Spd-say for Alert Sound Notification

spd-say sends text-to-speech output request to speech-dispatcher process which handles it and ideally outputs the result to the audio system.

Speech Dispatcher

Speech-dispatcher is a server process that is responsible for transforming requests for text-to-speech output into actual speech hearable in the speakers. It arbitrates concurrent speech requests based on message priorities, and abstracts different speech synthesizers. Client programs, like screen readers or navigation software, send speech requests to speech-dispatcher using TCP protocol (with the help of client libraries).

Speech-dispatcher is usually started automatically by client libraries (i.e. autospawn), so you only need to run it manually if testing/debugging, or when in other explicit need for a special setup.

Use-case

There are multiple ways this can be used but most common usecase is to get an alert. This can be in Linux when your long Job/Process is completed.

Install Speech Dispatcher

$ sudo apt-get install speech-dispatcher

Run spd-say

#Spd-say
spd-say "Your Job is Completed!!"
#Execute Command
command ; spd-say "Task Completed"

You can also make an alias, by adding the following lines in .bashrc file.

#Alias
alias alert='spd-say "Task Completed"'
#Use alert when you want to get notified
command ; alert