Automating Markdown and Image Translations with Co-op Translator

Translating project documentation into multiple languages can be a time-consuming process, especially when trying to maintain Markdown formatting and image-based text. That’s where Co-op Translator comes in—a tool I’ve developed to automate the translation of both Markdown files and images using Azure AI services.

In this post, I'll walk you through:

• The challenges of manual translation in project documentation.
• How Co-op Translator simplifies the process.
• A step-by-step guide to automate your own translations.

The Challenges of Manual Translation

Manually translating project documentation, especially in Markdown format, often leads to broken links, formatting issues, and a lot of time spent fixing these problems. For example:

• Markdown links or images might get corrupted after translation.
• Code blocks and syntax can easily be misunderstood by general translation tools.
• Manual work for translating text within images is required, which is time-consuming.

How Co-op Translator Works

Co-op Translator uses Azure OpenAI to translate text from Markdown files and Azure Computer Vision to extract and translate text within images. It automates the entire process with a single command, preserving the correct structure of your project documentation.

Key Features:

• Translates Markdown files without breaking the syntax.
• Extracts and translates text within images using Computer Vision.
• Supports multiple languages, making it easier to localize your project.

Step-by-Step Guide to Automating Translations

Here's how you can get started with Co-op Translator:

1. Install Co-op Translator using pip or Poetry:
   

   pip install co-op-translator
   

   Or with Poetry:
   

   poetry add co-op-translator
   

2. Set up Azure resources (Azure OpenAI, Computer Vision).

3. Create an .env file in your project to store API keys.

4. Run the Co-op Translator on your project:
   For example:
   

   co-op-translator translate -l "es fr de"
   

   This command will translate the project into Spanish, French, and German, adding new translations without overwriting existing ones.

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For more information, check out the GitHub repository and feel free to contribute or leave feedback!

Conclusion

Co-op Translator makes it easier to manage multilingual documentation in your projects, especially when working with Markdown files and images. Whether you’re working on open-source projects or internal documentation, this tool can save you a lot of time.

If you have any questions or suggestions, I'd love to hear them in the comments!

Comments

[송민석]

I've written a detailed guide on automating markdown and image translations using Co-op Translator on Microsoft Tech Community. You can check it out here:
techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/edu...