Q: Qt - [c++] Qt6 TextToSpeech does not use Localization

[kevin_d]

Hello everyone!

Ich ported my project to Qt6. In the Windows build, everything works fine, except that the TextToSpeech engine does not speak English anymore (which worked in Qt 5.15.2).
I used the following function. Explanation: I try to switch randomly between different voices. (In Windows i usually have only one voice).

What's wrong?

void SpeechClass::say(QString text, bool )
{
    if (text2Speech == nullptr)
    {
        QLocale::setDefault(QLocale(QLocale::English, QLocale::LatinScript, QLocale::UnitedStates));
        text2Speech = new QTextToSpeech(this);
        text2Speech->setVolume(0.88);
        text2Speech->setLocale(QLocale(QLocale::English, QLocale::LatinScript, QLocale::UnitedStates));

        QVector<QLocale> _l = text2Speech->availableLocales();
        int num_locales = _l.size();

        for (int loc = 0; loc < num_locales; loc++)
        {
            if (_l.at(loc).language() == QLocale::English)
            {
                text2Speech->setLocale(_l.at(loc));
                QVector<QVoice> _v = text2Speech->availableVoices();
                int num_voices = _v.size();
                int __v = rand() % num_voices;
                text2Speech->setVoice(_v.at(__v));
                break;
            }
        }
    }
    text2Speech->setLocale(QLocale(QLocale::English, QLocale::LatinScript, QLocale::UnitedStates));
    text2Speech->say(text);
}

best regards, kevin_d

[kevin_d]

The speech output seems to have german phonetics (My Windows is a german installation).

[SGaist]

Hi,

Which version of Qt 6 are you using ?
On which version of Windows ?

[kevin_d]

Qt 6.8.2 on Windows 11 Home 24H2.
regards, kevin

[kevin_d]

Solution is still pending... Does anyone know about this?
cheers, kevin_d

[SGaist]

Might be silly but since you are randomizing the voice, did you stumble upon something that was maybe broken on your system ?

[kevin_d]

No, I don't think so.
Sorry for the late update: With Qt6.8.2 i only have two locales available, which are both QLocale::German.
With Qt5 I had at least one QLocale::English.
Can I fix this? Maybe add an additional library to include an english Locale?

best regards, kevin_d

Reference: https://forum.qt.io/topic/80840/qtexttospeech-locales

[SGaist]

Do you still have Qt 5 on that machine ?
If so I would check Qt's sources to see what has changed between the two in the Windows backend.

[kevin_d]

It appears as if I have mutliple engines installed on my setup.
So, instead of

auto *text2speech = new QTextToSpeech(this);

i changed my code accordingly:

for (auto const& v : QTextToSpeech::availableEngines()) {
	qDebug() << "available engine: " << v.toStdString();
	auto *text2Speech = new QTextToSpeech(v);
	// find suitable locales
}

So I am not randomizing voices anymore. I take the first best english voice.

It works. Now testing on Linux :-)

best regards, kevin_d