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 Teach CheckTranslationReference about translations in Lua scripts #21490 Allow localized messages on warheads #21525]
• 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 Expose factions to localisation #21484 Expose bot names to localization #21489 Expose mission briefings to localisation #21526]
• 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).