Localization support

[imported_Ryan]

I’ve attached a new version (1.7) of the Multi-level Navigation Plugin to this post. This new version has an initial implementation for localization support. This is totally untested. The plugin should work fine, but I’m not entirely sure if it is setup correctly for localization (I’ve never done this before).

If you know anything about localization of WordPress plugins or software in general, please let me know if it works or if I’ve done anything wrong with it.

If you want to translate the plugin that would be great too ” title=”Smiley” /> All translators will receive credit links in the official WordPress plugin repository as well as here on PixoPoint.com.

The text domain for localization is ‘pixopoint_mln’.

[nv1962]

Heh – you keep me busy huh… Just finished with malcalevak’s. I’m looking at the files you’ve included here, but I don’t see a .POT (i.e. template) or .po file with the English strings… Do you have one?

[imported_Ryan]

Nope. I was hoping you would know how to do it ” title=”Smiley” />

I’ll make one and add it in to the ZIP.

[nv1962]

Thanks – reason I can’t (shouldn’t) is that I’d very probably set the base locations and code line references of your files incorrectly (i.e. absent) which makes it much tougher for you to "correct" it. That’s why… I mean I could, but it’d be overall an aggregate time loss compared to you setting one up. (Just in case: <a href="http://www.poedit.net/download.php">Poedit</a&gt;.)

[imported_Ryan]

The attached version (1.7.1) now has a PO file in it.

I have no idea if I’ve done this correctly, so hopefully it works!

I wasn’t sure how much to break the text up. So I decided to seperate it out into paragraphs, headings etc. Whole paragraphs are set as single chunks, so they contain HTML markup. If this isn’t the appropriate way do it then let me know and I’ll go back and break it up into small/more appropriate chunks for you.

[imported_Ryan]

BTW nv1962, I’ve activated your username for Premium Support. So you can now access the Premium Support forum and all of the other paid features here at PixoPoint.com.

[nv1962]

Wow… What can I say other than a heartfelt Thank You, Ryan!

I’m working on the file right now, but I’m running into a "management" type issue: it refers to the support forum, but I have a hunch it’s a good idea to clarify that support is in English – and that the questions also are supposed to be in (as intelligible as possible a version of) English… Am I right? Should I work a polite version of that advisement into it? I’d actually suggest making an extra, separate text string (with a "" value for the English version…) containing a text in bold, plus some HTML / CSS code to put it separate from the "main" plugin options (set aside e.g. atop or below them) themselves, reminding / requesting that support questions pretty please be in English. Lemme know while I plug along with the translation.

And – thank you again…

[imported_Ryan]

Ah, I hadn’t thought of that before. Yes, asking questions in English would be good. They can ask in other languages, but the’ll be relying on me using Google translator to figure out what they are asking.

I tried to communicate with someone in Spanish this way a while back and it was disastrous, although in defense of Google Translator a Mexican friend of mine said the original questions were hard to understand even for a native Spanish reader.

[imported_Ryan]

Was I correct in just dumping entire paragraphs into seperate chunks, along with their HTML tags?

[nv1962]

I don’t know if "correct" applies as a criterium; what matters, I think, is whether it is functional and efficient, and I trust it’s both. My only concern is consistency in the character tables; if it renders properly (and assuming it’s parsed as UTF-8, it probably will) that’s all that matters.

I’ll separately post that friendly "language reminder" in Spanish here, once I’m done with the file translation (I’m at 81% now) so that you also know what (i.e. how much text) to leave room for in the <b>non-English</b> plugin installations <b>only</b> (as I don’t think there’s much practicality in asking that in the English language version…)

[imported_Ryan]

Wow. Fast work ” title=”Smiley” />

How do you recommend doing the language translation if I need to do it myself? I have friends who are happy to translate it into various languages for me, but I’d rather them not have to mess around with installing software just to translate it for me so I may need to do it myself once they send me the raw translations in a text file.

I’ve had a volunteer to do German and I’m hoping I can get Russian, French and Catonese (sp?) done.

[imported_Ryan]

Some questions:

What should I do when the plugin is updated with new content?
I’m about to add a new feature to it of which the file you are dealing with right now does not have the text for.

Is it okay for plugins to have the occasional missing translation? Would users find it odd if there was? I don’t want to have to request the translators help out every time I add a sentence here or there, particularly if I’m doing regular updates (which I am right now).

I’m assuming it will just show the English version if no translation is available.

[imported_Ryan]

As a side effect of adding localization support, the source code in the admin page is now a lot cleaner ” title=”Smiley” /> I ‘prettified’ it as I added the translation support.

[nv1962]

Ta-da! Itching to know whether it works… I don’t have a test server up, so I can’t put it to work, but I’ll keep my fingers crossed!

Now, as to that friendly "language reminder":

"Le recordamos atentamente que, aunque las opciones de configuración del plugin se muestran aquí traducidas, lamentablemente no podemos ofrecer soporte, si no nos hace sus preguntas en inglés… Con tal de hacer un esfuerzo por su parte (p.ej. con la ayuda de la <a href="http://www.google.com/language_tools?hl=es">herramienta de traducción de Google</a>) nosotros haremos por nuestra parte lo que podamos para ayudarle."

In English (more FYI than for actual use):
"We’d like to politely remind you that, although the plugin configuration options appear translated here, we’re sorry but we’re unable to offer support if you don’t ask us your questions in English… If you on your part make an effort (e.g. with the help of the <a href="http://www.google.com/language_tools?hl=en">Google Translation tool</a>) we will do the best we can to help you."

Hope that’s acceptable; else, let me know what text you’d prefer instead and I’ll provide its Spanish version.

<b>NOTE: I edited the Spanish version afterwards!</b>

[nv1962]

Hehe… Faster than I can type… OK, here goes:

1) I strongly recommend using <a href="http://www.poedit.net/download.php">Poedit</a&gt;. It’s nimble, tiny, highly efficient, has a short learning curve, and most important of all: it is designed with localization in mind. It’s very, very simple to (learn to) use, and has a GUI in a plethora of language choices (handy e.g. for Cantonese and other multi-byte languages, also the RTL ones).
2) When the plugin changes, in the sense that UI strings are affected (whether additions or modifications of existing ones) then there’s nothing to do but to adapt those in the .po files as well. C’est la vie! However, in practice I suspect by far most of the changes are about core code – not UI.
3) If there’s a "gap" in translation, and assuming (uh-oh!) that your code does a sanity check, the "proper" thing to do is to fall back on the English UI string in question and <b>only</b> for the missing string. Now, obviously code can’t read minds, so if the scenario is a <i>modification</i> of a UI string, then the "old" translated version would still show (after all, that’s when a string value does exist in the target language – even when it’s outdated). Such "gap plugging" with English default strings is obviously just a stopgap solution; the sooner you have your translation files in sync, the better. Having said that: sadly there are some plugins out there (and even whole WP language files!) that are in need of updating, e.g. to reflect the 2.7 changes. It’s a neverending work in progress, like that universal phenomenon of highway maintenance. Or painting the Eiffel Tower.
4) Yeah, once you shift focus onto UI issues (language, presentation, etc.) you suddenly "see" more stuff, which otherwise and in fast & furious "code mode" goes by undetected… Let’s call that a fringe benefit of localization.

PS: the Google Translator tool is making remarkable progress – as long as everyone understands that it’s useful and effective only "to get the gist" it’s quite impressive, actually. Says a human "competitor" – haha!

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