Translate

Translate text inside Excel — supports Google Translate (free) and 4 premium AI services (Gemini, ChatGPT, Groq, Cerebras).

Open the dialog

DVD Addin → group Text and Number → click Translate (translate icon).

The dialog opens modeless — you can change cell selection in Excel while it stays open.

How to use

Step 1 — Select cells in Excel

Click a single cell, or select multiple cells / disjoint ranges (Ctrl+click).

Step 2 — Configure languages

From language:

• Detect language (default) — auto-detect.
• Or type to filter (e.g. lish → finds English).
• ~150 languages including Vietnamese, English, Chinese (Simplified/Traditional), Japanese, Korean, German, French, Spanish.

To:

• Default Vietnamese.
• Same substring filter typeahead.

Step 3 — Output format

Option	Behavior
Target only	Replace original with translation
Source / Target — same line (//)	Hello / Xin chào
Source / Target — new line	Hello<LF>Xin chào (translated line in italic)

Step 4 — Pick a service

Service	Cost	When to use
Google Translate (free)	$0	Common text, short snippets. No API key needed.
Gemini	Free tier 1500 req/day	Construction-domain text — prompt is tuned for terms like "starter bar", "lean concrete".
ChatGPT / Groq / Cerebras	Per-API plan	OpenAI-compatible. Groq is fastest.

Recommendation

For construction text (rebar, concrete, foundations, structures) → Gemini. Its prompt is tuned for industry terms like "starter bar" (thép chờ), "lean concrete" (bê tông lót), "construction joint" (mạch ngừng), "bored pile" (cọc khoan nhồi).

For everyday text → Google Translate (free) is sufficient.

Step 5 — Apply or Go

• Translate (Apply) — translate, KEEP dialog open → pick another range and click Apply again.
• Translate & Close (Go) — translate + close dialog.
• Cancel — close without doing anything.
• Save settings — persist current config (target language, format, service) to Preferences.

API key configuration

The first time you pick Gemini/ChatGPT/Groq/Cerebras and click Go, the addin asks for an API key:

• Gemini: https://aistudio.google.com/apikey
• ChatGPT: https://platform.openai.com/api-keys
• Groq: https://console.groq.com/keys
• Cerebras: https://cloud.cerebras.ai

Keys are stored in registry HKCU\Software\DVD\DVDAddin\API Keys. Manage all keys via Preferences.

Smart deduplication

If the range to translate contains duplicate cells (e.g. 144 cells all "Hello"), the addin auto-dedupes before sending to the API:

• Sends "Hello" once instead of 144 times → saves tokens.
• Broadcasts the result back to all original cells.

This optimization matters for:

• Sample/template columns with placeholder repetition.
• Tables with many repeated values (codes, statuses, units of measure).

Error handling

"Gemini blocked output (SAFETY filter)"

Source content trips Gemini's safety filter (rare with technical text). Switch to ChatGPT or Google.

"Gemini blocked output (RECITATION)"

Gemini detected the content overlaps too much with its training data (e.g. translating copyrighted text). Switch service.

"Gemini truncated (MAX_TOKENS)"

Output too long. Split the source range into smaller chunks and translate each.

"ChatGPT/Groq API error: 401"

API key is wrong or revoked. Update it in Preferences.

"Translator returned the original text for all N areas"

• API key valid but the model doesn't support JSON output → switch model in Preferences.
• Network blocked → check firewall/proxy.

License gating

Service	Free (Expired)	Activated/Trial
Google Translate	✓	✓
Gemini / ChatGPT / Groq / Cerebras	✗	✓

When the license expires, the Translate dialog still opens and you can still use Google Translate for free. Only when you click Apply/Go with an AI service selected does the warning appear: "AI service requires a valid license".

Keyboard shortcuts

While the dialog is open:

• Enter in input fields — does NOT trigger Apply/Go (must click button).
• Esc — close dialog.
• Tab — switch focus across fields.
• Type-ahead in language ComboBox — type lish to find English.

Related

• Preferences → AI Models — switch Gemini/ChatGPT model.
• AI Assistant — chat with AI for table analysis (different from Translate).
• License — activate to use AI services.