Updated documentation on translation updates. (#474879)

git-svn-id: svn://anonscm.debian.org/ddp/manuals/trunk/developers-reference@5797 313b444b-1b9f-4f58-a734-7bb04f332e8d

diff --git a/best-pkging-practices.dbk b/best-pkging-practices.dbk
index a3852bbf30e71970276a6ba42ed62ceea381e993..1f14722f71830b1d1c7fde3e52beb503d1dc2b72 100644 (file)
--- a/best-pkging-practices.dbk
+++ b/best-pkging-practices.dbk
@@ -755,30 +755,49 @@ documentation (<literal>man po-debconf</literal> is a good start).
 </para>
 <para>
 Avoid changing templates too often.  Changing templates text induces more work
 </para>
 <para>
 Avoid changing templates too often.  Changing templates text induces more work

-to translators which will get their translation fuzzied.  If you plan changes
-to your original templates, please contact translators.  Most active
+to translators which will get their translation fuzzied.  A fuzzy translation is
+a string for which the original changed since it was translated, therefore
+requiring some update by a translator to be usable.  When changes are small
+enough, the original translation is kept in PO files but marked as
+<literal>fuzzy</literal>.
+</para>
+<para>
+If you plan to do changes
+to your original templates, please use the notification system provided with
+the <systemitem
+role="package">po-debconf</systemitem> package, namely the <command>
+podebconf-report-po</command>, to contact translators.  Most active

 translators are very responsive and getting their work included along with your
 modified templates will save you additional uploads.  If you use gettext-based
 translators are very responsive and getting their work included along with your
 modified templates will save you additional uploads.  If you use gettext-based

-templates, the translator's name and e-mail addresses are mentioned in the po
-files headers.
+templates, the translator's name and e-mail addresses are mentioned in the PO
+files headers and will be used by <command>
+podebconf-report-po</command>.

 </para>
 <para>
 </para>
 <para>

-The use of the <command>podebconf-report-po</command> from the <systemitem
-role="package">po-debconf</systemitem> package is highly recommended to warn
-translators which have incomplete translations and request them for updates.
+A recommended use of that utility is:
+</para>
+<programlisting>cd debian/po &amp;&amp; podebconf-report-po --languageteam --withtranslators --call --deadline="+10 days"</programlisting>
+<para>
+This command will first synchronize the PO and POT files in debian/po with
+the templates files listed in <filename>debian/po/POTFILES.in</filename>.
+Then, it will send a call for translation updates to the language team
+(mentioned in the <literal>Language-Team</literal> field of each PO file)
+as well as the last translator (mentioned in
+<literal>Last-translator</literal>). Finally, it will also send a call for
+new translations, in the &email-debian-i18n; mailing list.
+</para>
+<para>
+Giving a deadline to translators is always appreciated, so that they can
+organize their work. Please remember that some translation teams have a
+formalized translate/review process and a delay lower than 10 days is
+considered as unreasonable. A shorter delay puts too much pressure on translation
+teams and should be kept for very minor changes.

 </para>
 <para>
 If in doubt, you may also contact the translation team for a given language
 (debian-l10n-xxxxx@&lists-host;), or the
 &email-debian-i18n; mailing list.
 </para>
 </para>
 <para>
 If in doubt, you may also contact the translation team for a given language
 (debian-l10n-xxxxx@&lists-host;), or the
 &email-debian-i18n; mailing list.
 </para>

-<para>
-Calls for translations posted to &email-debian-i18n; with the
-<filename>debian/po/templates.pot</filename> file attached or referenced in a
-URL are encouraged.  Be sure to mentions in these calls for new translations
-which languages you have existing translations for, in order to avoid duplicate
-work.
-</para>

 </section>
 
 <section id="s6.5.2.3">
 </section>
 
 <section id="s6.5.2.3">


@@ -787,15 +806,89 @@ work.
 When the text of a debconf template is corrected and you are <emphasis
 role="strong">sure</emphasis> that the change does <emphasis
 role="strong">not</emphasis> affect translations, please be kind to translators
 When the text of a debconf template is corrected and you are <emphasis
 role="strong">sure</emphasis> that the change does <emphasis
 role="strong">not</emphasis> affect translations, please be kind to translators

-and unfuzzy their translations.
+and <emphasis>unfuzzy</emphasis> their translations.

 </para>
 <para>
 If you don't do so, the whole template will not be translated as long as a
 translator will send you an update.
 </para>
 <para>
 </para>
 <para>
 If you don't do so, the whole template will not be translated as long as a
 translator will send you an update.
 </para>
 <para>

-To <literal>unfuzzy</literal> translations, you can proceed the
-following way:
+To <emphasis>unfuzzy</emphasis> translations, you can use two methods. The first
+method does <emphasis>preventive</emphasis> search and replace actions in the
+PO files. The latter uses <command>gettext</command> utilities to <emphasis>unfuzzy</emphasis>
+strings.
+</para>
+<para>
+<emphasis>Preventive unfuzzy</emphasis> method:
+</para>
+<orderedlist numeration="arabic">
+<listitem>
+<para>
+Try finding a complete translation file <emphasis role="strong"> before</emphasis>
+the change:
+</para>
+<programlisting>for i in debian/po/*po; do echo -n $i: ; msgfmt -o /dev/null
+--statistics $i; done</programlisting>
+<para>
+The file only showing <emphasis>translated</emphasis> items will be used
+as the reference file. If there is none (which should not happen if you take
+care to properly interact with translators), you should use the file
+with the most translated strings.
+</para>
+</listitem>
+<listitem>
+<para>
+Identify the needed change. In this example, let's assume the change is about
+fixing a typo in the word <literal>typo</literal> which was inadvertently
+written as <literal>tpyo</literal>. Therefore, the change is
+<command>s/tpyo/typo</command>.
+</para>
+</listitem>
+<listitem>
+<para>
+Check that this change is only applied to the place where you really intend
+to make it and <emphasis role="strong">not</emphasis> in any other place
+where the original string is appropriate. This specifically applies to
+change in punctuation, for instance.
+</para>
+</listitem>
+<listitem>
+<para>
+Modify all PO files by using <command>sed</command>. The use of that command
+is recommended over any text editor to guarantee that the files encoding will
+not be broken by the edit action.
+</para>
+<programlisting>
+cd debian/po
+for i in *.po; do sed -i 's/tpyo/typo/g' $i; done
+</programlisting>
+</listitem>
+<listitem>
+<para>
+Change the debconf template file to fix the typo.
+</para>
+</listitem>
+<listitem>
+<para>
+Run <command>debconf-updatepo</command>
+</para>
+</listitem>
+<listitem>
+<para>
+Check the <filename>foo.po</filename> reference file. Its statistics should
+not be changed:
+</para>
+<programlisting>
+msgfmt -o /dev/null --statistics debian/po/foo.po
+</programlisting>
+</listitem>
+<listitem>
+If the file's statistics changed, you did something wrong. Try again
+or ask for help on the &email-debian-i18n; mailing list.
+</listitem>
+</orderedlist>
+<para>
+Gettext utilities method:

 </para>
 <orderedlist numeration="arabic">
 <listitem>
 </para>
 <orderedlist numeration="arabic">
 <listitem>


@@ -850,7 +943,7 @@ run <command>debconf-updatepo</command> again
 <title>Do not make assumptions about interfaces</title>
 <para>
 Templates text should not make reference to widgets belonging to some debconf
 <title>Do not make assumptions about interfaces</title>
 <para>
 Templates text should not make reference to widgets belonging to some debconf

-interfaces.  Sentences like If you answer Yes...  have no meaning for users of
+interfaces.  Sentences like <emphasis>If you answer Yes...</emphasis> have no meaning for users of

 graphical interfaces which use checkboxes for boolean questions.
 </para>
 <para>
 graphical interfaces which use checkboxes for boolean questions.
 </para>
 <para>


@@ -868,12 +961,12 @@ facts.
 <section id="s6.5.2.5">
 <title>Do not use first person</title>
 <para>
 <section id="s6.5.2.5">
 <title>Do not use first person</title>
 <para>

-You should avoid the use of first person (I will do this...  or We
-recommend...).  The computer is not a person and the Debconf templates do not
+You should avoid the use of first person (<emphasis>I will do this...</emphasis> or <emphasis>We
+recommend...</emphasis>).  The computer is not a person and the Debconf templates do not

 speak for the Debian developers.  You should use neutral construction.  Those
 of you who already wrote scientific publications, just write your templates
 speak for the Debian developers.  You should use neutral construction.  Those
 of you who already wrote scientific publications, just write your templates

-like you would write a scientific paper.  However, try using action voice if
-still possible, like Enable this if ...  instead of This can be enabled if ....
+like you would write a scientific paper.  However, try using active voice if
+still possible, like <emphasis>Enable this if ...</emphasis> instead of <emphasis>This can be enabled if...</emphasis>.

 </para>
 </section>
 
 </para>
 </section>
 


@@ -925,7 +1018,36 @@ yes/no</emphasis>...
 <para>
 A choice between one of a number of values.  The choices must be specified in a
 field named 'Choices'.  Separate the possible values with commas and spaces,
 <para>
 A choice between one of a number of values.  The choices must be specified in a
 field named 'Choices'.  Separate the possible values with commas and spaces,

-like this: Choices: yes, no, maybe
+like this: <literal>Choices: yes, no, maybe</literal>.
+</para>
+<para>
+If choices are translatable strings, the 'Choices' field may be marked as
+translatable by using <literal>__Choices</literal>. The double underscore will split out
+each choice in a separate string.
+</para>
+<para>
+The <command>po-debconf</command> system also offers interesting possibilities
+to only mark <emphasis role="strong">some</emphasis> choices as translatable.
+Example:
+</para>
+<programlisting>
+Template: foo/bar
+Type: Select
+#flag:translate:3
+__Choices: PAL, SECAM, Other
+_Description: TV standard:
+ Please choose the TV standard used in your country.
+</programlisting>
+<para>
+In that example, only the 'Other' string is translatable while others
+are acronyms that should not be translated. The above allows only
+'Other' to be included in PO and POT files.
+</para>
+<para>
+The debconf templates flag system offers many such possibilities. The
+<citerefentry>
+<refentrytitle>po-debconf</refentrytitle> <manvolnum>7</manvolnum>
+</citerefentry> manual page lists all these possibilities.

 </para>
 </section>
 
 </para>
 </section>
 


@@ -1168,7 +1290,7 @@ the _DefaultChoice trick.
 <para>
 This special field allow translators to put the most appropriate choice
 according to their own language.  It will become the default choice when their
 <para>
 This special field allow translators to put the most appropriate choice
 according to their own language.  It will become the default choice when their

-language is used while your own mentioned Default Choice will be used chan
+language is used while your own mentioned Default Choice will be used when

 using English.
 </para>
 <para>
 using English.
 </para>
 <para>

diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index b8f439ef36533d4ce0baec60553754f944779ec3..c3b6cc3228862ff8a508c26486e0c084fc2feb5f 100644 (file)
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -33,8 +33,11 @@ developers-reference (3.4.1) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
     Closes: #500371.
   * Document usertags. Thanks to Chris Lamb for the patch.
     Closes: #367876.
     Closes: #500371.
   * Document usertags. Thanks to Chris Lamb for the patch.
     Closes: #367876.

+  * Updated documentation on translation updates.
+    Thanks to Christian Perrier for the patch.
+    Closes: #474879.

 
 

- -- Lucas Nussbaum <lucas@lucas-nussbaum.net>  Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:25:45 +0100
+ -- Lucas Nussbaum <lucas@lucas-nussbaum.net>  Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:36:50 +0100

 
 developers-reference (3.4.0) unstable; urgency=low
 
 
 developers-reference (3.4.0) unstable; urgency=low