Never one to shirk from a challenge, Brent takes the i18n bull by the horns:
1. There will be two separate (though no doubt related) internationalization > (How 'bout we call that IZ) systems - One for translating VASSAL itself and > one for translating modules. Agree. 2. VASSAL IZ information should be stored outside of VASSAL itself, in text > property files that can be individually downloaded and 'activated'. Disagree. The VASSAL i18n (using the standard abbrev) info should be part of the software release. It's the translation of the menu/button text, so it's pretty closely tied to the code. Standard practice is to release those resource bundles together with the software and to use the locale of the user's machine to choose between them. 4. Module IZ information should be stored outside of the module, as an > Extension, or Extension like file that can be downloaded individually and > dropped into the Extension (or Language?) folder to become available. If > there are multiple language files, then pop up and ask which one to use. Agree. The module designer defines the text strings and the software should give them each a tag automatically (probably by hooking into StringConfigurer). Other users can use VASSAL to create an extension that translates the module into a particular language. 5. Module IZ information will be maintained within the module editor. I am > thinking we add a small language button at the end of every String input > field that will pop a little language window where you can type in > translations It would be ideal if a module could be translated without the module designer having to set anything up. I'd like to see a translation tool inside the VASSAL editor that showed the user what text strings are defined for the module (these would be determined automatically and have a pointer back to where they're used) and prompted the translator to enter his translation for whatever language he's building an extension for. 6. My feeling is we tackle Module IZ first, making it easy to translate > modules (i.e. what the user sees), while we continue to work on VASSAL IZ Agree. Go Brent! rk [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
