(this page was created automatically. In case of formatting issues, please visit the official Wiki Page)

Translation Textarea

Link to Figma: https://www.figma.com/design/yck1tcUXgdQ5aYX6iUAwrO/GE---Astronaut-Design-System?node-id=2531-190302&t=ftfrOGkPzlG2GaTo-1

Overview

• The Translation Textarea is a specialized form control for multi-line localized text.
• It allows users to create and edit lengthy multilingual content.
• The component includes integrated language selection for translations.
• It is useful for internationalization scenarios requiring long text in different languages.
• Typical use cases include descriptions, instructions, terms, or user-facing content that needs localization.

Specs

Tokens

Structure

(Configured in General Properties)

• displayName - Sets the display name of the component shown in the structure panel. For example, "Product Description Translations" allows for easy identification of the component's purpose in the application structure, making it easier for developers and content editors to locate this specific translation textarea field.

(Configured in Non-Visual Properties)

• dataField - Defines the field name that will be used when submitting form data. For example, setting to "productDescription" ensures the translations are submitted with this field name in the form data object, making it clear what the translations represent on the server side.
• controlsRequestType - Specifies how the translation data is sent in HTTP requests: 'BODY', 'HEADER', or 'PATH'. For example, setting to "BODY" includes the translations in the request body, which is standard for most form submissions with multilingual data.

(Configured in Visual Properties)

• saveInLocalStorage - Determines whether the component's entered translations are preserved in local storage between sessions. When enabled, translation data persists between page reloads, improving user experience for complex multilingual forms that may take time to complete.

(Configured in Visibility)

• displayConditions - Defines conditions for displaying the component. This allows showing or hiding the translation textarea based on complex rules involving other form values, user roles, or application state.

Styling

(Configured in Visual Properties)

• labelTranslations - Sets the label text displayed above the textarea field, with support for multiple languages. For example, {"en-US": "Enter Product Description", "de-DE": "Produktbeschreibung eingeben"} ensures proper localization of the field label based on the user's language settings.
• maxLength - Sets the maximum number of characters allowed in the textarea for each language. This helps enforce content length restrictions and provides visual feedback to users about their remaining character count. For example, setting to "1000" limits each language translation to 1000 characters, which is useful for ensuring translations don't exceed space constraints.
• paddingClass - Configures spacing around the translation textarea component using CSS classes. For example, "p-4" adds medium padding on all sides of the component to improve visual spacing within its container.
• defaultValue - Sets the initial translation values that will be used when the form is reset. For example, setting to {"en-US": "Default product description goes here", "de-DE": "Standardproduktbeschreibung geht hier"} would pre-populate these translations when a form is first loaded or reset.

Actions & Variants

(Configured in Events)

• events - Configures the events that the component can trigger and respond to:
• ON_VALUE_CHANGE - Triggered when any translation value changes. Can be used to perform immediate actions based on translation changes, such as updating preview text or validating language-specific content.
• ON_INIT_BASED_ON_USER_VIEW - Triggered specifically when the component initializes in user view mode rather than edit mode.
• ON_INIT - Triggered when the translation textarea component is initialized. Can be used to perform setup operations like loading default translations from external sources.
• ON_DESTROY - Triggered when the component is removed from the DOM. Useful for cleanup operations and releasing resources.

(Configured in Visual Properties)

• hidden - Controls whether the component is visible in the form. When set to true, the component remains in the form structure but is not displayed, which is useful for conditional translation fields that should only appear in specific scenarios.
• readonly - Controls whether the translations can be modified by users. When set to true, the translation textarea displays the existing translations but prevents changes, which is useful for reference-only scenarios or when translations are managed through another system.

Validation

(Configured in Validation)

• validation - Configures validation rules for the translation textarea field. This allows you to set requirements such as mandatory translations for specific languages or character limits. For example, setting required validation ensures that at least one language translation is provided before the form can be submitted.

Authorization

(Configured in Authorization)

• authorizationDisable - Specifies a policy set that determines when the component should be disabled based on user permissions. For example, setting to "translatorOnlyPolicy" will disable the translation textarea for users who don't have translation privileges according to the specified policy.
• visibilityPolicySetId - Determines the visibility of the component based on specified policy sets. For example, setting to "contentEditorsPolicy" restricts the translation textarea visibility to users with content editing privileges.

Testing

(Configured in Testing Hooks)

• id - Specifies a unique identifier for the component used for programmatic access. For example, "productDescriptionTranslations" enables targeted manipulation of this specific translation textarea field.
• dataTestId - Sets the testing hook ID for automated testing. For example, setting to "product-description-translations" allows test scripts to reliably locate this component for automated testing of multilingual content.
• enableAsHotspot - Enables the component as a guided tour hotspot. When enabled, the translation textarea can be highlighted during onboarding or tutorial flows to explain its multilingual functionality to new users.
• guidedTourHotSpotTitle - Sets the title for the guided tour hotspot, supporting translations. For example, {"en-US": "Product Description Translations", "de-DE": "Produktbeschreibung Übersetzungen"} provides clear identification during guided tours.
• guidedTourHotSpotDescription - Sets the description for the guided tour hotspot, supporting translations. For example, {"en-US": "Enter product descriptions in multiple languages", "de-DE": "Geben Sie Produktbeschreibungen in verschiedenen Sprachen ein"} provides detailed instructions during guided tours.

Guidelines

Usage

• Use for long, multi-line localized input where users must provide content per language, and label the field via labelTranslations.
• Pre-seed known copy with defaultValue to reduce initial typing and clarify expected structure.
• Limit verbosity with maxLength so each language stays within the allowed character budget.
• Preserve in-progress work on long tasks by enabling saveInLocalStorage.
• Switch to review/read-only scenarios by setting readonly: true instead of hiding the field.

Sizing & Layout

• Set the visible height using rows; increase rows for drafting, reduce for compact forms.
• Add breathing room around the field with paddingClass to maintain consistent spacing.
• Keep the field present but out of view when unnecessary by toggling hidden.

States & Feedback

• Enforce mandatory content and per-language rules through validation (e.g., required languages, length).
• Reflect non-editable states explicitly with readonly to signal view-only content.
• React to text edits in real time with events.ON_VALUE_CHANGE (e.g., to trigger checks or previews).

Visibility & Authorization

• Gate visibility by policy with visibilityPolicySetId when users must not see the field.
• Keep visible but disabled using authorizationDisable when users should understand they lack edit rights.

Content & Localization

• Keep labels concise and localized with labelTranslations (1–2 words, no trailing colon).
• Align validation limits with validation and maxLength so users see consistent, locale-appropriate rules.

Dos & Don’ts

Accessibility

• Provide stable automation and a11y selectors with dataTestId and id for targeting and verification.
• Optionally support comprehension via guided tours using enableAsHotspot with localized guidedTourHotSpotTitle and guidedTourHotSpotDescription (supplemental only; not for critical info).
• Reduce accidental data loss during long authoring by enabling saveInLocalStorage, which can benefit users who need more time to complete inputs.
• Keep labels short and specific through labelTranslations; avoid relying on placeholder-style guidance.
• Increase rows when long content is expected to minimize excessive scrolling.