[thirdparty/systemd.git] / docs / TRANSLATORS.md

# Notes for Translators

systemd depends on the `gettext` package for multilingual support.

You'll find the i18n files in the `po/` directory.

The build system (meson/ninja) can be used to generate a template (`*.pot`),
which can be used to create new translations.

It can also merge the template into the existing translations (`*.po`), to pick
up new strings in need of translation.

Finally, it is able to compile the translations (to `*.gmo` files), so that
they can be used by systemd software. (This step is also useful to confirm the
syntax of the `*.po` files is correct.)

## Creating a New Translation

To create a translation to a language not yet available, start by creating the
initial template:

```
$ ninja -C build/ systemd-pot
```

This will generate file `po/systemd.pot` in the source tree.

Then simply copy it to a new <code><i>${lang_code}</i>.po</code> file, where
<code><i>${lang_code}</i></code> is the two-letter code for a language
(possibly followed by a two-letter uppercase country code), according to the
ISO 639 standard.

In short:

<pre>
$ cp po/systemd.pot po/<i>${lang_code}</i>.po
</pre>

Then edit the new <code>po/<i>${lang_code}</i>.po</code> file (for example,
using the `poedit` GUI editor.)

## Updating an Existing Translation

Start by updating the `*.po` files from the latest template:

```
$ ninja -C build/ systemd-update-po
```

This will touch all the `*.po` files, so you'll want to pay attention when
creating a git commit from this change, to only include the one translation
you're actually updating.

Edit the `*.po` file, looking for empty translations and translations marked as
"fuzzy" (which means the merger found a similar message that needs to be
reviewed as it's expected not to match exactly.)

You can use any text editor to update the `*.po` files, but a good choice is
the `poedit` editor, a graphical application specifically designed for this
purpose.

Once you're done, create a git commit for the update of the `po/*.po` file you
touched. Remember to undo the changes to the other `*.po` files (for instance,
using `git checkout -- po/` after you commit the changes you do want to keep.)

# Recompiling Translations

You can recompile the `*.po` files using the following command:

```
$ ninja -C build/ systemd-gmo
```

The resulting files will be saved in the `build/po/` directory.
Commit	Line	Data
b6dc0d7d FB	1	# Notes for Translators
	2
	3	systemd depends on the `gettext` package for multilingual support.
	4
	5	You'll find the i18n files in the `po/` directory.
	6
	7	The build system (meson/ninja) can be used to generate a template (`*.pot`),
	8	which can be used to create new translations.
	9
	10	It can also merge the template into the existing translations (`*.po`), to pick
	11	up new strings in need of translation.
	12
	13	Finally, it is able to compile the translations (to `*.gmo` files), so that
	14	they can be used by systemd software. (This step is also useful to confirm the
	15	syntax of the `*.po` files is correct.)
	16
991b4350	17	## Creating a New Translation
b6dc0d7d FB	18
	19	To create a translation to a language not yet available, start by creating the
	20	initial template:
	21
	22	```
	23	$ ninja -C build/ systemd-pot
	24	```
	25
	26	This will generate file `po/systemd.pot` in the source tree.
	27
	28	Then simply copy it to a new <code><i>${lang_code}</i>.po</code> file, where
	29	<code><i>${lang_code}</i></code> is the two-letter code for a language
	30	(possibly followed by a two-letter uppercase country code), according to the
	31	ISO 639 standard.
	32
	33	In short:
	34
	35	<pre>
	36	$ cp po/systemd.pot po/<i>${lang_code}</i>.po
	37	</pre>
	38
	39	Then edit the new <code>po/<i>${lang_code}</i>.po</code> file (for example,
	40	using the `poedit` GUI editor.)
	41
991b4350	42	## Updating an Existing Translation
b6dc0d7d FB	43
	44	Start by updating the `*.po` files from the latest template:
	45
	46	```
	47	$ ninja -C build/ systemd-update-po
	48	```
	49
	50	This will touch all the `*.po` files, so you'll want to pay attention when
	51	creating a git commit from this change, to only include the one translation
	52	you're actually updating.
	53
	54	Edit the `*.po` file, looking for empty translations and translations marked as
	55	"fuzzy" (which means the merger found a similar message that needs to be
	56	reviewed as it's expected not to match exactly.)
	57
	58	You can use any text editor to update the `*.po` files, but a good choice is
	59	the `poedit` editor, a graphical application specifically designed for this
	60	purpose.
	61
	62	Once you're done, create a git commit for the update of the `po/*.po` file you
	63	touched. Remember to undo the changes to the other `*.po` files (for instance,
	64	using `git checkout -- po/` after you commit the changes you do want to keep.)
	65
	66	# Recompiling Translations
	67
	68	You can recompile the `*.po` files using the following command:
	69
	70	```
	71	$ ninja -C build/ systemd-gmo
	72	```
	73
	74	The resulting files will be saved in the `build/po/` directory.