Localization label and description not translatable

[zepumph]

@DianaTavares and I found over in phetsims/babel#24 that we have been using a couple of string under a11y for visual text, and published those sims that way. For example, arithmetic 1.2

joist/js/preferences/LocalizationPreferencesPanel.ts

Lines 73 to 77 in a8e354f

	const localeLabel = new Text( JoistStrings.a11y.preferences.tabs.localization.languageSelection.labelStringProperty,
	PreferencesDialogConstants.CONTROL_LABEL_OPTIONS );
	const localeDescription = new RichText( JoistStrings.a11y.preferences.tabs.localization.languageSelection.descriptionStringProperty,
	PreferencesDialogConstants.CONTROL_DESCRIPTION_OPTIONS );
	const localePanel = new LocalePanel( localizationModel.localeProperty );

I have not more research here, but I'll mark for dev prioritization.

[zepumph]

Perhaps effecting all sims since 12/23/24:

a38b1d5

[jessegreenberg]

The reasoning for using these strings is listed here: #945 (comment)

we will reuse the label and description that were being provided to the PDOM for the localePanel.

So these strings were in the PDOM, not translatable, and then added visually, but using the same keys. That means that there are NOT existing tranlsations for these that can be revived.

So the plan is to

• Move these strings into the translatable area in the strings file
• Republish sims that include a38b1d5 (december 22, 2023)

[jessegreenberg]

Fixed in main, patches applied to sims that took SHAs after a38b1d5. RCs prepared in phetsims/qa#1114. If QA lets us know we are clear, we can continue by deploying to production.

[jessegreenberg]

Spot check cleared, Ill begin the production deploys.

[jessegreenberg]

Deploys complete. I now see these strings in the tranlsation utility:

Closing.

[zepumph]

@arouinfar, should we ping translators about these new strings through the admin utility? Not sure what the "minimum value to bother translators" is.

[arouinfar]

Good question @zepumph. We don't have a process for informing translators about new common strings. We can email trusted translators from the sim admin page, and it generates an email that is pre-populated with language along the lines of:

{{Sim Name}} has been published and is available for translation.

We can add additional information to the email, but it remains centered around a specific simulation.

Since these new strings are common, translators will encounter them the next time they translate any new sim. We notify translators each time a new simulation is published, and there are several coming soon (FEL suite, GasProps suite, MSaB), so these new strings are likely to get translated along with the new sims.

I don't think we need to send out a separate notification for these new common strings, closing.