TREP Options

[Baronius]

TREP

Current version: 1.1
Website: http://www.blackwyrmlair.net/Tools/trep.php
Download: http://www.blackwyrmlair.net/Tools/trep.php
IFIET Community: http://ifiet.blackwyrmlair.net/



I've written a small tool for myself a few years ago, with a few features. It also had some unfinished functions. About a year ago, I decided to finish it, extend it with a few features and make some documentation. Its most important new feature is the Translator Mode. So I've worked on it occassionally (often consulting with Januszka, who helped me a lot), and now I believe it is worth to be released. I would like to make the work of modders, translators and proofreaders easier with this software.

TREP allows you to edit TRA files and manage your translations efficiently by offering a user-friendly interface with several services. This screenshot was taken in Translator Mode.

If you want to start translating or editing immediately after downloading TREP, see the Readme file (readme.html) for instructions. For complete descriptions of services and features, see the User's Manual (manual.html). If you're looking for more on-line information, please see the homepage of the software.

Bug reports, and requests for new functions: If you feel it's significant enough to deserve a separate topic, please start a new thread in the current forum (The Modder's Tools) instead of posting it here. Any other comments, requests, bug reports and suggestions are welcome in this topic! And please don't hesistate to share your opinion.

I hope many users will find this tool useful!

This post has been edited by Baronius: Sep 7 2007, 08:20 PM

Reason for edit: New version released

[Januszka]

Yay finally we all can enjoy this sooooooooooooo nice tool ^^
Thanks Bar

EDIT: I know I am a pain in the ass, but wouldn't it be nice to have an installer?

Btw, quick edit doesn't work for me

2nd EDIT: Will make the translation of documentation, mainly the manual, but I need some time (atm coordinating translation of some kotor mod).

This post has been edited by Januszka: Jul 26 2007, 07:03 AM

[The Bigg]

Although I'd never use it (both because I don't translate, and I favor the simple text editor), it looks interesting.
Suggestions:
- I'd put both dialog.tlk and dialogF.tlk on the main frame (at least for the being-edited/translate-to language), rather than using a drop-down menu.
- in the find/replace dialog, you should put there the 'case sensitive' option as a checkbox. Also, you should look into regexp (both there, and in the find box in the main window). They should be supported by the same library you used for text search.
- "start new translation" should work from the current .TRA file, rather than opening one.

[Januszka]

This program doesnt open tlk files afaik.
The only thing I didnt understand was the last one, about starting translation.
It does need another file to be open, cause you're starting and you need another file, you can translate as well in editor mode, but the nice way should be doing it in separate files so you can later revise what you translated.
If you need to open the 2 files, which you already have, so to say, english and spanish, you "continue" a translation.
But maybe I just didnt get your question :/

[The Bigg]

This program doesnt open tlk files afaik.

dialog.tlk, dialogF.tlk = the strings for dialog.tlk, dialogF.tlk (as in @xxx = ~dialog.tlk line~ ~dialogF.tlk line~).

The only thing I didnt understand was the last one, about starting translation.
[...]

If you opened path/to/mod/english/setup.tra and choose 'new translation', it should IMHO assume that path/to/mod/english/setup.tra is the translate-from file, and should only ask you for the translate-to file.

[Januszka]

Well, female line is only needed in some cases, we only need those lines when the text is different, so we can save some space in main window, and as far as i know trep tells you when the original tra has 2 lines with some indicator.

About the other questin. It wasnt contemplated the file you previously opened to be object of "new translation", since when you open a file in editor mode you are editing not translation, maybe it would be a nice idea for future releases to switch a file from editor to transltor mode? Lets wait for Bar then

This post has been edited by Januszka: Jul 26 2007, 08:52 PM

[Baronius]

- in the find/replace dialog, you should put there the 'case sensitive' option as a checkbox.

It used to be there in the alpha version, but there is too little space, and in other languages the text 'case sensitive' might not fit the layout. Everything can be set in Preferences, in the Search page.

Also, you should look into regexp (both there, and in the find box in the main window). They should be supported by the same library you used for text search.

I won't add a function just because it's possible. Many of those who will use this tool even don't know what regexp is. By the way, if the text search (so not the strref/index search) is touched, its implementation will be completely replaced, for performance and portability reasons.

- "start new translation" should work from the current .TRA file, rather than opening one.

It wasnt contemplated the file you previously opened to be object of "new translation", since when you open a file in editor mode you are editing not translation, maybe it would be a nice idea for future releases to switch a file from editor to transltor mode?

I don't see why it would be good. Even the very short readme explains how to create and open Translations. Adding an additional feature for users who open a file to edit and then change their mind meanwhile to translate it... no. It would decrease the consistency of the current system. I don't have time to implement features that are already available in a different but friendly form. (I suppose you meant completely replacing it, The Bigg, but I don't think it would be much more different or better than the current solution, and would require the manual to be updated etc.)

Thanks for the feedback, Januszka and The Bigg. Too bad you will never use it, The Bigg, otherwise I could consider your comments more significant -- just like Sikret in case of Improved Anvil, I prefer suggestions from those who really want to use it. (They obviously have a different approach than those who just try to be helpful, and/or look at it with a programmer eye.)


[EDIT]

I know I am a pain in the ass, but wouldn't it be nice to have an installer?

Installation wizard added

This post has been edited by Baronius: Jul 27 2007, 04:26 PM

[Baronius]

TREP v1.1 has been released.

Changes in software:
* Bugfix. The rare bug could occur when the option "View sample code in entry names" was enabled. It caused an internal error in TREP's entry management system.
* Other minor bugfixes.

Language novelties:
* German user interface

Module novelties:
* German dialogue TOKEN module (see TREP homepage for more information)

Many thanks to Leonardo Watson for the translation as well as his really comprehensive report about v1.0, which helped me to identify a serious (but rare) bug as well.

[Jab]

Very useful and very nice!

[Baronius]

Diky, glad to hear you find it useful.

I've received some good suggestions already and I have my own ideas too, but no time to implement any of them.

[Leonardo Watson]

I have already translated several big mods as usual with an editor. Now for some weeks I use TREP and I must say that it makes the work much easier and the translation speed is clearly higher.
It is especially practical that only the currently translated string can be seen and that the original text stands close above the edited text

It is also much more safe to work with it because tildes can not be overwritten by mistake and the string can not get deleted accidentally.

Thank you for that tool!

[aVENGER]

This is an excellent tool Baronius, great job.

I've posted a link in the translation thread on my forum and I'm recommending it to anyone who is planing to translate my mod.

[Baronius]

Thanks for the kind words guys, I'm glad to hear it has proved to be useful for you.

There is a number of things that could be added to it if I had time (and mood for TREP, I should really revise the code too). When the tool was released, Leonardo had some really good suggestions, and others too (e.g., even before the release, SirLancelot suggested a more intelligent solution instead of the sequential list -- what about displaying the entries in a dialogue tree, based on the .d file ). But we all know that practically each fan-made mod/tool could be improved in some way, but we have our priorities (and inside IE modding too).