StringsUtil provides a library for using Apple ".strings" localization files and a utility for managing those files. It is intended as a free, smaller, embeddable, and more flexible alternative to GNU gettext. Key features include:
- Support for localizing using both Apple ".strings" and GNU gettext ".po" files.
- Simple C/C++ library with support for embedding localization data in an executable and/or loading localizations from external files.
- Tools for exporting, importing, and merging localization files.
- Tool for reporting on the quality of a localization.
- Tool for scanning C/C++ source files for localization strings.
- Tool for doing a first pass machine translation using the LibreTranslate service/software.
You'll need a C compiler and the CUPS library.
StringsUtil provides a configure script that creates a makefile which allows you to build the unit tests on Linux and macOS (at least), which verify that all of the functions work as expected:
./configure
make test
The makefile also builds the stringsutil program.
Run:
sudo make install
to install it in /usr/local along with a man page.
The stringsutil tool allows you to manage your ".strings" files. Create a
".strings" file by scanning source files in the current directory with the
"scan" sub-command:
stringsutil -f base.strings scan *.[ch]
Create a ".po" file for external localizers to work with using the "export" sub-command:
stringsutil -f base.strings export es.po
When the localizer is done, use the "import" sub-command to import the strings from the ".po" file:
cp base.strings es.strings
stringsutil -f es.strings import es.po
Run the "report" sub-command to see how well the localizer did:
stringsutil -f base.strings report es.strings
When you have made source changes that affect the localization strings, use the "scan" sub-command again to update the base strings:
stringsutil -f base.strings scan *.[ch]
Then add those changes to the "es.strings" file with the "merge" sub-command:
stringsutil -f es.strings -c merge base.strings
The "translate" sub-command uses a LibreTranslate service to do a first-pass machine translation of your strings. For example, the following command will use a local Docker instance of LibreTranslate:
stringsutil -f es.strings -l es -T http://localhost:5000 translate base.strings
You also use the "export" command to produce a C header file containing a strings file that can be embedded in a program:
stringsutil -f es.strings export es_strings.h
Copyright © 2022-2025 by Michael R Sweet.
StringsUtil is licensed under the Apache License Version 2.0 with an (optional) exception to allow linking against GPL2/LGPL2-only software. See the files "LICENSE" and "NOTICE" for more information.