Translate

Translate has its own key. Hold it, speak in any language, and let go: LotusQ types the translation at your cursor, in your active Translate language.

Translate needs an active trial or plan, the same as dictation and Compose.

The Translate and Next Translate language keys start as Not set. Choose them in Settings › Translate. LotusQ suggests an available key when one exists.

A key that overlaps another shortcut is refused, with the message “Choose another key.”

Pick up to 3 languages in Settings › Translate. Drag to set the order the Next Translate language key cycles through.

The active language is the one the next translation goes into. Switch it with Next Translate language, or from the tray's Translate language menu.

If you switch while holding the Translate key, that recording goes into the new language.

Any of 78 languages. English, Hindi, Kannada and Chinese (Simplified) are tested. The others are marked Beta.

Hold, speak in any language, release: it's typed in the active language.

Hands-free mode: hold the Translate key while you speak. Hands-free speech without it is ordinary dictation.

The overlay: while you hold the key, it shows the language it will type in. Afterwards a card shows “Heard: …” (what you said) for a few seconds.

Select text, then tap the Translate key without speaking. The translation replaces your selection.

Up to 5,000 characters.

If LotusQ can't safely replace the selection (the window changed, the selection changed, or the spot isn't editable), it writes nothing and copies the translation to your clipboard instead. The card says so.

If you speak while text is selected, your speech is translated, not the selection.

What the overlay says, and what it means or what to do:

• Choose a Translate language — “Pick up to three in Settings to start translating.” (button: Open Settings)
  No language chosen yet. Nothing was recorded.
• Translate is off in password fields
  The cursor is in a password field. Nothing was sent.
• Select text to translate, or hold and speak
  You tapped the key with nothing selected.
• Couldn't read the selection
  LotusQ couldn't read what's selected in that app.
• Too long to translate (max 5,000 characters)
  The selection is over the limit. Nothing was sent.
• Already in language (for example “Already in ಕನ್ನಡ”)
  The selection is already in your active language. Nothing was replaced.
• Couldn't replace the selection — translation copied
  Paste it yourself: the translation is on your clipboard.
• You're signed out — “Sign in to keep using LotusQ.”
  Sign in again.
• Can't reach LotusQ — “You appear to be offline. Nothing was inserted.”
  Check your internet connection.
• LotusQ took too long to respond — “Nothing was inserted. Check your connection.”
  Try again.
• LotusQ is having trouble — “The service returned an error. Nothing was inserted.”
  Try again in a moment.

• Translations appear in History with the language they went into (“→ language”).
• A spoken translation also shows Heard: with what you said.
• For a translated selection, only the translation is kept, never the text you selected.

Compose can also translate (“Translate this to Spanish” on a selection), and that still works.

The Translate key is the one-step way: no preview, nothing to say about the task, and it goes straight into your active language.

What Translate sends, and what LotusQ keeps, is described in section 3 of the privacy policy.