A Script to Fix Missing Name Localization Entries in CK3

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction

A common challenge in Crusader Kings 3 modding is figuring out how to quickly transfer hard-coded character names into localization files.

Fortunately, this problem is quite simple to solve. When a character’s name is defined in the character files but not in the localization files, the game’s error.log will report errors for the missing localization entries. For example:

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[15:47:18][E][culture_name_equivalency.cpp:101]: Missing loc Chrysanthius: "Chrysanthius"
[15:47:18][E][culture_name_equivalency.cpp:101]: Missing loc Oribasius: "Oribasius"

Since these errors follow a consistent format, the issue can be easily resolved with a simple script to process the log file.

The Script

Code

You can use the code below directly.

Python is required.

Click to view the code

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import re
import os
from collections import OrderedDict

def generate_loc_from_log(log_file_path, output_file_path):
 """
 Extracts missing localization entries from a CK3 error.log file
 and generates a .yml file.
 """
 # Regular expression to match the "Missing loc KEY: " format
 # It captures the part after "Missing loc " and before the colon ":" as the key (KEY)
 pattern = re.compile(r"Missing loc ([^:]+):")

 # Use a set to store all found keys, which automatically handles duplicates
 found_keys = set()

 print(f"Reading log file: {log_file_path}")

 try:
 with open(log_file_path, 'r', encoding='utf-8', errors='ignore') as log_file:
 for line in log_file:
 match = pattern.search(line)
 if match:
 # Extract the matched key and strip any leading/trailing whitespace
 key = match.group(1).strip()
 if key: # Ensure the key is not empty
 found_keys.add(key)
 except FileNotFoundError:
 print(f"Error: File not found at '{log_file_path}'. Please ensure the path is correct.")
 return
 except Exception as e:
 print(f"An error occurred while reading the file: {e}")
 return

 if not found_keys:
 print("No 'Missing loc' errors found in the log file.")
 return

 # Convert the set to a list and sort it alphabetically for a clean output file
 sorted_keys = sorted(list(found_keys))

 print(f"Found {len(sorted_keys)} unique missing localization entries.")

 try:
 with open(output_file_path, 'w', encoding='utf-8-sig') as output_file:
 # Write the required language header for the yml file
 output_file.write("l_english:\n")

 # Iterate through all sorted keys and write them to the file in the correct format
 for key in sorted_keys:
 # Format as: KEY:0 "KEY"
 # Note: The two leading spaces are required by the yml format
 output_line = f' {key}:0 "{key}"\n'
 output_file.write(output_line)

 print(f"Success! Localization file generated at: {output_file_path}")
 print("You can copy and paste the contents of this file into your mod's localization file.")

 except Exception as e:
 print(f"An error occurred while writing to the output file: {e}")

if __name__ == "__main__":
 # 1. Place the path to your error.log file here
 # Example: "C:/Users/YourUser/Documents/Paradox Interactive/Crusader Kings III/logs/error.log"
 # If the script is in the same folder as the log file, you can just use "error.log"
 input_log_path = "error.log"

 # 2. This is the name of the generated output file
 output_yml_path = "generated_names_loc.yml"

 # Run the main function
 generate_loc_from_log(input_log_path, output_yml_path)

How to Use

It is recommended to create the generate_loc.py file in the same directory as error.log. The path is typically:

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%USERPROFILE%\Documents\Paradox Interactive\Crusader Kings III\logs

Then, open a Command Prompt or PowerShell in that directory and execute the following command:

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python generate_loc.py

After the script finishes, a new file named generated_names_loc.yml will be created in the same folder. This file will contain all the necessary localization entries.

Modding on Glass Ball in a Plastic World

A Script to Fix Missing Name Localization Entries in CK3

Introduction

The Script

Code

How to Use