From: moodler <moodler> Date: Sat, 31 Jul 2004 15:37:55 +0000 (+0000) Subject: New documentation for translators ... based on Koen's work. X-Git-Url: http://git.mjollnir.org/gw?a=commitdiff_plain;h=d2f49be868044469b404b2a225adeaea2c6c9cd4;p=moodle.git New documentation for translators ... based on Koen's work. --- diff --git a/lang/en/docs/files.php b/lang/en/docs/files.php index 6747b5e348..7b53b24c96 100644 --- a/lang/en/docs/files.php +++ b/lang/en/docs/files.php @@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ $string['-development'] = "Development"; $string['developer.html'] = "Developer Manual"; $string['coding.html'] = "Coding Guide"; $string['cvs.html'] = "Using CVS"; +$string['translation.html'] = "Translation"; ?> diff --git a/lang/en/docs/translation.html b/lang/en/docs/translation.html new file mode 100755 index 0000000000..27f554bb1a --- /dev/null +++ b/lang/en/docs/translation.html @@ -0,0 +1,212 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html><head> + <title>Moodle translation guide</title> + <link rel="stylesheet" href="docstyles.css" type="TEXT/CSS"> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> +</head> + +<body style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> + +<h1>Moodle translation guide</h1> + +<p>Translating Moodle is not that difficult, but a few things are good to know before you start.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<h2>Structure of a Moodle language pack</h2> + +<p style="margin-left: 40px;">All Moodle language packs are located in +the lang directory, with each language in a unique directory named the +same as the language short name (en, fr, nl, es ...). </p> + + +<p style="margin-left: 40px;">All the main files are in this +folder, with .php extensions (eg moodle.php, resource.php etc). +These files contains short phrases, often called "<span style="font-style: italic;">strings</span>". +</p> + + +<p style="margin-left: 40px;">There might also be some folders containing .html web pages: +</p> + + +<ul style="margin-left: 40px;"> + + +<li><strong>help</strong>: containing the context-sensitive help files that pop-up when you click the help icons throughout Moodle +</li><li><strong>docs</strong>: containing the basic documentation pages (such as this one!)<br> +</li> +</ul> + + + +<p> </p> + + + +<h2>Creating a completely new language pack</h2> + + + + +<p style="margin-left: 40px;">If your language is not yet supported by +Moodle, or if you just want to make some customisations to your own +site's interface, you may want to start a new translation. </p> + + + +<p style="margin-left: 40px;">All you need to do is create a new folder +in the lang directory using the 2-letter code for your language. You +can find these standard codes in lib/languages.php. If you are making a +local variation of another language use the code of that language with +an underscore and a meaningful two letter extension (e.g. <span style="font-style: italic;">pt </span>for Portuguese and <span style="font-style: italic;">pt_br</span> for Brasilian variation of the Portuguese language pack). If you are making a Unicode version add <span style="font-weight: bold;">_utf8</span> at the end (eg <span style="font-style: italic;">sr_utf8</span>).<br> +</p> + + + +<p style="margin-left: 40px;">Next, copy the moodle.php from another +language into your new directory. The one from the "en" folder is +usually best but it doesn't really matter as you are going to rewrite +it anyway.<br> +</p> + + + + +<p style="margin-left: 40px;">You are now ready to start inserting new strings by editing your language... see below for details on this.</p> + + + +<p style="margin-left: 40px;">For a new language pack, the very first +thing you need to edit is the string named "thischarset" in moodle.php. +It must contain a valid web character set for your language. After you +change that string, save the moodle.php file, then <span style="font-weight: bold;">reload the page</span>. You can then continue with the rest of the strings. </p> + + + +<p> </p> + + + +<h2>Editing an existing language pack</h2> + + + + +<h3 style="margin-left: 40px;">Making small customisations<br> +</h3> + + + +<p style="margin-left: 80px;">If you just want to change a few things in the interface to suit your own site better, <span style="font-weight: bold;">don't start editing one of the standard language packs</span>. If you do then your changes will be overwritten next time you upgrade to a new Moodle.<br> +</p> +<p style="margin-left: 80px;">Instead, use the instructions above for +making a brand new language pack, and set the parent language (in +moodle.php) to be the language that is most similar to yours. For +example, a good name for a local english version would be "<span style="font-style: italic;">en_local</span>", and the parent language would be "<span style="font-style: italic;">en</span>" or "<span style="font-style: italic;">en_us</span>".</p> +<p style="margin-left: 80px;">Note that for everyone on your site to +see this new pack you have to select it as the site language and +restrict the available languages on <span style="font-weight: bold;">Admin >> Configuration >> Variables</span>.<br> +<br> +</p> + + + + +<h3 style="margin-left: 40px;">Translating the Moodle interface language files (the "string" files)<br> +</h3> + + + + +<ol> + + + + <ol> + <li>Log on to your Moodle server as an administrator. </li> + <li>Go to <span style="font-weight: bold;">Administration >> Configuration >> Language</span>, which is the language administration page. </li> + <li>On this page you can choose your language from the menu, then choose "Compare and Edit Language".</li> + <li>You should see forms you can edit for each file. If you do not, +then you may have to make sure that the files are writeable - you may +have to change file permissions.</li> + <li>The forms consist of three columns, the first is the name of +each string, the second is that string in English, and the last is +translation in the current language. </li> + <li>Edit missing strings in each files (highlighted in colour), +remembering to hit the "Save changes" button at the end of each form.</li> + <li>It's OK to leave strings empty - Moodle will simply use the +parent language for that string instead. You can define the parent +language in moodle.php, otherwise English is always used by default. </li> + <li>A quick way to see all the missing strings is by using the button to "Check for missing strings".<br> + <br> + </li> + + + + + + + + + </ol> +</ol> + + +<h3 style="margin-left: 40px;">Translating the help and documentation files</h3> + + + +<p style="margin-left: 80px;">There's no built-in editor in Moodle yet to translate +the help files, but it's really not that difficult. It is important to +use the <span style="font-weight: bold;">en</span> language pack as a reference language. Copy a help file from +the en language pack and paste it on the same location in your own +language pack. Then use a plain text editor to translate the file, +making sure not to modify any code in the file (there usually is no +code, just HTML-tags). (DON'T USE A WORDPROCESSOR to write the +help-files because these programs add too much rubbish to the files).</p> + + +<p style="margin-left: 80px;">Clicking on "Check for missing strings" +in the language administration screen will also show you what files you +are missing. If you have missing files then Moodle will use the parent +language instead, so there is no need to leave copies of <strong>untranslated</strong> help files in your language pack.</p> + + +<p> </p> + + +<h2>Submitting your language pack to the Moodle project </h2> + + +<p style="margin-left: 40px;">Sharing your translation with Moodle will +ensure that you help other people who speak your language. +Your interface language will be available in future versions of Moodle.<br> +</p> + + +<p style="margin-left: 40px;">Simply archive your whole new language directory as a <span style="font-weight: bold;">zip</span> file and email it to translation@moodle.org.<br> +</p> +<p style="margin-left: 40px;">We will get back to you with further details.<br> +</p> + + +<p> </p> + + +<h2>Maintenance of a standard language pack<br> +</h2> + + + +<p style="margin-left: 40px;">If you are committed to maintaining a language in Moodle, it's best to use <a href="?file=cvs.html">Moodle CVS</a> so that you have an up-to-date version of Moodle, and can easily "check in" your changes directly into the Moodle project.<br> +</p> +<p style="margin-left: 40px;">To keep in touch with changes in the project it is a very good idea to subscribe to the <a href="http://sourceforge.net/mail/?group_id=30935" target="_top">CVS mailing list</a>. This helps to keep your +translation as close to the English text as possible.<br> +</p> +<p style="margin-left: 40px;"><br> +</p> + + + +</body></html>