Internationalisation programmation

Why

The common method using resource strings is a little tedious to implement. It requires development environment and programming skills to make translations available.

That's why I have used another system, with some success on a large application.

Translation are read by the software from mere inifiles and applied when forms are loaded. This is quick enough.

This way, it is possible to define or modify translations directly when running the application, without developing tools and skills.

How it works ?

Language file

One inifile by language must be provided.

Currently it is stored in the languages subdirectory of the directory containg the main executable : The name of the file is made from the Posix code of the language (en_US for English American, fr_FR for french...)

The Parameter file must (at least) contains a parameter in the General Section for the name of the language (in it's language).

[General]

LanguageName=English

Each parameter files named language/%%_%%.ini, and having this valid parameter, will make a language available in the application.

Thus, there is no need to recompile anything to add a new language.

Simple controls

For any control of Gestinux_util, the translation is defined in the langauge file :

The section is the Form name. The parameter name is the component name, followed by a dot and the property name to translate. The parameter value is the translation

If the file or the parameter is not found, the design properties are used.

E.g :

[FormConnection]

LabelUsername.Caption=Username

EditUsername.Hint=Enter your username

BtnOk.caption=Connect

BtnOk.Hint=Click here to connect

MenuItemQuit.Caption=Exit

GGrid and GDbGrid

For each column, indexed by its position, we can define the title. The Columns property must be defined to allow translations (and other features).

E.g :

Grid.Employees.Name.Title=Name

Grid.Employees.Address.Title=Address

Grid.Employees.City.Title=City

Messages

Messages are identified by keywords not used for control's translations. They are stored in the form section, along with other control's translations.

Parameters are allowed. Example :

UsernameConnectError=%1:s in not a valid username, retry.

MessageDlg and ShowMessage procedures must not be used, since they don't use the same translation system.

To display a translated message, use only one of these functions member of TGForm :

• ErrorMessage ( 'UsernameConnectError', [EditUsername.Text] );
• ConfirmationMessage ( 'UsernameConnectError', [EditUsername.Text] );
• InformationMessage ( 'UsernameConnectError', [EditUsername.Text] );

Or in some special cases

• DisplayMessage

Other strings

Other parameters can be present in the ini file, for special usages. Their translations can be queried at any time by :

TranslateText( Section, Key, Default );

How to make a translation

Use the translation utility, available for Linux and for Windows, which can read a reference language file, and fill another language file, detecting missing translations.