Zabaware Support Forums
Zabaware Forums => Ultra Hal 7.0 => Topic started by: castonguayh on January 09, 2008, 04:11:24 pm
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I can get Hal' TTS to read documents. but have not been able to figure out how to get the Haptek characters to speak them (animated).
I am using Hal in my classroom, and would like to use him to introduce topics or explain, teach, etc.
Any Ideas?
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If you have copied haptek console to your root drive, then you can drag and drop text files into it. Then your hal will read it out loud and lipsync with them.
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Thanks Ted,
Is Hal Console on the disk or do I get it on line?
What is a "root drive?"
Obviously, I am clueless but interested.
(Gee, I sound like someone I'd like to meet at a bar!)
Thanks
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Actualy I think the official name for it is Hap Log Ctrl.txt
It can be found in People putty folder if you have that program.
Just type it into your search window. The root drive is your C drive.
This console names itself haptek console and appears each time you start hal. It can be used for animations called .hap and to add accesories and positioning and moods and a hundred other things.
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thanks, I'll give it a try.
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Thanks guys for bring up this topic. I have been able to bring up the text response but without the lipsync. I think now that someone like O.T.C could help us pass the response through the Hap call to the controller and Hal will be responding for real.
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Not sure I understand but this method works perfectly for me.
It would be nice to be able to script pre-arranged .txt files on certain topics so hal could answer key questions though, especialy in a teaching/learning enviroment.
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Any text (.txt) file can be dropped onto the control box of the Haptek Character and it will speak. The better Lip-Sync occurs
when one uses an ogg file such as one generated from the Haptek program.
If you own Haptek's People Putty there are several sample ogg
files in one of the directories.
Check out a program called Speex.
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First, it is nice to talk to some people using Hal for education.
However, I am confused.......
Is the Haptek control box part of People Putty (which I don't have) or Hal.
I have not been able to figure out how to successfully complete the suggestions you have all made.
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People putty program is the one that is needed both for the console and it also makes ogg files. Art's suggestion merits an ivestiation as well.
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castonguayh,
If you have the following directories on your computer, look
there and locate the file:HapLogCtrl.txt
C:\Program Files\Haptek\player\program\configs
You can either use My Computer or Windows Explorer and do the following:
If you find the file, select it
Do a Copy
The locate your main C:\ drive
Select it
Do a Paste
Run your Hal program and you should see a small box appear
at the upper left of your monitor with some text in it.
This is where you can drop any .txt or .ogg files into
(from elsewhere on your system).
Your Hal character in the main GUI window should speak your
chosen text.
BTW the HalLogCtrl.txt is about 1.5kb - 2k depending and is
a simple text file.
Hope this helps a bit.
Good luck!!
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Castonguayh, E-mail me and I will send you the controller. Just copy it and past it into your "C" drive.
What I want to do is to have the Hap Call plugin send the text response to the controller so the I have the lip sync response when I ask Hal to tell me about "......"
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Thanks again all. You must stay up later than I do. I don't know you have responded until the next day (I'm in bed by 9 PM)!!
Here is where it stands:
Art - I moved the file and a box does come up on the left side of my screen. When I communicate with Hal through the Zabbaware program, I can see the the content of the box change. However, when I create a text file on my desktop and drag it to the box, the content of the box changes but Hal does not speak.
Also, I have tried to email those of you who gave me permission. However, I keep getting a message that email through the forum is not working.
I have programs that use MSagent characters that will TTS. However, I am frequently using Hal in my classroom to discuss topics with students. The interaction of the character as opposed to a simple reading of script grabs the students interest.
Jack G (Karacter King) has made a Haptek character of me and one of my team teachers, and it would be great to be able to drag text and have the characters repeat it during and interactive discussion. Soooo... I am not ready to give up.
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Hi castonguayh. When you do a text file do you save as a named text file and then drag and drop that saved file into the box? This is how it works for me. Hope this helps.
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castonguayh,
What OS are you using (XP - home / Pro, Vista)?
How large is the text file that you're attempting to
feed Hal?
MS Agent characters generally will not work with SAPI 5
(you can check this in Control Panel>Speech).
Does Hal respond normally BEFORE you try dropping a text
file on it?
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Ted I have been naming the file and keeping the file size small. No luck. Thanks anyway. If you come up with any other things to try, let me know. I have learned that the slightest differences in set up can have a huge impact on performance.
Art I am using XP. The file size has be very small - one sentence for testing.
Of course, you are correct on MSagent not using SAPI5 I use Mike or crystal SAPI 4 voices for those character.
what would be great here, is if we could get an addition to the program that we could just say "read file *.txt" and it would open and read it.
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hmm. One more idea.In general options, when you select a voice and click apply, do you return to the character page and update sapi config? Then click apply again?
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That didn't work......
I put a post on the programming forum to see if we could get an answer in programming. I will let you know how it goes.
Thanks
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Castonguayh,
The Programming Forum might draw some additional insight to your problem but you will still see the same members (it's not a sectionalized forum, per se).
A couple issues I noticed while trying to duplicate your efforts:
I used Notepad and typed a simple sentence. I selected a character from an .htr file and it along with the Control window came into view.
I highlighted (selected) the sentence (drag across it), Right click and choose COPY (with the idea of doing a PASTE into the Control window). As soon as I selected the COPY, Hal's voice started speaking the selected text BUT the character's lips did NOT move.
Next, I saved the sentence as Test.txt in Notepad. Using Windows Explorer, I located the file and dropped it into the Control window. The Hal character spoke the sentence AND the lips moved.
OK...progress.
The sentence was about 8 words so I typed several more sentences until I had 130 words. Again, Saved as .txt file, locate and Drop into Control window. Perfect.
One more time only I copied the first paragraph and pasted twice, giving me 390 words. Saved, Drag & Drop into Control window. No problem. Boring to have Hal re-read the same text but Hal did not flinch while reading a 390 word text file.
I don't know what the practical limits might be until a memory overload issue occurs but for your proposed purposes, I don't see where several paragraphs of speech should pose a problem.
Lastly, which TTS voice (and company) are you using and are you using the free or paid version of Hal.
Hal is not setup to allow use of additional Haptek characters without the purchase of the Character Expansion Pack.
Just some thoughts. Keep us posted!
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Art, I have the paid version and the additonal characters.
I have Kate & Paul voices, as-well-as Microsoft crystal & mike.
First question: the box that shows at the top left say "Haptek Console" - is that the correct control?
I turned on the option of havin Hal speak copied text, and he does speak but without lip sync.
I have tried your suggestion (copy & paste, drag, etc.)to no avail.
I am willing to bet it is something extremely simple that I am just overlooking.
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Perhaps the problem lies in set up:
What TTS engine is the default?
Does it match the one chosen for the voice of the character?
Which setting a checked off?
..........?????????????
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Ok, you mentioned Kate & Paul. Those are NeoSpeech voices.
Chrystal & Mike are AT&T, not MS.
There has been some issues with the Kate & Paul voices not speaking as soon as Hal is started. If this happens, go to the Options>Speech menu in Hal and select a different voice. Wait a few moments and reselect the Kate voice. Go to the Chat with Hal section and all should work fine.
YES, the pop-up Control Window should say Haptek Console. This is where you can drag & drop jpg images, txt or ogg files, etc.
One other thing came to mind:
If you purchased / installed the TTS voices AFTER Hal was installed, you should run the HapSAPISetup.exe program. Your voices and Hal's character should now sync with each other.
Keep pluggin!!!
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I have no problem getting the voices to lip sync.
I just seem to have a problem getting the lip sync to work when I use Hal to read documents for me.
Thanks for staying with this.