System.Speech.Synthesis.SpeechSynthesizer Speak method throws Object reference not set to an instance of an object." in PowerShell 7.x, but not in PowerShell 5.1.

Speech.Synthesis.SpeechSynthesizer Broken in CORE

RE-OPENED 8809

Steps to reproduce

Add-Type -AssemblyName System.speech
$speak = New-Object System.Speech.Synthesis.SpeechSynthesizer
$speak.Speak("test");

Expected behavior

hear "test" from speakers, just like in PS 5.1

Actual behavior

Exception calling "Speak" with "1" argument(s): "Object reference not set to an instance of an object."

Environment data

POWERSHELL 5

PSVersion                      5.1.17134.407
PSEdition                      Desktop
PSCompatibleVersions           {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0...}
BuildVersion                   10.0.17134.407
CLRVersion                     4.0.30319.42000
WSManStackVersion              3.0
PSRemotingProtocolVersion      2.3
SerializationVersion           1.1.0.1

POWERSHELL CORE 7.1.3

Name                           Value
----                           -----
PSVersion                      7.1.3
PSEdition                      Core
GitCommitId                    7.1.3
OS                             Microsoft Windows 10.0.19042
Platform                       Win32NT
PSCompatibleVersions           {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0…}
PSRemotingProtocolVersion      2.3
SerializationVersion           1.1.0.1
WSManStackVersion              3.0

[ghost]

All good. I understand. Thank you for the time you took for this reply. I will go down the rabbit hole and let the community know if I figure out anything. Cheers!

[SeeminglyScience]

Just to fully clarify, this will work in the latest preview because PowerShell happens to ship with a new version of the System.Speech library that no longer has this bug. The label for this could be switched to Resolution-Fixed.