An online translation editor can be a great help in getting started with translation management, and also it can improve the translation process experience for more advanced teams. It's easier and more intuitive and user-friendly than an Excel file, and multiple users can work on translations in one place.
Learn how to use SimpleLocalize translation editor and set it to your and your team needs. Adjust the views and learn all editor options to take full advantage of its features.
Table of contents
Translation editor views
All translation editor settings you can find on the right side of the editor in Translations tab. Click on Settings to expand all view options. Below, you can see each view description and below all options available in the editor.
List View – Side-by-side
Side-by-side view is an advanced version of list view. It splits the view into two columns, so you can see two languages at one. Below, you can decide which information to show, like key details, key or code descriptions.
List View – All translations
This view shows a simple list of all translation keys with their properties and translations in all languages. If you need to check specific key details or work on individual translation, this view will help you focus on the key.
Table View
Table view is a simple spreadsheet-like view. It can store thousands of keys and translations in multiple languages. To start translating, simply click on the translation input and type in the translation.
Translation actions
Translation actions are additional options in the editor: Reviews, Auto-translation and Translation history. You will find them in the Settings section in all editor views.
Enabling translation actions option will show extra buttons near the translation input in all editor views.
Accept translations
Change the translation status to Accepted for additional verification of translations quality. Use this option to verify translations done automatically by DeepL or Google Translate and mark them as reviewed.
Click on Accept to indicate that the translation has been checked, and no further adjustments are needed.
Not accepted translation is a translation that needs to be checked and reviewed before being accepted.
You can filter translations to find not accepted translations using translation status filter.
Auto-translate
This quick auto-translate option allows using auto translation for a single text. With that option, you can use DeepL or Google Translate directly inside the translation editor when working on translations.
To auto-translate text, click on the Auto-translate action button in the target language, choose translation service provider (Google Translate or DeepL), confirm the target language and choose the source language for auto-translation. Next click 'Apply auto-translation' and that all, your text is now translated!
How to auto-translate a single string in Translation Editor
Translation history
Translation history will show you all changes and reviews for each translation in all languages. You can use translation history to apply previously used translations and see how the translation was changing over time.
Note that the storage time of translation history depends on the chosen subscription plan. If you can't see any past data in translation history, it means that there were no changes within the last 7, 30 or more days, depending on the plan.
Translation filters
The filters described below will help you in working on translations in translation editor. Thanks to filters, you can adjust the translations list and display only those translations, which you need to see.
You can find all translation filters at the top of the translation editor in all views.
Search
Search translation keys and translations by typing in the key or translation you are looking for. The search will also find results inside your translations.
Languages
Use Languages filter to select which languages you want to display in the editor. Click on Languages to open the list of all languages used in your project. Select languages you would like to display and click Apply button to go back to the editor.
Status
Using Status filter, you can display translations according to their status within selected languages.
- Accepted (all) - display all accepted translations.
- Translated (all) - display all translated translation keys.
- Auto-translation (any) - display translation keys that have any auto-translation applied.
- Not translated (any) - display all translation keys that have any translation missing.
- Not accepted (any) - display all translation keys with any translation not accepted.
Sort translations
Sort the list of translation keys most or least translated, last seen or modified translations, newest or oldest keys, or namespaces.
Additional information
You can display additional information for each translation key in both List views. In a simple list, without expanding translation view, you can see selected language translation, create or last modification date and auto-translated texts.
Namespaces
Namespace is an information which folder the key is taken from. If you are using translations uploaded from multiple files, then namespaces allow you to show the translation source file in the editor.
You can find the information about key namespace in all editor views near the translation key. Namespace filter allows you to filter the list of translations to display the list for selected namespace, or keys without any namespace assigned. The namespace filter will appear automatically whenever you have namespaces in your project.
Click on Change namespace button in list view to add or edit key namespace directly in the translation editor.
Translation editor settings
The options listed below are used in all editor views. SimpleLocalize will remember your preferences and on subsequent logins the editor will open with your previously saved settings. Use options below to customize translation editor to your needs and preferences.
Input size
Change the default input size to bigger to work on longer, multi-line texts comfortably. This option appears by default in list views.
Here you can see the bigger input size in the list view with extra translation actions buttons.
To expand the key view and see larger input in Table View, click on the key. You will also be able to adjust the input size manually.
Automatic text wrapping
This option will wrap your multi-line translations to show the whole text within the input. It works great when used together with bigger input size option to display the entire longer text in one view.
In the example below, you can see the automatic text wrapping option enabled in Side-by-Side view with expanded key view.
Translation text summary
Use this option to show the number of characters, words, whitespaces and lines in your translation. It helps to keep similar translation length and style in different languages.
The translation text summary will show up under translation input in each view of translation editor.
Auto-translation indicator
Use this option to see right away if the key was translated automatically and may require additional review.
The chosen translation service logo, DeepL or Google Translate, will appear in the translation input in all views.
Screenshots
Add screenshot near the translation you are working on for easier and faster translation key localization. Project owners and project admins have the ability to add or delete screenshots, while translators can only view them.
For the Table View, you can enable the Show screenshot column option in the editor settings. This will display screenshots adjacent to the respective translation key.
In the List View, locate the Screenshots option under the translation keys. To add an image, simply click on the screenshot area and upload the desired image. Additionally, you can click on the image to view it in full size.
Uploading screenshot in List View
Other settings
Show hidden translation keys
While importing your translations to SimpleLocalize with Excel or CSV, you can set some keys as 'hidden' if you don't want them to be shown in the editor. By default, such keys are not visible in the editor, but you can show them using Show hidden translation keys option.
Add line breaks with Ctrl + Enter
This is an extra option that can help translators in their work. Instead of adding a new line in your translation with Enter, use Ctrl+Enter.
Translation key description
In translation key description, you can add any extra information you want to show to translators. Usually, it is the specific key location. Use it to add a link with the location screenshot to help to locate the key easily. The link will open automatically in a new tab. This information can be shown in all editor views.
Click on Show description column to display key descriptions in Table View, or check key details in List View to see the description.
Code description
Code description is a key description or key details set directly in your source code. It can be displayed in Table View with Show code description column option checked in editor view settings.
Note that code descriptions are imported from the source file, and cannot be edited in the translation editor. See an example of code description below.
<FormattedMessage
id="YOUR_TRANSLATION_KEY"
defaultMessage="Your default translation text"
description="Your code comment for translators"/>
Keyboard shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts are the fastest way to speed up your workflow. To use a shortcut, press and hold one or more modifier keys and then press the last key of the shortcut.
General shortcuts
Shortcut | Action |
---|---|
Ctrl/Cmd + s | Save changes |
Tab | Next element |
Shift + Tab | Previous element |
Ctrl + Enter | Next translation |
Ctrl + Shift + Enter | Previous translation |
List View shortcuts
Those shortcuts are available in List View while you select one of the rows.
Shortcut | Action |
---|---|
Enter | Open / close list row |
Delete / Backspace | Delete list row |
Right Arrow | Next list row |
Left Arrow | Previous list row |
Ctrl/Cmd + c | Copy list row translation key |
Ctrl/Cmd | Select translation key (bulk update) |
Delete translation keys
You can easily delete a selected translation key by using the trash can button located in every editor view.
For deleting multiple translation keys at once, navigate to the List View. While holding down the Ctrl or ⌘ key, click on a key to enable the bulk update view. Bulk update option allows you to select multiple keys at once or even select all of them and use Delete keys option.
Deleting multiple translations keys from the editor