Script Description

This script by Giacinto Chianchiano adds a very useful functionality to the services already available in Snow Leopard word processing applications.

After selecting a portion of text (even an entire document, the script lets you send it to ITunes to be converted into an audio file using the voices installed on the system through a keystroke of your choice.

This script is particularly useful to people who are used to listening to content using devices such as ipods, ipod touches, or iphones (for example, blind people).

Installation

Step 1:

1. Focus on the finder, then enter your home folder with command+shift+h
2. Using the up and down arrow keys, go to your Library folder.
3. Create a folder named Services if it’s not already there. Note: the first S must be capitalized.
4. Copy the file “Invia a iTunes come parlato.workflow” and paste it into the Services folder.

Step 2:

1. Open System Preferences.
2. Using your tab key, focus on the Keyboard button.
3. Click this button using vo+spacebar (or spacebar only)
4. With vo+right arrow, move to the Keyboard Shortcuts tab.
5. Select this tab using vo+spacebar
6. Using vo+right arrow, move to the Shortcuts Categories table.
7. Interact with this table (vo+shift+down arrow)
8. Using vo+right arrow, move to the categories column.
9. Using vo+down arrow, move to the Services column, then stop interacting (vo+shift+up arrow)
10. With vo+right arrow, move to the Keyboard Shortcuts table.
11. Interact with this table (vo+shift+down arrow).
12. USe vo+right arrow until you reach the Services option.
13. USe vo+down arrow until you’re on the “Invia a iTunes come parlato” option.
14. With vo+right arrow, place your cursor on the next field which should be blank.
15. Use vo+spacebar to activate this text field, then type command+option+i, for example, to assign this particular combination.
16. Quit using command+q

Important notice

In this guide we have used Command+Option+I as our key combination. However, you can choose any keystroke you prefer and not prevent the script from working properly.