_string}\""