Translating GUI and Contextual Help Messages

Files Structure

Files messages_<locale>.php and conhelp_<locale>.php have a simple structure presenting an associative array made up of records like

'<localization_key>' => '<message>'

where

• <localization_key> uniquely identifies a Plesk GUI item
• <message> is a text in a human language which describes a particular Plesk GUI item, appearing as either a GUI or a contextual help text 

To adjust these files so that the Plesk GUI was displayed to users in a particular language, translate all string parts containing messages (<message>), leaving localization keys as they are.

Important: Do not translate any of the localization keys. Plesk uses localization keys to link a particular GUI item with the corresponding message, so if you change a key in an LP file, the original key will be displayed in Plesk instead of the corresponding message.

Translation Tips

For editing locale-defining PHP files, we recommend using a text editor which supports highlighting syntax. Using such editors not only makes the translating more comfortable than when using those displaying just plain text, but also, what's more important, helps you detect the file corruption if you change the array syntax.

Note: Use editor that supports editing texts in UTF-8.

There is a number of recommendations that might be useful when translating these files, specifically, concerning PHP array syntax, message variables, HTML entities, and special characters.

Important: Do not change the files encoding: It must be UTF-8. Otherwise, the messages you'vee translated may be displayed incorrectly.

Array syntax

# It is important that commas at the end of each string were left where they are. Otherwise, the PHP array will be corrupt and, when using such language pack, Plesk GUI will display pure localization keys instead of the correct messages.

# What else can corrupt the array is mistakes in using quotes. To avoid such mistakes, follow the rules below.

1. If a message text does not contain any quotes, enclose the text with either single or double quotes.

2. If a message text contains at least one single quote or apostrophe:

• precede each quote with backslash:

'b_add_ip_for_clients' => 'Add IP address to client\'s pools.',

or

• enclose the message with double quotes:

'b_add_ip_for_clients' => "Add IP address to client's pools.",

3. If a message text contains at least one double quote:

• precede each quote with backslash:

'odbc__mysql_option' => "Options that specify how MyODBC should work. See <a href=\"http://dev.mysql.com/doc/mysql/en/Connection_parameters.html\">http://dev.mysql.com/doc/mysql/en/Connection_parameters.html</a>",

or

• enclose the message with single quotes:

'odbc__mysql_option' => 'Options that specify how MyODBC should work. See <a href="http://dev.mysql.com/doc/mysql/en/Connection_parameters.html">http://dev.mysql.com/doc/mysql/en/Connection_parameters.html</a>',

Variables

When translating Plesk interface and contextual help messages, pay special attention to the messages containing variables:

• Leave variables as they are, do not translate them.
• Translate the other text of a message carefully, considering a variable meaning and how the variable value will be embedded to the whole message text in Plesk interface.

The following types of variables are used:

1. $PROD_NAME - replaces the nomination of the Plesk instance.

   For example, if we have Plesk 8.0 for Unix installed, and the file messages_en-US.php contains the string

   'license__you_should_accept' => "In order to use $PROD_NAME you should agree to the terms of this license.",

   the corresponding message in the Plesk GUI looks as In order to use Plesk 8.0 for Unix you should agree to the terms of this license.

2. %%<variable-name>%% - variables of this type are used in messages_[locale].php files.

   For example, if the IP address is 192.0.2.68, the client name is John Doe, and the file

   messages_en-US.php contains the string

   'ui__client/domain/properties__client_ip_address_was_assigned' => 'The IP address %%ip_address%% was assigned to %%client_name%%.',

   then the corresponding message in Plesk GUI looks as The IP address 192.0.2.68 was assigned to John Doe.

3. %1, %2, etc. - this type is used in messages_[locale].php files. Such variables may replace almost everything: titles of Plesk objects (Domain, Client, IP, etc.), domain, client and other Plesk objects names, error messages, and so on, – in each string, the meaning of a particular variable of such type depends on the context. The variable value is dynamically set by Plesk when it displays the message in its GUI.

   The table below gives an idea of how to understand messages with these variables.

HTML Entities; Special Characters

Do not translate

• HTML entities

  for example, <, > used for defining "<" and ">" symbols

• special characters

  for example, \n used for defining a new line