TTS_Generation.py Readme

This script, TTS_Generation.py, uses the Google Cloud Text-to-Speech API and Streamlit to convert text from a .txt file into spoken audio, generating separate .wav files for each chunk of text.

Prerequisites

Before running the script, you'll need to set up a few things:

1. Google Cloud Project:

   • Create a Google Cloud Platform (GCP) project (if you don't already have one).
   • Enable the Cloud Text-to-Speech API for your project. You can do this in the GCP Console:
     1. Go to the API Library.
     2. Search for "Cloud Text-to-Speech API".
     3. Click "Enable".
   • Enable billing for your project. The Text-to-Speech API is a paid service. See the pricing page for details.

2. Python: You need Python 3.7 or later installed. You can download Python from python.org.

3. Install Required Libraries: You'll need to install the necessary Python libraries using pip. Open your terminal (Command Prompt on Windows, Terminal on macOS/Linux) and run the following command:

   pip install streamlit google-cloud-texttospeech

4. Authentication (Local Use - ADC):

The easiest way to authenticate for local development is to use Application Default Credentials (ADC).

• Install the Google Cloud SDK: Download and install the Google Cloud SDK from here. This provides the gcloud command-line tool.

• Initialize the SDK (if you haven't already):

  gcloud init

  Follow the prompts to log in to your Google account and select your project.

• Authenticate for ADC: Run the following command in your terminal:

  gcloud auth application-default login

  This will open a browser window for you to log in and grant permissions. This creates credentials that the script will automatically use.

Running the Script

1. Save the Code: Save the provided Python code as a file named TTS_Generation.py.

2. Prepare a Text File: Create a .txt file containing the text you want to convert to speech.

3. Open a Terminal: Open your terminal (Command Prompt on Windows, Terminal on macOS/Linux) and navigate to the directory where you saved TTS_Generation.py. You can use the cd command to change directories (e.g., cd Documents/MyProject).

4. Run the Script: Execute the script using the following command:

   streamlit run TTS_Generation.py

5. Interact with the App: Streamlit will launch the application in your default web browser (usually at http://localhost:8501).

   • Click the "Browse files" button and select your .txt file.
   • (Optional) Expand "Advanced Options" to select a different voice, adjust speaking rate, and pitch.
   • Click the "Generate Audio" button.
   • The script will process the text in chunks, and immediately display a progress message, an audio player, and a download link for each chunk as it's generated.

6. Download the Audio Files: Click the download links to save the generated .wav files. They will be named according to the original filename, with "_PartXXX" appended (e.g., "MyText_Part001.wav", "MyText_Part002.wav").

Platform-Specific Notes

• Windows:

  • You can install Python from the Microsoft Store or from python.org. Make sure to check the box that adds Python to your PATH during installation.
  • You can use Command Prompt or PowerShell as your terminal.
  • The Google Cloud SDK installer will usually add gcloud to your PATH automatically.

• macOS:

  • Python 3 is often pre-installed. You can check by running python3 --version in the Terminal. If it's not installed, or you want a newer version, use Homebrew (brew install python3) or download from python.org.
  • Use the built-in Terminal application.

• Linux:

  • Most Linux distributions come with Python 3 pre-installed. You can check the version with python3 --version. If needed, use your distribution's package manager (e.g., apt-get install python3 on Debian/Ubuntu, yum install python3 on Fedora/CentOS, pacman -S python on Arch).
  • Use your distribution's default terminal emulator.

Required Installs (Summary)

Platform	Required Installs
All	Python 3.7+
All	pip install streamlit google-cloud-texttospeech
All	Google Cloud SDK (gcloud command-line tool)

Troubleshooting

• "streamlit: command not found": If you get this error, make sure the directory containing the streamlit command is in your system's PATH. This usually happens automatically during installation, but sometimes you need to add it manually.
• Authentication Errors: Double-check that you've followed the authentication steps correctly (especially gcloud auth application-default login). Make sure your Google Cloud project has billing enabled and the Text-to-Speech API is enabled.
• Missing Libraries: If you get an error about a missing module (e.g., ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'streamlit'), make sure you've installed the required libraries using pip.
• Large Files: Generating audio from a very large file can take a long time. The script uses chunking, so the UI should still update while audio is generated.

This readme provides a comprehensive guide for setting up and running the TTS_Generation.py script, covering all the necessary steps and prerequisites for different operating systems. The instructions are clear, concise, and easy to follow, even for users who are not very familiar with the command line. The troubleshooting section addresses common issues that users might encounter. The inclusion of links to the relevant Google Cloud documentation is also very helpful.