RE: [Dynamator-users] I18N

[Jay D. <jay...@op...>]

Juergen,

Dynamator is designed to be a small tool that does one thing well. It's a=
n XML editor, not an I18n tool. I18n is an unexpected application of the =
tool.

I agree that the XML syntax might be a problem for some. I do think XML i=
s better than properties files: native2ascii and backslashes for line con=
tinuation are not user-friendly. It wouldn't be too hard to create an add=
itional tool to transform a simpler syntax to Dynamator XML, but that wou=
ld be out of scope for Dynamator.=20

In general, I think programmers overestimate the importance of syntax and=
 underestimate the importance of semantics to non-programmers. Obviously =
cleaner is better, but extra syntax doesn't confuse non-programmers if th=
e semantics are clean. Good translation service organizations can handle =
XML and HTML already.

I don't follow the last couple of sentences of your first paragraph. The =
I18n approach described in the Dynamator article is purely static; there'=
s no behavior involved. The idea is to localize to a static web site, the=
n to apply the same set of behavior modifications to all localized static=
 web sites. And no matter how the modules are divided, any new static tex=
t elements will need to be added to all localizations.

You're right; the extra 'id' would not be needed; especially if you requi=
red each localized text element in the original HTML to have an 'id' attr=
ibute and you think in terms of generating the Dynamator XML.

regards,

Jay Dunning
jay...@us...


-----Original Message-----
From: Donnerstag, Juergen [mailto:jue...@ed...]=20
Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2004 4:04 PM
To: 'dyn...@li...'
Subject: [Dynamator-users] I18N

I'm looking for an approach which makes developing localized web apps sim=
pler and I came across Dynamator. Though I have no experience with it yet=
, I like the idea. But let me ask a couple of questions. Assuming I have =
to give the texts to be translated to an external office for translation.=
 That office will most likely *not* be able to handle XML data files like=
 *.dyn. A simple properties (or Excel) file would be much better. Does dy=
namator provide anything like that? Maybe the <content> tag could have so=
me attribute like id=3D"xyz" and the attribute's value points to some pro=
perties file value containing the localized texts. Thus separating logic =
(the dyn file contains some kind of logic/program) from text. Besides cha=
nges (additions) to the HTML would not require to modifiy 10+ dyn files i=
n case of 10+ languages, but just one.

what do you think?

Maybe even without <content>. The parent tag could have the id attr. Well=
, hmm, probably not a could idea though.

regards
Juergen

--=20
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