Problem / Motivation
DragonToast currently supports 9 language translations (enUS, deDE, esES, esMX, frFR, itIT, koKR, ptBR, ruRU, zhCN, zhTW), but the German (deDE) translation is incomplete. The deDE.lua file exists but contains no actual translations—only a placeholder comment.
This limits accessibility for German-speaking players who want to use the addon without seeing English text in their interface. Adding complete German translations would:
- Improve addon accessibility for ~100M+ German speakers
- Follow Blizzard's localization best practices
- Maintain consistency across all supported languages
Proposed Solution
Complete the deDE.lua translation file with full translations for all 201 strings defined in enUS.lua. The implementation approach:
- Create a new branch:
feat/german-translation-complete
- Update deDE.lua: Add complete German translations following the existing pattern
- Test in-game: Verify all translated strings display correctly with
/dt test
- Run luacheck: Ensure no syntax errors are introduced
Translation Strategy
- Use official Blizzard German terminology where available
- Maintain consistent formatting (e.g., "ilvl" → "iLvl", currency formats)
- Handle plural forms where WoW API requires them
- Preserve format strings like
"%s" for dynamic content
File Locations
Main translation file: DragonToast/Locales/deDE.lua
- Contains 201 strings to translate
- Follows AceLocale-3.0 pattern
Related files:
DragonToast/Locales/enUS.lua - Source of truth (201 strings)
DragonToast/DragonToast.toc - Lists deDE.lua for loading
String Categories
| Category |
Count |
Examples |
| Toast display |
8 |
"You", "+%s XP", "Drag to move" |
| Roll options |
6 |
"Need", "Greed", "Pass", etc. |
| Mail/Auction |
4 |
"Mail", "Auction Won", "Auction Sale" |
| Filter labels |
28 |
"Show XP", "Show Gold", "Loot Sources" |
| Display settings |
36 |
"Toast Height", "Show Icon", "Anchor" |
| Animation settings |
24 |
"Entrance", "Exit", "Hold", "Slide" |
| Appearance settings |
30 |
"Quality Glow", "Background", "Font" |
| Profile management |
15 |
"Create Profile", "Reset Profile" |
Alternatives Considered
-
Use existing translation service: Could use a platform like Transifex, but this would add overhead and delay releases. Direct file editing is faster for WoW addons.
-
Crowdsourced translation: Open the deDE.lua file for community contributions via GitHub Discussions. This could work long-term but doesn't solve the immediate need for German players.
-
Delay until more languages: Prioritizing other languages over completing existing ones would leave German users without proper localization.
-
Hardcode translations: Bypass AceLocale and hardcode strings in Lua files. This violates WoW addon best practices and makes maintenance difficult.
Selected approach: Complete the deDE.lua file with professional translations following Blizzard's terminology guidelines.
Additional Context
Current State
deDE.lua exists but is empty (only 11 lines, no translations)
- TOC file already includes deDE.lua in the load order
- All other languages follow the same pattern
String Count Summary
| File |
Strings |
Status |
| enUS.lua |
201 |
Complete (base) |
| deDE.lua |
0 |
Incomplete (needs all 201) |
| esES.lua |
201 |
Complete |
| esMX.lua |
201 |
Complete |
| frFR.lua |
201 |
Complete |
| itIT.lua |
201 |
Complete |
| koKR.lua |
201 |
Complete |
| ptBR.lua |
201 |
Complete |
| ruRU.lua |
201 |
Complete |
| zhCN.lua |
201 |
Complete |
| zhTW.lua |
201 |
Complete |
Implementation Notes
- All translations use the
true pattern for AceLocale (e.g., L["Key"] = true)
- Format strings must be preserved exactly (e.g.,
L["ilvl %s"], L["Mail - %s"])
- WoW's localization system handles pluralization automatically where needed
- Translations should match Blizzard's German UI terminology
Testing Checklist
After implementation:
Problem / Motivation
DragonToast currently supports 9 language translations (enUS, deDE, esES, esMX, frFR, itIT, koKR, ptBR, ruRU, zhCN, zhTW), but the German (deDE) translation is incomplete. The deDE.lua file exists but contains no actual translations—only a placeholder comment.
This limits accessibility for German-speaking players who want to use the addon without seeing English text in their interface. Adding complete German translations would:
Proposed Solution
Complete the deDE.lua translation file with full translations for all 201 strings defined in enUS.lua. The implementation approach:
feat/german-translation-complete/dt testTranslation Strategy
"%s"for dynamic contentFile Locations
Main translation file:
DragonToast/Locales/deDE.luaRelated files:
DragonToast/Locales/enUS.lua- Source of truth (201 strings)DragonToast/DragonToast.toc- Lists deDE.lua for loadingString Categories
Alternatives Considered
Use existing translation service: Could use a platform like Transifex, but this would add overhead and delay releases. Direct file editing is faster for WoW addons.
Crowdsourced translation: Open the deDE.lua file for community contributions via GitHub Discussions. This could work long-term but doesn't solve the immediate need for German players.
Delay until more languages: Prioritizing other languages over completing existing ones would leave German users without proper localization.
Hardcode translations: Bypass AceLocale and hardcode strings in Lua files. This violates WoW addon best practices and makes maintenance difficult.
Selected approach: Complete the deDE.lua file with professional translations following Blizzard's terminology guidelines.
Additional Context
Current State
deDE.luaexists but is empty (only 11 lines, no translations)String Count Summary
Implementation Notes
truepattern for AceLocale (e.g.,L["Key"] = true)L["ilvl %s"],L["Mail - %s"])Testing Checklist
After implementation:
/dt testshows all test toast types with German text