Voobly Language Support > Website Language Support
Website Language Support

This section is dedicated to development of multiple language support for the Voobly Website. Below is an explanation of the methods used to provide translations, and how to develop translation files for use with the translation engine used by the Voobly website.

Contents:


How does it work?


Translations for each language are organized into translation files (text files) which are encoded in UTF-8. The website p****s each line for matching strings to be used on any page that loads, and depending on which language is selected, loads the appropriate translation to the corresponding string.



What do translation files consist of?


Each line is broken down into 2 sections:
Code:
The english string to be translated|||The string translated into your native language

The important thing to remember is that the left side is the matching string. If this string is not implicitly used on a page, the translation will not occur. So it is important to ensure there is no whitespace at the beginning of any line.

The right side serves as the translation of the string. While you should strive to be as exact and concise as you can, exact wording is not absolutely required, so long as you a)fit the context and meaning of the word, and b) you don't use too many words (IE if the english translation is 3 words, you shouldn't use more than 4 words of your native language).

Each string must have its own line, and there should be no whitespace aside from line breaks.



What editor can I use to create language packs?


The most efficient and effective editor would be [You must login to view link]. This is mostly because of the wide range of languages and color coding supported. But you can use any text editor that supports UTF-8. Your files will use the .txt extension.



The Template


Contributors can utilize this barebones blank template with which to develop from. This saves the hassle of finding strings to translate and then organize them into a file. This template is sorted alphabetically and is updated frequently with new strings as they become supported.

[ [You must login to view link] ]

A couple of things you need to consider when working with this template is that you:


Updating an Existing Template - Duplicate Finder App



If you are updating an existing language template and want to find out if there are any strings missing from your template (based on the skeleton template I have hosted or one you have, although I recommend using the online version for accuracy), there is an application designed to assist. Credits go to DeadlyDeo for his work on the program.

Instructions are provided. Simply choose a base template and the template you are working on, and then click "Find Missing Strings" to generate a result file. There is also a file sorter which will alphabetically order all strings, and remove duplicates for you.



Possible Questions

  1. Q: What should each line look like?
    • A: English string|||Your translation here
  2. Q: Why can't I change what's before the |||?
    • A: This text is used to identify what text will be translated. Changing this from its original state will cause the string to be left untranslated.
  3. Q: What is VBML?
    • A: VBML (or Voobly Markup Language) is an in-house method of passing user data dynamically. When it relates to translations, you should leave these tags untouched and change only what is not enclosed in "< >" or "{* *}".
      • Example: <vbml:user id={*user*}> has changed <vbml:pronoun id={*user*}> name from {*oldname*}|||<vbml:user id={*user*}> ashay angedchay <vbml:pronoun id={*user*}> amenay omfray {*oldname*}
  4. Q: How long will it take to make my submission public?
    • A: This depends entirely on the accuracy of your translation. If you submit a translation that someone else has deemed inaccurate, your submission may not be accepted.
  5. Q: Will I receive credit for my work?
    • A: Although your translations will become the property of Voobly, there is a possibility submission authors will be credited somewhere in the future. In either case we greatly appreciate your time and interest in helping to improve Voobly as a community.
  6. Q: What if I need to change my submission?
    • A: Contact a member of the staff and pass your changes along. They will be included in future updates if accepted.



Quality Control


We appreciate the time and patience every submission requires, and we want the most accurate translation possible for each language. Oftentimes, whole communities can be deterred simply because english is the only medium of communication. Suffice it to say, we want the best. To ensure this, all submissions will be reviewed for clarity and conciseness. In order to make sure your submission requires the least amount of work on our end, we ask that you take special care to make your translation accurate. Our users will appreciate your attention to detail.

Language packs that have been completed should be submitted by [You must login to view link] and then providing us with a link. Once your submission is accepted, the language will become available for use on the Voobly website, and credit will be given.




 
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