DeepAnki

Description

This is a Python script to translate text and add a new card to Anki with the translation, using the DeepL API and AnkiConnect.

I created this script as I watch YouTube or Twitch in my language of study (Finnish) for immersion and regularly come across more colloquial words or phrases. DeepL translation has proved far more capable than Google, particularly for Finnish. I considered a GUI or Anki addon but found a simple command line tool was quickest, allowing translation and adding to a new Anki card without having to change tabs or open windows (beyond terminal).

Installation

• Install Python 3
• Clone this repo
• Install using either:
  • Install from requirements (pip install -r requirements.txt)
  • Install with pipenv (pipenv install)
• Install AnkiConnect and have Anki open
• Sign up for a free DeepL Pro account (up to 500,000 characters a month translated)
• Copy your Authentication Key for DeepL API from the account page
• Open .env.example and paste your key after the '=' (AUTH_KEY=YOUR_DEEPL_API_AUTH_KEY)
• Rename .env.example to .env, save and close file

Usage

Several examples are shown below.

• The standard arguments (for target_lang formatting see currently available languages here)

.\deepanki.py --input Paljonko --target_lang EN-GB --deck test1

• The input argument can accept sentences as long as they are enclosed in single or double quotes. Single words do not require this, as above

.\deepanki.py --input 'Paljonko se maksaa' --target_lang EN-GB --deck test1

• Once familiar with the script, shorthand versions of the argument exist to speed things up

.\deepanki.py --in Paljonko --tl EN-GB --dk test1

• After pressing enter, the script will print two lines; the first upon successful translation with DeepL, the second the ID of the new card

Success! Translation: How much does it cost
Success! Note ID: 1628179552022 added

Recommendations

• The addon Minimize to tray is useful to keep Anki open but out of the way. The script will create a new card with AnkiConnect and does not require any input from the main Anki program
• If you intend to download this script and use it yourself, you can easily remove the .env and copy your DeepL API Authentication Key directly into connection.py here, which will make the script execute marginally faster:

        data = {'auth_key': 'your_auth_key',

• If you intend to only use one deck, you can easily delete or comment out this argument:

ap.add_argument(
                '--deck', '--dk',

And input your target deck in single or double quotations here:

result = cn.invoke(action='addNote', note={
            'deckName': 'your_target_deck',

• AnkiConnect has a large number of actions that could be added into this script if you are familiar with Python and have more complicated requirements for your cards than me. If you require Cloze cards rather than Basic cards, tags or want to open the 'Add card dialog' rather than do it automatically, these can all be added here:

result = cn.invoke(action='addNote', note={
            'deckName': args.deck,
            'modelName': 'Basic',
            'fields': {
                'Front': args.input,
                'Back': translation,
            },
            'options': {
                'closeAfterAdding': True,
            }
            })

Help

usage: deepanki.py [-h] [--input INPUT] [--target_lang TARGET_LANG] [--deck DECK]

optional arguments:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  --input INPUT, --in INPUT
                        Paste or type your input text for translation, which will become your card Front
  --target_lang TARGET_LANG, --tl TARGET_LANG
                        Type the target language for the translation
  --deck DECK, --dk DECK
                        Type the target deck name for the new card