ChatGPT English <> Japanese Conversion

gpt_jpn_eng is an English <> Japanese language converter using the ChatGPT-rs wrapper over OpenAI's ChatGPT API in Rust. You can pair it with apps such as TextExpander to run a bash script (see gpt_jpn_eng.sh) that calls gpt_jpn_eng using the clipboard's contents as its argument. This pairing creates an inline translation experience without leaving your text document.

Setup

Create a .env file with the following environment variables:

• OPENAI_API_KEY
• OPENAI_MAX_TOKENS

Instructions (Typical Use Case)

1. While inside your document, select the text you wish to translate and copy it into the clipboard
2. Using TextExpander or Alfred, execute a bash script (see gpt_jpn_eng.sh) that calls gpt_jpn_eng using the clipboard's contents as its argument.
3. The selected text is replaced with the translated version.

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

1. The number of tokens consumed during the translation will vary by the number of characters you wish to translate. If the resulting translation incomplete, set the OPENAPI_MAX_TOKENS in your .env file to a higher number (> 1000).

2. Long text passages may take several seconds to translate and show up in your document. I've improved the response of this program by adding streaming responses, which gradually builds the response message. One caution, however. TextExpander appears to buffer stdout, waiting to print everything simultaneously instead of continuously printing the translation. Worse is that the TextExpander script will time out on long text passages. The workaround is to translate smaller text passages, or copy the entire selection and run it through Google Translate in your browser.

User Stories

1. As a User, I can select one or more lines of English or Japanese text in a document and convert it, inline, to Japanese or English respectively.
2. As a User, I should see the translation begin printing almost immediately.

Programming Notes

1. Uses chatgpt_rs crate. The GitHub repository can be found here