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Added internalisation do's and don't#927

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vadi2 merged 6 commits intoMudlet:developmentfrom
vadi2:update-contributing-file
Apr 21, 2017
Merged

Added internalisation do's and don't#927
vadi2 merged 6 commits intoMudlet:developmentfrom
vadi2:update-contributing-file

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@vadi2
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@vadi2 vadi2 commented Apr 19, 2017

This is based on feedback we have already collected at:
#900
http://forums.mudlet.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=19499

Just writing down the knowledge gained from those conversations so we don't get into loops about this. Should be pretty straight-forward.

Tagging @Mudlet/core-cpp for review.

@vadi2 vadi2 self-assigned this Apr 19, 2017
CONTRIBUTING.md Outdated
* minimise use of HTML styling tags in strings to be translated

Don't:
* translate Mudlet API functions, events, or error messages
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I'd specify the error messages a bit further and make it scripting error messages. Because we may want to translate other error messages (like "can't connect" or other errors targeted at the actual user).

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It says "API functions, API events or API error messages", right?

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Does the clarified wording help?

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👍 great!

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vadi2 commented Apr 20, 2017

To add another reason to the pile of why translating the API is a bad idea and why majority of the software doesn't do it - people running Mudlet on a different locale will be disadvantaged when it comes to using off-the-shelf scripts. If we start translating fundamentals like the main console, then users won't be able to install scripts they've found which is not going to be a happy experience for them and will make them feel like second-class citizens. We thus should not allow such a gap to happen at all by not translating the API.

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SlySven commented Apr 20, 2017

Though the users will be able to have sub-consoles/labels etc. with whatever title they want won't they as long as it isn't "main"?

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vadi2 commented Apr 20, 2017

Yeah, users should be able to name Mudlet objects using non-Latin text.

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vadi2 commented Apr 21, 2017

@SlySven I've clarified it some more off your feedback - how does it look now?

CONTRIBUTING.md Outdated

Don't:
* translate the Mudlet API: functions, events, or error messages
* translate the Mudlet API: functions, events, error messages or constants (`main` console, mapper directions)
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"mapper directions" ? - you may have to be a bit more specific/focused as one of the things we WILL have to add is a system to customise the strings that Mudlet produces for speed-walking and those WILL need to have language specific, but over-ridable, defaults to use...!

OTOH any new function added that takes or produces exit directions WILL need to be coded with care to fit in with existing methods!

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OK. I will take that part out for now. I agree they need to be customisable, but in a way that is transparent to the mapper script.

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vadi2 commented Apr 21, 2017

@SlySven re-check.

Don't:
* translate the Mudlet API: functions, events, error messages or constants (`main` console, mapper directions)
* use numbers in the API - English words are preferred instead
* try to assemble a sentence on the fly - English grammar does not translate into other languages. Present the full sentence to translators instead
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  • assume English-centric plural forms, other languages do not necessarily have the simple add an "s"/"es" for more/less then the singular case.†

  • assume universal quote and number punctuation formats. There are languages that use « and » instead of " for "quoting" words or phrases. Qt can provide Locale specific displays of numbers/dates/times; we may have to look at them in more detail as we get further into Internationalization.

† Consider the tr("Deleted %n rooms(s).", "", x ) form that takes the integer value x and puts it into the %n place-holder and allows multiple alternate sentence forms to be provided by translation as needed by the value of x. This form is not that widely documented and only handles a phrase/sentence with a single variable so the source code may need revising to make use of this in cases where more than one value is involved.

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Added.

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SlySven commented Apr 21, 2017

Yeah, 76e6bb0 is good.

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SlySven commented Apr 21, 2017

Vadim wrote:

...We thus should not allow such a gap to happen at all by not translating the API.

See (and approve? 🙏) #941

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👍

@vadi2 vadi2 merged commit f1cff28 into Mudlet:development Apr 21, 2017
@vadi2 vadi2 deleted the update-contributing-file branch April 21, 2017 16:25
mehulmathur16 pushed a commit to mehulmathur16/Mudlet that referenced this pull request Feb 16, 2024
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4 participants