Add Text-To-Speech Functionality

[ghost]

Hi, as of today SimplyTranslate supports Google TTS, (you can see it here: https://simplytranslate.org) and I would love for this to be implemented in this app as well. There is an api endpoint at /api/tts?engine={engine}&lang={lang}&text={text}

[ManeraKai]

Added a pause button: d00c5f5

[ManeraKai]

For testing it: https://github.com/ManeraKai/simplytranslate_mobile/actions/runs/1315014419

[Valdnet]

@ManeraKai @metalune1 Why the sample text below cannot be read by the "SimplyTranslate" translator and therefore the mobile application cannot read the translation?

Should be corrected:
No message appears when you enter text for the first time after deleting 1 character and re-entering the character. It appears only after deleting 2 characters and re-entering the character.

Google Translator reads correctly.

[ManeraKai]

It has to do with the length of the message. Cut it a little bit and it will work.

[Valdnet]

Steps:

1. Enter the text to be translated.
2. Translate with the "Translate" button.
3. Delete all translation text by keyboard or text editing toolbar.

The "Speaker" icon is not gray (inactive).

[ManeraKai]

The "Speaker" icon is not gray (inactive).

Yeah I've noticed and changed this before 2 minutes.

[ManeraKai]

Enabled the stop button all the time even if there is not text too.

[ManeraKai]

It has to do with the length of the message. Cut it a little bit and it will work.

Here is a link that requests long text to be TTS'ed from google translate directly: https://translate.google.com/translate_tts?tl=en&client=tw-ob&q=Lorem%20ipsum%20dolor%20sit%20amet%20consectetur%20adipiscing%20elit%20Cras%20sodales%20finibus%20congue%20Morbi%20facilisis%20non%20neque%20sed%20pharetra.%20Nulla%20faucibus%20posuere%20risus.%20Sed%20sed%20condimentum%20massa.%20Ut%20mattis%20finibus%20elit%20vel%20aliquet.%20Nunc%20purus%20velit,%20sagittis%20bibendum%20felis%20pulvinar,%20ornare%20hendrerit%20metus.%20Sed%20laoreet%20eu%20lectus%20ac%20accumsan.%20Phasellus%20in%20fringilla%20nulla.%20Nulla%20eu%20mauris%20euismod,%20rutrum%20massa%20vel,%20eleifend%20nunc.%20Aenean%20ut%20rutrum%20leo,%20id%20vulputate%20libero.

[Valdnet]

Enabled the stop button all the time even if there is not text too.

Exactly. It has to do with the fact that the application allows for translation 😉.

It has to do with the length of the message.

Not good. It should translate longer sentences 😬.

If there is a restriction by Google Translator then user should be informed when reading that the sentence is too long or change the "Speaker" icon to gray (inactive) because it looks like the application has a bug.

[ManeraKai]

If there is a restriction by Google Translator then user should be informed when reading that the sentence is too long or change the "Speaker" icon to gray (inactive) because it looks like the application has a bug.

It gives an error without explaining anything. We're guessing that it's because of length by testing:

[Valdnet]

If this is an unknown error, inform the user of the application when reading it, or:

the sentence is too long or change the "Speaker" icon to gray (inactive) because it looks like the application has a bug.

[ManeraKai]

I'll try first to TTS the long text first (Reverse engineering). If it doesn't work, we'll notify the user about it.

[ManeraKai]

Nope. I'll notify the user to read it by himself.

[ManeraKai]

Added a notification when the user tries to click the disabled tts button. Extracted a string for translation from it too.

[Valdnet]

Change Can't -> Cannot. This version is officially used in applications 😉. It does not shorten.

"audio_limit": "Can't get audio for more than 200 characters.",

"audio_limit": "Cannot get audio for more than 200 characters.",

[Valdnet]

Translation made in PR: #119.

[Valdnet]

I noticed that the instance in the application settings is now set to "Random". As a result, if the application uses the st.alefvanoon.xyz instance, TTS does not work properly due to the lack of implementation on the server.

The user is confused that TTS is working correctly once (if using simplytranslate.org) and once it is not working (if using st.alefvanoon.xyz). The user has no information that if he uses random choice, or from st.alefvanoon.xyz, he cannot use the TTS.

I suggest:

• Go back to setting the default instance on simplytranslate.org.

If there are no plans to implement TTS in the st.alefvanoon.xyz instance, I suggest:

To set the default instance of st.alefvanoon.xyz:

• Inform the user when using TTS (tap on the "Speaker" icon) that he is using an instance that does not support TTS and that if he wants to use TTS he can change to another one in the application settings.

To set the default instance to "Random":

• Inform the user when using TTS (tap on the "Speaker" icon) that he is using a random instance that does not support TTS and that if he wants to use TTS he can change to another one in the application settings.

Currently, it only gets the message "Something went wrong".

And it would be best to implement TTS quickly on the server for st.alefvanoon.xyz.

[ManeraKai]

I've contacted alefvanoon about that. Official instances should be up-to-date imo, but having a more detailed error message for any custom instance is good though.

[ManeraKai]

[Valdnet]

Cool 👍.

Go back to setting the default instance on simplytranslate.org.

Remember about this change.

[ManeraKai]

If there are no plans to implement TTS in the st.alefvanoon.xyz instance, I suggest:

Waiting for his response. The random option only includes official instances.

[Valdnet]

Waiting for his response. The random option only includes official instances.

Ok 😉.

Can you add a new text string for translation?

Is it's correct? Shouldn't there be its?

[ManeraKai]

Is it's correct? Shouldn't there be its?

Sorry

[Valdnet]

Steps:

1. Enter the text to be translated longer than 200 characters.
2. Translate with the button "Translate."

After translation, the text is shorter than 200 characters and the "Speaker" icon is still inactive (gray). TTS works.

[ManeraKai]

Sorry: https://github.com/ManeraKai/simplytranslate_mobile/actions/runs/1324063014

[Valdnet]

With quick taps (several times) on the "Speaker" icon, a message appears several times about the inability to start TTS.

The error occurs for the translation window and the translated text window.

[ManeraKai]

Yeah because the instance selection is random. I've sent an email to @alefvanoon on Thursday, and a message on Matrix this day. and I'm waiting for his response. We'll try to add a skip logic if he didn't respond in those 2 coming days.

[Valdnet]

But the error is because if you quickly tap the "Speaker" icon several times. In my opinion, it should be blocked from tapping the "Speaker" icon until the message appears.

Normally if TTS is running it is possible to stop speech. In the absence of TTS support by the instances, it is possible to tap several times, which causes the message to appear several times. See the application screen is black, caused by the pop-up of multiple message boxes.

[ManeraKai]

Oh sorry, I misunderstood 👍

[ManeraKai]

This solution will be temporary until we get tts support info end point from the server-side: https://github.com/ManeraKai/simplytranslate_mobile/actions/runs/1324175441

[Valdnet]

You did the TTS block very nicely 👍.

The next error is:

Steps:

1. Enter your text.
2. Translate the text with the "Translate" button.
3. Tap on the "Speaker" icon in the window for the text to be translated.
4. Tap on the "Speaker" icon in the translated text window.

You hear the TTS of one text. Then TTS starts from the second window. The icons do not change back to "Speaker".

[ManeraKai]

Fixed it: https://github.com/ManeraKai/simplytranslate_mobile/actions/runs/1324293345

[Valdnet]

Testing successful 👍.

[ManeraKai]

Problem now is if the http request took a long time, you don't have a cancel button.

[alefvanoon]

Yeah because the instance selection is random. I've sent an email to @alefvanoon on Thursday, and a message on Matrix this day. and I'm waiting for his response. We'll try to add a skip logic if he didn't respond in those 2 coming days.

Sorry for being late.

My instance was updated.

[ManeraKai]

Great! Thanks!

[ManeraKai]

Problem now is if the http request took a long time, you don't have a cancel button.

I think by natural the user will try to click on the loading circle to cancel it. I'm making the loading circle clickable and it's function is to cancel the request.

[ManeraKai]

I'm making the loading circle clickable and it's function is to cancel the request.

Added that: https://github.com/ManeraKai/simplytranslate_mobile/actions/runs/1325424181

[Valdnet]

Now TTS works fine 🥇.

[ManeraKai]

So, this issue will be closed and the end-point's tts support page feature will be opened in another issue for milestone 1.1.3.

[Valdnet]

Why not release TTS in app version 1.1.2?

[ManeraKai]

It is in 1.1.2. Just the tts support page on server side will be for 1.1.3.
I mean this comment: #88 (comment)

[Valdnet]

Hmmm. As for me, the application works fine with TTS, but the decision remains for the developers 😁.

[ManeraKai]

That decision will be for the Simple Web team. If they created that page. We'll support it, and vise versa 👍