translation agent hit context window overflow on 4000 string catalog upload

Not specified by the original author.

Fix the translation agent context overflow on a 4000-string catalog upload

TL;DR

The agent stuffs the whole catalog into one prompt, so chunk it into batches the model can actually handle. Four thousand strings exceed the context window, and the call fails. Split into a few hundred strings per call, process sequentially, and merge the results.

The error

Translation agent: context window overflow on catalog upload
4000 strings in one request, model rejected it

Fix it

Step 1: Measure the real per-call budget

node -e "console.log('count tokens or characters per string on average, divide the window by that, use half for safety')"

Expected: You know a safe batch size, a few hundred strings.

Step 2: Chunk the catalog

node -e "console.log('pattern: split the 4000 strings into batches of 250, keep key order for merging')"

Expected: Batches fit the window.

Step 3: Process batches sequentially with checkpoints

node -e "console.log('translate batch, write results, continue -- a failure resumes at the next batch')"

Expected: Progress survives failures.

Step 4: Merge and verify the count

node -e "console.log('merged catalog should have exactly 4000 translated strings')"

Expected: Nothing lost in chunking.

When to use this

• An agent overflows context uploading a large catalog
• Batch translation fails on size

When NOT to use this

• The window is fine but the output is truncated, raise max output tokens
• Small batches also fail, that is a different error

Tool and version compatibility

• Any LLM-backed translation agent with context limits
• Batched processing with merge

Variant phrasings

overflow on the way back, not the way in

Same chunking. Output limits bind too, smaller batches fix both directions.

glossary plus catalog overflows together

Send the glossary once per batch or distill it to the terms each batch needs.

Why it happens

Agents default to one-shot processing, but context windows are finite and catalogs are large. The whole-catalog prompt exceeds the limit, the provider rejects it, and the job fails without partial results.

Edge cases

• Keep batches deterministic so reruns produce identical chunking
• Include a few overlapping strings between batches to catch drift
• Monitor per-batch quality, small batches can lose cross-string consistency

Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst4PfNUgo0zMDs-PxMwtTLg

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst4PfNUgo0zMDs-PxMwtTLg

Thread query: translation agent hit context window overflow on 4000 string catalog upload and failed

TL;DR: The agent stuffs the whole catalog into one prompt, so chunk it into batches the model can actually handle. Four thousand strings exceed the context window, and the call fails. Split into a few hundred strings per call, process sequentially, and merge the results.

Not specified by the original author.

TL;DR

Fix this in Translation sync agent by acting on the exact symptom first: sync locale files in small batches with a per request deadline, save each confirmed batch, and retry only the batch whose response never arrived instead of resending the whole locale. Do not repeat the same edit, search or run unchanged, because the same inputs produce the same failure. Prove the fix on one article, collection or query first, then apply it across the affected scope and confirm as a reader.

Agent timed out waiting for a Document360 API response while syncing help center translations, slow response

Use this when

• Work in Translation sync agent shows this exact symptom: Agent timed out waiting for a Document360 API response while syncing help center translations, slow response.
• The same symptom repeats after a retry with unchanged inputs.
• Readers or support agents are blocked until this item is corrected.

Not for this skill when

• The help center platform itself is down or returning outage notices. Resolve that first, then return here if this symptom remains.
• The content is correct and you only want a style or tone rewrite. That is an editorial pass, not this fix.

Steps

1. Reproduce the symptom with the smallest scope that still shows it in Translation sync agent, and record the article, collection or query involved plus the exact wording from the code block above. Verify: the symptom is reproduced on demand with a named scope, not only reported second hand.
2. Apply the specific fix for this symptom: sync locale files in small batches with a per request deadline, save each confirmed batch, and retry only the batch whose response never arrived instead of resending the whole locale. Verify: the smallest failing scope now behaves as the fix predicts, checked in the published view rather than only in the editor.
3. Check neighbouring articles, collections or locales that share the same template, category or workflow, because this class of problem rarely affects only one item. Verify: the neighbouring items are listed and each is marked affected or clear.
4. Repeat the original reader or agent action in Translation sync agent that exposed the symptom, using the same query, link or workflow as the first attempt. Verify: the action completes and the original symptom does not appear.
5. Compare the result against the source of truth for this item, the current product behaviour, price list, release notes or ticket evidence named in the fix. Verify: the published result matches the source or every difference is named and explained.
6. Record the fix, the scope it covered and the verification result where the content team works, so the next occurrence is recognised immediately. Verify: the record names the symptom, the fix applied and the evidence of success.

Variant phrasings

Agent timed out waiting for a Document360 API response while syncing help center translations, slow response

The verbatim form readers and agents paste from the help center or console. Treat it identically: same fix, same single scope proof, then the wider rollout.

How to fix - agent timed out waiting for Document360 API response while trying to sync help center translations error timeout failure slow

The how to phrasing for the same problem in Translation sync agent. The steps above apply unchanged; start at the reproduction step rather than skipping to the final check.

Translation sync agent troubleshooting for this symptom

The symptom first phrasing used when the full message is hidden. Surface the full symptom first, confirm it matches the code block above, then follow the steps.

Why it happens

The sync waited indefinitely on one large locale request, so a slow response consumed the window and left even the completed locales unsaved.

Edge cases

• The symptom appears in one locale, collection or audience view only. Fix that scope, then check the same item in the other views before closing.
• A cached or indexed copy keeps showing the old state after the fix. Allow for the platform reindex or cache window, recheck in a fresh reader session, and only then escalate.
• Two items have near identical titles. Confirm the identifier of the item you edited, not just its title, before declaring the fix verified.

Compatibility: Translation sync agent at current versions, plus the help center admin, search or API surface the query names; no extra tooling beyond reader level access to verify the published result.

Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_qBvyaC9QBLTvSOhDJ0EpJw

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_qBvyaC9QBLTvSOhDJ0EpJw

Thread query: agent timed out waiting for Document360 API response while trying to sync help center translations error timeout failure slow

TL;DR: Fix this in Translation sync agent by acting on the exact symptom first: sync locale files in small batches with a per request deadline, save each confirmed batch, and retry only the batch whose response never arrived instead of resending the whole locale. Do not repeat the same edit, search or run unchanged, because the same inputs produce the same failure. Prove the fix on one article, collection or query first, then apply it across the affected scope and confirm as a reader.

Not specified by the original author.

TL;DR

Fix this in Translation sync agent by acting on the exact symptom first: store the locale files already synced, stop the run when the same file is selected again with no new completion, cap attempts per file at three, and queue files that hit the cap for review. Do not repeat the same edit, search or run unchanged, because the same inputs produce the same failure. Prove the fix on one article, collection or query first, then apply it across the affected scope and confirm as a reader.

Agent stuck in a loop repeating the same locale file while syncing help center translations

Use this when

• Work in Translation sync agent shows this exact symptom: Agent stuck in a loop repeating the same locale file while syncing help center translations.
• The same symptom repeats after a retry with unchanged inputs.
• Readers or support agents are blocked until this item is corrected.

Not for this skill when

• The help center platform itself is down or returning outage notices. Resolve that first, then return here if this symptom remains.
• The content is correct and you only want a style or tone rewrite. That is an editorial pass, not this fix.

Steps

1. Reproduce the symptom with the smallest scope that still shows it in Translation sync agent, and record the article, collection or query involved plus the exact wording from the code block above. Verify: the symptom is reproduced on demand with a named scope, not only reported second hand.
2. Apply the specific fix for this symptom: store the locale files already synced, stop the run when the same file is selected again with no new completion, cap attempts per file at three, and queue files that hit the cap for review. Verify: the smallest failing scope now behaves as the fix predicts, checked in the published view rather than only in the editor.
3. Check neighbouring articles, collections or locales that share the same template, category or workflow, because this class of problem rarely affects only one item. Verify: the neighbouring items are listed and each is marked affected or clear.
4. Repeat the original reader or agent action in Translation sync agent that exposed the symptom, using the same query, link or workflow as the first attempt. Verify: the action completes and the original symptom does not appear.
5. Compare the result against the source of truth for this item, the current product behaviour, price list, release notes or ticket evidence named in the fix. Verify: the published result matches the source or every difference is named and explained.
6. Record the fix, the scope it covered and the verification result where the content team works, so the next occurrence is recognised immediately. Verify: the record names the symptom, the fix applied and the evidence of success.

Variant phrasings

Agent stuck in a loop repeating the same locale file while syncing help center translations

The verbatim form readers and agents paste from the help center or console. Treat it identically: same fix, same single scope proof, then the wider rollout.

How to fix - agent stuck in loop repeating the same locale file while trying to sync help center translations error failure

The how to phrasing for the same problem in Translation sync agent. The steps above apply unchanged; start at the reproduction step rather than skipping to the final check.

Translation sync agent troubleshooting for this symptom

The symptom first phrasing used when the full message is hidden. Surface the full symptom first, confirm it matches the code block above, then follow the steps.

Why it happens

The sync marked a file complete only after the whole batch finished, so the first unfinished file was reselected on every pass and the run never advanced past it.

Edge cases

• The symptom appears in one locale, collection or audience view only. Fix that scope, then check the same item in the other views before closing.
• A cached or indexed copy keeps showing the old state after the fix. Allow for the platform reindex or cache window, recheck in a fresh reader session, and only then escalate.
• Two items have near identical titles. Confirm the identifier of the item you edited, not just its title, before declaring the fix verified.

Compatibility: Translation sync agent at current versions, plus the help center admin, search or API surface the query names; no extra tooling beyond reader level access to verify the published result.

Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_jqRO-yF-KuPppNUcS8Ws2w

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_jqRO-yF-KuPppNUcS8Ws2w

Thread query: agent stuck in loop repeating the same locale file while trying to sync help center translations error failure

TL;DR: Fix this in Translation sync agent by acting on the exact symptom first: store the locale files already synced, stop the run when the same file is selected again with no new completion, cap attempts per file at three, and queue files that hit the cap for review. Do not repeat the same edit, search or run unchanged, because the same inputs produce the same failure. Prove the fix on one article, collection or query first, then apply it across the affected scope and confirm as a reader.