docs/html/gettext/gettext_5.html

   1 <HTML>
   2 <HEAD>
   3 <!-- This HTML file has been created by texi2html 1.54
   4      from gettext.texi on 25 January 1999 -->
   5
   6 <TITLE>GNU gettext utilities - Updating Existing PO Files</TITLE>
   7 <link href="gettext_6.html" rel=Next>
   8 <link href="gettext_4.html" rel=Previous>
   9 <link href="gettext_toc.html" rel=ToC>
  10
  11 </HEAD>
  12 <BODY>
  13 <p>Go to the <A HREF="gettext_1.html">first</A>, <A HREF="gettext_4.html">previous</A>, <A HREF="gettext_6.html">next</A>, <A HREF="gettext_12.html">last</A> section, <A HREF="gettext_toc.html">table of contents</A>.
  14 <P><HR><P>
  15
  16
  17 <H1><A NAME="SEC23" HREF="gettext_toc.html#TOC23">Updating Existing PO Files</A></H1>
  18
  19
  20
  21 <H2><A NAME="SEC24" HREF="gettext_toc.html#TOC24">Invoking the <CODE>msgmerge</CODE> Program</A></H2>
  22
  23
  24
  25 <H2><A NAME="SEC25" HREF="gettext_toc.html#TOC25">Translated Entries</A></H2>
  26
  27 <P>
  28 Each PO file entry for which the <CODE>msgstr</CODE> field has been filled with
  29 a translation, and which is not marked as fuzzy (see section <A HREF="gettext_5.html#SEC26">Fuzzy Entries</A>),
  30 is a said to be a <STRONG>translated</STRONG> entry.  Only translated entries will
  31 later be compiled by GNU <CODE>msgfmt</CODE> and become usable in programs.
  32 Other entry types will be excluded; translation will not occur for them.
  33
  34 </P>
  35 <P>
  36 Some commands are more specifically related to translated entry processing.
  37
  38 </P>
  39 <DL COMPACT>
  40
  41 <DT><KBD>t</KBD>
  42 <DD>
  43 Find the next translated entry.
  44
  45 <DT><KBD>M-t</KBD>
  46 <DD>
  47 Find the previous translated entry.
  48
  49 </DL>
  50
  51 <P>
  52 The commands <KBD>t</KBD> (<CODE>po-next-translated-entry</CODE>) and <KBD>M-t</KBD>
  53 (<CODE>po-previous-transted-entry</CODE>) move forwards or backwards, chasing
  54 for an translated entry.  If none is found, the search is extended and
  55 wraps around in the PO file buffer.
  56
  57 </P>
  58 <P>
  59 Translated entries usually result from the translator having edited in
  60 a translation for them, section <A HREF="gettext_5.html#SEC29">Modifying Translations</A>.  However, if the
  61 variable <CODE>po-auto-fuzzy-on-edit</CODE> is not <CODE>nil</CODE>, the entry having
  62 received a new translation first becomes a fuzzy entry, which ought to
  63 be later unfuzzied before becoming an official, genuine translated entry.
  64 See section <A HREF="gettext_5.html#SEC26">Fuzzy Entries</A>.
  65
  66 </P>
  67
  68
  69 <H2><A NAME="SEC26" HREF="gettext_toc.html#TOC26">Fuzzy Entries</A></H2>
  70
  71 <P>
  72 Each PO file entry may have a set of <STRONG>attributes</STRONG>, which are
  73 qualities given an name and explicitly associated with the entry
  74 translation, using a special system comment.  One of these attributes
  75 has the name <CODE>fuzzy</CODE>, and entries having this attribute are said
  76 to have a fuzzy translation.  They are called fuzzy entries, for short.
  77
  78 </P>
  79 <P>
  80 Fuzzy entries, even if they account for translated entries for
  81 most other purposes, usually call for revision by the translator.
  82 Those may be produced by applying the program <CODE>msgmerge</CODE> to
  83 update an older translated PO files according to a new PO template
  84 file, when this tool hypothesises that some new <CODE>msgid</CODE> has
  85 been modified only slightly out of an older one, and chooses to pair
  86 what it thinks to be the old translation for the new modified entry.
  87 The slight alteration in the original string (the <CODE>msgid</CODE> string)
  88 should often be reflected in the translated string, and this requires
  89 the intervention of the translator.  For this reason, <CODE>msgmerge</CODE>
  90 might mark some entries as being fuzzy.
  91
  92 </P>
  93 <P>
  94 Also, the translator may decide herself to mark an entry as fuzzy
  95 for her own convenience, when she wants to remember that the entry
  96 has to be later revisited.  So, some commands are more specifically
  97 related to fuzzy entry processing.
  98
  99 </P>
 100 <DL COMPACT>
 101
 102 <DT><KBD>f</KBD>
 103 <DD>
 104 Find the next fuzzy entry.
 105
 106 <DT><KBD>M-f</KBD>
 107 <DD>
 108 Find the previous fuzzy entry.
 109
 110 <DT><KBD>TAB</KBD>
 111 <DD>
 112 Remove the fuzzy attribute of the current entry.
 113
 114 </DL>
 115
 116 <P>
 117 The commands <KBD>f</KBD> (<CODE>po-next-fuzzy</CODE>) and <KBD>M-f</KBD>
 118 (<CODE>po-previous-fuzzy</CODE>) move forwards or backwards, chasing for
 119 a fuzzy entry.  If none is found, the search is extended and wraps
 120 around in the PO file buffer.
 121
 122 </P>
 123 <P>
 124 The command <KBD>TAB</KBD> (<CODE>po-unfuzzy</CODE>) removes the fuzzy
 125 attribute associated with an entry, usually leaving it translated.
 126 Further, if the variable <CODE>po-auto-select-on-unfuzzy</CODE> has not
 127 the <CODE>nil</CODE> value, the <KBD>TAB</KBD> command will automatically chase
 128 for another interesting entry to work on.  The initial value of
 129 <CODE>po-auto-select-on-unfuzzy</CODE> is <CODE>nil</CODE>.
 130
 131 </P>
 132 <P>
 133 The initial value of <CODE>po-auto-fuzzy-on-edit</CODE> is <CODE>nil</CODE>.  However,
 134 if the variable <CODE>po-auto-fuzzy-on-edit</CODE> is set to <CODE>t</CODE>, any entry
 135 edited through the <KBD>RET</KBD> command is marked fuzzy, as a way to ensure
 136 some kind of double check, later.  In this case, the usual paradigm is
 137 that an entry becomes fuzzy (if not already) whenever the translator
 138 modifies it.  If she is satisfied with the translation, she then uses
 139 <KBD>TAB</KBD> to pick another entry to work on, clearing the fuzzy attribute
 140 on the same blow.  If she is not satisfied yet, she merely uses <KBD>SPC</KBD>
 141 to chase another entry, leaving the entry fuzzy.
 142
 143 </P>
 144 <P>
 145 The translator may also use the <KBD>DEL</KBD> command
 146 (<CODE>po-fade-out-entry</CODE>) over any translated entry to mark it as being
 147 fuzzy, when she wants to easily leave a trace she wants to later return
 148 working at this entry.
 149
 150 </P>
 151 <P>
 152 Also, when time comes to quit working on a PO file buffer with the <KBD>q</KBD>
 153 command, the translator is asked for confirmation, if fuzzy string
 154 still exists.
 155
 156 </P>
 157
 158
 159 <H2><A NAME="SEC27" HREF="gettext_toc.html#TOC27">Untranslated Entries</A></H2>
 160
 161 <P>
 162 When <CODE>xgettext</CODE> originally creates a PO file, unless told
 163 otherwise, it initializes the <CODE>msgid</CODE> field with the untranslated
 164 string, and leaves the <CODE>msgstr</CODE> string to be empty.  Such entries,
 165 having an empty translation, are said to be <STRONG>untranslated</STRONG> entries.
 166 Later, when the programmer slightly modifies some string right in
 167 the program, this change is later reflected in the PO file
 168 by the appearance of a new untranslated entry for the modified string.
 169
 170 </P>
 171 <P>
 172 The usual commands moving from entry to entry consider untranslated
 173 entries on the same level as active entries.  Untranslated entries
 174 are easily recognizable by the fact they end with <SAMP>`msgstr ""'</SAMP>.
 175
 176 </P>
 177 <P>
 178 The work of the translator might be (quite naively) seen as the process
 179 of seeking after an untranslated entry, editing a translation for
 180 it, and repeating these actions until no untranslated entries remain.
 181 Some commands are more specifically related to untranslated entry
 182 processing.
 183
 184 </P>
 185 <DL COMPACT>
 186
 187 <DT><KBD>u</KBD>
 188 <DD>
 189 Find the next untranslated entry.
 190
 191 <DT><KBD>M-u</KBD>
 192 <DD>
 193 Find the previous untranslated entry.
 194
 195 <DT><KBD>k</KBD>
 196 <DD>
 197 Turn the current entry into an untranslated one.
 198
 199 </DL>
 200
 201 <P>
 202 The commands <KBD>u</KBD> (<CODE>po-next-untranslated-entry</CODE>) and <KBD>M-u</KBD>
 203 (<CODE>po-previous-untransted-entry</CODE>) move forwards or backwards,
 204 chasing for an untranslated entry.  If none is found, the search is
 205 extended and wraps around in the PO file buffer.
 206
 207 </P>
 208 <P>
 209 An entry can be turned back into an untranslated entry by
 210 merely emptying its translation, using the command <KBD>k</KBD>
 211 (<CODE>po-kill-msgstr</CODE>).  See section <A HREF="gettext_5.html#SEC29">Modifying Translations</A>.
 212
 213 </P>
 214 <P>
 215 Also, when time comes to quit working on a PO file buffer
 216 with the <KBD>q</KBD> command, the translator is asked for confirmation,
 217 if some untranslated string still exists.
 218
 219 </P>
 220
 221
 222 <H2><A NAME="SEC28" HREF="gettext_toc.html#TOC28">Obsolete Entries</A></H2>
 223
 224 <P>
 225 By <STRONG>obsolete</STRONG> PO file entries, we mean those entries which are
 226 commented out, usually by <CODE>msgmerge</CODE> when it found that the
 227 translation is not needed anymore by the package being localized.
 228
 229 </P>
 230 <P>
 231 The usual commands moving from entry to entry consider obsolete
 232 entries on the same level as active entries.  Obsolete entries are
 233 easily recognizable by the fact that all their lines start with
 234 <KBD>#</KBD>, even those lines containing <CODE>msgid</CODE> or <CODE>msgstr</CODE>.
 235
 236 </P>
 237 <P>
 238 Commands exist for emptying the translation or reinitializing it
 239 to the original untranslated string.  Commands interfacing with the
 240 kill ring may force some previously saved text into the translation.
 241 The user may interactively edit the translation.  All these commands
 242 may apply to obsolete entries, carefully leaving the entry obsolete
 243 after the fact.
 244
 245 </P>
 246 <P>
 247 Moreover, some commands are more specifically related to obsolete
 248 entry processing.
 249
 250 </P>
 251 <DL COMPACT>
 252
 253 <DT><KBD>o</KBD>
 254 <DD>
 255 Find the next obsolete entry.
 256
 257 <DT><KBD>M-o</KBD>
 258 <DD>
 259 Find the previous obsolete entry.
 260
 261 <DT><KBD>DEL</KBD>
 262 <DD>
 263 Make an active entry obsolete, or zap out an obsolete entry.
 264
 265 </DL>
 266
 267 <P>
 268 The commands <KBD>o</KBD> (<CODE>po-next-obsolete-entry</CODE>) and <KBD>M-o</KBD>
 269 (<CODE>po-previous-obsolete-entry</CODE>) move forwards or backwards,
 270 chasing for an obsolete entry.  If none is found, the search is
 271 extended and wraps around in the PO file buffer.
 272
 273 </P>
 274 <P>
 275 PO mode does not provide ways for un-commenting an obsolete entry
 276 and making it active, because this would reintroduce an original
 277 untranslated string which does not correspond to any marked string
 278 in the program sources.  This goes with the philosophy of never
 279 introducing useless <CODE>msgid</CODE> values.
 280
 281 </P>
 282 <P>
 283 However, it is possible to comment out an active entry, so making
 284 it obsolete.  GNU <CODE>gettext</CODE> utilities will later react to the
 285 disappearance of a translation by using the untranslated string.
 286 The command <KBD>DEL</KBD> (<CODE>po-fade-out-entry</CODE>) pushes the current entry
 287 a little further towards annihilation.  If the entry is active (it is a
 288 translated entry), then it is first made fuzzy.  If it is already fuzzy,
 289 then the entry is merely commented out, with confirmation.  If the entry
 290 is already obsolete, then it is completely deleted from the PO file.
 291 It is easy to recycle the translation so deleted into some other PO file
 292 entry, usually one which is untranslated.  See section <A HREF="gettext_5.html#SEC29">Modifying Translations</A>.
 293
 294 </P>
 295 <P>
 296 Here is a quite interesting problem to solve for later development of
 297 PO mode, for those nights you are not sleepy.  The idea would be that
 298 PO mode might become bright enough, one of these days, to make good
 299 guesses at retrieving the most probable candidate, among all obsolete
 300 entries, for initializing the translation of a newly appeared string.
 301 I think it might be a quite hard problem to do this algorithmically, as
 302 we have to develop good and efficient measures of string similarity.
 303 Right now, PO mode completely lets the decision to the translator,
 304 when the time comes to find the adequate obsolete translation, it
 305 merely tries to provide handy tools for helping her to do so.
 306
 307 </P>
 308
 309
 310 <H2><A NAME="SEC29" HREF="gettext_toc.html#TOC29">Modifying Translations</A></H2>
 311
 312 <P>
 313 PO mode prevents direct edition of the PO file, by the usual
 314 means Emacs give for altering a buffer's contents.  By doing so,
 315 it pretends helping the translator to avoid little clerical errors
 316 about the overall file format, or the proper quoting of strings,
 317 as those errors would be easily made.  Other kinds of errors are
 318 still possible, but some may be caught and diagnosed by the batch
 319 validation process, which the translator may always trigger by the
 320 <KBD>V</KBD> command.  For all other errors, the translator has to rely on
 321 her own judgment, and also on the linguistic reports submitted to her
 322 by the users of the translated package, having the same mother tongue.
 323
 324 </P>
 325 <P>
 326 When the time comes to create a translation, correct an error diagnosed
 327 mechanically or reported by a user, the translators have to resort to
 328 using the following commands for modifying the translations.
 329
 330 </P>
 331 <DL COMPACT>
 332
 333 <DT><KBD>RET</KBD>
 334 <DD>
 335 Interactively edit the translation.
 336
 337 <DT><KBD>LFD</KBD>
 338 <DD>
 339 Reinitialize the translation with the original, untranslated string.
 340
 341 <DT><KBD>k</KBD>
 342 <DD>
 343 Save the translation on the kill ring, and delete it.
 344
 345 <DT><KBD>w</KBD>
 346 <DD>
 347 Save the translation on the kill ring, without deleting it.
 348
 349 <DT><KBD>y</KBD>
 350 <DD>
 351 Replace the translation, taking the new from the kill ring.
 352
 353 </DL>
 354
 355 <P>
 356 The command <KBD>RET</KBD> (<CODE>po-edit-msgstr</CODE>) opens a new Emacs window
 357 containing a copy of the translation taken from the current PO file entry,
 358 all ready for edition, fully modifiable and with the complete extent of
 359 GNU Emacs modifying commands.  The string is presented to the translator
 360 expunged of all quoting marks, and she will modify the <EM>unquoted</EM>
 361 string in this window to heart's content.  Once done, the regular Emacs
 362 command <KBD>M-C-c</KBD> (<CODE>exit-recursive-edit</CODE>) may be used to return the
 363 edited translation into the PO file, replacing the original translation.
 364 The keys <KBD>C-c C-c</KBD> are bound so they have the same effect as
 365 <KBD>M-C-c</KBD>.
 366
 367 </P>
 368 <P>
 369 If the translator becomes unsatisfied with her translation to the extent
 370 she prefers keeping the translation which was existent prior to the
 371 <KBD>RET</KBD> command, she may use the standard Emacs command <KBD>C-]</KBD>
 372 (<CODE>abort-recursive-edit</CODE>) to merely get rid of edition, while
 373 preserving the original translation.  The keys <KBD>C-c C-k</KBD> are
 374 bound so they have the same effect as <KBD>C-]</KBD>.  Another way would
 375 be for her to exit normally with <KBD>C-c C-c</KBD>, then type <CODE>U</CODE>
 376 once for undoing the whole effect of last edition.
 377
 378 </P>
 379 <P>
 380 Functions found on <CODE>po-subedit-mode-hook</CODE>, if any, are executed after
 381 the string has been inserted in the edit buffer and before recursive edit
 382 is entered.
 383
 384 </P>
 385 <P>
 386 While editing her translation, the translator should pay attention to
 387 not inserting unwanted <KBD><KBD>RET</KBD></KBD> (carriage returns) characters at
 388 the end of the translated string if those are not meant to be there,
 389 or to removing such characters when they are required.  Since these
 390 characters are not visible in the editing buffer, they are easily
 391 introduced by mistake.  To help her, <KBD><KBD>RET</KBD></KBD> automatically puts
 392 the character <KBD>&#60;</KBD> at the end of the string being edited, but this
 393 <KBD>&#60;</KBD> is not really part of the string.  On exiting the editing
 394 window with <KBD>C-c C-c</KBD>, PO mode automatically removes such
 395 <KBD>&#60;</KBD> and all whitespace added after it.  If the translator adds
 396 characters after the terminating <KBD>&#60;</KBD>, it looses its delimiting
 397 property and integrally becomes part of the string.  If she removes
 398 the delimiting <KBD>&#60;</KBD>, then the edited string is taken <EM>as
 399 is</EM>, with all trailing newlines, even if invisible.  Also, if the
 400 translated string ought to end itself with a genuine <KBD>&#60;</KBD>, then the
 401 delimiting <KBD>&#60;</KBD> may not be removed; so the string should appear,
 402 in the editing window, as ending with two <KBD>&#60;</KBD> in a row.
 403
 404 </P>
 405 <P>
 406 When a translation (or a comment) is being edited, the translator
 407 may move the cursor back into the PO file buffer and freely
 408 move to other entries, browsing at will.  The edited entry will
 409 be recovered as soon as the edit ceases, because it is this entry
 410 only which is being modified.  If, with an edition still opened, the
 411 translator wanders in the PO file buffer, she cannot modify
 412 any other entry.  If she tries to, PO mode will react by suggesting
 413 that she abort the current edit, or else, by inviting her to finish
 414 the current edit prior to any other modification.
 415
 416 </P>
 417 <P>
 418 The command <KBD>LFD</KBD> (<CODE>po-msgid-to-msgstr</CODE>) initializes, or
 419 reinitializes the translation with the original string.  This command
 420 is normally used when the translator wants to redo a fresh translation
 421 of the original string, disregarding any previous work.
 422
 423 </P>
 424 <P>
 425 It is possible to arrange so, whenever editing an untranslated
 426 entry, the <KBD>LFD</KBD> command be automatically executed.  If you set
 427 <CODE>po-auto-edit-with-msgid</CODE> to <CODE>t</CODE>, the translation gets
 428 initialised with the original string, in case none exist already.
 429 The default value for <CODE>po-auto-edit-with-msgid</CODE> is <CODE>nil</CODE>.
 430
 431 </P>
 432 <P>
 433 In fact, whether it is best to start a translation with an empty
 434 string, or rather with a copy of the original string, is a matter of
 435 taste or habit.  Sometimes, the source language and the
 436 target language are so different that is simply best to start writing
 437 on an empty page.  At other times, the source and target languages
 438 are so close that it would be a waste to retype a number of words
 439 already being written in the original string.  A translator may also
 440 like having the original string right under her eyes, as she will
 441 progressively overwrite the original text with the translation, even
 442 if this requires some extra editing work to get rid of the original.
 443
 444 </P>
 445 <P>
 446 The command <KBD>k</KBD> (<CODE>po-kill-msgstr</CODE>) merely empties the
 447 translation string, so turning the entry into an untranslated
 448 one.  But while doing so, its previous contents is put apart in
 449 a special place, known as the kill ring.  The command <KBD>w</KBD>
 450 (<CODE>po-kill-ring-save-msgstr</CODE>) has also the effect of taking a
 451 copy of the translation onto the kill ring, but it otherwise leaves
 452 the entry alone, and does <EM>not</EM> remove the translation from the
 453 entry.  Both commands use exactly the Emacs kill ring, which is shared
 454 between buffers, and which is well known already to GNU Emacs lovers.
 455
 456 </P>
 457 <P>
 458 The translator may use <KBD>k</KBD> or <KBD>w</KBD> many times in the course
 459 of her work, as the kill ring may hold several saved translations.
 460 From the kill ring, strings may later be reinserted in various
 461 Emacs buffers.  In particular, the kill ring may be used for moving
 462 translation strings between different entries of a single PO file
 463 buffer, or if the translator is handling many such buffers at once,
 464 even between PO files.
 465
 466 </P>
 467 <P>
 468 To facilitate exchanges with buffers which are not in PO mode, the
 469 translation string put on the kill ring by the <KBD>k</KBD> command is fully
 470 unquoted before being saved: external quotes are removed, multi-lines
 471 strings are concatenated, and backslashed escaped sequences are turned
 472 into their corresponding characters.  In the special case of obsolete
 473 entries, the translation is also uncommented prior to saving.
 474
 475 </P>
 476 <P>
 477 The command <KBD>y</KBD> (<CODE>po-yank-msgstr</CODE>) completely replaces the
 478 translation of the current entry by a string taken from the kill ring.
 479 Following GNU Emacs terminology, we then say that the replacement
 480 string is <STRONG>yanked</STRONG> into the PO file buffer.
 481 See section `Yanking' in <CITE>The Emacs Editor</CITE>.
 482 The first time <KBD>y</KBD> is used, the translation receives the value of
 483 the most recent addition to the kill ring.  If <KBD>y</KBD> is typed once
 484 again, immediately, without intervening keystrokes, the translation
 485 just inserted is taken away and replaced by the second most recent
 486 addition to the kill ring.  By repeating <KBD>y</KBD> many times in a row,
 487 the translator may travel along the kill ring for saved strings,
 488 until she finds the string she really wanted.
 489
 490 </P>
 491 <P>
 492 When a string is yanked into a PO file entry, it is fully and
 493 automatically requoted for complying with the format PO files should
 494 have.  Further, if the entry is obsolete, PO mode then appropriately
 495 push the inserted string inside comments.  Once again, translators
 496 should not burden themselves with quoting considerations besides, of
 497 course, the necessity of the translated string itself respective to
 498 the program using it.
 499
 500 </P>
 501 <P>
 502 Note that <KBD>k</KBD> or <KBD>w</KBD> are not the only commands pushing strings
 503 on the kill ring, as almost any PO mode command replacing translation
 504 strings (or the translator comments) automatically save the old string
 505 on the kill ring.  The main exceptions to this general rule are the
 506 yanking commands themselves.
 507
 508 </P>
 509 <P>
 510 To better illustrate the operation of killing and yanking, let's
 511 use an actual example, taken from a common situation.  When the
 512 programmer slightly modifies some string right in the program, his
 513 change is later reflected in the PO file by the appearance
 514 of a new untranslated entry for the modified string, and the fact
 515 that the entry translating the original or unmodified string becomes
 516 obsolete.  In many cases, the translator might spare herself some work
 517 by retrieving the unmodified translation from the obsolete entry,
 518 then initializing the untranslated entry <CODE>msgstr</CODE> field with
 519 this retrieved translation.  Once this done, the obsolete entry is
 520 not wanted anymore, and may be safely deleted.
 521
 522 </P>
 523 <P>
 524 When the translator finds an untranslated entry and suspects that a
 525 slight variant of the translation exists, she immediately uses <KBD>m</KBD>
 526 to mark the current entry location, then starts chasing obsolete
 527 entries with <KBD>o</KBD>, hoping to find some translation corresponding
 528 to the unmodified string.  Once found, she uses the <KBD>DEL</KBD> command
 529 for deleting the obsolete entry, knowing that <KBD>DEL</KBD> also <EM>kills</EM>
 530 the translation, that is, pushes the translation on the kill ring.
 531 Then, <KBD>r</KBD> returns to the initial untranslated entry, <KBD>y</KBD>
 532 then <EM>yanks</EM> the saved translation right into the <CODE>msgstr</CODE>
 533 field.  The translator is then free to use <KBD><KBD>RET</KBD></KBD> for fine
 534 tuning the translation contents, and maybe to later use <KBD>u</KBD>,
 535 then <KBD>m</KBD> again, for going on with the next untranslated string.
 536
 537 </P>
 538 <P>
 539 When some sequence of keys has to be typed over and over again, the
 540 translator may find it useful to become better acquainted with the GNU
 541 Emacs capability of learning these sequences and playing them back under
 542 request.  See section `Keyboard Macros' in <CITE>The Emacs Editor</CITE>.
 543
 544 </P>
 545
 546
 547 <H2><A NAME="SEC30" HREF="gettext_toc.html#TOC30">Modifying Comments</A></H2>
 548
 549 <P>
 550 Any translation work done seriously will raise many linguistic
 551 difficulties, for which decisions have to be made, and the choices
 552 further documented.  These documents may be saved within the
 553 PO file in form of translator comments, which the translator
 554 is free to create, delete, or modify at will.  These comments may
 555 be useful to herself when she returns to this PO file after a while.
 556
 557 </P>
 558 <P>
 559 Comments not having whitespace after the initial <SAMP>`#'</SAMP>, for example,
 560 those beginning with <SAMP>`#.'</SAMP> or <SAMP>`#:'</SAMP>, are <EM>not</EM> translator
 561 comments, they are exclusively created by other <CODE>gettext</CODE> tools.
 562 So, the commands below will never alter such system added comments,
 563 they are not meant for the translator to modify.  See section <A HREF="gettext_2.html#SEC9">The Format of PO Files</A>.
 564
 565 </P>
 566 <P>
 567 The following commands are somewhat similar to those modifying translations,
 568 so the general indications given for those apply here.  See section <A HREF="gettext_5.html#SEC29">Modifying Translations</A>.
 569
 570 </P>
 571 <DL COMPACT>
 572
 573 <DT><KBD>#</KBD>
 574 <DD>
 575 Interactively edit the translator comments.
 576
 577 <DT><KBD>K</KBD>
 578 <DD>
 579 Save the translator comments on the kill ring, and delete it.
 580
 581 <DT><KBD>W</KBD>
 582 <DD>
 583 Save the translator comments on the kill ring, without deleting it.
 584
 585 <DT><KBD>Y</KBD>
 586 <DD>
 587 Replace the translator comments, taking the new from the kill ring.
 588
 589 </DL>
 590
 591 <P>
 592 These commands parallel PO mode commands for modifying the translation
 593 strings, and behave much the same way as they do, except that they handle
 594 this part of PO file comments meant for translator usage, rather
 595 than the translation strings.  So, if the descriptions given below are
 596 slightly succinct, it is because the full details have already been given.
 597 See section <A HREF="gettext_5.html#SEC29">Modifying Translations</A>.
 598
 599 </P>
 600 <P>
 601 The command <KBD>#</KBD> (<CODE>po-edit-comment</CODE>) opens a new Emacs
 602 window containing a copy of the translator comments on the current
 603 PO file entry.  If there are no such comments, PO mode
 604 understands that the translator wants to add a comment to the entry,
 605 and she is presented with an empty screen.  Comment marks (<KBD>#</KBD>) and
 606 the space following them are automatically removed before edition,
 607 and reinstated after.  For translator comments pertaining to obsolete
 608 entries, the uncommenting and recommenting operations are done twice.
 609 Once in the editing window, the keys <KBD>C-c C-c</KBD> allow the
 610 translator to tell she is finished with editing the comment.
 611
 612 </P>
 613 <P>
 614 Functions found on <CODE>po-subedit-mode-hook</CODE>, if any, are executed after
 615 the string has been inserted in the edit buffer and before recursive edit
 616 is entered.
 617
 618 </P>
 619 <P>
 620 The command <KBD>K</KBD> (<CODE>po-kill-comment</CODE>) get rid of all
 621 translator comments, while saving those comments on the kill ring.
 622 The command <KBD>W</KBD> (<CODE>po-kill-ring-save-comment</CODE>) takes
 623 a copy of the translator comments on the kill ring, but leaves
 624 them undisturbed in the current entry.  The command <KBD>Y</KBD>
 625 (<CODE>po-yank-comment</CODE>) completely replaces the translator comments
 626 by a string taken at the front of the kill ring.  When this command
 627 is immediately repeated, the comments just inserted are withdrawn,
 628 and replaced by other strings taken along the kill ring.
 629
 630 </P>
 631 <P>
 632 On the kill ring, all strings have the same nature.  There is no
 633 distinction between <EM>translation</EM> strings and <EM>translator
 634 comments</EM> strings.  So, for example, let's presume the translator
 635 has just finished editing a translation, and wants to create a new
 636 translator comment to document why the previous translation was
 637 not good, just to remember what was the problem.  Foreseeing that she
 638 will do that in her documentation, the translator may want to quote
 639 the previous translation in her translator comments.  To do so, she
 640 may initialize the translator comments with the previous translation,
 641 still at the head of the kill ring.  Because editing already pushed the
 642 previous translation on the kill ring, she merely has to type <KBD>M-w</KBD>
 643 prior to <KBD>#</KBD>, and the previous translation will be right there,
 644 all ready for being introduced by some explanatory text.
 645
 646 </P>
 647 <P>
 648 On the other hand, presume there are some translator comments already
 649 and that the translator wants to add to those comments, instead
 650 of wholly replacing them.  Then, she should edit the comment right
 651 away with <KBD>#</KBD>.  Once inside the editing window, she can use the
 652 regular GNU Emacs commands <KBD>C-y</KBD> (<CODE>yank</CODE>) and <KBD>M-y</KBD>
 653 (<CODE>yank-pop</CODE>) to get the previous translation where she likes.
 654
 655 </P>
 656
 657
 658 <H2><A NAME="SEC31" HREF="gettext_toc.html#TOC31">Consulting Auxiliary PO Files</A></H2>
 659
 660 <P>
 661 PO mode is able to help the knowledgeable translator, being fluent in
 662 many languages, at taking advantage of translations already achieved
 663 in other languages she just happens to know.  It provides these other
 664 language translations as additional context for her own work.  Moreover,
 665 it has features to ease the production of translations for many languages
 666 at once, for translators preferring to work in this way.
 667
 668 </P>
 669 <P>
 670 An <STRONG>auxiliary</STRONG> PO file is an existing PO file meant for the same
 671 package the translator is working on, but targeted to a different mother
 672 tongue language.  Commands exist for declaring and handling auxiliary
 673 PO files, and also for showing contexts for the entry under work.
 674
 675 </P>
 676 <P>
 677 Here are the auxiliary file commands available in PO mode.
 678
 679 </P>
 680 <DL COMPACT>
 681
 682 <DT><KBD>a</KBD>
 683 <DD>
 684 Seek auxiliary files for another translation for the same entry.
 685
 686 <DT><KBD>M-a</KBD>
 687 <DD>
 688 Switch to a particular auxiliary file.
 689
 690 <DT><KBD>A</KBD>
 691 <DD>
 692 Declare this PO file as an auxiliary file.
 693
 694 <DT><KBD>M-A</KBD>
 695 <DD>
 696 Remove this PO file from the list of auxiliary files.
 697
 698 </DL>
 699
 700 <P>
 701 Command <KBD>A</KBD> (<CODE>po-consider-as-auxiliary</CODE>) adds the current
 702 PO file to the list of auxiliary files, while command <KBD>M-A</KBD>
 703 (<CODE>po-ignore-as-auxiliary</CODE> just removes it.
 704
 705 </P>
 706 <P>
 707 The command <KBD>a</KBD> (<CODE>po-cycle-auxiliary</CODE>) seeks all auxiliary PO
 708 files, round-robin, searching for a translated entry in some other language
 709 having an <CODE>msgid</CODE> field identical as the one for the current entry.
 710 The found PO file, if any, takes the place of the current PO file in
 711 the display (its window gets on top).  Before doing so, the current PO
 712 file is also made into an auxiliary file, if not already.  So, <KBD>a</KBD>
 713 in this newly displayed PO file will seek another PO file, and so on,
 714 so repeating <KBD>a</KBD> will eventually yield back the original PO file.
 715
 716 </P>
 717 <P>
 718 The command <KBD>M-a</KBD> (<CODE>po-select-auxiliary</CODE>) asks the translator
 719 for her choice of a particular auxiliary file, with completion, and
 720 then switches to that selected PO file.  The command also checks if
 721 the selected file has an <CODE>msgid</CODE> field identical as the one for
 722 the current entry, and if yes, this entry becomes current.  Otherwise,
 723 the cursor of the selected file is left undisturbed.
 724
 725 </P>
 726 <P>
 727 For all this to work fully, auxiliary PO files will have to be normalized,
 728 in that way that <CODE>msgid</CODE> fields should be written <EM>exactly</EM>
 729 the same way.  It is possible to write <CODE>msgid</CODE> fields in various
 730 ways for representing the same string, different writing would break the
 731 proper behaviour of the auxiliary file commands of PO mode.  This is not
 732 expected to be much a problem in practice, as most existing PO files have
 733 their <CODE>msgid</CODE> entries written by the same GNU <CODE>gettext</CODE> tools.
 734
 735 </P>
 736 <P>
 737 However, PO files initially created by PO mode itself, while marking
 738 strings in source files, are normalised differently.  So are PO
 739 files resulting of the the <SAMP>`M-x normalize'</SAMP> command.  Until these
 740 discrepancies between PO mode and other GNU <CODE>gettext</CODE> tools get
 741 fully resolved, the translator should stay aware of normalisation issues.
 742
 743 </P>
 744 <P><HR><P>
 745 <p>Go to the <A HREF="gettext_1.html">first</A>, <A HREF="gettext_4.html">previous</A>, <A HREF="gettext_6.html">next</A>, <A HREF="gettext_12.html">last</A> section, <A HREF="gettext_toc.html">table of contents</A>.
 746 </BODY>
 747 </HTML>