[Fwd: Gnome Internationalization: A proposal]

[Gudmund Areskoug <fta algonet se>]

...forwarding Filipes reply...

BR,
Gudmund

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• From: Filipe Maia <fmaia gmx net>
• To: Gudmund Areskoug <fta algonet se>
• Subject: Re: Gnome Internationalization: A proposal
• Date: Fri, 22 Mar 2002 15:17:21 +0000

> yes, and then provide space for the translator or language
> maintainer to add the extra info in a simple manner, keeping info
> that can be read and or processed by a program separate from info
> that's for humans only.
> 
> E. g.:
> msgid "_Yes"
> msgstr "_Ja"
> package: gshortcuts
> QA status: unconfirmed
> hotkey hierarchy level: 2
> msgid hotkey: Alt+Y
> msgstr hotkey: Alt+J
> context notes: global shortcut and keyboard macro program, this is
> the shortcut for confirming actions within the program
> 
> (yes, it's an ugly invented example, but I hope the point gets
> through)

Ok i got the idea.
> 
> Just about all but the context notes could be made use of by various
> software.

The hotkey hierarchy level and context cannot be filled by the program.
> 
> Hierarchy levels for the package or for message strings, that
> indicates whether they are expected to be used outside the
> program/apparent context (globally in Gnome or within an integrated
> e. g. office environemt, or in case of a central language resource
> file for a whole environment) could also be possible.
It's a good idea. They should have been implemented in the po files.
It would make everything a lot simpler.

> 
> > > Don't forget to include as much hotkey conflict handling as possible
> > > while you're at it, this is your chance!
> > 
> > I don't think it's possible to handle hotkey conflict only using the .pot files.
> > Do u have any idea in mind?
> 
> Yes, charting the hotkeys, starting with the ones used as "system
> standard" (global). Unfortunately, like you say, the .pot files
> alone don't tell enough about how the characters designated as
> hotkeys are linked (Alt+, Ctrl+, ...?). But that shouldn't be
> impossible to find out and map, within and across apps (internally
> and vertically to avoid conflicts, horizontally to improve
> consistency).

That is a huge task, trying to map all hotkeys.
It would have to be made by humans.
> 
> I guess such a chart could be handy for programmers too, sometimes.

The chart would be very usefull for many people but it's a big project in itself.

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|  .''`.  | Filipe Maia                                          |
| : :'  : | email: fmaia@gmx.net                                 |
| `. `'`  |                                                      |
|   `-    | Debian GNU/Linux: <http://www.debian.org>            |
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