[josm-dev] Wanted: Plugin Translation With Launchpad HowTo

[Holger Mappt]

On 20.12.2013 23:14, Simon Legner wrote:
> The plugin descriptions are part of the JOSM core language file since
> the plugin descriptions are shown in the plugin list in the preference
> dialog. I don't see why one would need them also in the plugin language
> file.

The plugin descriptions are part of the official JOSM after the plugin 
is ready and released.  But I want to test everything including the 
translations *before* I release the plugin.  I copy the development.jar 
in the JOSM plugin directory (~/.josm/plugins) and JOSM extracts some 
data like the icon.  It doesn't extract the translation (yet) if the 
plugin is not installed, but I don't see why that functionality could 
not be added.  The translated description is shown after the 
private/development plugin is installed, I think that's enough reason to 
add that translation to the plugin.

I think it is not feasible for a plugin developer to run the JOSM core 
translation tool chain just to get that one translation into JOSM.

The plugin list from the JOSM server is the other place that needs the 
translation.  That makes me wonder why the JOSM core would need it.

> Please be cautious when modifying i18n/build.xml since that is used
> automatically update/upload the translation template every night!

I promise to be cautious.

> What is the rational of having
> https://translations.launchpad.net/josmphotoadjustplugin when those
> strings are part of the normal JOSM translation process?

The normal JOSM translation process includes 8526 strings in 77 
languages.  That is a 20MB tarball.  For my plugin I need 8 strings, 
there are currently 6 languages.  That's 3.7kB, 5500 times less than the 
full JOSM tarball.  My download volume is limited, I try to avoid 
unnecessary downloads.  So I was looking for a way to get just the 
strings I'm interested in.  I did experiment with a separate Launchpad 
project because I was hoping that it is easy to copy my 8 strings from 
JOSM to my plugin.  Then I could work with just that 3.7kB tarball.  But 
it turned out that it is not that easy.  I dropped that idea.

The JOSM (core) translation tool chain might be clear to an active JOSM 
developer.  But it took me several days to figure out all the details 
and to experiment with different options.  That's why I started this 
thread and documented my findings.  But maybe it's just me who had such 
an issue.  It's also my first Java and Launchpad project.

Regards,
Holger