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Notices about localization
==========================
Introduction
------------
NsCDE supports localization by custom LocalePath for fvwm and UseGettext
directives in the FvwmScript scripts.
All part of visible text provided by NsCDE has localization ability with
the restriction of the Workspace names, which are localized according to
locale present during user's first setup. That is: "One", "Two", "Three"
and "Four" are translated by catching text with gettext(1). Later this
workspaces can be renamed by user as needed.
LANGUAGE and/or LC_MESSAGES must be set for localization to work correctly.
First translated language from original English is Croatian. Other
translations are welcome.
Both .po and .mo localization files are provided in the installation path
$NSCDE_ROOT/share/locale/<lang>/LC_MESSAGES
There are some pitfalls and things which must be observed when translating
to the new languages. Existing .po files in "hr" can serve as a template for
new translations since just msgstr lines must be replaced and msgid's are
already there.
Warnings
--------
This are the things for which translator must be careful:
- FvwmScript based programs and dialogs are unflexible. This means text must
somehow fit in dozen of the spaces english size of the phrases and sentences.
This is not always the case, but visual testing should be made to see if new
text breaks widget sizes or maybe exceeds in visually ugly way on some side.
This means alternative wording in new language must be considered, or even at
some places abbrevations deployed for things to stay smooth.
- Some smaller child FvwmScript dialogs are using parent ".po" files. For
example, NColorsDialog and ModifyColor are using NsCDE-ColorMgr.po, while
PaletteDialog is using BackdropMgr from the parent etc etc ...
Notifier
--------
- Notifier dialogs are flexible. Size of the text doesn't matter here. Only
thing that can go wrong is that on the 7-10 places, there are split
sentences which if translated literally, can break the logic of the sentence
in a new language. Search "f_Notifier" FVWM function call in config, libexec
and lib/scripts directories (Functions.fvwmconf specially) and try to
reproduce them from command line with FvwmCommand or FvwmConsole. For example,
you can wrote ~/Test.conf with the content
f_Notifier "FpLite Function Error" "Dismiss" "NsCDE/Error.xpm" \
"$[gt.Error: Func:f_FpLiteClickAction: Cannot find top(1), prstat(1m) or topas(5) in PATH] $[PATH]."
... and then call it with FvwmCommand 'Read $[HOME]/Test.conf'. You should see
the dialog in english, and after it is localized, in other language. By picking
this messages from the code and main system configuration, you can test it in
the relatively easy way. Notifier translations are in the main "NsCDE.po".
Warning: when recompiling "NsCDE.po" into "NsCDE.mo", NsCDE should be
restarted immediately, or you rish the crash with the segfault. Looks like
Compiled locale file are treated like dlopened libraries by FVWM.
Other ".po" files can be msgfmt'ed without restarting NsCDE (FVWM).
- All Notifier translations are in NsCDE.po, either from this used by the FVWM
functions or by the FvwmScript programs and dialogs.
Other Dialogs
-------------
- InputForm is also reading "NsCDE.mo" - used in FontMgr and ColorMgr for now.
Menus
-----
- FVWM menus are also flexible, but following should be observed:
- acceleration key is choosen by prefixing accelerator key with a "&" sign.
For example "R&aise" means if menu is opened and "a" typed, Raise will
be executed. This "a" after "&" is underlined. In many cases, different words
from english may not have that letter, or other options on the same menu
can have it, even multiple times. It is on translator to introduce new
acceleration keys here. Sign "&" is written in "NsCDE.po" file with the
words in msgid and msgstr lines. See existing example, and consult fvwm(1)
for more about FVWM menus.
- While menus are flexible, they can become excessingly fat if some translation
considerably differs from english in length. As with FvwmScript, combine
different wording and if nothing fits, try to use abbrevations.
Initial Setup
-------------
Initial user setup script is using "nscde-bootstrap.po".
Misc
----
- Probably you will run into double definitions, specially for some short string
translations. If you see error from msgfmt, handle it. This is specially the
true for the main NsCDE.po
- Test every translation. Do not assume it is ok until you don't see it.
- Many of the original messages are using over-capitalization of terms as in
original CDE. In first (croatian) translation this is mimicked. It is up to
the translator to decide if this questionable style is going to be followed
or not, but if you decide not to follow, remember that some terms are names
and must be capitalized anyway.
- Calendar applet does not have translation. LC_CTYPE (or overlapping LC_ALL)
from the user's environment will set abbrevated month name automatically.
- Good place for LANGUAGE and/or LC_MESSAGES are ~/.bash_profile (or equivalent
in other shells) or $FVWM_USERDIR/NsCDE.conf in the form of FVWM "SetEnv"
directives for setting environment variables.
- Translations should be complete, or at least 90% complete. There is no point
to have half translated localizations.