GPSS

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Language Translation Projects

Do NOT run these downloaded EXE from your Internet browser. Put them in the GPSS folder then run from file Explorer to add the files.

from Robin on 28th January 2008: the Italian below is subject to change: testing with Pocket PC
The Dutch page now has Alex in Corfu's Dutch translation.
I've also added "language switching on Pocket PC..." below.

Updated 1300 Sunday 8th April 2001 UK Time

If you are doing translation work - please check this page regularly.
We do not want you to waste effort doing what someone else is doing.

GPSS has always spoken English and Japanese. With the right data, it can now speak any language, or dialect of a language. e.g. American English or English English.

This page is for those helping Robin, and each other, with translation of GPSS into other spoken Languages. This work involves the re-recording of .WAV sound files, and the translation of text files from English into another spoken language. The work is intended for the benifit of all GPSS users. This page can also be used to download and test the work done so far.

For use of these facilities, ensure that you already have a working GPSS system with GPSS.EXE at version 4.91 or later.

If you want to know more about the 100 or more sounds that must be re-recorded to make GPSS speak another language please click here for information on GPSS Sounds

Copyright & Intellectual Property

The design of GPSS is the Intellectual Property of Robin Lovelock. These translated files are available to all GPSS users, free of charge. They are not available for use, other than with GPSS, without the written permission of Robin Lovelock.

Language Work in Progress

Robin sets up Language Project pages on this web site, to help co-ordinate people helping Robin and each other in this translation work. These pages provide access to files that have been translated. Please contact Robin if you are willing to help with this work.

Unless stated otherwise, these translations support v4.92 or older Baselines of GPSS. The v4.93 July 2000 Baseline has 10 extra sounds requiring translation. A few words in the demonstration may therefore be spoken in English, but you should not have a problem when used "for real" with GPS.

Work to be Done

Translation work includes :
  • re-recording of WAV sounds
  • translation of TRANSLAT.TXT - used for white bar text of words spoken.
  • translation of CONTROLS.CFG - used for touch screen icons
  • translation of GPSS.HLP - used for online help
  • translation of web site pages.

GPSS Speaking other Languages

GPSS normally starts up speaking English, but it can be configured to start up speaking a different language. While it is running, the language can be changed, with the J key (Jump to new language) or B key (Back to English or British).

If speech recognition is being used, this might be done by speech. e.g. saying "konichiwa" to switch to Japanese.

The language spoken is controlled by a file called LANGUAGE.CFG in the same directory as GPSS.EXE. e.g. in c:\gpss04. This file tells GPSS.EXE which language to start up in, which to switch between (from J key) and where to find the files for that language. 

4
Japanese,1,\japan\
Mandarin,2,\mandarin\
Malay,3,\malay\
German,4,\german\
French,5,\french\
Portuguese,6,\portugue\
Spanish,7,\spanish\
Italian,8,\italian\
Dutch,9,\dutch\
END,END,END
0 is the default language of English. 4 is the startup language: German in this example.
e.g. German sounds should be held in directory c:\german.
e.g. the German sound for 1.WAV = "ein" (German for English "one").

The directory should also contain :

  • A file named SYNTAX.CFG with first line holding 0, 1 or 2 for 0=English syntax, 1=Japanese, 2=German. This is the order words are spoken. e.g. "Zwei und Zwanzig" in German, and "Twenty Two" in English.
  • FLAG.ICO a 32x32 Icon displayed by GPSS. Based on National Flag. e.g. ENGLISH.ICO is the British flag. If there is no FLAG.ICO copy ENGLISH.ICO.
  • TRANSLAT.TXT lookup file of English and other language text, which GPSS displays on the white speech bar near the bottom of the map display.
  • CONTROLS.CFG for that language.
TRANSLAT.TXT and CONTROLS.CFG are explained on Adding Maps & Places

How to test GPSS speaking another Language

For example : suppose the language were Spanish :
The simple way to test GPSS speaking Spanish is as follows:

  1. Ensure you have a working GPSS system in c:\gpss04.
  2. create a directory c:\spanish.
  3. download SPANTRAN.EXE into c:\spanish and run it to extract files.
  4. Copy LANGUAGE.CFG from c:\spanish to c:\gpss04.
  5. Run GPSS - which should now speak Spanish.
If it is a language which is not yet complete, WAV sounds in c:\gpss04 must be re-recorded (e.g. into Spanish) and put in the language directory (c:\spanish).

WAV recording Tips

  • The WAV files should best be 8-bit 11 KHz, or they will be much larger without improvent in quality. This can be done by over-recording the existing file - most recording programs will adopt the same attributes (e.g. 8 bit) as the original WAV file.
  • Choice of microphone may be very important.
  • Speak near (3 cm ?) the microphone quietly. The recording should sound loud but gentle. Try to sound friendly, and not too bored :-)
  • Use 'delete before' and 'delete after' to remove silent parts at front and back of the sound. This is to make the speech continuous.
  • Use the 'effects' facility to ensure all sounds are at same high volume.
Before doing too much work, e-mail Robin $$$START.wav so he can check these details. $$$START.WAV should contain the translated speech for
"this free software does not have many maps or sounds".

language switching on Pocket PC ...

For those using GPSSppc on the Pocket PC page, this may assist:

You may decide to put the gpssppc folder, and any language folders, as sub-folders.

e.g.
gpssppc
gpssppc\italian
gpssppc\dutch

But if this is on an SD card, you need the whole path to be specified.

My language.cfg in the gpssppc folder is:

0
Italian,1,\Storage Card\gpssppc\ITALIAN\
Dutch,2,\Storage Card\gpssppc\DUTCH\
END,END,END