How to create a macro which uses google translate with pdf documents, and functions just like the google translate chrome extension

Questions & Suggestions
1

Hello,
My question pertains specifically to translating highlighted text, not the whole page.
The Chrome Google translate extension is fantastic. Highlighted text is immediately displayed in a google translate window on the same web page (not in a separate tab)
I would like to create a macro which would have the same functionality, but with pdf documents. I know that you can input whole pdf documents into the google translate web site, but:

  • the quality of the output is not good because of formatting problems.
  • I specifically want to get immediate translations of highlighted text in a window displayed on the pdf document, not in a browser tab for example (which would be easy to do)
    thanks very much for your time and help

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2

I don't have a pure KM solution for you, maybe my workflow with the App Mya Translate will help you.

With my KM macro I can translate directly in all apps (mail, PDF, Safari etc.) and for the price of 2,29 € you can't do much wrong.

Translate.kmmacros (4,4 KB)

1 Like
3

If you are using PopClip @ronald, I can recommend the App Myna for Google Translate. Although it costs 4,49 €, PopClip makes it easier to use.

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4

Herzlichen Dank for your answer and for writing the macro
I purchased Miya from the app store and tested your macro: it works fine.

  • it is funny that the author does not provide any kind of user manual and even seems to have deleted Miya from his list of products, for reasons I do not understand. http://www.noteifyapp.com/
  • one very small glitch with your macro, it the fact that one repetitive sentence is inserted at the beginning of each text: Default Clipboard Text. Reading your macro, I do not know where it comes from.

thank you again

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5

Please forgive my mistake. Change the KM settings - Clipboards Translate to _Translate and add it to the macro (arrow).

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6

Thank you for your reply. There still seems to be a problem.

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7

Can you please send me a screenshot of your clipboards in KM @ronald The error doesn't occur with me like this.

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8

vielen Dank

9

Hey @ronald,

Your “Translate” clipboard is still named “Translate”, without the underscore. To make the macro work properly, you need to either add an underscore to the clipboard’s name and make it “_Translate”, or change %NamedClipboard%_Translate% in your current macro to %NamedClipboard%Translate%.

1 Like
10

Hi Ronald,

you might be interested in my macro for Translate Shell. It displays the result in a KM window.

It has the further advantage that you can also choose the DeepL engine, which in many cases deliveres better translations than Google.

1 Like
11

thank you. It works fine after making the correction.
I will look into your macro