[Phpwebsite-developers] New Language Construct

[Matthew M. <ma...@tu...>]

Greetings again,

As I work on the new core, it was decided to switch to modular updates. In
other words, portions of the web site can be upgraded instead of the whole
package. The admin can check for updates via an internal interface. The
core would check the version file indicated by the module install. If an
update exists, the admin downloads it and runs the update.

All very nice but there is one problem: the translation system.

The current translation system upgrades the package as a whole and it seems
unwieldy for the new schema. So I am proposing this for CONSIDERATION.

A new system would work much like the Calendar translation works. There
could be an array of translations in the form of LANG_modulename.

echo LANG_modulename["ten_charac"];

The core would session the array beforehand and load the appropriate
translation file indicated by the core. The file would only be loaded once.

The module would echo the element that sits in the index position. I am
thinking the index would be the first 10 characters of the language the
developer speaks: another plus for non-English speaking developers. It
could also be a number, depending on responses to this letter. I figure an
associative array would be just as fast as a numerically indexed array but
I'm not sure. In any case, an associative array would be easier to read.

I would also program a 'translation' module. That way a developer can
assign users to the upkeep of different language files. It would keep track
of additions and deletions and would point out incomplete language files
before release. When the release is sound, the module would write the
module's translation file.

What I would like is input from anyone who develops international code. The
reason we chose the preprocess route was speed. I want to know if this
proposed system would cause delays or too much overhead. I would think that
since your instructional text is usually brief, the memory concerns would
be negligible.

Let me know what you think by replying back to the list.

Thanks for your time,
Matthew McNaney
Internet Systems Architect
Electronic Student Services
Email: ma...@tu...
URL: http://phpwebsite.appstate.edu
Phone: 828-262-6493
ICQ: 141057403