Firefox – How to perform automatic translation browsing on Firefox

firefoxtranslation

Problem:

I'm searching for a (miraculous) way to perform automatic translation browsing, according to following requirements.

Mandatory requirements:

1. Translate pages automatically after entering URL;
2. Display of the page would be as in original language (links, images, flash
   contents... would not be affected);
3. Linked pages must be also translated;
4. Other browser operations must not be affected (e.g. posting forms,
   downloading etc.).
5. Firefox solution (I hate IE, Chrome, Opera, Safari and all others than
   Firefox, but I accept also a general solution but that function on
   Firefox).

Optional requirements:

6. Option to toggle automatic translation by clicking on a button (toolbar,
   extension bar...);
7. Option to save preferences for some sites (e.g., do not translate sites on
   some domain, translate .com sites always from English to Portuguese etc.).

Partial solutions already found:

  • AutoTranslator extension: It uses Google Translate to translate all pages entered on Firefox address bar, except for those ones on your country.

    1. Checked: You must only configure all languages to English, for example, and to adjust Google URLs to http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&tl=en&u= e http://translate.google.com/translate_t?hl=en&sl=ja&tl=en&u= on first use;
    2. Checked;
    3. Unchecked: It translates the page entered on Firefox address bar, but links on translated pages link to untranslated pages and to translate them it is not so easy (right click on link, copy URL and enter on Firefox address bar). On translated pages, a Google Translator address bar appears, but the address in it will be the first URL entered on Firefox address bar, regardless where you are after clicking on some links;
    4. Checked partially: I believe in Google, but I know that it launches some Google error messages for some downloads;
    5. Checked;
    6. Unchecked: You must go to Menu > Tools > Add-ons > Extensions > Find AutoTranslate extension > Press options > Change from Automatic to Manual; You can add a button on extension bar, but it only does as CTRL+ALT+T key combo or any other translate extension on Firefox – not automatic translation on navigating;
    7. Checked partially: It translate (magically) all pages that are not from your country (I think it analyzes in some way your IP to see from which country it is and then decides from which ".xx" i will not translate. E.g., my computer is using a IP from Brazil, so it will not translate pages automatically from ".br").

  • Google Translate URL: That is a manual way of appending URL to http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&tl=en&u=.

    1. Unchecked: Copy Google Translate URL from Notepad or open a recent translated page with Firefox history (well, I did not see that service on Google easily accessible) and enter URL you want to navigate. Choose translation pair (for instance, adjust to automatic > English);
    2. Checked;
    3. Unchecked: As AutoTranslator;
    4. Checked partially: As AutoTranslator;
    5. Checked;
    6. Unchecked;
    7. Unchecked.

  • Google Translate Script Bar: That way use a button press (only click on a bookmark with a script in Java made by Google and "released" on Google Translate page).

    1. Unchecked: Enter the page and after that press the bookmark;
    2. Checked;
    3. Unchecked: You must press bookmark every time you enter in a new page;
    4. Checked partially: As AutoTranslator;
    5. Checked;
    6. Checked: Only do not press when you do not want;
    7. Unchecked.

  • Google Toolbar: Discontinued for Firefox…

    1. Unchecked;
    2. Unchecked;
    3. Unchecked;
    4. Unchecked;
    5. Unchecked;
    6. Unchecked;
    7. Unchecked.

Help!

Any help, at least for 3rd requirement?

I'm an old Internet surfer/Internaut (that older that still uses "surf" and "Internault" words), and I was on earth when Google and Altavista (now Yahoo BabelFish) provided that nice way to navigate only clicking on links and seeing that ugly frame of them on top of page…

Well, I'm using Firefox 12 on Windows 7.

Best Answer

Well, until now I cannot see a solution that matches all 5 mandatory requirements...

But I think I'll give up searching - at least until someone post a best answer.

With the help of @avirk and testing translating other pages with mentioned tools, I re-analysed them and took some decisions...

Palliative Solution 1:

To use FlagFox add-on

In which cases?

For sites that not require authentication (HTTPS), form posting, scripts... So you can configure FlagFox to translate page at 1 mouse click on flag; you should do it once and every link pressed (with mentioned limitations) will access its translated page.

Why?

It does not support some scripts, form posts and HTTPS, so you can use that to navigate in sites like Wikipedia, news etc. (but you cannot edit wikis, post comments, share news on social networks...).

It matches requirements?

No at all (2.5 of 5 mandatory points):

1. Translate pages automatically after entering URL;

-> Unchecked.

2. Display of the page would be as in original language (links, images, flash
   contents... would not be affected);

-> Checked partially: Inside HTTPS pages or pages that require some scripts, it would not show it as in normal navigation.

3. Linked pages must be also translated;

-> Checked: Well, since linked pages are not HTTPS or require some script or form posting, it will function perfectly! You must only mouse click once on first page.

4. Other browser operations must not be affected (e.g. posting forms,
   downloading etc.).

-> Unchecked: As said in 2 and 3.

5. Firefox solution (I hate IE, Chrome, Opera, Safari and all others than
   Firefox, but I accept also a general solution but that function on
   Firefox).

-> Checked.

Palliative Solution 2:

To use Google Translator Script Bar

In which cases?

For sites that requires authentication (the cases that solution 1 does not cover).

Why?

It supports some scripts, form posts and HTTPS, but with that you must do that annoying thing to press bookmark on every new link pressed...

It matches requirements?

No at all (2.5 of 5 mandatory points):

1. Translate pages automatically after entering URL;

-> Unchecked.

2. Display of the page would be as in original language (links, images, flash
   contents... would not be affected);

-> Checked: And it is so good!

3. Linked pages must be also translated;

-> Unchecked: :(

4. Other browser operations must not be affected (e.g. posting forms,
   downloading etc.).

-> Checked partially: It launches some Google error messages for some downloads;

5. Firefox solution (I hate IE, Chrome, Opera, Safari and all others than
   Firefox, but I accept also a general solution but that function on
   Firefox).

-> Checked.

Summarizing:

  • Palliative Solutions 1 and 2 can do the work well, but with some restrictions (and do not cover optional requirements);
  • What would be a better solution (what matches requirements):
    • An add-on (or something like that, GreaseMonkey perhaps), that uses Google Translator Script Bar (or similar) on every page, just inserting an URL on address bar and entering it, without the need of pressing a button after the page is already loaded;
    • It would be nice to have in it a button to enable/disable toggle and some kind of blacklist/whitelist (= optional requirements mentioned).
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