Fixing Vortex Language Sync On Startup: A Developer's Guide

by SLV Team 60 views
Fixing Vortex Language Sync on Startup: A Developer's Guide

Hey guys! Ever faced that annoying issue where your Vortex extensions start in the wrong language? Yeah, it's a pain. Specifically, the problem is that util.getCurrentLanguage() isn't synced properly at startup, causing extensions to grab the default language (like English) instead of the user's preferred language. Let's dive into how to tackle this, making sure your extensions play nice with Vortex right from the get-go.

Understanding the Bug: Why the Wrong Language?

So, here's the deal: when Vortex starts up, it's still restoring the UI language that the user has set previously. During this brief window, if your extension initializes and calls util.getCurrentLanguage(), it might get the default language (e.g., en) instead of the user's chosen language (e.g., ru). This leads to inconsistent logs and, more frustratingly, initial wrong localization in your extension. Imagine action names stubbornly sticking to English while the rest of the UI is in Russian! This issue can be particularly jarring for users who expect a seamless, localized experience from the moment they launch Vortex.

To really nail this down, consider this scenario. A user has set their Vortex UI language to Russian. They close and restart Vortex. An extension, during its initialization, calls util.getCurrentLanguage(). Because Vortex hasn't fully restored the UI language yet, the extension incorrectly reads en. As a result, any language-dependent features in the extension are initialized with English, leading to a mismatch when the UI eventually renders in Russian. The key takeaway is that the timing of the extension's initialization relative to Vortex's language restoration is crucial. Ensuring that util.getCurrentLanguage() accurately reflects the user's language setting from the start is vital for a smooth user experience.

Observed Logs Example:

2025-10-27T21:31:50.439Z - debug: [mount-and-blade-ii-bannerlord-vortex-support] Current i18n language: en -> Bannerlord: English
2025-10-27T21:31:54.169Z - debug: render with language {"language":"ru"}

See that? The extension initially grabs en, but later renders with ru. Not ideal.

How to Reproduce the Issue: Step-by-Step

Want to see this bug in action? Here’s how you can reproduce it:

  1. Set Vortex UI language: Go into Vortex settings and set the UI language to something other than English (e.g., Russian, French, German).
  2. Close Vortex: Shut down Vortex completely.
  3. Start Vortex with an Extension: Make sure you have an extension that calls util.getCurrentLanguage() during its initialization. Bonus points if it logs the value. Something like the Bannerlord support extension mentioned in the original bug report works great.
  4. Observe the Logs: Check the extension’s logs. You'll likely see that it initially shows en (or whatever the default is), even though the UI eventually renders in the correct language (e.g., ru).

By following these steps, you can reliably reproduce the language synchronization issue and confirm that the extension is indeed picking up the wrong language during startup. This hands-on approach is invaluable for understanding the problem and verifying any potential solutions.

Expected Behavior: What Should Happen

Ideally, util.getCurrentLanguage() should return the final, restored UI language right from the start. When extensions initialize, they should be able to rely on this function to provide the correct language setting, ensuring that everything is consistent from the get-go. No more mismatched languages or confusing UI elements! Achieving this expected behavior would significantly enhance the user experience by ensuring that extensions seamlessly integrate with the user's chosen language settings. Consistent and accurate language detection is crucial for providing a polished and professional experience. It eliminates the need for workarounds or post-initialization adjustments, resulting in a more robust and reliable extension.

Diving Deep: Technical Context and Workarounds

Let's get a bit more technical. The Bannerlord support extension, for instance, maps Vortex i18n codes to game language names and calls Utils.setLanguage(...). The original reporter tried an idempotent sync as a workaround – basically, re-checking the language on use. This works sometimes, but only if the string is translated after the extension is loaded. Action names, unfortunately, tend to stick to English, which isn't great.

The core issue here is the timing of the language initialization. Vortex needs to ensure that the UI language is fully restored before extensions start querying it. This might involve delaying the initialization of certain extension components or providing a mechanism for extensions to register a callback that's triggered when the language is ready. Further investigation into Vortex's internal architecture and event handling would be beneficial to identify the optimal solution. This would also involve exploring the use of asynchronous programming techniques to avoid blocking the main thread while waiting for the language to be initialized.

Potential Solutions and Strategies

Okay, so how do we fix this mess? Here are a few strategies we can explore:

  1. Delay Extension Initialization: The simplest approach might be to delay the initialization of extensions until Vortex has fully restored the UI language. This could involve adding an event that extensions can subscribe to, signaling that the language is ready.
  2. Implement a Language Ready Callback: Allow extensions to register a callback function that's executed when the language is fully initialized. This would give extensions a reliable way to get the correct language without having to constantly poll or guess.
  3. Improve Vortex's Internal Language Management: Dig into Vortex's code and see if there's a way to ensure the language is restored earlier in the startup process. This might involve optimizing the loading sequence or using more efficient data structures.
  4. Utilize Asynchronous Operations: Employ asynchronous operations to prevent blocking the main thread while waiting for the language to initialize. This ensures the UI remains responsive and prevents potential performance issues.
  5. Create a Language Service: Develop a centralized language service within Vortex that extensions can query for the current language. This service would handle the synchronization and ensure that the correct language is always returned.

Each of these solutions has its own trade-offs, of course. Delaying initialization might slow down the overall startup time, while modifying Vortex's internals could introduce compatibility issues. The best approach will depend on a careful analysis of Vortex's architecture and the needs of its extensions.

Wrapping Up: Ensuring a Consistent Language Experience

The util.getCurrentLanguage() issue is a tricky one, but by understanding the problem and exploring potential solutions, we can ensure that Vortex extensions provide a consistent and localized experience for all users. Whether it's delaying initialization, implementing callbacks, or tweaking Vortex's internals, the goal is the same: to make sure extensions get the right language information from the start. Let's work together to make Vortex even better!

By addressing this synchronization issue, we not only improve the user experience but also enhance the reliability and robustness of Vortex extensions. A consistent language experience is crucial for creating a polished and professional application, and by implementing the right solutions, we can achieve this goal. So let's roll up our sleeves and get to work!