HGKeeper

/** @page plugin-i18n Third Party Plugin Translation Support

@section Introduction

For a plugin to have translation support there are a few steps that need to

followed:

- The plugin must be setup to use autotools. It may be possible to add

translation support without autotools, but I have no idea how.

- In your autogen.sh, bootstrap.sh, or whatever you called it, add the

following after your other utility checks:

@code

(intltoolize --version) < /dev/null > /dev/null 2>&1 || {

echo;

echo "You must have intltool installed to compile <YOUR PLUGIN NAME>";

echo;

exit;

}

@endcode

Then before your call aclocal add:

@code

intltoolize --force --copy

@endcode

- Now edit configure.ac, configure.in, or whatever you may have called it

and add the following:

@code

AC_PROG_INTLTOOL

GETTEXT_PACKAGE=<YOUR PLUGIN NAME>

AC_SUBST(GETTEXT_PACKAGE)

AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(GETTEXT_PACKAGE, ["$GETTEXT_PACKAGE"], [Define the gettext package to be used])

ALL_LINGUAS=""

AM_GLIB_GNU_GETTEXT

@endcode

The position of these macros in the file don't really matter, but if you

have issues either play around with it or feel free to ask one of the Gaim

developers. Finally add 'po/Makefile.in' to you 'AC_OUTPUT' command.

- Now create a directory named 'po'.

- 'cd' into the 'po' directory.

- Create/edit the file 'POTFILE.in' in your favorite editor. Each line

should be the name of a file that could or does have strings marked for

translating (we're getting to that step). These file names should be

relative to the top directory of your plugin.

- 'cd' back to the top directory of your plugin.

- Open 'Makefile.am' and add 'po' to your 'SUBDIRS' variable.

- While still in the top directory of your plugin execute

'intltool-prepare'. This will setup anything extra that intltool needs.

- Fire off an 'autogen.sh' and when it's completed, verify that you have a

'po/POTFILES', notice the lack of a .in. If you do, everything should be

set on the autotools side.

- Take a break, stretch your legs, smoke a cigarette, whatever, because

we're done with the autotools part.

- When you're ready, 'cd' into the directory with the source files for your

plugin.

- Open the file containing the GaimPluginInfo structure.

- If you're not already, please make sure that you are including the

'config.h' file for you plugin. Note that 'config.h' could be whatever

you told autohead to use with AM_CONFIG_HEADER. Also add the following:

@code

#include <glib/gi18n-lib.h>

@endcode

Make sure that this include is after you include of your 'config.h',

otherwise you will break your build.

- This is where things get a bit goofy. Gaim is going to try and translate

our strings using the Gaim gettext package. So we have to convert them

before Gaim attempts to.

- To do this, we're going to change the entries for name, summary, and

description to NULL.

- Next, locate your 'init_plugin' function. Your name for this function

may vary, but it's the second parameter to 'GAIM_INIT_PLUGIN'.

- Now add the following within your 'init_plugin' function:

@code

#ifdef ENABLE_NLS

bindtextdomain(GETTEXT_PACKAGE, LOCALEDIR);

bind_textdomain_codeset(GETTEXT_PACKAGE, "UTF-8");

#endif /* ENABLE_NLS */

info.name = _("<YOUR PLUGIN NAME>");

info.summary = _("<YOUR PLUGIN SUMMARY>");

info.description = _("<YOUR PLUGIN DESCRIPTION>");

@endcode

Note that the _() is intentional, and that it is telling intltool that

this string should be translated. There is also N_() which says that a

string should only be marked for translation but should not be translated

yet.

- Go through the rest of your code and mark all the other strings for

translation with _().

- When thats done, feel free to commit your work, create your po template

(pot file) or whatever.

- To create you po template, 'cd' to 'po' and execute:

@code

intltool-update --pot

@endcode

- To add new translations to your plugin, all you have to do is add the

language code to the 'ALL_LINGUAS' variable in your configure.ac. Take

note that this list of languages should be separated by a space. After

you have added the language code to 'ALL_LINGUAS', drop the xx.po file

into 'po', and re-'autogen.sh'. After a full build you should now be

able to use the translation.

pidgin/pidgin