AL Translation Pack

This Javascript code is a Visual Studio Code extension for managing translations in AL projects. Here's a breakdown of its functionality:

Core Features:

• Translation Management:
  • Extracts translatable strings: Reads through AL code files, identifying and extracting strings from Caption, Tooltip, and Label properties.
  • Stores translations: Maintains a translation dictionary (TranslationArray) that maps original strings to their translations in various languages. This dictionary is persisted in a JSON file (AutoTranslate.json) for later use.
  • Updates XLF files: Generates or updates XLF translation files (e.g., [filename].en-US.g.xlf, [filename].it-IT.g.xlf) based on the extracted strings and the stored translations.
  • Provides auto-translation: Offers the ability to automatically translate strings using the AWS Translate service (requires configuration).
• Developer Assistance:
  • Adds translation comments: Assists developers in adding properly formatted translation comments to AL code. These comments help associate strings with their translations in different languages.
  • Code snippets: Provides code snippets for quickly adding captions, labels, and tooltips with translation comments.
  • Comment validation and correction: Scans AL code files, validates the formatting of translation comments, and automatically corrects any issues.
  • Opens objects in browser: Offers a convenient way to open AL objects (tables, pages, queries, reports) directly in the browser from within VS Code.
• Configuration:
  • Translation file name: Allows specifying the base filename for XLF translation files.
  • Default language: Sets the default target language for translations.
  • Auto-translate languages: Defines a list of languages to automatically translate to using AWS Translate.
  • Update on compile: Enables updating translation files automatically after a successful AL project compilation.

How It Works:

1. Activation: When activated, the extension sets up commands, event listeners, and reads configuration settings.
2. String Extraction: The extension scans AL code files, identifying properties like Caption, Tooltip, and Label that need translation.
3. Translation Storage: It uses TranslationArray to store extracted strings and their corresponding translations in different languages.
4. XLF File Generation: Based on TranslationArray and the configured languages, the extension generates or updates XLF files containing translations.
5. Auto-Translation (Optional): If configured, it leverages the AWS Translate API to automatically translate strings to the specified languages.
6. Developer Assistance:
   • Provides code snippets for adding translation comments easily.
   • Validates and corrects the formatting of existing translation comments.
   • Enables opening AL objects directly in the browser.
7. Persistence: The translation dictionary (TranslationArray) is saved to AutoTranslate.json to preserve translations across sessions.
8. Event Handling:
   • Listens for file save events to trigger comment validation and correction.
   • Can be configured to update translations after successful project compilations.

Overall:

This extension simplifies the translation process for AL developers by automating string extraction, translation file management, and offering helpful features like auto-translation, comment management, and code snippets.