localize

name	localize
description	Propagate new player-facing text through TAOM's 12-language localization pipeline — wrap with {=KEY}, register the string, run the Claude translation tool, validate. Use after adding UI text or XSLT strings.
argument-hint	["c#|xml-file|xslt"]

Localization Propagation

Get new player-facing text into all 12 supported languages (BR, CNs, CNt, DE, FR, IT, JP, KO, PL, RU, SP, TR). Full reference: docs/localization/TRANSLATOR_GUIDE.md + tools/README.md (localization section). Three cases:

Case A — new C# text shown to the player

1. Wrap the string: new TextObject("{=taom_my_feature_label}My Feature") (always {=KEY}default form).
2. Add the key + English default to Main/_Module/ModuleData/taom_module_strings.xml.
3. Propagate: python tools/translate_with_claude.py (machine-translates to the 11 AI languages; PL is hand-translated, overrides in tools/translation_overrides/<lang>.json always win).

Case B — new SOURCE XML file containing in-game text

1. Register the file in SubModule.xml as <XmlNode><XmlName id="GameText" path="..."/>.
2. Add a <LanguageFile> reference in all 12 language_data.xml files.
3. Create empty per-language stubs (Languages/<LANG>/std_taom_*.xml).
4. Bump the LanguageDataXmlTests.HaveExactlyXLanguageFiles count in TAOM.Tests/Infrastructure/Localization/LanguageDataXmlTests.cs.
5. Run tools/translate_with_claude.py.

Case C — XSLT injects new {=KEY}default text

1. Harvest the new keys into Main/_Module/ModuleData/taom_xslt_strings.xml (precedent: commit 20713a1).
2. Run tools/translate_with_claude.py.

Tools

• tools/translate_with_claude.py — 4-tier fallback (override → cache → Claude LLM → English); cache in tools/translation_cache/<lang>.json is git-tracked, so re-runs are free.
• tools/rebuild_translation_files.py — rebuild per-language files from cache.
• tools/translation_status.sh — coverage report.

Validate

dotnet test TAOM.Tests --filter "LanguageDataXmlTests" — enforces 8 LanguageFile refs/language, well-formed XML, no missing files. For Case B the test count bump is mandatory or this goes red.

Gotchas

• Morphologically-rich languages (RU/JP/KO/TR/CN) hit gender-agreement rejections that fall back to English — flag for human polish (no auto-fix).
• Three external modules also have loc (TAOM_Map, LOTRLOME_Armory) deployed straight to the game install — not in the repo.