Gábor Hojtsy gave a presentation on translating Drupal at DrupalCamp Prague in 2009. He discussed his experience translating Drupal since 2003 and developing translation tools. He explained how Drupal uses PHP and JavaScript functions to translate text, and how translations are stored in the database and shared using Gettext .po files. Hojtsy also demonstrated the localization.drupal.org website, which provides a simplified interface for translating Drupal projects compared to traditional methods. The presentation highlighted Drupal's extensive translation capabilities and ongoing efforts to improve the translation process.

1. Translate Drupal!
Gábor Hojtsy, Acquia, DrupalCamp Prague 2009

2. ME
• Needed a translated Drupal in 2003
• Became locale.module maintainer,
Drupal 6 core committer
• Developed all kinds of translation tools
• Working for Acquia

3. YOU
• Running translated Drupal sites?
• Translating modules for “self”?
• Contributing to drupal.org translations?
• Writing & translating modules to “self”?

4. TRANSLATING
THE BUILT-IN
INTERFACE

5. TEXT COMES
FROM
SOURCE CODE

6. t(‘Go to %page’,
array(‘%page’ => $p));
Drupal.t(‘Go to %page’,
{‘%page’: num});

7. format_plural(
$count,
‘1 year’, ‘@count years’
);
Drupal.formatPlural(
count,
‘1 year’, ‘@count years’
);

8. D!"#$% 6 Ch!$for new versions at hojtsy.hu – Freely redistri
By Gábor Hojtsy –
ion API
JavaScript translat to the
Translates ‘Home’ play.
ion API e’) language used for page dis
Core PHP translat to the Drupal.t(‘Hom
Translates ‘Home’
t(‘H ome’) requested language.
Plural Returns the prop er translation for
Drupal.format l rules in
Returns the proper (count, the text based on plura
format_plural
& '(%$&)*'
sed e.
lation for the text ba ‘1 comment’, the page’s langu
ag
eck
($count, trans
GET THE
on plural rules in the
‘@coun t comments’)
‘1 comment’, guage.
’) requested lan can be provided,
‘@count comm
ents placements array
Optional variable realways the page language!
placements array
and language is
Optional variable re provided in this order.
n be ix characters)
language code ca ats (based on pref
Replacement form value escaped with
features Replaced with the ut.
ns using translation
Other PHP functio @count check_plain() for outp
format_date Translates parts
of the
CHEAT SHEET
+,-$& (,--&bu. ble as long as credit is kept.
d
value escaped an
($timesta mp, date/time formatting. Replaced with the r (theme
'medium', ...) ted as a placeholde
%size format
interval in (‘placeh older’)).
Displays the time t
l Translates value as is, withou
format_interva human terms. Replaced with the ting. Insecure! Only
... ) names of the segments.
($timestamp, ional format
!html any addit eady sanitized your text.
provided use if you alr
Formats a file size e MB, y(
FROM
tes. Translate s th irectory’, arra
ize, ...) in by me moved to @d
format_size($s Example: t(‘%na => $dirname);
ta
.
KB and byte labels lename, ‘@dire
ctory’
1.1 - '*.-/0
‘%name’ => $fi
e code at the end.
an optional languag
All functions accept th e installer
Translating text in
ed later y as t(), but
translation and us Works the same wa ckend. Use
Text extracted for y ba
Module/theme nam
e; uses a file+memor
fo files description; package na
me. st(‘Home’ ) only in the installer and in install
HOJTSY.HU
.in
support.
profiles. No plural
names,
Literal permission d
hook_per m() when provided with standar ll files and any
-! 15. 2007.
ns array syntax. Use get_t() in .insta
implementatio could run in the
other code which s ‘t’ or ‘st’
$t = get_t(); installer too. It retu nction to be
d rn
Menu item ‘title’ an
hook_menu() ‘description’ keys
, when $t(‘H ome’); depending on the fu
ings. t.
implem entations provided as literal str used at the momen
sage,
Log type and mes ral nslation, your
and need to use traif your module
when pr ovided as lite have an .install file ler
Remember: if you easily end up running in the instal e get_t()!
u’, strings. Third parameter
watchdog(‘men function calls could core module in an install profile. Us
calls specifies the replacements becomes a
‘Items saved’) pport.
array. No plural su
bal context,
Usage of t() in a glo ST’, t(‘...’)). The
ALSO SEE
mistakes e message eg. for
The most common Reuse of the sam such as define(‘CON t initialized at
lues, such as t($type). d drupal_set_mes
sage() t ye
locale system is no e is incorrect
Using dynamic va s to call watchdog() an
dynamic string allows t(), the later e, so this usag
Whenever you use make sure that all calls. The former dis t possible. that tim
nasty performance
,
the above functions eady in the code is no
requires t(), so this e API functions and also leads to
it.
possibl e values are alr I. Always ca ll the abov problems. Never do
l form using the AP indirection.
elsewhere in litera er provided content. directly, without
us
Do not translate
D.O/NODE/322729
so
e using the API pr
operly ule plugin support, rt a
ar s have coder mod po
Tools to verify you Drupal 6. x-2 or later version rted in reviews. Also feel free to ex .
e API is repo ings appear
improper use of th ule/theme and check whether all str
/project/potx od
http://drupal.org template for your m e t() or some
en you forgot to us
nn ot find mistakes wh localization client has a
The potx module ca late your output. The . If certain
ot her function to trans translate text displayed on the page e API.
_clie nt convenient interface to , you forg ot to use th
rg/project/l10n ing up for translation
http://drupal.o strings are not show

9. TEXT IS FOUND
AND REPLACED
RUNTIME, WHEN
USED

10. Hungarian Croatian
Go to %page %page. oldalra ugrás ...
1 year 1 év
Uhm, not so
simple
@count years @count év

11. TRANSLATIONS
ARE STORED
IN THE DATABASE

12. DRUPAL PROCESS
Running
source code

13. DRUPAL PROCESS
Running
source code
Found text
stored in DB

14. DRUPAL PROCESS
Running
source code
Found text
stored in DB
User interface
to translate text,
stored in DB

15. DRUPAL PROCESS
Running
source code
Found text
stored in DB
Text replaced on User interface
output to translate text,
stored in DB

16. Where’s the happy family?

17. TRANSLATIONS
ARE SHARED
IN GETTEXT .PO

18. SHARING PROCESS

19. SHARING PROCESS

20. SHARING PROCESS
Static
source code

21. SHARING PROCESS
Static
source code
Gettext
.pot

22. SHARING PROCESS
Static
source code
Gettext
.pot

23. SHARING PROCESS
Static
source code
Gettext
.pot
Translated
.po

24. SHARING PROCESS
Static
source code
Gettext
.pot
Translated
.po

25. SHARING PROCESS
Static
source code
Gettext
.pot
Translated
.po

26. •Translation template Static
extractor source code
•http://drupal.org/
project/potx
•Web interface in your Gettext
Drupal install .pot
•Interfaces with coder
review module to help
developers

27. SHARING PROCESS
Static
source code
Gettext
.pot
Translated
.po

28. SHARING PROCESS
Static
source code
Gettext
.pot
Translated
.po

29. Desktop tools like
PoEdit or just Notepad
Gettext
.pot
Translated
.po

30. SHARING PROCESS
Static
source code
Gettext
.pot
Translated
.po

31. SHARING PROCESS
Static
source code
Gettext
.pot
Translated
.po

32. •Translation teams commit .po files to CVS
•http://drupal.org/project/Translations
and under contributed projects
•Released on the parent project’s
timeframe
•Drupal imports automatically
Translated
.po

33. SHARING PROCESS
Static
source code
Gettext
.pot
Translated
.po

34. SHARING PROCESS
Static
source code
Gettext
.pot
Translated
.po

35. •Built-in translation interface
•http://drupal.org/project/l10n_client
•Import and export .po(t) files manually

36. SHARING PROCESS
Static
source code
Gettext
.pot
Translated
.po

37. SHARING PROCESS
Static
source code
Gettext
.pot
Translated
.po

38. All come together

39. GIVING AWAY
(THIS WAY)
IS HARD

41. POTX

42. .PO
POTX

43. .PO
CVS
POTX

44. .PO
CVS
POTX
RELEASES

45. .PO
CVS
POTX
RELEASES
BRANCHES

46. .PO
CVS PLURAL FORMS
POTX
RELEASES
BRANCHES

47. .PO
CVS PLURAL FORMS
POTX
SCHEDULING
RELEASES
BRANCHES

48. .PO
CVS PLURAL FORMS
POTX
SCHEDULING
RELEASES
BRANCHES
ISSUE QUEUES

49. ENOUGH!

50. LOCALIZE.DRUPAL.ORG
Web UI for Drupal.org
project translations

51. LOCALIZE.DRUPAL.ORG
Automated parsing of
Drupal.org releases on
publication

52. LOCALIZE.DRUPAL.ORG
Skips CVS, branching,
templates, hides potx and
plural forms, does not
require desktop tools

53. LOCALIZE.DRUPAL.ORG
Single-sign-on with
Drupal.org

54. LOCALIZE.DRUPAL.ORG
Organic groups based
translations

55. LOCALIZE.DRUPAL.ORG
Different permission levels
(open/controlled)

56. LOCALIZE.DRUPAL.ORG
Keeps import/export
support with Gettext
formats

57. LOCALIZE.DRUPAL.ORG
Provides a remote
submission web service for
Localization client

58. Oh, those stats!

59. almost over
5250 6900
projects known releases parsed
over
159000 strings to translate

60. 159000
IT IS LIKE
TRANSLATING
DRUPAL
45 TIMES

61. 38
TRANSLATION
TEAMS LAUNCHED
ALREADY IN BETA
(MORE IN QUEUE)

62. Take a ride!

63. Envious?

64. SOFTWARE ON L.D.O
• Translation
template extractor
http://drupal.org/project/potx
• Localization
server:
http://drupal.org/project/l10n_server
• Organicgroups
http://drupal.org/project/og

65. TRANSLATE YOUR CODE
• Open Atrium and Gallery 2 uses
Localization server to translate their
code
• Youcan set up l10n_server to parse
your own code and translate in-house
• Eg. https://translate.openatrium.com/

66. Long way to go

67. Color the future!

68. THESE SLIDES ARE (CC)
Photo credits:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sinkdd/2853334715/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chavals/2978360981/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/koesbong/125933266/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cheishichiyo/3637712921/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/paky/52194393/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/patrickgage/3738107746/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zhzheka/1240470939/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fchouse/3270958643/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/colinj/490622069/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brartist/313272029/
This presentation is © Gábor Hojtsy
Licensed: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/

69. THANK YOU!
Gábor Hojtsy, Acquia
gabor@hojtsy.hu
http://hojtsy.hu/