[haiku] Re: How to participate in localization of Haiku
- From: Eddy Groen <eddyspeeder@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: haiku@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 3 Oct 2009 17:30:34 +0200
Hey guys,
> I don't know if the user guide editing system is the best thing for
> > this, but maybe a new section for Haiku application localization
> > could
> > be added with the above features. I do think putting this online
> > could
> > be helpful as people can participate more easily, and even if they
> > aren't currently running Haiku.
>
> A system like for the user guide may be handy for keeping track of
> changes. When a new string is added/removed to/from the app, the
> translations are flagged as needing an update. So, maybe editing locale
> strings could use a similar system. We'll see how it's all working out
> once the system starts getting used.
> But I don't think you can work on locale strings when not running Haiku
> while translating. You have to see where a string is used to get a
> correct translation.
> Perfect would be a WYSIWYG mode where you could replace any string of
> an app while it's running. But that certainly sounds quite complicated.
> Maybe this is something for our friends from Auckland University whose
> work on rearranging the GUI while running does somethig similar, though
> even more radical.
>
Since we're talking on what's best, I'd vote for a wiki-like system to do
the translations in, allowing several people to be working on a translation
simultaneously, and allowing the English language version to change
dynamically as well. Translators can check in the version history what has
changed in the English version.
As for the strings, I suggest a different approach.
I've done the Dutch Zeta translation up to RC3 and have often looked at
other languages' LocaleKit text files (German, Swedish, French, Portuguese)
to get the best translation out of it. One major downside to the text files
was that if its contents were changed/reordered, it had to be done manually
for all other language files as well. Within yellowTAB, I have spent many an
hour just updating all language files for RC2 and RC3.
As a result, there have been thoughts to create more like an online database
system that contains the base string (English) in the first column, and that
of any translation in the second, third, &c. You would also still be able to
display other languages for comparison with your translation. New strings
could easily be added by inserting a new row, which would require a
translator to insert a translation for it. Exporting the files would be
really easy, as it would just build from the database entries. The database
has never been in existence.
Eddy
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