VOX: apply rate/pitch as vendor tags (NetTTS-style); full profile in both hives; docs

docs/NOTES.md

@@ -134,6 +134,11 @@ without them.
   head size 52, volume 70 (factory: 27/33/17/46/100); `vox` also implies VOX prosody.
   `hev` (pitch 15, rate 24) is an unverified starting point - HL1 credits the suit
   sounds to Kelly Bailey with no published settings.
+- Flextalk rate/pitch are applied as **vendor tags** (`\!R` = duration factor,
+  `\!%` = pitch multiplier), never `-s`/`-p`, because ITTSAttributes override the
+  registry profile. Neutral values emit no tag, so Veskslop's default sliders
+  (1.0 / 0) reproduce the preset byte-for-byte. Presets write the full 26-value NetTTS
+  profile plus `Default Speaker` into both HKCU and HKLM.
 - Line-leading `/rate N` and `/pitch N` controls are consumed by the wrapper
   (percent, 100 = normal; `<= 2.0` means multiplier). They override the env
   speed/pitch and are not spoken; a controls-only line yields 100 ms of silence.

docs/TTS-DESIGN.md

@@ -412,14 +412,68 @@ Kerry Watson at factory values. The wrapper implements it as a preset:
 - Precedence: preset < `VESKSLOP_TTS_PROFILE` < `VESKSLOP_TTS_EXPRESSION`.
 - Equivalent explicit override:
   `VESKSLOP_TTS_PROFILE='pitch:3,rate:17,volume:70,prominences:22,head_size:52,lowering:40'`.
-- The NetTTS profile also sets `Gender`, `Line Mode`, and a set of text-class DWORDs
-  (address/date/money classes, abbreviation expansion, and so on). Those affect text
-  normalization rather than the audible voice, so the wrapper does not write them.
 - HEV suit: Half-Life 1 credits the suit sounds to Kelly Bailey; no settings were ever
   published. The `hev` preset is a starting point (less extreme than VOX); tune pitch and
   rate to taste. VOX prosody is optional there (`VESKSLOP_TTS_VOX=1`).
-- Measured with the wrapper on the same line: VOX preset 5.83 s, HEV 3.79 s, factory
+
-  3.35 s (the VOX preset is slower and gains the VOX cadence).
+#### How NetTTS applies the settings (reference behaviour)
+
+Checked against the NetTTS sources (`src/main.cpp`, `src/tts_engine.cpp`,
+`scripts/winetricks/nettts_flextalk_vox_profile.reg`):
+
+1. **Voice**: the imported profile points `Default Speaker` at Keith Bell's GUID, and
+   NetTTS selects the default mode (empty `TTSMODEINFO`) rather than a voice name.
+2. **Speaker profile**: the full key set is imported into **both** hives
+   (`HKEY_CURRENT_USER` and `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE`) at prefix setup; every numeric value is
+   `REG_DWORD`.
+3. **Rate and pitch are never set through `ITTSAttributes`.** NetTTS keeps UI percentages
+   and prepends sticky vendor tags to the utterance text:
+   - `\!R<factor>` = duration factor. Smaller is faster: `0.30` very fast, `1.00` 1.0x,
+     `1.60` slow. No tag at 100%.
+   - `\!%<factor>` = pitch multiplier. `0.85` lower, `1.20` higher. No tag at 100%.
+4. **Volume** goes through `ITTSAttributes::VolumeSet(percent * 65535 / 100)` (Flextalk
+   scale; MSTTS uses 0..0xFFFFFFFF).
+5. **Prosody**: the VOX parser output wrapped in `\!wH1 ... \!wH0`.
+6. The tags are sticky inside an engine instance; NetTTS sends the neutral tag only to
+   reset. Our wrapper starts a fresh engine per line, so stickiness cannot leak.
+
+#### How to implement it correctly (and the bug this fixed)
+
+Earlier wrapper versions mapped `VESKSLOP_TTS_SPEED`/`_PITCH` to `ITTSAttributes`
+`-s`/`-p`. Measured with the VOX profile loaded, Veskslop's neutral slider values
+(`speed=1.0, pitch=0`) sent `-s 150 -p 106`, which overrode the registry profile: F0
+jumped from 87 Hz back to 120 Hz and the line shortened from 5.83 s to 5.10 s. That is
+the "too fast, not deep enough" report.
+
+The correct implementation for Flextalk:
+
+1. Write the speaker profile first (both hives, `REG_DWORD`, full key set for presets;
+   `Default Speaker` for presets).
+2. Translate rate/pitch to vendor tags, **not** attributes:
+   - speed multiplier `m` -> `\!R(1/m)` (clamp 0.25-4.0)
+   - pitch semitones `st` -> `\!%(2^(st/12))` (clamp 0.5-2.0)
+3. Emit **no tag when neutral** (`m == 1`, `st == 0`). `\!R1.00` is a literal 1.0x rate,
+   not the profile rate, so emitting it defeats the preset.
+4. Prepend the tags to the text (`\!R0.77 \!%1.19 Attention all personnel.`); for word
+   mode, prepend to each word because every word is a separate engine instance.
+5. Keep `-s`/`-p` only for MSTTS voices, which have no vendor tags.
+6. Verify with F0 and duration, not by ear: factory Keith ~3.35 s / ~123 Hz; VOX preset
+   ~5.83 s / ~87 Hz; neutral sliders must reproduce the preset byte-for-byte.
+
+Verified matrix (same line, Keith Bell):
+
+| Run | Duration | F0 median |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| factory, no adjustments | 3.35 s | 123 Hz |
+| VOX preset, no adjustments | 5.83 s | 87 Hz |
+| VOX preset + `speed=1.0 pitch=0` | 5.83 s, byte-identical | 87 Hz |
+| VOX preset + `speed=1.3` | 4.02 s | 84 Hz |
+| VOX preset + `pitch=+3` | 5.83 s | 88 Hz |
+| HEV preset, no adjustments | 3.79 s | - |
+
+Registry inspection after a preset run: 26 values in the Keith speaker key in both
+hives, `Pitch=0x3`, `Speaking Rate=0x11`, `Gender=0x2`, `Line Mode=0x1`,
+`Default Speaker={11260610-C84A-11CE-AEC4-0000C0E9CB87}`.
 
 ### Inline rate/pitch controls (engine-side)
 
@@ -487,8 +541,10 @@ This tree is written to survive a copy into the Veskslop repository next to its
    (`VESKSLOP_TTS_*`, `{out}`, `{text_file}`, voice/speed/pitch/expression/profile/
    highpass/echo/words/word_gap_ms). New features are additive and default off.
 3. Optional Veskslop-side follow-up: a `tts.vox` preference that exports
-   `VESKSLOP_TTS_VOX` (like `words`) and a line in the TTS panel help. The inline
+   `VESKSLOP_TTS_VOX` (like `words`) and a line in the TTS panel help. If presets are
-   `/rate` and `/pitch` controls need no UI work at all.
+   exposed, also export `VESKSLOP_TTS_PRESET` and have the voice metadata defaults reflect
+   the preset values so the UI's "default" snap points match. The inline `/rate` and
+   `/pitch` controls need no UI work at all.
 
 ### Transport and latency
 

setup/veskslop-tts.sh

@@ -159,19 +159,38 @@ if [ -f "$TEXTFILE" ]; then
     fi
 fi
 
-# Build the engine arguments from the (possibly command-overridden) speed/pitch.
+# Build the engine controls from the (possibly command-overridden) speed/pitch.
+# Flextalk voices take sticky vendor tags relative to the registry profile, the
+# way NetTTS does it: \!R is a duration factor (smaller = faster, 1.0 neutral)
+# and \!% is a pitch multiplier (1.0 neutral). ITTSAttributes -s/-p would
+# override the profile and make presets sound fast and shallow, so tags are used
+# for Flextalk. MSTTS has no vendor tags and keeps -s/-p.
 SET_ARGS=""
-if [ -n "$SPEED" ]; then
+TAG_PREFIX=""
-    S=$(awk -v m="$SPEED" 'BEGIN{printf "%d", 150*m+0.5}')
+if [ -n "$SPEAKER_GUID" ]; then
-    [ "$S" -lt 50 ] && S=50
+    if [ -n "$SPEED" ]; then
-    [ "$S" -gt "$SMAX" ] && S=$SMAX
+        # A neutral multiplier must not emit a tag: \!R1.00 means a 1.0x rate,
-    SET_ARGS="$SET_ARGS -s $S"
+        # which would override the profile's own speaking rate.
-fi
+        R=$(awk -v m="$SPEED" 'BEGIN{ if (m<=0) m=1; if (m==1) { exit } f=1/m; if (f<0.25) f=0.25; if (f>4) f=4; printf "%.2f", f }')
-if [ -n "$PITCH" ]; then
+        [ -n "$R" ] && TAG_PREFIX="$TAG_PREFIX\\!R$R "
-    P=$(awk -v st="$PITCH" -v nat="$NAT_PITCH" 'BEGIN{printf "%d", nat*exp(log(2)*st/12)+0.5}')
+    fi
-    [ "$P" -lt 50 ] && P=50
+    if [ -n "$PITCH" ]; then
-    [ "$P" -gt "$PMAX" ] && P=$PMAX
+        PCT=$(awk -v st="$PITCH" 'BEGIN{ if (st==0) { exit } f=exp(log(2)*st/12); if (f<0.5) f=0.5; if (f>2) f=2; printf "%.2f", f }')
-    SET_ARGS="$SET_ARGS -p $P"
+        [ -n "$PCT" ] && TAG_PREFIX="$TAG_PREFIX\\!%$PCT "
+    fi
+else
+    if [ -n "$SPEED" ]; then
+        S=$(awk -v m="$SPEED" 'BEGIN{printf "%d", 150*m+0.5}')
+        [ "$S" -lt 50 ] && S=50
+        [ "$S" -gt "$SMAX" ] && S=$SMAX
+        SET_ARGS="$SET_ARGS -s $S"
+    fi
+    if [ -n "$PITCH" ]; then
+        P=$(awk -v st="$PITCH" -v nat="$NAT_PITCH" 'BEGIN{printf "%d", nat*exp(log(2)*st/12)+0.5}')
+        [ "$P" -lt 50 ] && P=50
+        [ "$P" -gt "$PMAX" ] && P=$PMAX
+        SET_ARGS="$SET_ARGS -p $P"
+    fi
 fi
 
 # Apply the Flextalk profile before synthesis. Profiles are read at voice load and
@@ -244,19 +263,57 @@ if [ -n "$SPEAKER_GUID" ]; then
         esac
     done
 
-    REG_KEY="HKLM\\Software\\AT&T\\Watson\\2.0\\FlexTalk\\2.0\\Speakers\\$SPEAKER_GUID"
+    # NetTTS's VOX profile also carries Gender, Line Mode, the text-class
+    # switches and the default-speaker pointer. Write the full set for presets,
+    # exactly like its nettts_flextalk_vox_profile.reg, in both hives.
+    FULL_PROFILE=0
+    if [ "$PRESET" = "vox" ] || [ "$PRESET" = "hev" ]; then
+        if [ "$ENGVOICE" = "Keith Bell" ]; then FULL_PROFILE=1; fi
+    fi
+
+    REG_ROOT='Software\AT&T\Watson\2.0\FlexTalk\2.0'
     # Use printf, not echo: dash's echo interprets \2 in the key path as an
     # escape (STX), which corrupts the key and makes the import a silent no-op.
     {
         printf 'Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00\n\n'
-        printf '[%s]\n' "$REG_KEY"
+        if [ "$FULL_PROFILE" = "1" ]; then
-        printf '"Pitch"=dword:%08x\n' "$P_PITCH"
+            printf '[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\%s]\n' "$REG_ROOT"
-        printf '"Speaking Rate"=dword:%08x\n' "$P_RATE"
+            printf '"Default Speaker"="%s"\n\n' "$SPEAKER_GUID"
-        printf '"Volume"=dword:%08x\n' "$P_VOLUME"
+            printf '[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\%s]\n' "$REG_ROOT"
-        printf '"Expression"=dword:%08x\n' "$P_EXPR"
+            printf '"Default Speaker"="%s"\n\n' "$SPEAKER_GUID"
-        printf '"Prominences"=dword:%08x\n' "$P_PROM"
+        fi
-        printf '"Head Size"=dword:%08x\n' "$P_HEAD"
+        for hive in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE HKEY_CURRENT_USER; do
-        printf '"Lowering"=dword:%08x\n' "$P_LOWER"
+            printf '[%s\\%s\\Speakers\\%s]\n' "$hive" "$REG_ROOT" "$SPEAKER_GUID"
+            printf '"Pitch"=dword:%08x\n' "$P_PITCH"
+            printf '"Speaking Rate"=dword:%08x\n' "$P_RATE"
+            printf '"Volume"=dword:%08x\n' "$P_VOLUME"
+            printf '"Expression"=dword:%08x\n' "$P_EXPR"
+            printf '"Prominences"=dword:%08x\n' "$P_PROM"
+            printf '"Head Size"=dword:%08x\n' "$P_HEAD"
+            printf '"Lowering"=dword:%08x\n' "$P_LOWER"
+            if [ "$FULL_PROFILE" = "1" ]; then
+                printf '"Abbreviation Expansion"=dword:00000001\n'
+                printf '"Address Class"=dword:00000001\n'
+                printf '"Age"=dword:0000001e\n'
+                printf '"Alphabetic Hyphen"=dword:00000000\n'
+                printf '"Case Significance"=dword:00000001\n'
+                printf '"Date Class"=dword:00000001\n'
+                printf '"Fraction Class"=dword:00000001\n'
+                printf '"Gender"=dword:00000002\n'
+                printf '"Line Mode"=dword:00000001\n'
+                printf '"Math Mode"=dword:00000000\n'
+                printf '"Measurements Class"=dword:00000001\n'
+                printf '"Money Class"=dword:00000001\n'
+                printf '"Numerical Hyphen"=dword:00000000\n'
+                printf '"Ordinal Numbers Class"=dword:00000001\n'
+                printf '"ProofRead Mode"=dword:00000000\n'
+                printf '"Proper Names Class"=dword:00000001\n'
+                printf '"Spell Mode"=dword:00000000\n'
+                printf '"Telephone Numbers Class"=dword:00000001\n'
+                printf '"Time Class"=dword:00000001\n'
+            fi
+            printf '\n'
+        done
     } > "$TMP/profile.reg"
 
     # Guard against silent reg-import failures (a malformed key would corrupt
@@ -352,7 +409,7 @@ if [ "$WORDS" = "1" ] && [ -n "$SPEAKER_GUID" ] && [ "$VOX" != "1" ]; then
     INDEX=0
     for word in $(cat "$TXT"); do
         INDEX=$((INDEX + 1))
-        try_run_host "$TMP/w$INDEX.wav" "$word"
+        try_run_host "$TMP/w$INDEX.wav" "$TAG_PREFIX$word"
         echo "file '$TMP/w$INDEX.wav'" >> "$TMP/list.txt"
 
         if [ "$GAP" -gt 0 ]; then
@@ -370,7 +427,7 @@ if [ "$WORDS" = "1" ] && [ -n "$SPEAKER_GUID" ] && [ "$VOX" != "1" ]; then
         exit 1
     fi
 else
-    try_run_host "$RAW" "$(cat "$TXT")"
+    try_run_host "$RAW" "$TAG_PREFIX$(cat "$TXT")"
 fi
 [ -s "$RAW" ] || { echo "engine produced no audio" >&2; exit 1; }