| 1 | Notes on the Free Translation Project
|
|---|
| 2 | *************************************
|
|---|
| 3 |
|
|---|
| 4 | Free software is going international! The Free Translation Project
|
|---|
| 5 | is a way to get maintainers of free software, translators, and users all
|
|---|
| 6 | together, so that will gradually become able to speak many languages.
|
|---|
| 7 | A few packages already provide translations for their messages.
|
|---|
| 8 |
|
|---|
| 9 | If you found this `ABOUT-NLS' file inside a distribution, you may
|
|---|
| 10 | assume that the distributed package does use GNU `gettext' internally,
|
|---|
| 11 | itself available at your nearest GNU archive site. But you do _not_
|
|---|
| 12 | need to install GNU `gettext' prior to configuring, installing or using
|
|---|
| 13 | this package with messages translated.
|
|---|
| 14 |
|
|---|
| 15 | Installers will find here some useful hints. These notes also
|
|---|
| 16 | explain how users should proceed for getting the programs to use the
|
|---|
| 17 | available translations. They tell how people wanting to contribute and
|
|---|
| 18 | work at translations should contact the appropriate team.
|
|---|
| 19 |
|
|---|
| 20 | When reporting bugs in the `intl/' directory or bugs which may be
|
|---|
| 21 | related to internationalization, you should tell about the version of
|
|---|
| 22 | `gettext' which is used. The information can be found in the
|
|---|
| 23 | `intl/VERSION' file, in internationalized packages.
|
|---|
| 24 |
|
|---|
| 25 | Quick configuration advice
|
|---|
| 26 | ==========================
|
|---|
| 27 |
|
|---|
| 28 | If you want to exploit the full power of internationalization, you
|
|---|
| 29 | should configure it using
|
|---|
| 30 |
|
|---|
| 31 | ./configure --with-included-gettext
|
|---|
| 32 |
|
|---|
| 33 | to force usage of internationalizing routines provided within this
|
|---|
| 34 | package, despite the existence of internationalizing capabilities in the
|
|---|
| 35 | operating system where this package is being installed. So far, only
|
|---|
| 36 | the `gettext' implementation in the GNU C library version 2 provides as
|
|---|
| 37 | many features (such as locale alias, message inheritance, automatic
|
|---|
| 38 | charset conversion or plural form handling) as the implementation here.
|
|---|
| 39 | It is also not possible to offer this additional functionality on top
|
|---|
| 40 | of a `catgets' implementation. Future versions of GNU `gettext' will
|
|---|
| 41 | very likely convey even more functionality. So it might be a good idea
|
|---|
| 42 | to change to GNU `gettext' as soon as possible.
|
|---|
| 43 |
|
|---|
| 44 | So you need _not_ provide this option if you are using GNU libc 2 or
|
|---|
| 45 | you have installed a recent copy of the GNU gettext package with the
|
|---|
| 46 | included `libintl'.
|
|---|
| 47 |
|
|---|
| 48 | INSTALL Matters
|
|---|
| 49 | ===============
|
|---|
| 50 |
|
|---|
| 51 | Some packages are "localizable" when properly installed; the
|
|---|
| 52 | programs they contain can be made to speak your own native language.
|
|---|
| 53 | Most such packages use GNU `gettext'. Other packages have their own
|
|---|
| 54 | ways to internationalization, predating GNU `gettext'.
|
|---|
| 55 |
|
|---|
| 56 | By default, this package will be installed to allow translation of
|
|---|
| 57 | messages. It will automatically detect whether the system already
|
|---|
| 58 | provides the GNU `gettext' functions. If not, the GNU `gettext' own
|
|---|
| 59 | library will be used. This library is wholly contained within this
|
|---|
| 60 | package, usually in the `intl/' subdirectory, so prior installation of
|
|---|
| 61 | the GNU `gettext' package is _not_ required. Installers may use
|
|---|
| 62 | special options at configuration time for changing the default
|
|---|
| 63 | behaviour. The commands:
|
|---|
| 64 |
|
|---|
| 65 | ./configure --with-included-gettext
|
|---|
| 66 | ./configure --disable-nls
|
|---|
| 67 |
|
|---|
| 68 | will respectively bypass any pre-existing `gettext' to use the
|
|---|
| 69 | internationalizing routines provided within this package, or else,
|
|---|
| 70 | _totally_ disable translation of messages.
|
|---|
| 71 |
|
|---|
| 72 | When you already have GNU `gettext' installed on your system and run
|
|---|
| 73 | configure without an option for your new package, `configure' will
|
|---|
| 74 | probably detect the previously built and installed `libintl.a' file and
|
|---|
| 75 | will decide to use this. This might be not what is desirable. You
|
|---|
| 76 | should use the more recent version of the GNU `gettext' library. I.e.
|
|---|
| 77 | if the file `intl/VERSION' shows that the library which comes with this
|
|---|
| 78 | package is more recent, you should use
|
|---|
| 79 |
|
|---|
| 80 | ./configure --with-included-gettext
|
|---|
| 81 |
|
|---|
| 82 | to prevent auto-detection.
|
|---|
| 83 |
|
|---|
| 84 | The configuration process will not test for the `catgets' function
|
|---|
| 85 | and therefore it will not be used. The reason is that even an
|
|---|
| 86 | emulation of `gettext' on top of `catgets' could not provide all the
|
|---|
| 87 | extensions of the GNU `gettext' library.
|
|---|
| 88 |
|
|---|
| 89 | Internationalized packages have usually many `po/LL.po' files, where
|
|---|
| 90 | LL gives an ISO 639 two-letter code identifying the language. Unless
|
|---|
| 91 | translations have been forbidden at `configure' time by using the
|
|---|
| 92 | `--disable-nls' switch, all available translations are installed
|
|---|
| 93 | together with the package. However, the environment variable `LINGUAS'
|
|---|
| 94 | may be set, prior to configuration, to limit the installed set.
|
|---|
| 95 | `LINGUAS' should then contain a space separated list of two-letter
|
|---|
| 96 | codes, stating which languages are allowed.
|
|---|
| 97 |
|
|---|
| 98 | Using This Package
|
|---|
| 99 | ==================
|
|---|
| 100 |
|
|---|
| 101 | As a user, if your language has been installed for this package, you
|
|---|
| 102 | only have to set the `LANG' environment variable to the appropriate
|
|---|
| 103 | `LL_CC' combination. Here `LL' is an ISO 639 two-letter language code,
|
|---|
| 104 | and `CC' is an ISO 3166 two-letter country code. For example, let's
|
|---|
| 105 | suppose that you speak German and live in Germany. At the shell
|
|---|
| 106 | prompt, merely execute `setenv LANG de_DE' (in `csh'),
|
|---|
| 107 | `export LANG; LANG=de_DE' (in `sh') or `export LANG=de_DE' (in `bash').
|
|---|
| 108 | This can be done from your `.login' or `.profile' file, once and for
|
|---|
| 109 | all.
|
|---|
| 110 |
|
|---|
| 111 | You might think that the country code specification is redundant.
|
|---|
| 112 | But in fact, some languages have dialects in different countries. For
|
|---|
| 113 | example, `de_AT' is used for Austria, and `pt_BR' for Brazil. The
|
|---|
| 114 | country code serves to distinguish the dialects.
|
|---|
| 115 |
|
|---|
| 116 | The locale naming convention of `LL_CC', with `LL' denoting the
|
|---|
| 117 | language and `CC' denoting the country, is the one use on systems based
|
|---|
| 118 | on GNU libc. On other systems, some variations of this scheme are
|
|---|
| 119 | used, such as `LL' or `LL_CC.ENCODING'. You can get the list of
|
|---|
| 120 | locales supported by your system for your country by running the command
|
|---|
| 121 | `locale -a | grep '^LL''.
|
|---|
| 122 |
|
|---|
| 123 | Not all programs have translations for all languages. By default, an
|
|---|
| 124 | English message is shown in place of a nonexistent translation. If you
|
|---|
| 125 | understand other languages, you can set up a priority list of languages.
|
|---|
| 126 | This is done through a different environment variable, called
|
|---|
| 127 | `LANGUAGE'. GNU `gettext' gives preference to `LANGUAGE' over `LANG'
|
|---|
| 128 | for the purpose of message handling, but you still need to have `LANG'
|
|---|
| 129 | set to the primary language; this is required by other parts of the
|
|---|
| 130 | system libraries. For example, some Swedish users who would rather
|
|---|
| 131 | read translations in German than English for when Swedish is not
|
|---|
| 132 | available, set `LANGUAGE' to `sv:de' while leaving `LANG' to `sv_SE'.
|
|---|
| 133 |
|
|---|
| 134 | In the `LANGUAGE' environment variable, but not in the `LANG'
|
|---|
| 135 | environment variable, `LL_CC' combinations can be abbreviated as `LL'
|
|---|
| 136 | to denote the language's main dialect. For example, `de' is equivalent
|
|---|
| 137 | to `de_DE' (German as spoken in Germany), and `pt' to `pt_PT'
|
|---|
| 138 | (Portuguese as spoken in Portugal) in this context.
|
|---|
| 139 |
|
|---|
| 140 | Translating Teams
|
|---|
| 141 | =================
|
|---|
| 142 |
|
|---|
| 143 | For the Free Translation Project to be a success, we need interested
|
|---|
| 144 | people who like their own language and write it well, and who are also
|
|---|
| 145 | able to synergize with other translators speaking the same language.
|
|---|
| 146 | Each translation team has its own mailing list. The up-to-date list of
|
|---|
| 147 | teams can be found at the Free Translation Project's homepage,
|
|---|
| 148 | `http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/contrib/po/HTML/', in the "National teams"
|
|---|
| 149 | area.
|
|---|
| 150 |
|
|---|
| 151 | If you'd like to volunteer to _work_ at translating messages, you
|
|---|
| 152 | should become a member of the translating team for your own language.
|
|---|
| 153 | The subscribing address is _not_ the same as the list itself, it has
|
|---|
| 154 | `-request' appended. For example, speakers of Swedish can send a
|
|---|
| 155 | message to `sv-request@li.org', having this message body:
|
|---|
| 156 |
|
|---|
| 157 | subscribe
|
|---|
| 158 |
|
|---|
| 159 | Keep in mind that team members are expected to participate
|
|---|
| 160 | _actively_ in translations, or at solving translational difficulties,
|
|---|
| 161 | rather than merely lurking around. If your team does not exist yet and
|
|---|
| 162 | you want to start one, or if you are unsure about what to do or how to
|
|---|
| 163 | get started, please write to `translation@iro.umontreal.ca' to reach the
|
|---|
| 164 | coordinator for all translator teams.
|
|---|
| 165 |
|
|---|
| 166 | The English team is special. It works at improving and uniformizing
|
|---|
| 167 | the terminology in use. Proven linguistic skill are praised more than
|
|---|
| 168 | programming skill, here.
|
|---|
| 169 |
|
|---|
| 170 | Available Packages
|
|---|
| 171 | ==================
|
|---|
| 172 |
|
|---|
| 173 | Languages are not equally supported in all packages. The following
|
|---|
| 174 | matrix shows the current state of internationalization, as of January
|
|---|
| 175 | 2002. The matrix shows, in regard of each package, for which languages
|
|---|
| 176 | PO files have been submitted to translation coordination, with a
|
|---|
| 177 | translation percentage of at least 50%.
|
|---|
| 178 |
|
|---|
| 179 | Ready PO files bg ca cs da de el en eo es et fi fr
|
|---|
| 180 | +-------------------------------------+
|
|---|
| 181 | a2ps | [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 182 | bash | [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 183 | bfd | [] [] |
|
|---|
| 184 | binutils | [] [] |
|
|---|
| 185 | bison | [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 186 | clisp | [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 187 | cpio | [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 188 | diffutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 189 | enscript | [] [] |
|
|---|
| 190 | error | [] [] |
|
|---|
| 191 | fetchmail | () [] [] [] () |
|
|---|
| 192 | fileutils | [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 193 | findutils | [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 194 | flex | [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 195 | gas | [] |
|
|---|
| 196 | gawk | [] [] |
|
|---|
| 197 | gcal | [] [] |
|
|---|
| 198 | gcc | [] [] |
|
|---|
| 199 | gettext | [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 200 | gnupg | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 201 | gprof | [] [] |
|
|---|
| 202 | grep | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 203 | hello | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 204 | id-utils | [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 205 | indent | [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 206 | jpilot | () [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 207 | jwhois | [] [] |
|
|---|
| 208 | kbd | [] |
|
|---|
| 209 | ld | [] [] |
|
|---|
| 210 | libc | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 211 | lilypond | [] [] |
|
|---|
| 212 | lynx | [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 213 | m4 | [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 214 | make | [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 215 | mysecretdiary | [] [] |
|
|---|
| 216 | nano | [] () [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 217 | nano_1_0 | [] () [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 218 | opcodes | [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 219 | parted | [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 220 | ptx | [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 221 | python | |
|
|---|
| 222 | recode | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 223 | sed | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 224 | sh-utils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 225 | sharutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 226 | sketch | () [] () |
|
|---|
| 227 | soundtracker | [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 228 | sp | |
|
|---|
| 229 | tar | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 230 | texinfo | [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 231 | textutils | [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 232 | util-linux | [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 233 | wdiff | [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 234 | wget | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 235 | +-------------------------------------+
|
|---|
| 236 | bg ca cs da de el en eo es et fi fr
|
|---|
| 237 | 0 8 12 31 36 9 1 9 37 15 1 49
|
|---|
| 238 |
|
|---|
| 239 | gl he hr hu id it ja ko lv nb nl nn
|
|---|
| 240 | +-------------------------------------+
|
|---|
| 241 | a2ps | () () [] |
|
|---|
| 242 | bash | |
|
|---|
| 243 | bfd | [] |
|
|---|
| 244 | binutils | [] |
|
|---|
| 245 | bison | [] |
|
|---|
| 246 | clisp | [] |
|
|---|
| 247 | cpio | [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 248 | diffutils | [] [] |
|
|---|
| 249 | enscript | [] |
|
|---|
| 250 | error | [] |
|
|---|
| 251 | fetchmail | |
|
|---|
| 252 | fileutils | [] [] |
|
|---|
| 253 | findutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 254 | flex | [] |
|
|---|
| 255 | gas | |
|
|---|
| 256 | gawk | [] |
|
|---|
| 257 | gcal | |
|
|---|
| 258 | gcc | [] |
|
|---|
| 259 | gettext | [] |
|
|---|
| 260 | gnupg | [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 261 | gprof | |
|
|---|
| 262 | grep | [] [] |
|
|---|
| 263 | hello | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 264 | id-utils | [] |
|
|---|
| 265 | indent | [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 266 | jpilot | () () |
|
|---|
| 267 | jwhois | |
|
|---|
| 268 | kbd | |
|
|---|
| 269 | ld | |
|
|---|
| 270 | libc | [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 271 | lilypond | [] [] |
|
|---|
| 272 | lynx | [] [] |
|
|---|
| 273 | m4 | [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 274 | make | [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 275 | mysecretdiary | |
|
|---|
| 276 | nano | [] [] [] () () [] |
|
|---|
| 277 | nano_1_0 | [] [] [] () () [] |
|
|---|
| 278 | opcodes | |
|
|---|
| 279 | parted | [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 280 | ptx | [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 281 | python | |
|
|---|
| 282 | recode | [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 283 | sed | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 284 | sh-utils | [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 285 | sharutils | [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 286 | sketch | () |
|
|---|
| 287 | soundtracker | [] |
|
|---|
| 288 | sp | |
|
|---|
| 289 | tar | [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 290 | texinfo | [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 291 | textutils | [] [] |
|
|---|
| 292 | util-linux | () [] |
|
|---|
| 293 | wdiff | |
|
|---|
| 294 | wget | [] [] [] [] [] |
|
|---|
| 295 | +-------------------------------------+
|
|---|
| 296 | gl he hr hu id it ja ko lv nb nl nn
|
|---|
| 297 | 20 6 1 3 6 11 22 9 1 6 17 4
|
|---|
| 298 |
|
|---|
| 299 | no pl pt pt_BR ru sk sl sv tr uk zh
|
|---|
| 300 | +-------------------------------------+
|
|---|
| 301 | a2ps | () () () [] [] [] () | 8
|
|---|
| 302 | bash | | 4
|
|---|
| 303 | bfd | [] [] | 5
|
|---|
| 304 | binutils | [] | 4
|
|---|
| 305 | bison | [] [] [] | 7
|
|---|
| 306 | clisp | | 5
|
|---|
| 307 | cpio | [] [] [] [] | 11
|
|---|
| 308 | diffutils | [] [] [] | 11
|
|---|
| 309 | enscript | [] [] [] | 6
|
|---|
| 310 | error | [] [] | 5
|
|---|
| 311 | fetchmail | () () | 3
|
|---|
| 312 | fileutils | [] [] [] [] | 11
|
|---|
| 313 | findutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 17
|
|---|
| 314 | flex | [] [] | 6
|
|---|
| 315 | gas | [] | 2
|
|---|
| 316 | gawk | [] [] | 5
|
|---|
| 317 | gcal | [] | 3
|
|---|
| 318 | gcc | [] | 4
|
|---|
| 319 | gettext | [] [] [] [] | 10
|
|---|
| 320 | gnupg | [] [] [] | 12
|
|---|
| 321 | gprof | [] [] | 4
|
|---|
| 322 | grep | [] [] [] [] [] | 13
|
|---|
| 323 | hello | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 24
|
|---|
| 324 | id-utils | [] [] | 6
|
|---|
| 325 | indent | [] [] [] [] | 11
|
|---|
| 326 | jpilot | () () | 3
|
|---|
| 327 | jwhois | () () | 2
|
|---|
| 328 | kbd | [] [] | 3
|
|---|
| 329 | ld | [] [] | 4
|
|---|
| 330 | libc | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 17
|
|---|
| 331 | lilypond | [] | 5
|
|---|
| 332 | lynx | [] [] [] | 9
|
|---|
| 333 | m4 | [] [] [] | 12
|
|---|
| 334 | make | [] [] [] [] | 12
|
|---|
| 335 | mysecretdiary | [] | 3
|
|---|
| 336 | nano | () [] [] [] | 12
|
|---|
| 337 | nano_1_0 | () [] [] [] | 12
|
|---|
| 338 | opcodes | [] [] | 5
|
|---|
| 339 | parted | [] [] [] | 10
|
|---|
| 340 | ptx | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 15
|
|---|
| 341 | python | | 0
|
|---|
| 342 | recode | [] [] [] [] | 13
|
|---|
| 343 | sed | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 21
|
|---|
| 344 | sh-utils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 22
|
|---|
| 345 | sharutils | [] [] | 11
|
|---|
| 346 | sketch | () | 1
|
|---|
| 347 | soundtracker | | 4
|
|---|
| 348 | sp | | 0
|
|---|
| 349 | tar | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 16
|
|---|
| 350 | texinfo | [] [] | 10
|
|---|
| 351 | textutils | [] [] | 8
|
|---|
| 352 | util-linux | [] [] [] | 8
|
|---|
| 353 | wdiff | [] [] [] [] | 9
|
|---|
| 354 | wget | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 19
|
|---|
| 355 | +-------------------------------------+
|
|---|
| 356 | 35 teams no pl pt pt_BR ru sk sl sv tr uk zh
|
|---|
| 357 | 54 domains 5 12 2 11 25 10 11 39 29 4 1 463
|
|---|
| 358 |
|
|---|
| 359 | Some counters in the preceding matrix are higher than the number of
|
|---|
| 360 | visible blocks let us expect. This is because a few extra PO files are
|
|---|
| 361 | used for implementing regional variants of languages, or language
|
|---|
| 362 | dialects.
|
|---|
| 363 |
|
|---|
| 364 | For a PO file in the matrix above to be effective, the package to
|
|---|
| 365 | which it applies should also have been internationalized and
|
|---|
| 366 | distributed as such by its maintainer. There might be an observable
|
|---|
| 367 | lag between the mere existence a PO file and its wide availability in a
|
|---|
| 368 | distribution.
|
|---|
| 369 |
|
|---|
| 370 | If January 2002 seems to be old, you may fetch a more recent copy of
|
|---|
| 371 | this `ABOUT-NLS' file on most GNU archive sites. The most up-to-date
|
|---|
| 372 | matrix with full percentage details can be found at
|
|---|
| 373 | `http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/contrib/po/HTML/matrix.html'.
|
|---|
| 374 |
|
|---|
| 375 | Using `gettext' in new packages
|
|---|
| 376 | ===============================
|
|---|
| 377 |
|
|---|
| 378 | If you are writing a freely available program and want to
|
|---|
| 379 | internationalize it you are welcome to use GNU `gettext' in your
|
|---|
| 380 | package. Of course you have to respect the GNU Library General Public
|
|---|
| 381 | License which covers the use of the GNU `gettext' library. This means
|
|---|
| 382 | in particular that even non-free programs can use `libintl' as a shared
|
|---|
| 383 | library, whereas only free software can use `libintl' as a static
|
|---|
| 384 | library or use modified versions of `libintl'.
|
|---|
| 385 |
|
|---|
| 386 | Once the sources are changed appropriately and the setup can handle
|
|---|
| 387 | to use of `gettext' the only thing missing are the translations. The
|
|---|
| 388 | Free Translation Project is also available for packages which are not
|
|---|
| 389 | developed inside the GNU project. Therefore the information given above
|
|---|
| 390 | applies also for every other Free Software Project. Contact
|
|---|
| 391 | `translation@iro.umontreal.ca' to make the `.pot' files available to
|
|---|
| 392 | the translation teams.
|
|---|
| 393 |
|
|---|
