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How to translate a mod with xTranslator.
(Note: english is not my main language)
Important 1:
If xtranslator doesnt seem to start, you have probably an outdated version of Avast antivirus.
Solution: Update Avast
Important 2:
In fallout 1.7+ and SkyrimSE, all strings files are distributed in the archive 'Interface.ba2/bsa', so you don't need to have the strings files in your .\strings folder. Also, the archive contains all languages, so it's easier to get your dictionary ready. You obviously also don't need to keep a backup.
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The first thing to do is to correctly set your language in xtranslator, and create a dictionary from the game you want to translate. This defines which dictionary and codepage will be used.
The game uses some strings ressources that are stored in .\Data\Strings folder or in interface.bsa/ba2 archive file
By default, you have the strings corresponding for your language.
These files are:
[game]_xx.DLSTRINGS
[game]_xx.ILSTRINGS
[game]_xx.STRINGS
where [game] is the name of the game (skyrim or fallout4) and xx, is the identifier of your language. (it's "en" for english, "fr" for french etc...)
1)String, dictionaries and options.
For the purpose of this tutorial, let's say you play the game in french, and you want to translate some mods from "english" to "french".
To be able to build a dictionary you will need the set of string files in english *and* in french. Since you play the game in french, you already have the strings in french. You can get the english ones in the download section of xtranslator.
Then, you must put them in the same folder than the french one.
You string folder must be like this (not in fallout4/SKyrim SE 1.7 +, read above, the strings are in archives files)
.\[game]\Data\Strings\[game]_en.DLSTRINGS
.\[game]\Data\Strings\[game]_en.ILSTRINGS
.\[game]\Data\Strings\[game]_en.STRINGS
.\[game]\Data\Strings\[game]_fr.DLSTRINGS
.\[game]\Data\Strings\[game]_fr.ILSTRINGS
.\[game]\Data\Strings\[game]_fr.STRINGS
-Now Open xTranslator
-Open menu->options->set options and languages.
-The source language (1) defines in which language is the original mod, for the example, let's say it's in "english" (en), which is the case most of the time).
-The destination language (2) defines in which language you want to translate the mod,let's say it's in "french", (fr))
-Set the path (3) to your .\[game]\Data\ directory (where esp/esm files are located, and if it's not automatically set)
-Set the path (3) to your .\[game]\Data\Strings\ directory (where the strings files are located, and if it's not automatically set)
note: you can set different folder than the game one if you need to.
-If everything is set correctly, then the cache information should be in green (4),
-(5) Now choose the type of dictionary you want to generate:
a)Advanced dictionaries are recommended: they provide most accurate methods, you need esm+strings files, to build them.
b)Basic dictionaries are the legacy ones, they only need strings files and are less accurate.
-(6) More options:
a)if you want to ignore strings files that are inside bsa/ba2 archive, check the "use only string from string folder" option. You will obviously need to have the strings from both languages correctly extracted in the strings folder for this to work. This can be useful if you use custom strings files
b) IF you check "ignore basic dictionary' then xTranslator will not try to load them if ther are present. It's recommended to leave this checked, unless you effectively use basic dictionaries.
Once everything is set and green, click on (7) Build dictionaries.
2)Translate your mod
Most of the time, mods will use "delocalized" esp. This means the strings are embedded in the esp.
-In fallout4translator, menu file->open esp
-The esp is loaded, and xtranslator tries to associate the strings that are found in the dictionary.
Strings that are directly translated are in white (4), the others are in Red (1). Some strings can be flagged in pink (3), with a small magnifying glass icon, that means more that one translation can be used pour the same original string. Blue lines (2) are those you validate manually.
In the upper part of the main windows, (A) you see the strings used in the mod. Each Top Tab list one of the 3 strings files.
Tab Strings= short text, for items/labels etc...
Tab DLStrings = Long text (book/description etc...)
Tab ILString= Subtitles for dialogs
In the lower part of the main windows, (B) there are few tabs: open the heuristic suggestion(old name was autotranslation) tab.
When you select a string in (A), xtranslator is searching all similar strings in the dictionary and shows the best matches in (B)
If they are green in, a close match is found, otherwise, you can see string partially similar. (more red = less similar).
To edit a string and translate manually, simply double click on it (in A), this open the edit windows (which contains also some advanced tools) and write the translated text. The new translation is automatically validated (in blue) on close.
3)Saving dictionary / exporting mod.
While you are translating a mod, you may want to save a partial work.
To do that, use the save dictionary (menu file->save sst dictionary).
The strings will be automatically reassigned the next time you re-open the esp.
Once everything is translated, choose menu file ->export/finalyze esp.
IMPORTANT: do not export/finalyse an esp that is not entirely translated otherwise xtranslator will not be able to find which strings are translated and which string are not translated the next time you reopen it. When you continue a translation always load an esp with the pure original (source) language.
43 comments
I lost all mod data to my hard drive and backup hard drive a couple of months ago so I only have the string files from my mod page.
Is there a way to use these files to restore my esm file? Or do I have to start over the mod from scratch?
- Shoud I ask for permission first or just try it and wait for moderation? Nexus "File submission guidelines" are not really clear on that. I only modified one .esp file only (no strings found in the other files) so I obviously "include content from the original mod".
- Is the one file enough or better include the whole nine yards?
- Also, nexus is asking for "Original file your mod is a translation of". I tried links, ID's ... without success.