Re: Getting the translation of the empty string ""

[Bruno Haible]

Davi Leal wrote:
> The emacs gettext mode enforce the definition of an empty msgid "",
>
>     msgid ""
>     msgstr ""
>       "Project-Id-Version: messages 0.0.1\n"
>       "Report-Msgid-Bugs-To: ..."
>
> That raises a problem if I try to translate a variable which keeps an empty
> string. That is to say,
>    gettext("")
>
> returns:
>     "Project-Id-Version: messages 0.0.1 ... "
>
> instead of just:
>     ""

Hi,

There is a more fundamental question: What shall be the translation of the
empty string? How can the translator provide a reasonable translation of it
(assuming that is it not meant to be empty in all languages)?

Please look at the GNU gettext manual, section "Preparing Strings",
in particular:

    Before strings can be marked for translations, they sometimes need to
    be adjusted.  Usually preparing a string for translation is done right
    before marking it, during the marking phase which is described in the
    next sections.  What you have to keep in mind while doing that is the
    following.

       * Decent English style.

       * Entire sentences.

       * Split at paragraphs.

       * Use format strings instead of string concatenation.


> P.S.: According to  tschwinge at #gnu IRC channel,  you could add the
> <address@hidden> contact address to the
> http://www.gnu.org/software/gettext/ web page. I had to ask for that
> contact to several guys. I was thinking about send this requirement to
> address@hidden which is the only email at http://www.gnu.org/software/gettext/

As for all (or most) GNU programs, you get the bug reporting address through
the output of the --help option, e.g. "xgettext --help". But thanks for the
pointer to the outdated web page; I'll try to do something about it.

Bruno