AI Translation

Easy Scanlate integrates with Google Gemini and Mistral AI APIs to provide automated translation of your OCR text. The translation feature uses a chat-style interface where you can interact with the AI and monitor translation progress in real-time.

1. API Key Setup

Before using AI Translation, configure your API key in Settings.

1. Go to Settings (Ctrl+,) from the menu bar or click the Settings (cog icon) button.
2. Navigate to the AI Translation tab.
3. Select Provider: Choose between Gemini or Mistral from the provider dropdown.
4. API Key:
   • For Gemini: Get one from Google AI Studio (a Google account is required).
   • For Mistral: Get one from Mistral AI Console (an account is required).
   • Enter your API key into the designated field.
5. Model: Select your preferred model from the dropdown. Available models include:
   • Gemini: gemini-2.5-flash, gemini-2.5-pro, gemini-2.5-flash-lite, gemini-2.0-flash, gemini-2.0-flash-lite, gemma-3-27b-it, gemma-3n-e4b-it
   • Mistral: mistral-small-latest, mistral-medium-latest, mistral-large-latest

2. Using the Translation Chat

Once your API key is configured, the Translation Chat widget appears in the right panel of the Main Application Window.

Translation Chat Interface

The chat interface provides a conversational way to interact with the AI translation service.

Chat History Area

The main area displays the conversation between you and the AI:

• Your Messages: Show your translation requests
• AI Responses: Show the translation results with streaming updates
• Error Messages: Display any issues that occur during translation

Control Panel

Located at the bottom of the chat widget:

Model Selection Bar:

• Provider: Switch between Gemini and Mistral
• Model: Select the specific model to use for translation

Translation Controls:

• Target Language: Choose the language to translate into (e.g., “English”, “Japanese”, “Chinese (Simplified)”, “Korean”, etc.)
• Progress Bar: Shows real-time translation progress

Options:

• Retranslate selected only: When checked, only selected OCR results will be re-translated (requires rows to be selected in the main view)

Translate Button:

• Paper plane icon to initiate translation
• Keyboard Shortcut: Press Ctrl+Enter to send

3. Generating Translations

1. Select Target Language: Choose your desired target language from the dropdown.
2. Select Provider/Model: Ensure the correct provider and model are selected.
3. Choose Translation Mode:
   • Full Translation: Uncheck “Retranslate selected only” to translate all visible OCR results
   • Selected Only: Check “Retranslate selected only” and select specific rows in the main view to re-translate only those entries
4. Initiate Translation: Click the translate button or press Ctrl+Enter
5. Monitor Progress: The AI’s response will stream into the chat history, and the progress bar will show activity.

4. Translation Results

When translation completes:

1. A new profile is automatically created with the name format: {Provider} Translation ({Target Language})
2. The translated text is parsed and stored in this profile
3. A completion message appears in the chat
4. The new profile becomes available in the Profile Selector in the main window

You can then switch to this profile to view and edit the translated text in the main application window.

5. Tips for Best Results

• Provider Selection: Mistral offers significantly higher free tier limits (1 billion tokens/month) compared to Gemini (20 requests per model per day). Gemini may provide different translation styles for certain languages.
• Model Selection: Use flash models for faster, cost-effective translations; use pro/large models for higher quality when needed
• Context: The AI receives all OCR text from your project, so it can use context from surrounding text for better translations
• Retranslation: Use the “Retranslate selected only” option to refine specific problematic entries without re-translating everything

6. Troubleshooting