sayit.sh

#!/bin/bash
# sayit--Uses the "say" command to read whatever's specified (OS X only)

dosay="$(which say) --quality=127"
format="$(which fmt) -w 70"

voice=""                # Default systems
rate=""                 # Default to the standard speaking rate

demovoices()
{
  # Offer up a sample of each available voice.

  voicelist=$( say -v \? | grep "en_" | cut -c1-12 \
    | sed 's/ /_/;s/ //g;s/_$//')

  if [ "$1" = "list" ] ; then
    echo "Available voices: $(echo $voicelist | sed 's/ /, /g;s/_/ /g') \
      | $format"
    echo "HANDY TIP: use \"$(basename $0) demo\" to hear all the voices"
    exit 0
  fi

for name in $voicelist ; do
  myname=$(echo $name | sed 's/_/ /')
  echo "Voice: $myname"
  $dosay -v "$myname" "Hello I'm $myname. This is what I sound like."
done

exit 0
}

usage()
{
  echo "Usage: sayit [-v voice] [-r rate] [-f file] phrase"
  echo "   or: sayit demo"
  exit 0
}

while getopts "df:r:v:" opt; do
  case $opt in
    d ) demovoices list    ;;
    f ) input="$OPTARG"    ;;
    r ) rate="-r $OPTARG"  ;;
    v ) voice="$OPTARG"    ;;
  esac
done

shift $(($OPTIND - 1))

if [ $# -eq 0 -a -z "$input" ] ; then
  $dosay "Hey! You haven't given me any parameters to work with."
  echo "Error: no parameters specified. Specify a file or phrase."
  exit 0
fi

if [ "$1" = "demo" ] ; then
  demovoices
fi

if [ ! -z "$input" ] ; then
  $dosay $rate -v "$voice" -f $input
else
  $dosay $rate -v "$voice" "$*"
fi
exit 0