<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?> <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> <head> <title>File: README</title> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" /> <meta http-equiv="Content-Script-Type" content="text/javascript" /> <link rel="stylesheet" href=".././rdoc-style.css" type="text/css" media="screen" /> <script type="text/javascript"> // <![CDATA[ function popupCode( url ) { window.open(url, "Code", "resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,toolbar=no,status=no,height=150,width=400") } function toggleCode( id ) { if ( document.getElementById ) elem = document.getElementById( id ); else if ( document.all ) elem = eval( "document.all." + id ); else return false; elemStyle = elem.style; if ( elemStyle.display != "block" ) { elemStyle.display = "block" } else { elemStyle.display = "none" } return true; } // Make codeblocks hidden by default document.writeln( "<style type=\"text/css\">div.method-source-code { display: none }</style>" ) // ]]> </script> </head> <body> <div id="fileHeader"> <h1>README</h1> <table class="header-table"> <tr class="top-aligned-row"> <td><strong>Path:</strong></td> <td>README </td> </tr> <tr class="top-aligned-row"> <td><strong>Last Update:</strong></td> <td>Sun May 28 15:19:38 E. Australia Standard Time 2006</td> </tr> </table> </div> <!-- banner header --> <div id="bodyContent"> <div id="contextContent"> <div id="description"> <h1>About</h1> <h3>Preface</h3> <p> I originally started designing this on weekends and after work in 2005. We started to become very interested in Rails at work and I wanted to get some experience with ruby with before we started using it full-time. I didn’t have very many ideas for anything interesting to create so, because we write a lot of multilingual webapps at my company, I decided to write a localization library. That way if my little hobby project developed into something decent, I could at least put it to good use. And here we are in 2006, my little hobby project has come a long way and become quite a useful piece of software. Not only do I use it in production sites I write at work, but I also prefer it to other existing alternatives. Therefore I have decided to make it publicly available, and I hope that other developers will find it useful too. </p> <h3>About</h3> <p> <a href="../classes/GLoc.html">GLoc</a> is a localization library. It doesn’t aim to do everything l10n-related that you can imagine, but what it does, it does very well. It was originally designed as a Rails plugin, but can also be used for plain ruby projects. Here are a list of its main features: </p> <ul> <li>Lightweight and efficient. </li> <li>Uses file-based string bundles. Strings can also be set directly. </li> <li>Intelligent, cascading language configuration. </li> <li>Create flexible rules to handle issues such as pluralization. </li> <li>Includes a ActionController filter that auto-detects the client language. </li> <li>Works perfectly with Rails Engines and allows strings to be overridden just as easily as controllers, models, etc. </li> <li>Automatically localizes Rails functions such as distance_in_minutes, select_month etc </li> <li>Supports different charsets. You can even specify the encoding to use for each language seperately. </li> <li>Special Rails mods/helpers. </li> </ul> <h3>What does <a href="../classes/GLoc.html">GLoc</a> mean?</h3> <p> If you’re wondering about the name "<a href="../classes/GLoc.html">GLoc</a>", I’m sure you’re not alone. This project was originally just called "Localization" which was a bit too common, so when I decided to release it I decided to call it "Golly’s Localization Library" instead (Golly is my nickname), and that was long and boring so I then abbreviated that to "<a href="../classes/GLoc.html">GLoc</a>". What a fun story!! </p> <h3>Localization helpers</h3> <p> This also includes a few helpers for common situations such as displaying localized date, time, "yes" or "no", etc. </p> <h3>Rails Localization</h3> <p> At the moment, unless you manually remove the <tt>require ‘gloc-rails-text’</tt> line from init.rb, this plugin overrides certain Rails functions to provide multilingual versions. This automatically localizes functions such as select_date(), distance_of_time_in_words() and more… The strings can be found in lang/*.yml. NOTE: This is not complete. Timezones and countries are not currently localized. </p> <h1>Usage</h1> <h3>Quickstart</h3> <p> Windows users will need to first install iconv. <a href="http://wiki.rubyonrails.com/rails/pages/iconv">wiki.rubyonrails.com/rails/pages/iconv</a> </p> <ul> <li>Create a dir "#{RAILS_ROOT}/lang" </li> <li>Create a file "#{RAILS_ROOT}/lang/en.yml" and write your strings. The format is "key: string". Save it as UTF-8. If you save it in a different encoding, add a key called file_charset (eg. "file_charset: iso-2022-jp") </li> <li>Put the following in config/environment.rb and change the values as you see fit. The following example is for an app that uses English and Japanese, with Japanese being the default. <pre> GLoc.set_config :default_language => :ja GLoc.clear_strings_except :en, :ja GLoc.set_kcode GLoc.load_localized_strings </pre> </li> <li>Add ‘include <a href="../classes/GLoc.html">GLoc</a>’ to all classes that will use localization. This is added to most Rails classes automatically. </li> <li>Optionally, you can set the language for models and controllers by simply inserting <tt>set_language :en</tt> in classes and/or methods. </li> <li>To use localized strings, replace text such as <tt>"Welcome"</tt> with <tt>l(:welcome_string_key)</tt>, and <tt>"Hello #{name}."</tt> with <tt>l(:hello_string_key, name)</tt>. (Of course the strings will need to exist in your string bundle.) </li> </ul> <p> There is more functionality provided by this plugin, that is not demonstrated above. Please read the API summary for details. </p> <h3>API summary</h3> <p> The following methods are added as both class methods and instance methods to modules/classes that include <a href="../classes/GLoc.html">GLoc</a>. They are also available as class methods of <a href="../classes/GLoc.html">GLoc</a>. </p> <pre> current_language # Returns the current language l(symbol, *arguments) # Returns a localized string ll(lang, symbol, *arguments) # Returns a localized string in a specific language ltry(possible_key) # Returns a localized string if passed a Symbol, else returns the same argument passed lwr(symbol, *arguments) # Uses the default rule to return a localized string. lwr_(rule, symbol, *arguments) # Uses a specified rule to return a localized string. l_has_string?(symbol) # Checks if a localized string exists set_language(language) # Sets the language for the current class or class instance set_language_if_valid(lang) # Sets the current language if the language passed is a valid language </pre> <p> The <a href="../classes/GLoc.html">GLoc</a> module also defines the following class methods: </p> <pre> add_localized_strings(lang, symbol_hash, override=true) # Adds a hash of localized strings backup_state(clear=false) # Creates a backup of GLoc's internal state and optionally clears everything too clear_strings(*languages) # Removes localized strings from memory clear_strings_except(*languages) # Removes localized strings from memory except for those of certain specified languages get_charset(lang) # Returns the charset used to store localized strings in memory get_config(key) # Returns a GLoc configuration value (see below) load_localized_strings(dir=nil, override=true) # Loads localized strings from all YML files in a given directory restore_state(state) # Restores a backup of GLoc's internal state set_charset(new_charset, *langs) # Sets the charset used to internally store localized strings set_config(hash) # Sets GLoc configuration values (see below) set_kcode(charset=nil) # Sets the $KCODE global variable similar_language(language) # Tries to find a valid language that is similar to the argument passed valid_languages # Returns an array of (currently) valid languages (ie. languages for which localized data exists) valid_language?(language) # Checks whether any localized strings are in memory for a given language </pre> <p> <a href="../classes/GLoc.html">GLoc</a> uses the following configuration items. They can be accessed via <tt>get_config</tt> and <tt>set_config</tt>. </p> <pre> :default_cookie_name :default_language :default_param_name :raise_string_not_found_errors :verbose </pre> <p> The <a href="../classes/GLoc.html">GLoc</a> module is automatically included in the following classes: </p> <pre> ActionController::Base ActionMailer::Base ActionView::Base ActionView::Helpers::InstanceTag ActiveRecord::Base ActiveRecord::Errors ApplicationHelper Test::Unit::TestCase </pre> <p> The <a href="../classes/GLoc.html">GLoc</a> module also defines the following controller filters: </p> <pre> autodetect_language_filter </pre> <p> <a href="../classes/GLoc.html">GLoc</a> also makes the following change to Rails: </p> <ul> <li>Views for ActionMailer are now #{view_name}_#{language}.rb rather than just #{view_name}.rb </li> <li>All ActiveRecord validation class methods now accept a localized string key (symbol) as a :message value. </li> <li><a href="../classes/ActiveRecord/Errors.html#M000039">ActiveRecord::Errors.add</a> now accepts symbols as valid message values. At runtime these symbols are converted to localized strings using the current_language of the base record. </li> <li><a href="../classes/ActiveRecord/Errors.html#M000039">ActiveRecord::Errors.add</a> now accepts arrays as arguments so that printf-style strings can be generated at runtime. This also applies to the validates_* class methods. <pre> Eg. validates_xxxxxx_of :name, :message => ['Your name must be at least %d characters.', MIN_LEN] Eg. validates_xxxxxx_of :name, :message => [:user_error_validation_name_too_short, MIN_LEN] </pre> </li> <li>Instances of ActiveView inherit their current_language from the controller (or mailer) creating them. </li> </ul> <p> This plugin also adds the following rake tasks: </p> <pre> * gloc:sort - Sorts the keys in the lang ymls (also accepts a DIR argument) </pre> <h3>Cascading language configuration</h3> <p> The language can be set at three levels: </p> <pre> 1. The default # GLoc.get_config :default_language 2. Class level # class A; set_language :de; end 3. Instance level # b= B.new; b.set_language :zh </pre> <p> Instance level has the highest priority and the default has the lowest. </p> <p> Because <a href="../classes/GLoc.html">GLoc</a> is included at class level too, it becomes easy to associate languages with contexts. For example: </p> <pre> class Student set_language :en def say_hello puts "We say #{l :hello} but our teachers say #{Teacher.l :hello}" end end </pre> <h3>Rules</h3> <p> There are often situations when depending on the value of one or more variables, the surrounding text changes. The most common case of this is pluralization. Rather than hardcode these rules, they are completely definable by the user so that the user can eaasily accomodate for more complicated grammatical rules such as those found in Russian and Polish (or so I hear). To define a rule, simply include a string in the string bundle whose key begins with "<em>gloc_rule</em>" and then write ruby code as the value. The ruby code will be converted to a Proc when the string bundle is first read, and should return a prefix that will be appended to the string key at runtime to point to a new string. Make sense? Probably not… Please look at the following example and I am sure it will all make sense. </p> <p> Simple example (string bundle / en.yml) </p> <pre> _gloc_rule_default: ' |n| n==1 ? "_single" : "_plural" ' man_count_plural: There are %d men. man_count_single: There is 1 man. </pre> <p> Simple example (code) </p> <pre> lwr(:man_count, 1) # => There is 1 man. lwr(:man_count, 8) # => There are 8 men. </pre> <p> To use rules other than the default simply call lwr_ instead of lwr, and specify the rule. </p> <p> Example 2 (string bundle / en.yml) </p> <pre> _gloc_rule_default: ' |n| n==1 ? "_single" : "_plural" ' _gloc_rule_custom: ' |n| return "_none" if n==0; return "_heaps" if n>100; n==1 ? "_single" : "_plural" ' man_count_none: There are no men. man_count_heaps: There are heaps of men!! man_count_plural: There are %d men. man_count_single: There is 1 man. </pre> <p> Example 2 (code) </p> <pre> lwr_(:custom, :man_count, 0) # => There are no men. lwr_(:custom, :man_count, 1) # => There is 1 man. lwr_(:custom, :man_count, 8) # => There are 8 men. lwr_(:custom, :man_count, 150) # => There are heaps of men!! </pre> <h3>Helpers</h3> <p> <a href="../classes/GLoc.html">GLoc</a> includes the following helpers: </p> <pre> l_age(age) # Returns a localized version of an age. eg "3 years old" l_date(date) # Returns a date in a localized format l_datetime(date) # Returns a date+time in a localized format l_datetime_short(date) # Returns a date+time in a localized short format. l_lang_name(l,dl=nil) # Returns the name of a language (you must supply your own strings) l_strftime(date,fmt) # Formats a date/time in a localized format. l_time(date) # Returns a time in a localized format l_YesNo(value) # Returns localized string of "Yes" or "No" depending on the arg l_yesno(value) # Returns localized string of "yes" or "no" depending on the arg </pre> <h3>Rails localization</h3> <p> Not all of Rails is covered but the following functions are: </p> <pre> distance_of_time_in_words select_day select_month select_year add_options </pre> <h1>FAQ</h1> <h4>How do I use it in engines?</h4> <p> Simply put this in your init_engine.rb </p> <pre> GLoc.load_localized_strings File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__),'lang') </pre> <p> That way your engines strings will be loaded when the engine is started. Just simply make sure that you load your application strings after you start your engines to safely override any engine strings. </p> <h4>Why am I getting an Iconv::IllegalSequence error when calling <a href="../classes/GLoc.html#M000013">GLoc.set_charset</a>?</h4> <p> By default <a href="../classes/GLoc.html">GLoc</a> loads all of its default strings at startup. For example, calling <tt>set_charset ‘iso-2022-jp’</tt> will cause this error because Russian strings are loaded by default, and the Russian strings use characters that cannot be expressed in the ISO-2022-JP charset. Before calling <tt>set_charset</tt> you should call <tt>clear_strings_except</tt> to remove strings from any languages that you will not be using. Alternatively, you can simply specify the language(s) as follows, <tt>set_charset ‘iso-2022-jp’, :ja</tt>. </p> <h4>How do I make <a href="../classes/GLoc.html">GLoc</a> ignore StringNotFoundErrors?</h4> <p> Disable it as follows: </p> <pre> GLoc.set_config :raise_string_not_found_errors => false </pre> </div> </div> </div> <!-- if includes --> <div id="section"> <!-- if method_list --> </div> <div id="validator-badges"> <p><small><a href="http://validator.w3.org/check/referer">[Validate]</a></small></p> </div> </body> </html>