Updated extension: DeepL Translator

[nick]

An update for this translation extension, adding support for translating in the DeepL app, which has been much-requested. Also, improvements to the website mode.

DeepL Translator — PopClip Extensions

DeepL Translator

Translate the text with DeepL Translator.

Download: DeepLTranslator.popclipextz

Description

The extension has a single action that takes text as input and sends it either to the DeepL website, or the DeepL app.

When using the App mode, the DeepL app must be already running and the “DeepL App Shortcut” setting must be set to match the shortcut in DeepL preferences.

Options

• Mode: Chose whether to perform the translation in a browser on the DeepL website, or in the DeepL app.
• DeepL App Shortcut: Sets the key combo for PopClip to use to activate DeepL. Leave this blank to use the default DeepL combo which is “⌘+C+C”. Otherwise type a key combo like “control option command D”. (See Key Combo String Format.)
• Website Output Language: Chose the output language for website mode. (Input language will auto-detect.)

About

This is an extension for PopClip.

Author

Nick Moore

Requirements

Requires PopClip 2022.5

Links

• GitHub Source

Changelog

4 May 2022

• Support DeepL App mode.
• Add more output languages to Website mode.
• Set source language to auto detect in Website mode.
• Fix bug in website mode where input text would be cut off after the first slash (/) character.

9 Nov 2020

• Add more output languages.

27 Dep 2018

• Initial release.

[Jacky_Wong]

Thx Nick, this is indeed a great update!
A little issue: I’m a heavy user of Alfred and my favorite shortcut for launching Alfred is double tap COMMAND. When I set the DT extension to APP mode and DeepL App shorcut to command+C+C, the problem arises: click the popup icon of the extention and you will see Alfred instead of the DeepL App window ¯_(ツ)_/¯

Now, the only solution seems to be: change the shortcut for Alfred, which is not going to happen since I’ve been using it for years and I use it many times a day.

I know this is a very particular case and it would be unfair to request a solution just for me. But I know there’re many Alfred users out there using Popclip and DeepL at the same time. Maybe they’re suffering the same issues just like me?

Is there a way of solving the issue gracefully?

[nick]

Welcome to the forum @Jacky_Wong. I’ll have a think about this in general but in the meantime there is something you can do right away: you could use a Snippet to define your own DeepL extension.

Here’s how:

First, in DeepL, set a different shortcut — in the example below, ⌃⌥⌘D:

Then go to a text editor (TextEdit is fine), type out something like the following, and select it with PopClip:

name: DeepL
icon: circle D
key combo: control option command D

Of course, you can just select the text above, if you aren’t changing the key combo

Here is an example of me doing this:

You’ll need to change the “key combo” if you use a different shortcut. You can also change the name of the extension and you can change the icon.

Here is more information about Extension Snippets.

[Jacky_Wong]

Wow, thx for your quick response Nick, really appreciated it.
I will give it a try later. Take care and stay safe.

[nick]

And you, @Jacky_Wong !
I have also made an alternate version of the extension called ‘DeepL App’ that allows a different app shortcut:

DeepLApp.popclipextz

[Jacky_Wong]

Wow…
Man, that’s super fast response and update, thank you so much Nick!
God bless you and your family! Stay safe and keep rocking the world!

[Jacky_Wong]

Also, I’ve figured out another way to solve the problem with the help of my most beloved tool: Better Touch Tool, here’s how:

1. set the Alfred shortcut as something like: command+space;
2. in BTT, set a keyboard sequence: double click command = command+space;
3. problem solved.

however, I still decided to install the DeepLApp extention you just created, because it provides more flexibility in the future for me. Thanks again:)

[cfryal]

Thanks @nick! This is great. I only use the app, so this allows me to replace the Snippet I made.

[nick]

It’s worth noting, that I think the DeepL app itself is a bit more reliable when it is used in the ‘double command C’ mode than if you set a regular shortcut. I’ve noticed that occasionally it struggles to get the selected text when used with a regular shortcut.

[cfryal]

That’s an interesting point! I’ve noticed that sometimes (especially with Numbers and Pages) the shortcut I set doesn’t send text to the DeepL app, and if I then type command C it does…

Now I’ve reset it to use ‘double command C’. Hopefully it will be better behaved.

Come to think of it, I forget why I didn’t like ‘double command C’ in the first place…

[nick]

Double command C is a very nice and reliable mechanism for one app to get selected text from another app. I think if I’d known about it at the time I started PopClip, it might have used that technique. It would’ve been a lot easier.

I guess the problem is that only one app at a time can be the one to use it so there is competition to be ‘the one’.

Why DeepL can’t have a nice AppleScript or URL scheme or system service, like nice Mac apps, I don’t know. But it’s a common theme that Apps from big companies that aren’t first and foremost Mac apps tend not to pay much attention to being a good Mac citizen to work with other apps. Grammarly is another example of this.

[peakyjack]

Hello,
The Deepl translation software offers Turkish language support, but in the plugin you have prepared, Turkish is not among the options. Is it possible to add the Turkish language option?

Thanks.

[nick]

Thanks. DeepL has added Indonesian, Turkish and Ukrainian and I’ve just updated it to support these. You’ll just need to redownload from DeepL Translator — PopClip Extensions

[peakyjack]

Thanks you’re best