--- name: "screader" section: "1" platform: "linux" package: "screader" version: "1.8-7" release: "Debian 7 (Wheezy)" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/screader" --- # screader(1) Screen reader using a software Text-To-Speech package or a hardware speech synthesizer. ## NAME screader - Screen reader using a software Text-To-Speech package or a hardware speech synthesizer. ## SYNOPSIS **screader** \[\`screen' options\] ## DESCRIPTION The **screader** background program reads the screen and puts the information through to a software Text-To-Speech package (Like \`festival') or a hardware speech synthesizer. (like \`Accent') It uses the device /dev/vcsa. (See below) A reverse space at column 80 indicates the line containing the internal pointer. ## SCREADER KEYS The following TTS-commands are available: (Each command must be pressed with the left-ALT-key, unless **screader** is in direct mode. See the \`z'-command.) - a Toggles auto\_speak on or off. When toggled on **screader** will speak out the character being typed or the typed word if word\_mode is toggled on. - b Put internal pointer to begin of current line and speaks that line out if line\_speak is toggled on. - c **Screader** speaks out the line containing the cursor. - d Puts the internal pointer one line down. If line\_speak is on **screader** speaks out that line. - e Speak out character or word under the cursor. - f Toggle for the internal pointer to follow the cursor or not. - g Puts the internal pointer to the bottom of the screen. If line\_speak is on **screader** speaks that line out. - h Puts the internal pointer to the top of the screen. If line\_speak is on **screader** speaks that line out. - i Toggles line\_speak on or off. When toggled on **screader** will speak out the line, which is pointed to by the internal pointer, every time it has changed. - k Toggles key clicking on or off. When toggled on **screader** will give a short click after a key is pressed. - , Puts the pointer left one word. If auto\_speak is toggled on **screader** speaks out that word. - l Puts the internal pointer one character left. If auto\_speak is on, **screader** speaks out the character pointed to by the internal pointer. - m Toggles the word\_mode on or off. When toggled on **screader** speaks out words instead of characters. - n Toggle for numbers. If toggled on (default) **screader** speaks out the value of the digits. Otherwise **screader** speaks out digit by digit. If in word\_mode, words will be spelled. - o Silence please. - p Speaks out character or word pointed to by the pointer. - q Toggles punctuation on or off. When toggled on **screader** will put each punctuation mark through to a script punctuation.N.sh. Otherwise **screader** will replace each punctuation mark by a space, so that only alphabetic characters and digits are spoken. (See **PUNCTUATION SCRIPT**.) - . Puts the pointer right one word. If auto\_speak is toggled on **screader** speaks out that word. - r Puts the internal pointer one character right. If auto\_speak is on, **screader** speaks out the character pointed to by the internal pointer. - s **Screader** speaks out the line pointed to by the internal pointer. - u Puts the internal pointer one line up. If line\_speak is on **screader** speaks out that line. - w Speaks out the whole screen. - x Re-read the \`tts' file. (if another TTS is desired.) Each time this combination is pressed **screader** will select the next TTS-command from this file. (if any, else the first one will be selected. and so on) - z Put **screader** in direct mode. In this mode each command can be given without the alt-key, so that reviewing the screen is easier. When the \`z'-key is pressed, **screader** goes back to application mode, so that you can work with your application again. - \- Toggles repeat\_mode on or off. If toggled on, every sequence of the same characters will be spoken as \`character n times\`. where n stands for the number of that character in the sequence. - ' Toggles caps\_mode on or off. If toggled on **screader** speaks the word \`cap' before each capitalized character. - \= Makes the internal pointer equal to the cursor. ## SCREEN\_DEVICE **Screader** reads its information from a device /dev/vcsa. Kernels 1.1.92 or later provide this device. ## PUNCTUATION SCRIPT Each time **screader** encounters a punctuation mark, it will be put through to a script called punctuation.N.sh, where N corresponds to the Nth tts-command in the tts-file. If there is no punctuation script the punctuation mark will be directly put through to the current tts-command. ## FESTIVAL CLIENT If you want to use the server/client option of Festival place the line: - festival\_client.sh as first command in the file /etc/screader/tts. It is supposed that before using this tts-command the festival server is started by the following command: - festival --server & Festival Speech Synthesis System\ Copyright (C) University of Edinburgh, 1996,1997. \ All rights reserved. ## BUGS When typing fast sometimes the whole line will be spoken out instead of the characters being typed when line\_speak and auto\_speak are toggled on. Also when word\_mode is toggled on the whole line will be spoken out when typing. ## FILES - /etc/screader/tts This file contains the name(s) of the Text-To-Speech utility(s) to be used. - /etc/screader/punctuation.?.sh Punctuation scripts. - /dev/vcsa Screen\_device. ## SEE ALSO **screen**(1L), [**vcs**(4)](/vcs/4.md), [**festival**(1)](/festival/1.md) ## AUTHOR Jos Lemmens (jlemmens@inter.nl.net)