Question How to add timestamp columns into the Localization String Tables

Is there a way to add a string creation timestamp and modified timestamp column into the localization string tables?

 

@karl_jones I'm trying to add a `lastUpdated` timestamp column into a table so I can filter the data after it's exported.

The doc above has a new class, but I'm not sure where that file should go or how to attach to the metadata to an `en` locale in a string a table and set the metadata automatically every time the value is modified.

 

Okay, I'll give that a shot.

Is there way get the Project Locale Identifier e.g the source locale from the LocalizationEditorSettings?

 

I had to sync the LocalizationSettings before `ProjectLocale` was available.

Thank you for help.

Code (CSharp):

1. public static async void syncLocalizationSettings()
2.     {
3.         await LocalizationSettings.InitializationOperation.Task;
4.     }
5. public static void Export()
6.     {
7.         syncLocalizationSettings();
8.  
9.         Locale sourceLocale = LocalizationSettings.ProjectLocale;
10.         if (sourceLocale == null)
11.         {
12.             Debug.LogError("The source language is empty.");
13.             return;
14.         }
15.         var sourceColumnMapping = getSourceColumnMapping(sourceLocale.Identifier.Code);
16. ...
17.  

 

hmm, I can give it an extra look. Is it set in the com.unity.localization 1.3.2 version.

 

Hi @cameronjohnson-mz! If you want to track changes in your source texts and translations, I would suggest managing translations in an external tool, where you can collaborate on translations and see more metadata.

Localization tools also allow you to run QA checks - that will check for typos, wrong terms used, extra spaces, etc. Of course, the tool should integrate with Unity so everything is automated. Just so I don't ramble here, here's a reference on using a Unity loc package+Crowdin localization tool. It might give you more context on how you can manage your translations.

 

Hi Tina, yes we intend to use an external tool to manage our text. Our general workflow is game designers will enter source text and metadata (e.g Speaker, Listener, ItemType) into a String Asset Table, then export the data into a CSV which we send to translators, then import the translations.

Since the `lastModified` column doesn't exist, but we might be able to use a `translationStatus` metadata column to assist filtering the text keys.

How do I attach an `IMetadata` interface to a String table?

Do I need to create a class (e.g a `myMetadataCols.cs` script) and then how do I attach it to all TextMeshPro objects so the metadata columns appear?

 

@karl_jones just to confirm, if I create this class, these metadata columns will or won't show up in the export CSV file?

Code (CSharp):

1. [Metadata(AllowedTypes = MetadataType.StringTableEntry)]
2.  
3. public class LocMetadataColumns : IMetadata
4. {
5.         public string description;
6.         public string speaker;

Export headers

Key,Id,English (United States)(en-US),German (Germany)(de-DE), description, speaker

 

Okay that makes sense, I'll do that after getting the metadata into the table.

But I don't know where I am supposed to enter the data from the UI after creating the metadata class.

 

Ok I found the area to add the metadata to the source locale, but I don't see an option to add custom CSV columns in the Table Editor and custom columns are mentioned in the column mapping docs.
https://docs.unity3d.com/Packages/c...zation.Plugins.CSV.Columns.ColumnMapping.html

I wan't to do something like this, but I know this doesn't work

Code (CSharp):

1. columnMappings.Add(new CsvColumns
2.         {
3.             FieldName = "English (United States) (en-US) Description",
4.         });

 

Yeah I added the CSV extension, but I don't see the option for custom columns, my only options are Key Id and Locale Columns.

Also, I copied the CSVCustomExample class and it throws these errors. I see some docs mention a CSVHelper, but haven't installed that.

error CS0246: The type or namespace name 'CsvReader' could not be found (are you missing a using directive or an assembly reference?)

error CS0534: 'CsvCustomColumnsExample' does not implement inherited abstract member 'CsvColumns.ReadBegin(StringTableCollection, CsvReader)'

 

So it's using `Unity.Localization.ThirdParty.Editor.dll` but where am I suppose to paste the reference? This is the metadata file.

Do I need a CsvColumns class object along side the IMetadata class to access the metadata field names in the UI.

Code (CSharp):

1. using System;
2. using System.Collections.Generic;
3. using System.Text;
4. using UnityEngine;
5. using UnityEngine.Localization;
6. using UnityEngine.Localization.Metadata;
7. using UnityEngine.Localization.Tables;
8. using UnityEditor.Localization;
9. using UnityEditor.Localization.Plugins;
10. using UnityEditor.Localization.Plugins.CSV;
11. using UnityEditor.Localization.Plugins.CSV.Columns;
12. using UnityEngine.Localization.Settings;
13.  
14. [Serializable]
15. [Metadata(AllowedTypes = MetadataType.StringTableEntry)]
16.  
17. public class LocMetadataColumns : IMetadata
18. {
19.         public string description;
20.         public string speaker;
21. }
22. public class CsvCustomColumnsExample : CsvColumns
23. {
24.         [SerializeField] LocaleIdentifier m_LocaleIdentifier;
25.  
26.         int m_SomeValueIndex, m_SomeOtherValueIndex, m_CollectionTableIndex;
27.         StringTable m_ImportTable;
28.  
29.         string SomeValueFieldName => m_LocaleIdentifier + " Some Value";
30.         string SomeOtherValueFieldName => m_LocaleIdentifier + " Some Other Value";
31.  
32.     public override void ReadBegin(StringTableCollection collection, CsvReader reader)
33.     {
34.         m_ImportTable = collection.GetTable(m_LocaleIdentifier) as StringTable;
35.         if (m_ImportTable != null)
36.         {
37.             m_SomeValueIndex = reader.GetFieldIndex(SomeValueFieldName, isTryGet: true);
38.             m_SomeOtherValueIndex = reader.GetFieldIndex(SomeOtherValueFieldName, isTryGet: true);
39.         }
40.     }
41. }

 

Ok, and do I need a CsvColumns class object along side the IMetadata class to access the metadata field names in the UI so it can be added to the CSV extension?

 

Where in the UI do I add the reference to the third party Unity.Localization.ThirdParty.Editor.dll library because it gets deleted when I apply changes from the UI?

Code (CSharp):

1.  "precompiledReferences": [
2.         "Unity.Localization.ThirdParty.Editor.dll"
3.     ]

 

Looks like you have to set `Override References` to true and then add it to the `Assembly References`.

However, adding it doesn't fix the error `error CS0246: The type or namespace name 'CsvReader'`

 

Yes the script and asmdef are next to each other.

 

That fixed it, thank you.

1. When I open the String Table in the Inspector tab and click Save, the metadata columns are exported in the file, but when I Export from the Localization Tables tab, the columns don't show it up.

Is possible to export them from the Table tab?

2. In code in my Export function, how do I create a columnMapping to export metadata column?

Code (CSharp):

1.  
2. var columnMappings = new List<CsvColumns>();
3. columnMappings.Add(new LocaleColumns {
4.    LocaleIdentifier = sourceLocale.Identifier.Code,
5.    FieldName = sourceLocale.ToString(),
6.    IncludeComments = false,
7. });
8. columnMappings.Add(new LocaleColumns {
9.    LocaleIdentifier = "English (United States) (en-US) Description" //locale.Identifier + " Description"
10. });
11. Csv.Export(stream, stringTableCollection, columnMappings);
12.  
13.  

 

I'm getting a strange error even though I'm referencing the class in the script thats calling it.

error CS0117: 'CsvCustomColumnsExample' does not contain a definition for 'LocaleIdentifier'

I added `LocMetadataColumns` to the assembly definition file and reference it.

Code (CSharp):

1. using static LocMetadataColumns;

LocMetadataColumns.cs

Code (CSharp):

1. public class LocMetadataColumns : IMetadata
2. {
3.         public string description;
4.         public string speaker;
5. }
6. public class CsvCustomColumnsExample : CsvColumns
7. {
8.         [SerializeField] LocaleIdentifier m_LocaleIdentifier;

 

So by doing that I get a bunch of errors. For what it's worth, the metadata will only be attached to the "en-US" locale.

The same field name is serialized multiple times in the class or its parent class. This is not supported: Base(CsvCustomColumnsExample) m_LocaleIdentifier

The same field name is serialized multiple times in the class or its parent class. This is not supported: Base(CsvCustomColumnsExample) m_CollectionTableIndex

The same field name is serialized multiple times in the class or its parent class. This is not supported: Base(CsvCustomColumnsExample) m_ImportTable

Code (CSharp):

1. public class CsvCustomColumnsExample : LocaleColumns
2. {
3.         [SerializeField] LocaleIdentifier m_LocaleIdentifier;
4.  
5.         int m_SomeValueIndex, m_SomeOtherValueIndex, m_CollectionTableIndex;
6.         StringTable m_ImportTable;

 

I'm not really sure where to go from here since I can't get the columnMapping to work with
CsvCustomColumnsExample code.

 

The project is a really basic, I have 2 scripts called UnityLocalizeSupport.cs and LocMetadataColumns.cs. I populated the String Table and the goal is to Export the data using code for automation.

Code (CSharp):

1. [Serializable]
2. [Metadata(AllowedTypes = MetadataType.StringTableEntry)]
3.  
4. public class LocMetadataColumns : IMetadata
5. {
6.         public string description;
7.         public string speaker;
8. }
9. public class CsvCustomColumnsExample : LocaleColumns
10. {
11.     [SerializeField] LocaleIdentifier m_LocaleIdentifier;
12.     int m_SomeValueIndex, m_SomeOtherValueIndex, m_CollectionTableIndex;
13.     StringTable m_ImportTable;
14.  
15.     string SomeValueFieldName => m_LocaleIdentifier + " Description";
16.     string SomeOtherValueFieldName => m_LocaleIdentifier + " Speaker";
17.  
18. // the remaining functions match the example.
19.  
20.  

Code (CSharp):

1. public class UnityLocalizeSupport
2. {
3.     public static List<CsvColumns> getSourceColumnMapping(string locale)
4.     {
5.         var columnMappings = new List<CsvColumns>();
6.         Locale sourceLocale = LocalizationEditorSettings.GetLocale(locale);
7.         if (sourceLocale == null)
8.             return columnMappings;
9. `
10.         columnMappings.Add(new KeyIdColumns
11.         {
12.             IncludeId = true, // Include the Id column field.
13.             IncludeSharedComments = false, // Exclude Shared comments.
14.         });
15.  
16.         columnMappings.Add(new LocaleColumns
17.         {
18.             LocaleIdentifier = sourceLocale.Identifier.Code,
19.             FieldName = sourceLocale.ToString(),
20.             IncludeComments = false,
21.         });
22.  
23.         columnMappings.Add(new CsvCustomColumnsExample
24.         {
25.             LocaleIdentifier = "en-US"
26.         });
27.  
28.         return columnMappings;
29.     }
30. public static void Export(){
31.  
32.    foreach (var stringTableCollection in LocalizationEditorSettings.GetStringTableCollections()) {
33.        using (var stream = new StreamWriter($"{stringTableCollection.TableCollectionName}.csv", false, Encoding.UTF8))
34. {
35.     Csv.Export(stream, stringTableCollection,      getSourceColumnMapping(sourceLocale.Identifier.Code);
36.   }
37. }

 

Is this enough of an example to debug what's going on?

 

@karl_jones I think I may have figured it by making the protected member public.

Is it possible to add a Field Name so the header in the CSV will just be Description and not include the language and language code?

Code (CSharp):

1. public class CsvCustomColumnsExample : CsvColumns {
2. [SerializeField] public LocaleIdentifier m_LocaleIdentifier;

Code (CSharp):

1.   columnMappings.Add(new CsvCustomColumns
2. {
3.      m_LocaleIdentifier = new LocaleIdentifier("en-US")
4. });

 

I figured out the WriteBegin function is where the headers are set so simply putting the string there works.

Code (CSharp):

1. writer.WriteField("Description");

I think we're good here now. Thank you for the help @karl_jones.