Talk:VideolanStringGuidelines

Target / Item

When refering to playlist items, some of the current strings use "target" (like "Plays the next target in the playlist"), and some use "item" (like "Go to next item in the playlist"). Which one should we use (for consistency's sake)? I put my vote for 'item' as it seems more sensical. --tonsofpcs 07:45, 2 April 2006 (CEST)

item jb 00:34, 4 January 2012 (UTC)

Another example: demux vs. demuxer vs. demultiplexer

demuxer jb 00:34, 4 January 2012 (UTC)

mux vs. muxer vs. multiplexer

muxer jb 00:34, 4 January 2012 (UTC)

Or ending with -plexing

Is this referring to the same thing? If so, I would like to have the same words:

"Playback Rate"

"Playback speed"

"Revert to normal play speed"

it should be speed jb

Another candidate:
modules/access/jack.c:61
"Read the audio stream at VLC pace rather than Jack pace."

No se 09:38, 4 January 2012 (UTC)

similar but different...

... strings were mentioned by somebody. So I had a look at the pot-file. Note: I did not check this in a running vlc, nor do I have that much experience in this field (giving advices how to translate software, or prepare for translation). So feel free to comment, state other points of view, or simply say that some points are wrong.

The best example so far: src/libvlc-module.c:875 - 899 quoted for possible changes:

/* DVD and VCD devices */
#define DVD_DEV_TEXT N_("DVD device")
#define VCD_DEV_TEXT N_("VCD device")
#define CDAUDIO_DEV_TEXT N_("Audio CD device")

#if defined( WIN32 ) || defined( __OS2__ )
# define DVD_DEV_LONGTEXT N_( \
    "This is the default DVD drive (or file) to use. Don't forget the colon " \
    "after the drive letter (e.g. D:)")
# define VCD_DEV_LONGTEXT N_( \
    "This is the default VCD drive (or file) to use. Don't forget the colon " \
    "after the drive letter (e.g. D:)")
# define CDAUDIO_DEV_LONGTEXT N_( \
    "This is the default Audio CD drive (or file) to use. Don't forget the " \
    "colon after the drive letter (e.g. D:)")
# define DVD_DEVICE     NULL
# define CD_DEVICE      "D:"

#else
# define DVD_DEV_LONGTEXT N_( \
    "This is the default DVD device to use.")
# define VCD_DEV_LONGTEXT N_( \
    "This is the default VCD device to use." )
# define CDAUDIO_DEV_LONGTEXT N_( \
    "This is the default Audio CD device to use." )

I would suggest a split. Don't think splitting a sentence in more than 3 parts makes sense. Would be even more difficult to build a sentence around a string, because the translators won't even notice that this are parts of the same line. This is my suggestion:

"This is the default drive (or file) to use. Don't forget the colon after the drive letter (e.g. D:)"

respectivly

 "This is the default device to use."

And the short form in the line above. Or in the same line right in front. Should give something like:

Audio CD device
This is the default device to use.

OR

Audio CD device: This is the default device to use.

Disagree. We should just merge this option into one jb 00:34, 4 January 2012 (UTC)

modules/access/dshow/dshow.cpp:191 This part is used for audio and video. Could possibly be split, too. Caution: Sentence in line 188 uses audio and video. Don't know, if this is intentional.

It is normal jb 00:34, 4 January 2012 (UTC)

modules/video_filter/panoramix.c:117 and following lines.

src/libvlc-module.c:1213 Previous string is used again with an appended extra sentence.

Listing up the choices of a select box

If there is a select box, I don't see any use in listing the possible choices in a string next to it. An example is fine, some special hints or a link to faq/wiki/whatever...

Opening the pot-file and search for ", \" (the end of one element, a comma, a space and the beginning of the next element) will give you what I found, too:

", \"

modules/demux/subtitle.c:56

will fix jb 00:34, 4 January 2012 (UTC)

modules/access/dshow/dshow.cpp:172

will fix jb 00:34, 4 January 2012 (UTC)

modules/audio_output/file.c:81

done jb 00:34, 4 January 2012 (UTC)

Just make sure there really is a select box. If the strings are displayed elsewhere, they might be of use.

Another way to find interesting parts of the translation:

vlc -H | grep "1="

Additionally you will find several "position on the video" which is another example of similar but different.

On vlc 1.1.13:
settings->all->audio->visualizers->visualizer will show an effects list like modules/visualization/visual/visual.c:44 Does selecting one here have any effect at all?

When looking at
settings->all->audio->filter or
settings->all->video->filter
You get a list of filters to apply. What is the reason for this strings being different from those to the left?

No se 09:51, 3 January 2012 (UTC)

Binary variables/flags

Those are fine for translation normally. With the right text (look at the guidelines here).

modules/audio_filter/audiobargraph_a.c:48 and following lines show several integers instead. I would prefer simple checkboxes.

"Defines if BarGraph information should be sent (default 1)"

Would become:

"Send BarGraph information" or similar.

Possibly something similar: modules/video_filter/rss.c:167

No se 15:21, 2 January 2012 (UTC)

possible typos

modules/gui/qt4/dialogs/openurl.cpp:66

"Please enter the URL or path to the media you want to play"

Looks like a complete sentence but misses a period.

will fix jb 00:34, 4 January 2012 (UTC)

Missing a space after the period:
modules/audio_filter/audiobargraph_a.c:41
modules/audio_filter/audiobargraph_a.c:45

will fix jb 00:34, 4 January 2012 (UTC)

What shall be the correct spelling for barGraph vs. BarGraph?

share/lua/http/index.html:274
"Are you sure you wish to create the stream ?"
share/lua/http/mobile_equalizer.html:62
"Preamp: "

Both may have a not needed space.

No se 14:04, 2 January 2012 (UTC)

Colon at the end of strings?

share/lua/http/dialogs/mosaic_window.html:96 and following lines is an example. I did not find this messages while running vlc so far.

Is there a general policy whether/when strings should end with a colon? This will not really bother translators, it's more "for consistency's sake" (and a bit for "similar but different"). I won't suggest simply moving the colon at the end to an untranslated colon behind it, since it may lead to sentences ending in ".:" or similar. On the other hand, I won't expect translators to put a colon after a single word, if there isn't a colon in the original string. Complete sentences shall end with a period anyway (colon will work, too), so using them won't bother me, either.

Source is ASCII only - unlike the translation

The source is ASCII only (is it?) [1]. The translation is not restricted that way. So you can use for example … (ellipsis) instead of ... (three period characters) or locale-dependent quotes.