319 lines
18 KiB
Text
319 lines
18 KiB
Text
Notes on the Free Translation Project
|
|
*************************************
|
|
|
|
Free software is going international! The Free Translation Project
|
|
is a way to get maintainers of free software, translators, and users all
|
|
together, so that will gradually become able to speak many languages.
|
|
A few packages already provide translations for their messages.
|
|
|
|
If you found this `ABOUT-NLS' file inside a distribution, you may
|
|
assume that the distributed package does use GNU `gettext' internally,
|
|
itself available at your nearest GNU archive site. But you do _not_
|
|
need to install GNU `gettext' prior to configuring, installing or using
|
|
this package with messages translated.
|
|
|
|
Installers will find here some useful hints. These notes also
|
|
explain how users should proceed for getting the programs to use the
|
|
available translations. They tell how people wanting to contribute and
|
|
work at translations should contact the appropriate team.
|
|
|
|
When reporting bugs in the `intl/' directory or bugs which may be
|
|
related to internationalization, you should tell about the version of
|
|
`gettext' which is used. The information can be found in the
|
|
`intl/VERSION' file, in internationalized packages.
|
|
|
|
Quick configuration advice
|
|
==========================
|
|
|
|
If you want to exploit the full power of internationalization, you
|
|
should configure it using
|
|
|
|
./configure --with-included-gettext
|
|
|
|
to force usage of internationalizing routines provided within this
|
|
package, despite the existence of internationalizing capabilities in the
|
|
operating system where this package is being installed. So far, only
|
|
the `gettext' implementation in the GNU C library version 2 provides as
|
|
many features (such as locale alias, message inheritance, automatic
|
|
charset conversion or plural form handling) as the implementation here.
|
|
It is also not possible to offer this additional functionality on top
|
|
of a `catgets' implementation. Future versions of GNU `gettext' will
|
|
very likely convey even more functionality. So it might be a good idea
|
|
to change to GNU `gettext' as soon as possible.
|
|
|
|
So you need _not_ provide this option if you are using GNU libc 2 or
|
|
you have installed a recent copy of the GNU gettext package with the
|
|
included `libintl'.
|
|
|
|
INSTALL Matters
|
|
===============
|
|
|
|
Some packages are "localizable" when properly installed; the
|
|
programs they contain can be made to speak your own native language.
|
|
Most such packages use GNU `gettext'. Other packages have their own
|
|
ways to internationalization, predating GNU `gettext'.
|
|
|
|
By default, this package will be installed to allow translation of
|
|
messages. It will automatically detect whether the system already
|
|
provides the GNU `gettext' functions. If not, the GNU `gettext' own
|
|
library will be used. This library is wholly contained within this
|
|
package, usually in the `intl/' subdirectory, so prior installation of
|
|
the GNU `gettext' package is _not_ required. Installers may use
|
|
special options at configuration time for changing the default
|
|
behaviour. The commands:
|
|
|
|
./configure --with-included-gettext
|
|
./configure --disable-nls
|
|
|
|
will respectively bypass any pre-existing `gettext' to use the
|
|
internationalizing routines provided within this package, or else,
|
|
_totally_ disable translation of messages.
|
|
|
|
When you already have GNU `gettext' installed on your system and run
|
|
configure without an option for your new package, `configure' will
|
|
probably detect the previously built and installed `libintl.a' file and
|
|
will decide to use this. This might be not what is desirable. You
|
|
should use the more recent version of the GNU `gettext' library. I.e.
|
|
if the file `intl/VERSION' shows that the library which comes with this
|
|
package is more recent, you should use
|
|
|
|
./configure --with-included-gettext
|
|
|
|
to prevent auto-detection.
|
|
|
|
The configuration process will not test for the `catgets' function
|
|
and therefore it will not be used. The reason is that even an
|
|
emulation of `gettext' on top of `catgets' could not provide all the
|
|
extensions of the GNU `gettext' library.
|
|
|
|
Internationalized packages have usually many `po/LL.po' files, where
|
|
LL gives an ISO 639 two-letter code identifying the language. Unless
|
|
translations have been forbidden at `configure' time by using the
|
|
`--disable-nls' switch, all available translations are installed
|
|
together with the package. However, the environment variable `LINGUAS'
|
|
may be set, prior to configuration, to limit the installed set.
|
|
`LINGUAS' should then contain a space separated list of two-letter
|
|
codes, stating which languages are allowed.
|
|
|
|
Using This Package
|
|
==================
|
|
|
|
As a user, if your language has been installed for this package, you
|
|
only have to set the `LANG' environment variable to the appropriate
|
|
`LL_CC' combination. Here `LL' is an ISO 639 two-letter language code,
|
|
and `CC' is an ISO 3166 two-letter country code. For example, let's
|
|
suppose that you speak German and live in Germany. At the shell
|
|
prompt, merely execute `setenv LANG de_DE' (in `csh'),
|
|
`export LANG; LANG=de_DE' (in `sh') or `export LANG=de_DE' (in `bash').
|
|
This can be done from your `.login' or `.profile' file, once and for
|
|
all.
|
|
|
|
You might think that the country code specification is redundant.
|
|
But in fact, some languages have dialects in different countries. For
|
|
example, `de_AT' is used for Austria, and `pt_BR' for Brazil. The
|
|
country code serves to distinguish the dialects.
|
|
|
|
Not all programs have translations for all languages. By default, an
|
|
English message is shown in place of a nonexistent translation. If you
|
|
understand other languages, you can set up a priority list of languages.
|
|
This is done through a different environment variable, called
|
|
`LANGUAGE'. GNU `gettext' gives preference to `LANGUAGE' over `LANG'
|
|
for the purpose of message handling, but you still need to have `LANG'
|
|
set to the primary language; this is required by other parts of the
|
|
system libraries. For example, some Swedish users who would rather
|
|
read translations in German than English for when Swedish is not
|
|
available, set `LANGUAGE' to `sv:de' while leaving `LANG' to `sv_SE'.
|
|
|
|
In the `LANGUAGE' environment variable, but not in the `LANG'
|
|
environment variable, `LL_CC' combinations can be abbreviated as `LL'
|
|
to denote the language's main dialect. For example, `de' is equivalent
|
|
to `de_DE' (German as spoken in Germany), and `pt' to `pt_PT'
|
|
(Portuguese as spoken in Portugal) in this context.
|
|
|
|
Translating Teams
|
|
=================
|
|
|
|
For the Free Translation Project to be a success, we need interested
|
|
people who like their own language and write it well, and who are also
|
|
able to synergize with other translators speaking the same language.
|
|
Each translation team has its own mailing list. The up-to-date list of
|
|
teams can be found at the Free Translation Project's homepage,
|
|
`http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/contrib/po/HTML/', in the "National teams"
|
|
area.
|
|
|
|
If you'd like to volunteer to _work_ at translating messages, you
|
|
should become a member of the translating team for your own language.
|
|
The subscribing address is _not_ the same as the list itself, it has
|
|
`-request' appended. For example, speakers of Swedish can send a
|
|
message to `sv-request@li.org', having this message body:
|
|
|
|
subscribe
|
|
|
|
Keep in mind that team members are expected to participate
|
|
_actively_ in translations, or at solving translational difficulties,
|
|
rather than merely lurking around. If your team does not exist yet and
|
|
you want to start one, or if you are unsure about what to do or how to
|
|
get started, please write to `translation@iro.umontreal.ca' to reach the
|
|
coordinator for all translator teams.
|
|
|
|
The English team is special. It works at improving and uniformizing
|
|
the terminology in use. Proven linguistic skill are praised more than
|
|
programming skill, here.
|
|
|
|
Available Packages
|
|
==================
|
|
|
|
Languages are not equally supported in all packages. The following
|
|
matrix shows the current state of internationalization, as of July
|
|
2001. The matrix shows, in regard of each package, for which languages
|
|
PO files have been submitted to translation coordination, with a
|
|
translation percentage of at least 50%.
|
|
|
|
Ready PO files bg cs da de el en eo es et fi fr gl he hr id it
|
|
+-------------------------------------------------+
|
|
a2ps | [] [] |
|
|
bash | [] [] [] [] |
|
|
bfd | |
|
|
binutils | |
|
|
bison | [] [] [] [] |
|
|
clisp | [] [] [] [] |
|
|
cpio | [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|
diffutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|
enscript | [] [] |
|
|
error | [] [] |
|
|
fetchmail | |
|
|
fileutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|
findutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|
flex | [] [] [] |
|
|
freetype | |
|
|
gas | |
|
|
gawk | [] |
|
|
gcal | |
|
|
gcc | |
|
|
gettext | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|
gnupg | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|
gprof | |
|
|
grep | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|
hello | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|
id-utils | [] [] [] |
|
|
indent | [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|
jpilot | [] |
|
|
kbd | |
|
|
ld | |
|
|
libc | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|
lilypond | |
|
|
lynx | [] [] [] |
|
|
m4 | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|
make | [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|
nano | [] [] |
|
|
opcodes | |
|
|
parted | [] [] |
|
|
ptx | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|
python | |
|
|
recode | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|
sed | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|
sh-utils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|
sharutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|
soundtracker | [] |
|
|
sp | |
|
|
tar | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|
texinfo | [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|
textutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|
util-linux | [] [] |
|
|
wdiff | [] [] |
|
|
wget | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|
+-------------------------------------------------+
|
|
bg cs da de el en eo es et fi fr gl he hr id it
|
|
0 13 23 30 11 1 8 21 13 1 29 22 3 0 8 10
|
|
|
|
ja ko lv nl no pl pt pt_BR ru sk sl sv tr uk zh
|
|
+-------------------------------------------------+
|
|
a2ps | [] [] [] | 5
|
|
bash | | 4
|
|
bfd | | 0
|
|
binutils | | 0
|
|
bison | [] [] [] | 7
|
|
clisp | [] | 5
|
|
cpio | [] [] [] [] [] | 10
|
|
diffutils | [] [] [] | 10
|
|
enscript | [] [] [] | 5
|
|
error | [] | 3
|
|
fetchmail | | 0
|
|
fileutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 17
|
|
findutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 16
|
|
flex | [] [] [] | 6
|
|
freetype | | 0
|
|
gas | | 0
|
|
gawk | [] | 2
|
|
gcal | | 0
|
|
gcc | | 0
|
|
gettext | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 18
|
|
gnupg | [] [] [] [] | 10
|
|
gprof | | 0
|
|
grep | [] [] [] | 10
|
|
hello | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 21
|
|
id-utils | [] [] [] | 6
|
|
indent | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 12
|
|
jpilot | | 1
|
|
kbd | [] | 1
|
|
ld | | 0
|
|
libc | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 17
|
|
lilypond | [] [] | 2
|
|
lynx | [] [] [] [] [] | 8
|
|
m4 | [] [] [] [] [] | 12
|
|
make | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 12
|
|
nano | [] | 3
|
|
opcodes | | 0
|
|
parted | [] [] [] | 5
|
|
ptx | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 14
|
|
python | | 0
|
|
recode | [] [] [] [] | 13
|
|
sed | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 18
|
|
sh-utils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 20
|
|
sharutils | [] [] [] [] | 11
|
|
soundtracker | | 1
|
|
sp | | 0
|
|
tar | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 17
|
|
texinfo | [] [] | 7
|
|
textutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 15
|
|
util-linux | [] [] | 4
|
|
wdiff | [] [] [] | 5
|
|
wget | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 16
|
|
+-------------------------------------------------+
|
|
31 teams ja ko lv nl no pl pt pt_BR ru sk sl sv tr uk zh
|
|
51 domains 17 9 1 23 6 17 1 13 26 9 11 20 19 2 2 369
|
|
|
|
Some counters in the preceding matrix are higher than the number of
|
|
visible blocks let us expect. This is because a few extra PO files are
|
|
used for implementing regional variants of languages, or language
|
|
dialects.
|
|
|
|
For a PO file in the matrix above to be effective, the package to
|
|
which it applies should also have been internationalized and
|
|
distributed as such by its maintainer. There might be an observable
|
|
lag between the mere existence a PO file and its wide availability in a
|
|
distribution.
|
|
|
|
If July 2001 seems to be old, you may fetch a more recent copy of
|
|
this `ABOUT-NLS' file on most GNU archive sites. The most up-to-date
|
|
matrix with full percentage details can be found at
|
|
`http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/contrib/po/HTML/matrix.html'.
|
|
|
|
Using `gettext' in new packages
|
|
===============================
|
|
|
|
If you are writing a freely available program and want to
|
|
internationalize it you are welcome to use GNU `gettext' in your
|
|
package. Of course the GNU General Public License applies to your
|
|
sources from then on if you include `gettext' directly in your
|
|
distribution but since you are writing free software anyway this is no
|
|
restriction.
|
|
|
|
Once the sources are changed appropriately and the setup can handle
|
|
to use of `gettext' the only thing missing are the translations. The
|
|
Free Translation Project is also available for packages which are not
|
|
developed inside the GNU project. Therefore the information given above
|
|
applies also for every other Free Software Project. Contact
|
|
`translation@iro.umontreal.ca' to make the `.pot' files available to
|
|
the translation teams.
|
|
|