Feature Request: Pattern-Based Glossary Entries with Variable Substitution
Use Case
Technical translation (especially patents) frequently involves terms followed by reference codes that vary across documents. Currently, translators must create separate glossary entries for every combination of term + code.
Example:
音出力部1000 → sound output unit 1000
音出力部1001 → sound output unit 1001
音出力部200a → sound output unit 200a
This requires creating dozens or hundreds of nearly-identical glossary entries for the same term.
Proposed Feature
Allow glossary entries to include wildcard/regex patterns with capture groups:
Glossary entry:
音出力部# sound output unit #
or with regex:
音出力部(\d+[a-z]*) sound output unit \1
Behavior:
When the source segment contains 音出力部1000, OmegaT would:
Match the pattern 音出力部# (or regex)
Capture the code 1000
Display sound output unit 1000 in the glossary/auto-complete pane
Benefits
Dramatically reduces glossary maintenance
Maintains consistency across documents with different reference codes
Particularly valuable for technical domains (patents, engineering docs, medical devices, etc.)
Implementation Suggestion
Add a new glossary type or flag for "pattern glossaries"
Support simple placeholder (#) or full regex with capture groups
Priority: pattern matches display after exact matches