Variable strings in localization

Last updated 9 months ago

Variable strings in localization

The game settings provide the ability to configure the order button and assign hotkeys for in-game actions. This requires identifying the corresponding keys in the localization files. For this, variable strings are used.

Types of Variable Strings

Giving orders in the Game

<&mouse_action_key>

By default, right-click button orders are used. In the Options window, players can enable left-click button orders by selecting the "LMB orders" checkbox.

Specifying an in-game action

<&optkey:anyAction>

When displaying localization texts, the value corresponding to the user's settings recorded in the keys.opt file will be substituted instead of <&optkey:anyAction>.

Example of specifying hotkeys for actions in localization texts

Assume the "cancel" action is assigned to the Z key. Then the keys.opt file will have the following lines:

{"actions/cancel"
    {value KEY_Z}
}

For the actions/cancel action, the localization lines might look like this:

{"stand_still" "To cancel an order, press the hotkey <&optkey:actions/cancel>."}

In the game text, the letter Z will be displayed instead of the variable string <&optkey:actions/cancel>, and the player will see:

"To cancel an order, press the hotkey Z."

Note: To ensure the action is found by the hotkey, the key parameter must be specified for the action in the action.setfile:

{...{name "[action_name]"} ...{key "actions/[action_name]"}...}

If you need to add the ability to trigger an action by hotkey, you can create the action+.set file and use the block with the modify parameter. For example, for the "cancel" action:

{modify "cancel"...{key "actions/cancel"}...}

Specifying a keyboard key

<&key:keycode>

Used to specify a specific keyboard key.

Example of specifying a specific key in localization texts

For the spacebar key, the variable string in localization files will look like this:

{"continue" "Press <&key:key_space> key to continue"}

To specify keys, you need to use values from the keycode list.

List of keycode values for keyboard keys

Note: For better readability, it is recommended to write in lowercase. keymap["KEY_ESCAPE"] = 0x01;

keymap["KEY_1"] = 0x02;

keymap["KEY_2"] = 0x03;

keymap["KEY_3"] = 0x04;

keymap["KEY_4"] = 0x05;

keymap["KEY_5"] = 0x06;

keymap["KEY_6"] = 0x07;

keymap["KEY_7"] = 0x08;

keymap["KEY_8"] = 0x09;

keymap["KEY_9"] = 0x0A;

keymap["KEY_0"] = 0x0B;

keymap["KEY_MINUS"] = 0x0C;

keymap["KEY_EQUALS"] = 0x0D;

keymap["KEY_BACK"] = 0x0E;

keymap["KEY_TAB"] = 0x0F;

keymap["KEY_Q"] = 0x10;

keymap["KEY_W"] = 0x11;

keymap["KEY_E"] = 0x12;

keymap["KEY_R"] = 0x13;

keymap["KEY_T"] = 0x14;

keymap["KEY_Y"] = 0x15;

keymap["KEY_U"] = 0x16;

keymap["KEY_I"] = 0x17;

keymap["KEY_O"] = 0x18;

keymap["KEY_P"] = 0x19;

keymap["KEY_LBRACKET"] = 0x1A;

keymap["KEY_RBRACKET"] = 0x1B;

keymap["KEY_RETURN"] = 0x1C;

keymap["KEY_LCONTROL"] = 0x1D;

keymap["KEY_A"] = 0x1E;

keymap["KEY_S"] = 0x1F;

keymap["KEY_D"] = 0x20;

keymap["KEY_F"] = 0x21;

keymap["KEY_G"] = 0x22;

keymap["KEY_H"] = 0x23;

keymap["KEY_J"] = 0x24;

keymap["KEY_K"] = 0x25;

keymap["KEY_L"] = 0x26;

keymap["KEY_SEMICOLON"] = 0x27;

keymap["KEY_APOSTROPHE"] = 0x28;

keymap["KEY_GRAVE"] = 0x29;

keymap["KEY_LSHIFT"] = 0x2A;

keymap["KEY_BACKSLASH"] = 0x2B;

keymap["KEY_Z"] = 0x2C;

keymap["KEY_X"] = 0x2D;

keymap["KEY_C"] = 0x2E;

keymap["KEY_V"] = 0x2F;

keymap["KEY_B"] = 0x30;

keymap["KEY_N"] = 0x31;

keymap["KEY_M"] = 0x32;

keymap["KEY_COMMA"] = 0x33;

keymap["KEY_PERIOD"] = 0x34;

keymap["KEY_SLASH"] = 0x35;

keymap["KEY_RSHIFT"] = 0x36;

keymap["KEY_MULTIPLY"] = 0x37;

keymap["KEY_LALT"] = 0x38;

keymap["KEY_SPACE"] = 0x39;

keymap["KEY_CAPSLOCK"] = 0x3A;

keymap["KEY_F1"] = 0x3B;

keymap["KEY_F2"] = 0x3C;

keymap["KEY_F3"] = 0x3D;

keymap["KEY_F4"] = 0x3E;

keymap["KEY_F5"] = 0x3F;

keymap["KEY_F6"] = 0x40;

keymap["KEY_F7"] = 0x41;

keymap["KEY_F8"] = 0x42;

keymap["KEY_F9"] = 0x43;

keymap["KEY_F10"] = 0x44;

keymap["KEY_NUMLOCK"] = 0x45;

keymap["KEY_SCROLL"] = 0x46;

keymap["KEY_NUMPAD7"] = 0x47;

keymap["KEY_NUMPAD8"] = 0x48;

keymap["KEY_NUMPAD9"] = 0x49;

keymap["KEY_SUBTRACT"] = 0x4A;

keymap["KEY_NUMPAD4"] = 0x4B;

keymap["KEY_NUMPAD5"] = 0x4C;

keymap["KEY_NUMPAD6"] = 0x4D;

keymap["KEY_ADD"] = 0x4E;

keymap["KEY_NUMPAD1"] = 0x4F;

keymap["KEY_NUMPAD2"] = 0x50;

keymap["KEY_NUMPAD3"] = 0x51;

keymap["KEY_NUMPAD0"] = 0x52;

keymap["KEY_DECIMAL"] = 0x53;

keymap["KEY_F11"] = 0x57;

keymap["KEY_F12"] = 0x58;

keymap["KEY_F13"] = 0x64;

keymap["KEY_F14"] = 0x65;

keymap["KEY_F15"] = 0x66;

keymap["KEY_KANA"] = 0x70;

keymap["KEY_CONVERT"] = 0x79;

keymap["KEY_NOCONVERT"] = 0x7B;

keymap["KEY_YEN"] = 0x7D;

keymap["KEY_NUMPADEQUALS"] = 0x8D;

keymap["KEY_CIRCUMFLEX"] = 0x90;

keymap["KEY_AT"] = 0x91;

keymap["KEY_COLON"] = 0x92;

keymap["KEY_UNDERLINE"] = 0x93;

keymap["KEY_KANJI"] = 0x94;

keymap["KEY_STOP"] = 0x95;

keymap["KEY_AX"] = 0x96;

keymap["KEY_UNLABELED"] = 0x97;

keymap["KEY_NUMPADENTER"] = 0x9C;

keymap["KEY_RCONTROL"] = 0x9D;

keymap["KEY_NUMPADCOMMA"] = 0xB3;

keymap["KEY_DIVIDE"] = 0xB5;

keymap["KEY_SYSRQ"] = 0xB7;

keymap["KEY_RALT"] = 0xB8;

keymap["KEY_PAUSE"] = 0xC5;

keymap["KEY_HOME"] = 0xC7;

keymap["KEY_UP"] = 0xC8;

keymap["KEY_PRIOR"] = 0xC9;

keymap["KEY_LEFT"] = 0xCB;

keymap["KEY_RIGHT"] = 0xCD;

keymap["KEY_END"] = 0xCF;

keymap["KEY_DOWN"] = 0xD0;

keymap["KEY_NEXT"] = 0xD1;

keymap["KEY_INSERT"] = 0xD2;

keymap["KEY_DELETE"] = 0xD3;

keymap["KEY_LWIN"] = 0xDB;

keymap["KEY_RWIN"] = 0xDC;

keymap["KEY_APPS"] = 0xDD;

keymap["KEY_ESC"] = KEY_ESCAPE;

keymap["KEY_ENTER"] = KEY_ENTER;

keymap["KEY_BACKSPACE"] = KEY_BACK;

keymap["KEY_NUMPADSTAR"] = KEY_MULTIPLY;

keymap["KEY_NUMPADMINUS"] = KEY_SUBTRACT;

keymap["KEY_NUMPADPLUS"] = KEY_ADD;

keymap["KEY_NUMPADPERIOD"] = KEY_DECIMAL;

keymap["KEY_NUMPADSLASH"] = KEY_DIVIDE;

keymap["KEY_UPARROW"] = KEY_UP;

keymap["KEY_PGUP"] = KEY_PRIOR;

keymap["KEY_LEFTARROW"] = KEY_LEFT;

keymap["KEY_RIGHTARROW"] = KEY_RIGHT;

keymap["KEY_DOWNARROW"] = KEY_DOWN;

keymap["KEY_PGDN"] = KEY_NEXT;

keymap["MOUSE0"] = MOUSE0;

keymap["MOUSE1"] = MOUSE1;

keymap["MOUSE2"] = MOUSE2;

keymap["MOUSE3"] = MOUSE3;

keymap["MOUSE4"] = MOUSE4;

keymap["MOUSE5"] = MOUSE5;

keymap["MOUSE6"] = MOUSE6;

keymap["MOUSE7"] = MOUSE7;

keymap["MOUSE_LEFT"] = MOUSE_LEFT;

keymap["MOUSE_RIGHT"] = MOUSE_RIGHT;

keymap["MOUSE_MIDLE"] = MOUSE_MIDLE;

keymap["KEY_CONTROL"] = KEY_CONTROL;

keymap["KEY_ALT"] = KEY_ALT;

keymap["KEY_SHIFT"] = KEY_SHIFT;

keymap["ALT"] = KF_ALT;

keymap["CTRL"] = KF_CTRL;

keymap["SHIFT"] = KF_SHIFT;

keymap["DOUBLE"] = KF_DOUBLE;

keymap["~ALT"] = KF_NOALT;

keymap["~CTRL"] = KF_NOCTRL;

keymap["~SHIFT"] = KF_NOSHIFT;

keymap["~DOUBLE"] = KF_NODOUBLE.

For Hotbar Actions

<&hotbar_key:anyAction>

Working Algorithm:

If the specified action is on the Hotbar, the game will display the corresponding hotbar key value in the text instead of the variable string.
If the specified action is not on the Hotbar, the action hotkey value will be displayed if set.
Otherwise, an empty value [] will be displayed.

Example of using variable strings in localization

Fragment of a .lng file using variable strings:

{"02" "To build a breastwork, select your riflemen and press <&hotbar_key:barricade>. Then select a starting spot for the breastwork and press <&mouse_action_key>. Drag the mouse cursor to set the length for the fortification. Press <&mouse_action_key> again to order the breastwork to be built."

Explanation of variables

<&hotbar_key:barricade>This variable will be replaced by the key assigned to the barricade action in the hotbar. If the barricade action is assigned to a key, that key will be displayed. If not, it will display the hotkey for the action if set, or an empty value [] if neither is set.
<&mouse_action_key>This variable will be replaced by the mouse button configured for order issuance in the options window. By default, it is the right mouse button (RMB). If the "LMB orders" option is checked, it will be replaced by the left mouse button (LMB).

Example user settings

Assume the barricade action is assigned to the key F1 in the hotbar.
Assume the mouse order button is set to the right mouse button (RMB).

Resulting In-Game Text

With these settings, the variables will be substituted as follows:

<&hotbar_key:barricade> becomes F1.
<&mouse_action_key> becomes RMB.

Thus, the text displayed in the game will be:

To build a breastwork, select your riflemen and press F1. Then select a starting spot for the breastwork and press RMB. Drag the mouse cursor to set the length for the fortification. Press RMB again to order the breastwork to be built.

By understanding how the variables are substituted with actual key values set by the user, we can see how the text dynamically adapts to the player's configuration, ensuring that the instructions are always accurate and relevant to the current settings.

Configuration files

File name

Purpose

keys.opt

Configuration of in-game actions to hotkeys

scene\hud2\action.set

File with descriptions of in-game actions

interface\text#ingame+.lng

Localization file for in-game actions

*.lng