[Typo3-dev] Translation of extension

[Dmitry Dulepov]

Hi!

One more big problem I see is that many extension authors just do not know
how to create code suitable for localization. Consider the following
simplest example:

    5 of 5

What is the typical line that apears in language files for translation? Do
you think it is "%d of %d"? Wrong. It will be " of " (with spaces). It can
be totally useless for transalation if it is key is something like
"results.of" (what does it mean, by the way?). Also it almost impossible to
translate to many languages. It just will not sound right!

Another example. Two lines like this:

    There are no more messages
    There are 5 more message(s) in 3 folder(s)

These two messages sometimes split to:

    There are
    no more messages
    more message(s)
    in
    folder(s)

and than concatenated again. After translation it may sound like "in 5
folder(s) messages 5 there are". I understand that Yoda language is fun but
it is not too practical for real applications.

Extensions authors MUST always put full lines of text to language files and
use sprintf to format values. This must be a requirement to a
correctly-written extension!

Dmitry.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stig N. Færch" <stig at 8620.dk>
Newsgroups: typo3.dev
To: <typo3-dev at lists.netfielders.de>
Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2005 1:33 PM
Subject: Re: [Typo3-dev] Translation of extension


> More problems (maybe not all):
>
> - developers have started to use German as default language also in
> documentation
>
> - documentation is lacking or poor. Documentation is needed that you can
> translate correctly the labels.
> -- documentation lacking, no place to compare what the developer means,
> hard to install and see what he/she means
> -- documentation is so poor that many times it is impossible to make
> right translations even by guessing what some label means, or default
> terms are not understandable (even the new glossary doesn't help).
>
> - developers are making their own words (!) impossible to understand.
>
> - some developers "forget" to save translations already made, even if
> they have been sent reminder of it.
>
>
> Typo3 is turning to be a German product and all
> these errors in translation software and that there is no respect of the
> work. I don't mean that translations should be over valuated but to
> admit that they are vital part of Typo3 and vital part of Typo3's
> international image. (Any language)
>
> This is my bad experiences and bad mood of the situation, but I hope You
> can see that also others are strugling with the same problems.