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+ + +

Updating Existing PO Files

+ + + +

Invoking the msgmerge Program

+ + + +

Translated Entries

+ +

+Each PO file entry for which the msgstr field has been filled with +a translation, and which is not marked as fuzzy (see section Fuzzy Entries), +is a said to be a translated entry. Only translated entries will +later be compiled by GNU msgfmt and become usable in programs. +Other entry types will be excluded; translation will not occur for them. + +

+

+Some commands are more specifically related to translated entry processing. + +

+
+ +
t +
+Find the next translated entry. + +
M-t +
+Find the previous translated entry. + +
+ +

+The commands t (po-next-translated-entry) and M-t +(po-previous-transted-entry) move forwards or backwards, chasing +for an translated entry. If none is found, the search is extended and +wraps around in the PO file buffer. + +

+

+Translated entries usually result from the translator having edited in +a translation for them, section Modifying Translations. However, if the +variable po-auto-fuzzy-on-edit is not nil, the entry having +received a new translation first becomes a fuzzy entry, which ought to +be later unfuzzied before becoming an official, genuine translated entry. +See section Fuzzy Entries. + +

+ + +

Fuzzy Entries

+ +

+Each PO file entry may have a set of attributes, which are +qualities given an name and explicitly associated with the entry +translation, using a special system comment. One of these attributes +has the name fuzzy, and entries having this attribute are said +to have a fuzzy translation. They are called fuzzy entries, for short. + +

+

+Fuzzy entries, even if they account for translated entries for +most other purposes, usually call for revision by the translator. +Those may be produced by applying the program msgmerge to +update an older translated PO files according to a new PO template +file, when this tool hypothesises that some new msgid has +been modified only slightly out of an older one, and chooses to pair +what it thinks to be the old translation for the new modified entry. +The slight alteration in the original string (the msgid string) +should often be reflected in the translated string, and this requires +the intervention of the translator. For this reason, msgmerge +might mark some entries as being fuzzy. + +

+

+Also, the translator may decide herself to mark an entry as fuzzy +for her own convenience, when she wants to remember that the entry +has to be later revisited. So, some commands are more specifically +related to fuzzy entry processing. + +

+
+ +
f +
+Find the next fuzzy entry. + +
M-f +
+Find the previous fuzzy entry. + +
TAB +
+Remove the fuzzy attribute of the current entry. + +
+ +

+The commands f (po-next-fuzzy) and M-f +(po-previous-fuzzy) move forwards or backwards, chasing for +a fuzzy entry. If none is found, the search is extended and wraps +around in the PO file buffer. + +

+

+The command TAB (po-unfuzzy) removes the fuzzy +attribute associated with an entry, usually leaving it translated. +Further, if the variable po-auto-select-on-unfuzzy has not +the nil value, the TAB command will automatically chase +for another interesting entry to work on. The initial value of +po-auto-select-on-unfuzzy is nil. + +

+

+The initial value of po-auto-fuzzy-on-edit is nil. However, +if the variable po-auto-fuzzy-on-edit is set to t, any entry +edited through the RET command is marked fuzzy, as a way to ensure +some kind of double check, later. In this case, the usual paradigm is +that an entry becomes fuzzy (if not already) whenever the translator +modifies it. If she is satisfied with the translation, she then uses +TAB to pick another entry to work on, clearing the fuzzy attribute +on the same blow. If she is not satisfied yet, she merely uses SPC +to chase another entry, leaving the entry fuzzy. + +

+

+The translator may also use the DEL command +(po-fade-out-entry) over any translated entry to mark it as being +fuzzy, when she wants to easily leave a trace she wants to later return +working at this entry. + +

+

+Also, when time comes to quit working on a PO file buffer with the q +command, the translator is asked for confirmation, if fuzzy string +still exists. + +

+ + +

Untranslated Entries

+ +

+When xgettext originally creates a PO file, unless told +otherwise, it initializes the msgid field with the untranslated +string, and leaves the msgstr string to be empty. Such entries, +having an empty translation, are said to be untranslated entries. +Later, when the programmer slightly modifies some string right in +the program, this change is later reflected in the PO file +by the appearance of a new untranslated entry for the modified string. + +

+

+The usual commands moving from entry to entry consider untranslated +entries on the same level as active entries. Untranslated entries +are easily recognizable by the fact they end with `msgstr ""'. + +

+

+The work of the translator might be (quite naively) seen as the process +of seeking after an untranslated entry, editing a translation for +it, and repeating these actions until no untranslated entries remain. +Some commands are more specifically related to untranslated entry +processing. + +

+
+ +
u +
+Find the next untranslated entry. + +
M-u +
+Find the previous untranslated entry. + +
k +
+Turn the current entry into an untranslated one. + +
+ +

+The commands u (po-next-untranslated-entry) and M-u +(po-previous-untransted-entry) move forwards or backwards, +chasing for an untranslated entry. If none is found, the search is +extended and wraps around in the PO file buffer. + +

+

+An entry can be turned back into an untranslated entry by +merely emptying its translation, using the command k +(po-kill-msgstr). See section Modifying Translations. + +

+

+Also, when time comes to quit working on a PO file buffer +with the q command, the translator is asked for confirmation, +if some untranslated string still exists. + +

+ + +

Obsolete Entries

+ +

+By obsolete PO file entries, we mean those entries which are +commented out, usually by msgmerge when it found that the +translation is not needed anymore by the package being localized. + +

+

+The usual commands moving from entry to entry consider obsolete +entries on the same level as active entries. Obsolete entries are +easily recognizable by the fact that all their lines start with +#, even those lines containing msgid or msgstr. + +

+

+Commands exist for emptying the translation or reinitializing it +to the original untranslated string. Commands interfacing with the +kill ring may force some previously saved text into the translation. +The user may interactively edit the translation. All these commands +may apply to obsolete entries, carefully leaving the entry obsolete +after the fact. + +

+

+Moreover, some commands are more specifically related to obsolete +entry processing. + +

+
+ +
o +
+Find the next obsolete entry. + +
M-o +
+Find the previous obsolete entry. + +
DEL +
+Make an active entry obsolete, or zap out an obsolete entry. + +
+ +

+The commands o (po-next-obsolete-entry) and M-o +(po-previous-obsolete-entry) move forwards or backwards, +chasing for an obsolete entry. If none is found, the search is +extended and wraps around in the PO file buffer. + +

+

+PO mode does not provide ways for un-commenting an obsolete entry +and making it active, because this would reintroduce an original +untranslated string which does not correspond to any marked string +in the program sources. This goes with the philosophy of never +introducing useless msgid values. + +

+

+However, it is possible to comment out an active entry, so making +it obsolete. GNU gettext utilities will later react to the +disappearance of a translation by using the untranslated string. +The command DEL (po-fade-out-entry) pushes the current entry +a little further towards annihilation. If the entry is active (it is a +translated entry), then it is first made fuzzy. If it is already fuzzy, +then the entry is merely commented out, with confirmation. If the entry +is already obsolete, then it is completely deleted from the PO file. +It is easy to recycle the translation so deleted into some other PO file +entry, usually one which is untranslated. See section Modifying Translations. + +

+

+Here is a quite interesting problem to solve for later development of +PO mode, for those nights you are not sleepy. The idea would be that +PO mode might become bright enough, one of these days, to make good +guesses at retrieving the most probable candidate, among all obsolete +entries, for initializing the translation of a newly appeared string. +I think it might be a quite hard problem to do this algorithmically, as +we have to develop good and efficient measures of string similarity. +Right now, PO mode completely lets the decision to the translator, +when the time comes to find the adequate obsolete translation, it +merely tries to provide handy tools for helping her to do so. + +

+ + +

Modifying Translations

+ +

+PO mode prevents direct edition of the PO file, by the usual +means Emacs give for altering a buffer's contents. By doing so, +it pretends helping the translator to avoid little clerical errors +about the overall file format, or the proper quoting of strings, +as those errors would be easily made. Other kinds of errors are +still possible, but some may be caught and diagnosed by the batch +validation process, which the translator may always trigger by the +V command. For all other errors, the translator has to rely on +her own judgment, and also on the linguistic reports submitted to her +by the users of the translated package, having the same mother tongue. + +

+

+When the time comes to create a translation, correct an error diagnosed +mechanically or reported by a user, the translators have to resort to +using the following commands for modifying the translations. + +

+
+ +
RET +
+Interactively edit the translation. + +
LFD +
+Reinitialize the translation with the original, untranslated string. + +
k +
+Save the translation on the kill ring, and delete it. + +
w +
+Save the translation on the kill ring, without deleting it. + +
y +
+Replace the translation, taking the new from the kill ring. + +
+ +

+The command RET (po-edit-msgstr) opens a new Emacs window +containing a copy of the translation taken from the current PO file entry, +all ready for edition, fully modifiable and with the complete extent of +GNU Emacs modifying commands. The string is presented to the translator +expunged of all quoting marks, and she will modify the unquoted +string in this window to heart's content. Once done, the regular Emacs +command M-C-c (exit-recursive-edit) may be used to return the +edited translation into the PO file, replacing the original translation. +The keys C-c C-c are bound so they have the same effect as +M-C-c. + +

+

+If the translator becomes unsatisfied with her translation to the extent +she prefers keeping the translation which was existent prior to the +RET command, she may use the standard Emacs command C-] +(abort-recursive-edit) to merely get rid of edition, while +preserving the original translation. The keys C-c C-k are +bound so they have the same effect as C-]. Another way would +be for her to exit normally with C-c C-c, then type U +once for undoing the whole effect of last edition. + +

+

+Functions found on po-subedit-mode-hook, if any, are executed after +the string has been inserted in the edit buffer and before recursive edit +is entered. + +

+

+While editing her translation, the translator should pay attention to +not inserting unwanted RET (carriage returns) characters at +the end of the translated string if those are not meant to be there, +or to removing such characters when they are required. Since these +characters are not visible in the editing buffer, they are easily +introduced by mistake. To help her, RET automatically puts +the character < at the end of the string being edited, but this +< is not really part of the string. On exiting the editing +window with C-c C-c, PO mode automatically removes such +< and all whitespace added after it. If the translator adds +characters after the terminating <, it looses its delimiting +property and integrally becomes part of the string. If she removes +the delimiting <, then the edited string is taken as +is, with all trailing newlines, even if invisible. Also, if the +translated string ought to end itself with a genuine <, then the +delimiting < may not be removed; so the string should appear, +in the editing window, as ending with two < in a row. + +

+

+When a translation (or a comment) is being edited, the translator +may move the cursor back into the PO file buffer and freely +move to other entries, browsing at will. The edited entry will +be recovered as soon as the edit ceases, because it is this entry +only which is being modified. If, with an edition still opened, the +translator wanders in the PO file buffer, she cannot modify +any other entry. If she tries to, PO mode will react by suggesting +that she abort the current edit, or else, by inviting her to finish +the current edit prior to any other modification. + +

+

+The command LFD (po-msgid-to-msgstr) initializes, or +reinitializes the translation with the original string. This command +is normally used when the translator wants to redo a fresh translation +of the original string, disregarding any previous work. + +

+

+It is possible to arrange so, whenever editing an untranslated +entry, the LFD command be automatically executed. If you set +po-auto-edit-with-msgid to t, the translation gets +initialised with the original string, in case none exist already. +The default value for po-auto-edit-with-msgid is nil. + +

+

+In fact, whether it is best to start a translation with an empty +string, or rather with a copy of the original string, is a matter of +taste or habit. Sometimes, the source language and the +target language are so different that is simply best to start writing +on an empty page. At other times, the source and target languages +are so close that it would be a waste to retype a number of words +already being written in the original string. A translator may also +like having the original string right under her eyes, as she will +progressively overwrite the original text with the translation, even +if this requires some extra editing work to get rid of the original. + +

+

+The command k (po-kill-msgstr) merely empties the +translation string, so turning the entry into an untranslated +one. But while doing so, its previous contents is put apart in +a special place, known as the kill ring. The command w +(po-kill-ring-save-msgstr) has also the effect of taking a +copy of the translation onto the kill ring, but it otherwise leaves +the entry alone, and does not remove the translation from the +entry. Both commands use exactly the Emacs kill ring, which is shared +between buffers, and which is well known already to GNU Emacs lovers. + +

+

+The translator may use k or w many times in the course +of her work, as the kill ring may hold several saved translations. +From the kill ring, strings may later be reinserted in various +Emacs buffers. In particular, the kill ring may be used for moving +translation strings between different entries of a single PO file +buffer, or if the translator is handling many such buffers at once, +even between PO files. + +

+

+To facilitate exchanges with buffers which are not in PO mode, the +translation string put on the kill ring by the k command is fully +unquoted before being saved: external quotes are removed, multi-lines +strings are concatenated, and backslashed escaped sequences are turned +into their corresponding characters. In the special case of obsolete +entries, the translation is also uncommented prior to saving. + +

+

+The command y (po-yank-msgstr) completely replaces the +translation of the current entry by a string taken from the kill ring. +Following GNU Emacs terminology, we then say that the replacement +string is yanked into the PO file buffer. +See section `Yanking' in The Emacs Editor. +The first time y is used, the translation receives the value of +the most recent addition to the kill ring. If y is typed once +again, immediately, without intervening keystrokes, the translation +just inserted is taken away and replaced by the second most recent +addition to the kill ring. By repeating y many times in a row, +the translator may travel along the kill ring for saved strings, +until she finds the string she really wanted. + +

+

+When a string is yanked into a PO file entry, it is fully and +automatically requoted for complying with the format PO files should +have. Further, if the entry is obsolete, PO mode then appropriately +push the inserted string inside comments. Once again, translators +should not burden themselves with quoting considerations besides, of +course, the necessity of the translated string itself respective to +the program using it. + +

+

+Note that k or w are not the only commands pushing strings +on the kill ring, as almost any PO mode command replacing translation +strings (or the translator comments) automatically save the old string +on the kill ring. The main exceptions to this general rule are the +yanking commands themselves. + +

+

+To better illustrate the operation of killing and yanking, let's +use an actual example, taken from a common situation. When the +programmer slightly modifies some string right in the program, his +change is later reflected in the PO file by the appearance +of a new untranslated entry for the modified string, and the fact +that the entry translating the original or unmodified string becomes +obsolete. In many cases, the translator might spare herself some work +by retrieving the unmodified translation from the obsolete entry, +then initializing the untranslated entry msgstr field with +this retrieved translation. Once this done, the obsolete entry is +not wanted anymore, and may be safely deleted. + +

+

+When the translator finds an untranslated entry and suspects that a +slight variant of the translation exists, she immediately uses m +to mark the current entry location, then starts chasing obsolete +entries with o, hoping to find some translation corresponding +to the unmodified string. Once found, she uses the DEL command +for deleting the obsolete entry, knowing that DEL also kills +the translation, that is, pushes the translation on the kill ring. +Then, r returns to the initial untranslated entry, y +then yanks the saved translation right into the msgstr +field. The translator is then free to use RET for fine +tuning the translation contents, and maybe to later use u, +then m again, for going on with the next untranslated string. + +

+

+When some sequence of keys has to be typed over and over again, the +translator may find it useful to become better acquainted with the GNU +Emacs capability of learning these sequences and playing them back under +request. See section `Keyboard Macros' in The Emacs Editor. + +

+ + +

Modifying Comments

+ +

+Any translation work done seriously will raise many linguistic +difficulties, for which decisions have to be made, and the choices +further documented. These documents may be saved within the +PO file in form of translator comments, which the translator +is free to create, delete, or modify at will. These comments may +be useful to herself when she returns to this PO file after a while. + +

+

+Comments not having whitespace after the initial `#', for example, +those beginning with `#.' or `#:', are not translator +comments, they are exclusively created by other gettext tools. +So, the commands below will never alter such system added comments, +they are not meant for the translator to modify. See section The Format of PO Files. + +

+

+The following commands are somewhat similar to those modifying translations, +so the general indications given for those apply here. See section Modifying Translations. + +

+
+ +
# +
+Interactively edit the translator comments. + +
K +
+Save the translator comments on the kill ring, and delete it. + +
W +
+Save the translator comments on the kill ring, without deleting it. + +
Y +
+Replace the translator comments, taking the new from the kill ring. + +
+ +

+These commands parallel PO mode commands for modifying the translation +strings, and behave much the same way as they do, except that they handle +this part of PO file comments meant for translator usage, rather +than the translation strings. So, if the descriptions given below are +slightly succinct, it is because the full details have already been given. +See section Modifying Translations. + +

+

+The command # (po-edit-comment) opens a new Emacs +window containing a copy of the translator comments on the current +PO file entry. If there are no such comments, PO mode +understands that the translator wants to add a comment to the entry, +and she is presented with an empty screen. Comment marks (#) and +the space following them are automatically removed before edition, +and reinstated after. For translator comments pertaining to obsolete +entries, the uncommenting and recommenting operations are done twice. +Once in the editing window, the keys C-c C-c allow the +translator to tell she is finished with editing the comment. + +

+

+Functions found on po-subedit-mode-hook, if any, are executed after +the string has been inserted in the edit buffer and before recursive edit +is entered. + +

+

+The command K (po-kill-comment) get rid of all +translator comments, while saving those comments on the kill ring. +The command W (po-kill-ring-save-comment) takes +a copy of the translator comments on the kill ring, but leaves +them undisturbed in the current entry. The command Y +(po-yank-comment) completely replaces the translator comments +by a string taken at the front of the kill ring. When this command +is immediately repeated, the comments just inserted are withdrawn, +and replaced by other strings taken along the kill ring. + +

+

+On the kill ring, all strings have the same nature. There is no +distinction between translation strings and translator +comments strings. So, for example, let's presume the translator +has just finished editing a translation, and wants to create a new +translator comment to document why the previous translation was +not good, just to remember what was the problem. Foreseeing that she +will do that in her documentation, the translator may want to quote +the previous translation in her translator comments. To do so, she +may initialize the translator comments with the previous translation, +still at the head of the kill ring. Because editing already pushed the +previous translation on the kill ring, she merely has to type M-w +prior to #, and the previous translation will be right there, +all ready for being introduced by some explanatory text. + +

+

+On the other hand, presume there are some translator comments already +and that the translator wants to add to those comments, instead +of wholly replacing them. Then, she should edit the comment right +away with #. Once inside the editing window, she can use the +regular GNU Emacs commands C-y (yank) and M-y +(yank-pop) to get the previous translation where she likes. + +

+ + +

Consulting Auxiliary PO Files

+ +

+PO mode is able to help the knowledgeable translator, being fluent in +many languages, at taking advantage of translations already achieved +in other languages she just happens to know. It provides these other +language translations as additional context for her own work. Moreover, +it has features to ease the production of translations for many languages +at once, for translators preferring to work in this way. + +

+

+An auxiliary PO file is an existing PO file meant for the same +package the translator is working on, but targeted to a different mother +tongue language. Commands exist for declaring and handling auxiliary +PO files, and also for showing contexts for the entry under work. + +

+

+Here are the auxiliary file commands available in PO mode. + +

+
+ +
a +
+Seek auxiliary files for another translation for the same entry. + +
M-a +
+Switch to a particular auxiliary file. + +
A +
+Declare this PO file as an auxiliary file. + +
M-A +
+Remove this PO file from the list of auxiliary files. + +
+ +

+Command A (po-consider-as-auxiliary) adds the current +PO file to the list of auxiliary files, while command M-A +(po-ignore-as-auxiliary just removes it. + +

+

+The command a (po-cycle-auxiliary) seeks all auxiliary PO +files, round-robin, searching for a translated entry in some other language +having an msgid field identical as the one for the current entry. +The found PO file, if any, takes the place of the current PO file in +the display (its window gets on top). Before doing so, the current PO +file is also made into an auxiliary file, if not already. So, a +in this newly displayed PO file will seek another PO file, and so on, +so repeating a will eventually yield back the original PO file. + +

+

+The command M-a (po-select-auxiliary) asks the translator +for her choice of a particular auxiliary file, with completion, and +then switches to that selected PO file. The command also checks if +the selected file has an msgid field identical as the one for +the current entry, and if yes, this entry becomes current. Otherwise, +the cursor of the selected file is left undisturbed. + +

+

+For all this to work fully, auxiliary PO files will have to be normalized, +in that way that msgid fields should be written exactly +the same way. It is possible to write msgid fields in various +ways for representing the same string, different writing would break the +proper behaviour of the auxiliary file commands of PO mode. This is not +expected to be much a problem in practice, as most existing PO files have +their msgid entries written by the same GNU gettext tools. + +

+

+However, PO files initially created by PO mode itself, while marking +strings in source files, are normalised differently. So are PO +files resulting of the the `M-x normalize' command. Until these +discrepancies between PO mode and other GNU gettext tools get +fully resolved, the translator should stay aware of normalisation issues. + +

+


+

Go to the first, previous, next, last section, table of contents. + +