Add speechSequence filter extension point to speech.speak method

[beqabeqa473]

Link to issue number:

Fixes #14520

Summary of the issue:

Added a filterSpeechSequence to speech.speak method to make it possible for addons to filter speech in better way

Description of user facing changes

None

Description of development approach

Added filter extension point in speech.extensions and injected it in the beginning of speech.speak

Testing strategy:

Tested with a plugin and confirmed that it is possible to filter and return filtered speech.

Known issues with pull request:

None at the moment

Code Review Checklist:

• Documentation:
  • Change log entry
  • User Documentation
  • Developer / Technical Documentation
  • Context sensitive help for GUI changes
• Testing:
  • Unit tests
  • System (end to end) tests
  • Manual testing
• UX of all users considered:
  • Speech
  • Braille
  • Low Vision
  • Different web browsers
  • Localization in other languages / culture than English
• API is compatible with existing add-ons.
• Security precautions taken.

Additional notes:

@LeonarddeR I understand, that to make it ideal, some things should be refactored, but can it be considered for potential merging now to eliminate patching speech.speak by numerous addons?

[CyrilleB79]

I have no doubt that this extension point would be useful.

Though, could you give one or more concrete use case to illustrate the need of this PR?

[beqabeqa473]

It would be mutch easier to modify speech sequence with filter rather than override speech.speak method in addons.

[CyrilleB79]

@beqabeqa473, sorry, it's not the answer I was expecting.

To ask it in another way:
Have you in mind some specific add-ons which would benefit of this feature? If yes, please indicate which ones? Thanks.

[beqabeqa473]

There are lots of them. speech history, nvda remote, instant translate, speech logger. They all are patching speech.speak method to get or modify speech sequence.

…

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[ruifontes]

And some more: NVDARecord, NVDA Global extension...

[cary-rowen]

There are also add-ons such as openLinkWith, SearchWith, ClipboardEnhancement, etc. that also rely on this feature.

[CyrilleB79]

Thanks to all for these examples:

@beqabeqa473 you write:

They all are patching speech.speak method to get or modify speech sequence.

Actually, when they just want to get the speech sequence but not modify them (e.g. Instant Translate, Speech History), an Action extension point would be enough.

But I guess it's not needed to implement an Action extension point at the same place as a Filter extension point since a Filter extension point can also be used to trigger an action without modifying the speech sequence.

Just mentioning here to check if NV Access agrees with such way to define extension points.

[LeonarddeR]

But I guess it's not needed to implement an Action extension point at the same place as a Filter extension point since a Filter extension point can also be used to trigger an action without modifying the speech sequence.

That's exactly why I suggested this approach earlier.

[LeonarddeR]

Please also update the dev guide

[beqabeqa473]

But I guess it's not needed to implement an Action extension point at the same place as a Filter extension point since a Filter extension point can also be used to trigger an action without modifying the speech sequence.

That's exactly why I suggested this approach earlier.

I also don't think Action extension point is needed if there will be a filter, where we just can get a sequence and return it as is.

[beqabeqa473]

@LeonarddeR Thanks, done.

[XLTechie]

Thanks @beqabeqa473, this would be most highly useful to numerous add-ons as you say. As far as I know, my Speech Logger is the only one of the listed that also patch as necessary to intercept say-all; that will still need to be separately patched. But given how many patch speech.speak, this extension will solve many potential conflicts and risked conflicts.

[seanbudd]

In future please put the word "fixes" before the issue number in the PR description. This ensures the issue is automatically linked to the PR.

[seanbudd]

please also tick items in the code review checklist. Without these items ticked it is assumed that testing hasn't happened, the PR description is out of date, etc