To speed things up, I wanted to auto translate these bundles, and then have others look over and refine the translations later.

Looking at what already existed, I was not excited.

• I did not want some heavy weight application.
• I found some simple auto translation tools, some free-ish, some pay-per-say. But they did not support java resource bundles.
• I did like translate shell a lot, but it needed integration into the java resource bundle ecosystem
• Very few tools supported maven
• Nothing “just worked”

So I created a maven plugin (SpeakingDuck) to translate resource bundles. SpeakingDuck will use whatever translation tool you configure it to run with.

Find it on github:   https://github.com/busyDuckman/speakingDuck

or install via the Maven Repository, or via reference in your pom.xml.

The following pom.xml will cause German, Chinese, Spanish and Russian resource bundles to be maintained (updated for new keys) every compile.

<build>
    <plugins>
        <plugin>
            <groupId>com.busyducks</groupId>
            <artifactId>speakingDuck-maven-plugin</artifactId>
            <version>0.9.7</version>
            <configuration>
                <call>trans -b :$CALL_LANG $TEXT_ESCAPED_QUOTED</call>
                <translations>
                    <translation>
                        <bundlePattern>./src/main/resources/generalText_$FILE_LANG.properties</bundlePattern>
                        <sourceLang>en:en</sourceLang>
                        <destLangs>de:de, zh:zh, es:es, ru:ru</destLangs>
                        <replaceExistingKeys>false</replaceExistingKeys>
                    </translation>
                </translations>
            </configuration>

            <executions>
            <execution><goals><goal>translate</goal></goals></execution>
            </executions>
        </plugin>
    </plugins>
</build>

The translations are generated via translate shell (because of the call “trans -b”), you will need to install translate shell yourself for this to work.

After seeing an item stamped “return to sender”, I got thinking.
The word “return” is based in latin: re (back) + tornare (to turn). ie to turn back.

I figured I’d make few other useful phrases, that I could use in my postal affairs, which stemmed from the word ‘return’.

The List of Alternate “Returns”.

• abturn [ab = away from]:   “quick send it anywhere, but here”
• scopeturn [scope = examine]:   “on closer inspection, you can have it back”
• teleturn [tele = distance]:   “I decided it was best to send it far, far away”
• anturn [an = without]:   “I sent it back empty”
• adturn [as = toward]:   “send to this John instead”
• ambiturn [ambi = both sides]:   “I don’t want it back, you have it.”
• antiturn [anti = against]:   “this thing seems un-returnable”
• disturn [dis = not]:   “I refuse to send it back”
• poleinturn [polein = money]:   “I will sell it back to you… how’s $50 sound?”
• archturn [arch = ancient]:   “It took them way too long to return it…”
• autoturn [auto = self]:   “Everything is sent back automatically”
• agereturn [agere = agent]:   “I’m sending it back on their behalf”
• biturn [bi = turn]:   “I sent it back in two parts”
• polyturn [poly = many]:   “I sent it back broken into many parts”
• bioturn [bio = life]:   “it turned mouldy, have it back.”
• mortiturn [morti = dead]:   “it died, have it back.”
• egoturn [ego = myself]:   “I gave it back…. to myself!”
• preturn [pre = before]:   “on the way to a returner”
• postturn [post = after]:   “on the way back from the returner”
• psycheturn [psyche = mind, soul]:   “believed to be returned”
• sinturn [sin = together]:   “returned with some other stuff as well”
• phageturn [phage = eat]:   “After starting to eat it, I decided to send it back.”
• periturn [peri = around]:   “Gave it to John, to give to Bob, to give to you.”
• nomenturn [nomen = name]:   “Sent it on, to the correct person…”
• liberturn [liber = free]:   “I set it free”
• publicusturn [publicus = public]:   “gave it back, but made a big scene in public.”
• portoturn [porto = carry]:   “I had to carry it back”
• maniturn [mania = obsessive]:   “absolutely has to return everything on time”
• fraterturn [frater = brother]:   “actually, I sent it to your brother”
• identurn [idem = the same]:   “returned to you something identical”
• homoturn [home = same]:   “returned to you something similar”
• geoturn [geo = earth]:   “I buried it.”
• exturn [ex = out]:   “I threw it outside.”
• epiturn [epi = over]:   “I threw it over the fence.”
• ripariaturn [riparia = river]:   “I threw it in the lake.”

Easy to use software to generate crossword puzzles.

This is still very much alpha software (totally unfinished).  This crossword puzzle generator is provided here for those who would like to kick the tyres and get a preview of some upcoming software.

Screenshot

Download

Install file here

Limitations:

• Apha software (very incomplete)
• Unimplemented menu items are greyed out..
• No way to save a crossword yet.

What is done:

• Generates a valid cross word, generally quickly, but may stall for 20 seconds during generation.
  • Not a bug, my algorithm is not finished. If it works itself into a corner, it tries to think its way out instead of backing up a step.
• Supports several generation rules.
• “View Solution” toggle enabled
• Gives basic clues (just a word definition at the moment)
• Zooming in moving etc (few minor bugs still).

Next Release

• Mark squares that must/must not be used.
• Dictionary management
•  Find spot for given word
• Find word(s) for given spot.
• Restrict to words of a certain readership / usage frequency.
• Bitmap backgrounds.
• High DPI screen support.

Road Map

• Proper clues
• Subject areas option for word selection
• Support for visually impaired output
• App(ify) / Touch screen support
• Support for half-toning and newsprint optimisation
• Awesome-sauce graphics options
• Artistic options
• Use one dictionary across a series of crosswords.
• Multiple languages.

Contact / Feedback

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