Create a Multilingual Project

Learn how to create multilingual projects with the translation tools. in multiple languages.

You can create not only a translated project but a translated skin as well. This means you’ll find two options to translate; one in the project settings and one in the Skin Editor. Once a project and/or skin has translation files, the panorama player will detect the user’s browser language and display the correct language or you can use the skin to switch languages.

We are using the translation tool, Poedit. It is free and available across all operating systems.

Translating the Project

Hotspots, nodes, user data, project user data, and PDF files are examples of what gets translated in the project translation file.

1. Download and install Poedit. This is the tool we use to create the translations.
2. Go to the Properties Panel.
3. In the Translations section, choose the project language. This is the default language.
   

   

4. Click the button for Generate Translations Template. This will automatically create the translation template file and add it to the translations folder. This is a POT file that is compatible with Poedit.
5. In the dialog that appears, click the link that will take you to the file’s location.
6. Open the template file in Poedit. Note that it is a template file, not the translation file.
7. At bottom of the Poedit window, click the big button that says Create new translation.
   

   

8. Choose the language to translate to.
9. Now you can start translating by selecting a line and at the bottom of the screen, for “Translation” type the translation. In the panel at the top-right, there are suggested translations that you can use by clicking on them. However, you can only use this 10 times in the free version. After that, you’ll be asked to upgrade.
10. Save the translation and two files will be generated. Pano2VR uses the .po file.
11. In the Skin Editor, add a button(s) to change languages.
    ★ Tip  A button is not required. Even if there are no buttons to change languages,the player will detect the user’s browser language and use the correct translation if available.

All project text will now be translated. If you need to translate the skin, see this document.

★ Tip  In the lower, right panel under Notes for translators in Poedit you’ll see where the current text is from.

★ Tip  Any media added to the project will also appear in the translation file. It will show the file path of the media. To have the media change with the translation, add the filename and path (if not located in the same directory as the original media) that matches the language. When translating YouTube or Vimeo videos, use the video’s ID: https://youtu.be/gGyVjkRDLYY = gGyVjkRDLYY.

If you wish not to include file paths or URLs that have been added to Hotspots and Pinned Elements, then deselect those options for Included Files.

Update a Translation

If you added content that should get translated to the project after the initial translation, you need to make a new template and load it.

1. Recreate the template file .pot by clicking the Generate Translations Template button. This will add the new content.

2. Open the .po file in Poedit.

3. In Poedit, go to the Translation menu and choose, Update from POT file. The PO file will now have the new content, ready to be translated.

   

4. Save the .po file and re-output the project.

See also…

• Poedit
• Project Properties
• Skin Editor
• Webinar|Translations Part 1
• Webinar|Translations Part 2