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Introduction

darktable's user interface can be translated into many languages.

In short, to support a translation, the build process needs a xx.po file with the two-letter language code, e.g. fr.po.

To make sure your translation makes it into an official build:

  • subscribe to the relevant mailing list
  • ensure you keep your translation up to date to avoid large work just before the release
  • entry criteria:
    • no more than 20 untranslated strings
    • no more than 50 fuzzy strings

How darktable uses the .po files

The application uses gettext engine for translation, and it works like this, a text based editable PO file contains a number of sequences containing:

  • a line in English (source language)
  • a line in target language, and
  • a reference to a line in source code where original text in English comes from.

The build system then creates a binary version of each PO file with MO file extension and places it in a system directory where a running instance of darktable will pick it up and use it to replace English text with target language text.

How to contribute your translation:

  • Send your po file via email (see (officially) Translate the darktable User Interface for darktable releases (how-to, no git, just email) below)
  • Submit a pull request with your po file

Translate the darktable User Interface for darktable releases

  1. Get the PO file for your language from the repository -> po

  2. To support making release translations easier, the darktable build process automatically creates a PO template (.POT) file, darktable.pot to use as base.

  3. Get the latest darktable.pot file.

  4. Put both files on the same directory. Open the po file with a po file editor, e.g. poedit:

    $ poedit <your_lang>.po
$ poedit darktable.pot

  5. Update the PO file using the POT file: go to menu [Catalog] -> [Update from POT file...] and select darktable.pot file.

  6. Start translating. Saving will update <lang>.po.

  7. When you are done, bzip2 your PO file and send it to the mailing list or per instructions on the wiki.

  8. That's all!