Using Copy & Paste To Translate

Alien · **Posted:** Fri Jun 01, 2012 10:44 am

I don't know how viable Babel Bot is at the moment, I don't use it myself,
but I have been told that due to Google changing it's API, Babel Bot can't use Google.
Someone feel free to correct me on why Babel Bot no longer works

So I thought that we could use copy & paste to translate using Google translate
Let's not get into a debate about how good Google is at translating.

Saying something in another language is easier than understanding what is being said,
let me explain

If I want to say something in a language I don't know, I just go to Google translate, make sure I have the "From" and "To" set to the right languages, type in what I what to say, then copy the translated text.
Go back to MOULa (having alt-tabbed out) and start a text chat, then hit ctrl V and paste it in.
Then check for any accented letters (MOULa can't handle them) and correct them.
Easy.

But to understand what is being said, I'd have to do the following
1) Keep a chatlog running
2) Refresh the chatlog each time something is said by closing the chatlog and re-opening it
3) Highlight and copy the line I need to translate
4) paste that into Google translate, which then tells me what has been said

I could then translate a reply and paste that into the text chat, but by time I return to MOULa,
the conversation has moved on.

What slows me down is having to refresh the chatlog each time something is said.

This method *could* be used in a one-on-one conversation or if there is an explorer that needs help and you both don't speak each others language,
but for a fast moving conversation it is impractical.

Even if Babel Bot doesn't translate, does it still keep a running text chat, that you can copy into Google to understand what is being said? I realise this is still slow if you're trying to follow a conversation.

If Babel Bot can't or doesn't do that, is it possible someone can write a program that merely keeps the text updated in say, notepad?
(please forgive me if I have no idea how hard or complicated that would be to do, I know nothing about programming)

I am trying to find a more practical way to translate text, so please be gentle on me.
Alien

Tomala · **Posted:** Fri Jun 01, 2012 12:30 pm

This reminds me of the olden days.

TOOO · **Posted:** Tue Jun 05, 2012 5:43 pm

Another problem with the new cut 'n paste is that it won't let you use accent marks. This means you can't cut 'n paste words like Déjà vu, for example. I'm not really complaining - I'm very glad to have this new feature, but it does have limitations.

Christian Walther · **Posted:** Tue Jun 05, 2012 7:26 pm

Alien wrote:

If Babel Bot can't or doesn't do that, is it possible someone can write a program that merely keeps the text updated in say, notepad?

I was about to suggest http://tailforwin32.sourceforge.net/, but I just tried it and it doesn’t seem to work with an Uru chatlog…

not sure if you’ll have more luck with some other “tail” utility (I don’t recall any other free ones). Maybe try it anyway.

TOOO wrote:

Another problem with the new cut 'n paste is that it won't let you use accent marks. This means you can't cut 'n paste words like Déjà vu, for example. I'm not really complaining - I'm very glad to have this new feature, but it does have limitations.

Hmm? I can paste “Déjà vu” just fine here. I can’t send it as chat (trying results in “Error: Must be text only”), but that’s just the way it has always been, when you tried to type such a thing. That is a limitation of the KI (or of text handling in the engine in general), not of copy & paste. In fact, pasting takes me a step further than typing used to here, because it allows me to actually enter the “é”, while typing just inserts some mysterious invisible character.

Are you seeing different behavior?

Nev'yn · **Posted:** Tue Jun 05, 2012 11:25 pm

@Alien: As a Cavern Crier, I'll use Babel Bot to cut/paste translated stuff from Google for non-english speaking explorers i encounter. I also keep Moula windowed to make transition between the different screens easier.

Thankfully, this situation is uncommon to rare. At various points I have worked with translation team to have some of the "major" GoMe ki-mails coverted to German and transliterated Russian*. (Most importantly, the Recurring Cavern Events ki-mail.)

Anys, let me know if you have any questions I may be able to answer.

(Nevyn's Note: Hmm...I wonder if the Crier's pages can be converted to other languages, like the news feed items....)

TOOO · **Posted:** Wed Jun 06, 2012 10:44 pm

Christian Walther wrote:

TOOO wrote:

Another problem with the new cut 'n paste is that it won't let you use accent marks. This means you can't cut 'n paste words like Déjà vu, for example. I'm not really complaining - I'm very glad to have this new feature, but it does have limitations.

Hmm? I can paste “Déjà vu” just fine here. I can’t send it as chat (trying results in “Error: Must be text only”), but that’s just the way it has always been, when you tried to type such a thing. That is a limitation of the KI (or of text handling in the engine in general), not of copy & paste. In fact, pasting takes me a step further than typing used to here, because it allows me to actually enter the “é”, while typing just inserts some mysterious invisible character.

Are you seeing different behavior?

I should have clarified: I meant in chat - and yes, I'm getting “Error: Must be text only”.

Using Copy & Paste To Translate

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