Extract tool should write the source file name into the resource file

[jaska45]

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[x] feature request
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Current behavior
At the moment the extract tool generates the id values. The id value depends on the extracted string value. This means that if you change the value (e.g. fix a typo) the id gets changed. This is why our localization tool when scanning XTB or XLF does not use id attribute but the meaning attribute. We use meaning to give a unique and fixed id for each elements. Something like this

<p i18n="HeaderText|">Sample</p>
Now the extract tool gives us following

<msg id="8884523860497558714" meaning="HeaderText">Sample</msg>

The meaning value does not change unless the developer explicitly changes it. In addition the above meaning value “HeaderText” is much more informative as “8884523860497558714”.
Unfortunately it is hard to get meaning values unique among all templates.

Expected behavior
It would help a lot if the extracting tool would write the relative path name of the template file (.html or .ts) where the string comes from. Something like this

<msg id="8884523860497558714" meaning="header" source="src/app/admin/main.html">Sample</msg>

Where the source attributes contains the file name where the string comes from. Now our tool could get a unique if by combining source and meaning values. Because the meaning values would need to be unique only within the single template it would be a lot easier for the developer to maintain them.

What is the motivation / use case for changing the behavior?
To make Angular 2 localization easier and increase the translation quality

Please tell us about your environment:

• Angular version: 2.0.X
  All

• Browser: [all | Chrome XX | Firefox XX | IE XX | Safari XX | Mobile Chrome XX | Android X.X Web Browser | iOS XX Safari | iOS XX UIWebView | iOS XX WKWebView ]
  All

• Language: [all | TypeScript X.X | ES6/7 | ES5]
  All

• Node (for AoT issues): node --version =
  All

[ovidiubarbu]

I also think that this is how is supposed to work. I am hoping this feature will be implemented soon, as it'll save a lot of time to everyone!

[vicb]

Yes this is planned - any help would be appreciated !

[chizutest]

Good idea. Thumbs up.

[daisyzhang66]

This is a great idea. I am adding one use case here. In a large project scenario, as a localization engineer, I want to know which file or template a string come from so I can communicate to a developer who owns the file or template.

[daisyzhang66]

Hi vicb, it is glad to know there is a plan in place. can you please share the timeline of the plan?

[aniketgade]

I love this idea. Hope , we see this feature implemented soon. This will definitely help better manage the strings.

[ocombe]

Hello, I'll start working on this one

[jaska45]

I tested it and it works. Thank you!
I have some comments:

1. The source code elements contains an absolute path (e.g. D:/MyFiles/Project/src/app/app.component.ts:3). It think that a relative path (to the project root) would be better (e.g. src/app/app.component.ts:3)

Having absolute path makes it hard to use the values if you move the directory in another location.

2. The source value is in an element and not in an attribute.

<msg id="4944569397970619776"><source>D:/Source/Angular/Escape/src/app/app.component.ts:2</source>Sample</msg>

What is the reason for that? Could it be in an attribute like

<msg id="4944569397970619776 source="src/app/app.component.ts:2">Sample</msg>

This would be easier to read by humans and localization tools.

3. The translationbundle cannot contain the source element. If it exists the compilation fails. So the elemenst need to be removed. Would be nice if they could exist in the translated files.

[ocombe]

good points, can you open an issue for those? especially the last one which is a bug I think
for the point 2 it's the xliff spec that is like this...

[jaska45]

can you open an issue for those?

Done

#16638 and #16639

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