AutoDictionaries 17.0.7

Auto Dictionaries is an Umbraco package made to automate the process of replacing static content in templates and partial views with dictionary items. With built-in translation support, it streamlines the localization workflow for multilingual Umbraco websites.

What is Auto Dictionaries

Auto Dictionaries is a backoffice extension for Umbraco that automates the localization process. It scans templates and partial views for static content, matches it with existing dictionary items, or creates new ones with automatic translation support.

Features

• Automatic Static Content Detection - Uses regex to identify translatable content between HTML tags
• Accessibility Support - Detects static content in HTML attributes that are important for accessibility and user experience
• Dictionary Item Matching - Matches static content with existing dictionary items
• One-Click Dictionary Generation - Create and insert dictionary items directly into your views
• Multi-Language Translation - Automatically translate content into all configured Umbraco languages
• Template & Partial View Support - Works with both Umbraco templates and partial views
• Preview - See changes before applying them
• Flexible Translation Services - Support for DeepL and Microsoft Translator
• Backoffice Languages - Contains both English and Japanese backoffice translations

After installation, the package will automatically register its services and appear in the Umbraco backoffice under the Translation section.

Note: Automatic translation is disabled by default. Auto Dictionaries will create dictionary items without calling any translation service unless you enable translation and provide API credentials in your appsettings.json.

Accessibility Support

Auto Dictionaries also detects static content in HTML attributes that are important for accessibility and user experience, including:

• placeholder attributes (form input hints)
• alt attributes (image descriptions)
• aria-label attributes (screen reader labels)
• title attributes (tooltip text)

How It Works

1. Content Scanning: Auto Dictionaries scans your views and uses regular expressions to identify static content.
2. Dictionary Matching: Checks if the content matches any existing dictionary item values across all languages
3. User Action: You can:
   • Match to existing dictionary items
   • Create new dictionary items (with or without translation)
   • Preview changes before applying
4. View Update: The static content is replaced with @Umbraco.GetDictionaryValue("key") syntax
5. Translation (optional): If enabled, newly created dictionary items are automatically translated to all configured languages

Configuration

The package is configurable in appsettings.json:

Translate

• Type: boolean
• Default: false
• Enables or disables automatic translation.

Translator

• Type: string
• Default: "DeepL"
• Translation service to use: DeepL or MicrosoftTranslation.

ApiKey

• Type: string
• Default: ""
• API key for the selected translation service.

ApiEndpoint (Microsoft Translator only)

• Type: string
• Default: ""
• API endpoint for Microsoft Translator.

ApiRegion (Microsoft Translator only)

• Type: string
• Default: ""
• Azure region for Microsoft Translator.

Translation Services

DeepL (Default)

1. Create a free DeepL API account
2. Get your API key
3. Configure in appsettings.json:

Microsoft Translator

1. Create an Azure account
2. Create a Translator resource
3. Get your subscription key, endpoint, and region
4. Configure appsettings.json

Known Issues

Sometimes Auto Dictionaries may detect false positives when scanning for static content. If you encounter incorrect detection:

1. Please create an issue with:
   • The HTML structure causing the false positive
   • Expected vs. actual behavior
   • Screenshot (if applicable)

This helps improve the package for everyone!