[sword-devel] Jword properties files translation

[DM Smith]

On 05/24/2011 09:10 AM, Mario Bertrand wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm updating some properties translation files in French and I have few
> questions regarding them.
The jsword-devel mailing list is the proper place to ask these 
questions. I'm on both so I'll answer it.

> There is also a project to import all those files on a translation web
> platform at http://www.amanuens.com . Similar to Launchpad but with
> support of Android xml files, Java properties files and more. We are
> testing the platform and it's going well.
>
> 1. BibleNames.properties
>
> a) What's the difference between *.alt strings * alt.short strings
>
> Exemple:
>
> *.alt : Gn,Ge,Gen
> *.short : Gn
The short name is what is shown to the user if short names are 
requested. The alt field are other names by which the book might be 
known. This is used by the program to identify user input as a 
particular book.

In your example, Gn does not need to be present as it is the same as 
*.short. (Though it doesn't hurt)

Also because Ge and Gen are proper prefixes of Genesis, they don't need 
to be there.

> b) There are a lot of apocrypha's and unorthodox books strings that
> don't even exist as modules yet. I translated most of them, but I was
> wondering if it's really useful at this time.
This is just a first step in supporting av11n. They are not useful until 
JSword supports av11n. We do have a few modules that use them.

When we get av11n support into JSword, it will use the standard property 
look up for names. If they are needed by a module and not translated, 
then English will be shown.

When that happens, there will be a greater motivation to translate them.

> 2. iso639.properties
>
> Does it need to be localized?
This is a tough call. It is used within the book installer to sub-divide 
books. Most of the entries are in their native tongue and script. 
However, some are in English and use a Latin script.

For the English translation iso639_en.properties, I used the English 
name of the language followed by the localized version in parentheses. 
It might be reasonable to use this pattern for French or some other 
language that uses the Latin script.

For the entries in iso639.properties that are clearly in English (e.g. 
zxx=No Lingustic Content), you might want this entry to be present.

(Remember the lack of an entry means that the default is fine.)

In Him,
     DM