Translation support

[pchote]

Prerequisites for initial translations:

• Engine support:
  • Translation support for yaml-defined strings. [Add translation support #3929 Remove vestigial translation plumbing. #18959] [Added a Fluent based translation system #18965]
  • Translation support for code-defined strings. [Added a Fluent based translation system #18965]
  • Translation support for Lua-defined strings. [Added a Fluent based translation system #18965]
  • Change server messages to send a string ID and arguments to translate client-side. [Added l10n support to server messages #19847]
• Tooling:
  • Automated chrome string extraction. [Automated translation string extraction #5152 Remove vestigial translation plumbing. #18959 Extracted chrome strings #20594] [Extract chrome strings #21134]
  • Automated format string sanity checks (verify that strings with formatting parameters define the same number across all translations). [Added l10n support to server messages #19847]
  • Utility command for showing missing translation strings. [Added l10n support to server messages #19847]
• Extract hardcoded strings from C# code into English translation. [Extracted UI strings to Fluent #20048 Extracted in-game UI strings to Fluent #20142 Extracted Debug Notification strings to Fluent #20380 Fixed untranslated strings in skirmish objectives #20262 Exposed editor brush texts to localisation #20876]
• Extract hardcoded strings from Lua code into English translation. [Extracted the Tiberian Dawn mission objective strings #20265 Extracted the Red Alert mission strings #20387 Extracted the Dune 2000 mission strings #20390]
• Extract yaml strings into English translation. [Exposed game speeds to localisation #20393 Exposed lobby options to localisation #20400 Added localisation support to difficulty dropdown #20585 Extract (transient) text notifications #20725 Add a utility command for extracting translation from rules and localise unit names / descriptions / encyclopedia #21204 Add Translation to TooltipDescription #21241 Extract strings from support power name and description #21385 Extract strings from resource renderer #21386]
• Include language setting in crash logs. Add OpenRA and OS language to exception messages #20391

Later improvements:

• Support for detecting/downloading/installing foreign content bundles (sound/art). Related to the ongoing mod browser / installation work. [New mod content installer #11375 and followups]
• Support for switching art/sounds based on translation.
• Per language font initialisation [Language Localization Module #17794]

[pchote]

#11375 and followups check off support for detecting/downloading/installing foreign content bundles.

[Mailaender]

I believe the whole approach taken may be a dead end. Instead of building our own incompatible translation system we should try to hook up something standardized like https://github.com/neris/NGettext where tooling already exists.

[Mailaender]

I played a bit with https://crowdin.com/project/openra and yml is supported although we don't adhere to the Ruby translation system. We will need tooling that converts our @PLACEHOLDERS@ to English, generate English to Language files for the web interface and converter Language to @PLACEHOLDERS@ back.

[abcdefg30]

Is adding translation support to the auto generated documentation also considered as part of this ticket?

[pchote]

It is not, and I would argue against adding that (but not in this ticket).

[forcecore]

There's font problem too, the default fonts don't support CJK characters. There should be some way of providing additional fonts for the translations.

[Sav87]

Why not do a translation like this: there is a file "ra|chrome/ingame-player.yaml" and need a translation for "XXX".
So try to load it from ".\mods\ra\languages\XXX\chrome\ingame-player.yaml", if there is no file try to load ".\mods\ra\chrome\ingame-player.yaml" then the load error is mod.

another option:
try load "mods\ra\languages\XXX\mod.yaml" instead of "mods\ra\mod.yaml". And in it to register instead of "ra|chrome/ingame-player.yaml" already "ra|languages/XXX/chrome/ingame-player.yaml".
Also, in the file "mod.yaml" mark the files for translation with a comment.

[pchote]

Translation for the yaml files has been solved for a long time. The issue is with all of the strings hardcoded in the game code. That has also been solved in principle, we just don't have anybody willing to do the work.

[reaperrr]

In principle I'd be willing to, but I'll need some help getting my head around the "how to".
That's something for "later this year" at best, though.

[forcecore]

True, I took a look in the past but I have no idea how.

[Sav87]

I'm trying to translate the code-defined strings. Translated by LogoStripeLoadScreen.cs, IngameMenuLogic.cs, SettingsLogic.cs and ChromeLayout. Sav87@8792fef
Continue the translation?

[pchote]

That is pretty much the right idea, but there is an important point that you will need to consider and change. When you have a line like line.GetText = () => FieldLoader.Translate("STRING-ID") this is actually a function that is called every time the game renders. You really don't want to be retranslating these strings 60 times per second!

Instead use a pattern like this:

var translatedStringID = FieldLoader.Translate("STRING-ID");
line.GetText = () => translatedStringID;

We will also need to support for map-defined translations, so your changes to LoadTranslations will need to be reworked.

[Sav87]

I understand the translation of MissionBriefing? and where should it be recorded? if the file 'languages/*.yaml' then this should not be a problem. If in these files there is a necessary line that without a difference for what it to use: a maps, code, chromeLayout...

[AngryUbuntuNerd]

any progress on this, or guidance / ideas how we can help?

[BackMountainDevil]

https://github.com/cookgreen/Yuris-Revenge has a Chinese translation.

Another translation about RA2 mod. Download page. Hope it can be set in games in the future

[Blueberryy]

How's translation system going? I want to help with Russian if it works :p

[penev92]

Hi! We are still not ready, but hopefully we could be in in time for next release.

[Blueberryy]

Hi! We are still not ready, but hopefully we could be in in time for next release.

Oh this is nice to read. And this all really took 8 years to implement? woah

[PunkPun]

it only properly started about 2 years ago