Function i18n

Mark a string as being internationalized. This is a semaphore method; it does nothing but it allows us to easily identify strings that require translation. Generally this is used to mark strings that will be stored in the database (like descriptions of permissions).

AWL uses GNU gettext for internationalization (i18n) and localization (l10n) of text presented to the user. Gettext needs to know about all places involving strings, that must be translated. Mark any place, where localization at runtime shall take place by using the function translate().

In the help I have used 'xlate' rather than 'translate' and 'x18n' rather than 'i18n' so that the tools skip this particular file for translation :-)

E.g. instead of: print 'TEST to be displayed in different languages'; use: print xlate('TEST to be displayed in different languages'); and you are all set for pure literals. The translation teams will receive that literal string as a job to translate and will translate it (when the message is clear enough). At runtime the message is then localized when printed. The input string can contain a hint to assist translators: print xlate('TT '); The hint portion of the string will not be printed.

But consider this case: $message_to_be_localized = 'TEST to be displayed in different languages'; print xlate($message_to_be_localized);

The translate() function is called in the right place for runtime handling, but there is no message at gettext preprocessing time to be given to the translation teams, just a variable name. Translation of the variable name would break the code! So all places potentially feeding this variable have to be marked to be given to translation teams, but not translated at runtime!

This method resolves all such cases. Simply mark the candidates: $message_to_be_localized = x18n('TEST to be displayed in different languages'); print xlate($message_to_be_localized);