Installation

The recommended way to install ocaml-gettext is via the [opam package manager][opam]:

$ opam install gettext gettext-camomile gettext-stub

Building without Camomile

This project uses standard dune mechanism for building. It provides 3 different packages:

• gettext: the base module
• gettext-camomile; gettext using Camomile.
• gettext-stub: gettext using the C library.

If you want to not use Camomile, you can just compile or test the other module, using dune:

$ dune test --only-packages=gettext,gettext-stub

Documentation

• API documentation is available online.
• Reference manual

Examples

In all the examples, we are using shorthands function s_, sn_, f_ and fn_. It is important to keep this precise names because they are used to extract strings for translation.

This library demonstrates how to define i18n module for a library:

• Define a module LibraryGettext that defines the textdomain and dependencies of the module. In this case mydomain for the textdomain and the only dependencies are Gettext.init.

• In the main library module Library:

  • Use open LibraryGettext.Gettext to give access to all the shorthands.
  • Make an init public, to allow user of the library to initialize i18n for this library. This init will be used as a dependencies for other module.

The GUI example is very similar to the library. The example is library.

This program demonstrates how to define i18n module and a concrete implementation for gettext:

• Define a module ProgramGettext that defines:

  • a textdomain in this case mydomain
  • a list of dependencies in this case ExamplesLibrary.Library.init and ExamplesGUI.Gui.init.
  • a real implementation in this case GettextCamomile.Map.

• In the main module Program:

  • Use open ProgramGettext.Gettext to give access to all the shorthands.
  • Call ProgramGettext.Gettext.init, use Arg.parse with gettext_args returned by this function.

The last pieces needed are the string files. They are traditionally stored in a po directory with a specific Makefile:

• The Makefile contains the most common targets.
• The POTFILES defines which files to look for translatable strings.
• The LINGUAS defines what language file (.po) are present.
• Running make all will generate a .pot file and compile the various language files.

To test the examples:

# Update the PO/POT files.
$> make update-po

# Define location of the .mo files.
$> export OCAML_LOCALEPATH=./_build/share/locale

# Run the default program.
$> dune exec --workspace dune-workspace.dev examples/program/program.exe -- --my-name Chet

Hello world!
Hello world!
There is 1 plate.
There are 2 plates.
There is 1 plate.
There are 2 plates.
Hello Chet

# Run the program for french language.
$> LANGUAGE=fr dune exec --workspace dune-workspace.dev examples/program/program.exe -- --my-name Chet

Bonjour le monde !
Bonjour world !
Il y a 1 assiette.
Il y a 2 assiettes.
Il y a 1 assiette.
Il y a 2 assiettes.
Bonjour Chet