Use Spree:I18nUtils from spree_core gem to assist in rake tasks.

Gemfile

@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+source 'http://rubygems.org'
+
+gem "spree_core", :git => 'git://github.com/railsdog/spree.git' #:path => '../spree/core'
+

Gemfile.lock

@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+GIT
+  remote: git://github.com/railsdog/spree.git
+  revision: 2be3805b4ea18f7cb06c5850c6ce0885c0b60062
+  specs:
+    spree_core (0.30.0.beta2)
+      activemerchant (>= 1.7.1)
+      acts_as_list (>= 0.1.2)
+      faker (>= 0.3.1)
+      highline (>= 1.5.1)
+      jquery-rails (>= 0.2.2)
+      paperclip (>= 2.3.1.1)
+      rails (>= 3.0.1)
+      rd_awesome_nested_set (>= 1.4.4)
+      rd_resource_controller
+      rd_searchlogic (>= 3.0.0.rc3)
+      rd_unobtrusive_date_picker (>= 0.1.0)
+      state_machine (>= 0.9.4)
+      stringex (>= 1.0.3)
+      will_paginate (>= 3.0.pre)
+
+GEM
+  remote: http://rubygems.org/
+  specs:
+    abstract (1.0.0)
+    actionmailer (3.0.1)
+      actionpack (= 3.0.1)
+      mail (~> 2.2.5)
+    actionpack (3.0.1)
+      activemodel (= 3.0.1)
+      activesupport (= 3.0.1)
+      builder (~> 2.1.2)
+      erubis (~> 2.6.6)
+      i18n (~> 0.4.1)
+      rack (~> 1.2.1)
+      rack-mount (~> 0.6.12)
+      rack-test (~> 0.5.4)
+      tzinfo (~> 0.3.23)
+    activemerchant (1.9.0)
+      activesupport (>= 2.3.2)
+      braintree (>= 2.0.0)
+      builder (>= 2.0.0)
+    activemodel (3.0.1)
+      activesupport (= 3.0.1)
+      builder (~> 2.1.2)
+      i18n (~> 0.4.1)
+    activerecord (3.0.1)
+      activemodel (= 3.0.1)
+      activesupport (= 3.0.1)
+      arel (~> 1.0.0)
+      tzinfo (~> 0.3.23)
+    activeresource (3.0.1)
+      activemodel (= 3.0.1)
+      activesupport (= 3.0.1)
+    activesupport (3.0.1)
+    acts_as_list (0.1.2)
+    arel (1.0.1)
+      activesupport (~> 3.0.0)
+    braintree (2.6.1)
+      builder
+    builder (2.1.2)
+    erubis (2.6.6)
+      abstract (>= 1.0.0)
+    faker (0.3.1)
+    highline (1.6.1)
+    i18n (0.4.2)
+    jquery-rails (0.2.4)
+      rails (~> 3.0)
+    mail (2.2.9)
+      activesupport (>= 2.3.6)
+      i18n (~> 0.4.1)
+      mime-types (~> 1.16)
+      treetop (~> 1.4.8)
+    mime-types (1.16)
+    paperclip (2.3.5)
+      activerecord
+      activesupport
+    polyglot (0.3.1)
+    rack (1.2.1)
+    rack-mount (0.6.13)
+      rack (>= 1.0.0)
+    rack-test (0.5.6)
+      rack (>= 1.0)
+    rails (3.0.1)
+      actionmailer (= 3.0.1)
+      actionpack (= 3.0.1)
+      activerecord (= 3.0.1)
+      activeresource (= 3.0.1)
+      activesupport (= 3.0.1)
+      bundler (~> 1.0.0)
+      railties (= 3.0.1)
+    railties (3.0.1)
+      actionpack (= 3.0.1)
+      activesupport (= 3.0.1)
+      rake (>= 0.8.4)
+      thor (~> 0.14.0)
+    rake (0.8.7)
+    rd_awesome_nested_set (1.4.4)
+      activerecord (>= 1.1)
+    rd_resource_controller (1.0.0.rc)
+    rd_searchlogic (3.0.0.rc4)
+      activerecord (>= 3.0.0)
+    rd_unobtrusive_date_picker (0.1.0)
+    state_machine (0.9.4)
+    stringex (1.2.0)
+    thor (0.14.3)
+    treetop (1.4.8)
+      polyglot (>= 0.3.1)
+    tzinfo (0.3.23)
+    will_paginate (3.0.pre2)
+
+PLATFORMS
+  ruby
+
+DEPENDENCIES
+  spree_core!

Rakefile

@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
+require "rubygems"
+require "bundler/setup"
+
 require 'rake'
 require 'rails'
+#require 'spree_core'
 
 # Load any custom rakefiles for extension
 Dir[File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/lib/tasks/*.rake'].sort.each { |f| load f }

lib/tasks/i18n.rake

@@ -1,10 +1,16 @@
+require 'spree/i18n_utils'
+
+include Spree::I18nUtils
+
 namespace :spree do
   namespace :i18n do
 
     language_root = File.dirname(__FILE__) + "/../generators/templates/config/locales"
     default_dir = File.dirname(__FILE__) + "/../../default"
 
+    desc "Update by retrieving the latest Spree locale fils"
     task :update_default do
+
       puts "Fetching latest Spree locale file to #{language_root}"
       #TODO also pull the auth and dash locales once they exist
       exec %(
@@ -35,7 +41,8 @@ namespace :spree do
       end
 
       write_file "#{language_root}/#{ENV['LOCALE']}.yml", "#{ENV['LOCALE']}", '---', composite_keys
-      print "Also, download the rails translation from: http://github.com/svenfuchs/rails-i18n/tree/master/rails/locale\n"
+      print "New locale generated.\n"
+      print "Don't forget to also download the rails translation from: http://github.com/svenfuchs/rails-i18n/tree/master/rails/locale\n"
     end
 
     desc "Show translation status for all supported locales other than en."
@@ -72,46 +79,6 @@ def get_translation_keys(gem_name)
   words
 end
 
-# #Retrieve comments, translation data in hash form
-def read_file(filename, basename)
-  (comments, data) = IO.read(filename).split(/\n#{basename}:\s*\n/)   #Add error checking for failed file read?
-  return comments, create_hash(data)
-end
-
-#Creates hash of translation data
-def create_hash(data)
-  words = Hash.new
-  return words if !data
-  parent = Array.new
-  previous_key = 'base'
-  data.split("\n").each do |w|
-    next if w.strip.blank?
-    (key, value) = w.split(':', 2)
-    value ||= ''
-    shift = (key =~ /\w/)/2 - parent.size                             #Determine level of current key in comparison to parent array
-    key = key.sub(/^\s+/,'')
-    parent << previous_key if shift > 0                               #If key is child of previous key, add previous key as parent
-    (shift*-1).times { parent.pop } if shift < 0                      #If key is not related to previous key, remove parent keys
-    previous_key = key                                                #Track key in case next key is child of this key
-    words[parent.join(':')+':'+key] = value
-  end
-  words
-end
-
-#Writes to file from translation data hash structure
-def write_file(filename,basename,comments,words,comment_values=true, fallback_values={})
-  File.open(filename, "w") do |log|
-    log.puts(comments+"\n"+basename+": \n")
-    words.sort.each do |k,v|
-      keys = k.split(':')
-      (keys.size-1).times { keys[keys.size-1] = '  ' + keys[keys.size-1] }   #Add indentation for children keys
-      value = v.strip
-      value = ("#" + value) if comment_values and not value.blank?
-      log.puts "#{keys[keys.size-1]}: #{value}\n"
-    end
-  end
-end
-
 # Returns a composite hash of all relevant translation keys from each of the gems
 def composite_keys
   api_keys = get_translation_keys "spree_api"