gnu.gettext

Class GettextResource

java.lang.Object

java.util.ResourceBundle

gnu.gettext.GettextResource

public abstract class GettextResource
extends ResourceBundle

This class implements the main GNU libintl functions in Java.

Using the GNU gettext approach, compiled message catalogs are normal Java ResourceBundle classes and are thus interoperable with standard ResourceBundle based code.

The main differences between the Sun ResourceBundle approach and the GNU gettext approach are:

• In the Sun approach, the keys are abstract textual shortcuts. In the GNU gettext approach, the keys are the English/ASCII version of the messages.
• In the Sun approach, the translation files are called "Resource_locale.properties" and have non-ASCII characters encoded in the Java \unnnn syntax. Very few editors can natively display international characters in this format. In the GNU gettext approach, the translation files are called "Resource.locale.po" and are in the encoding the translator has chosen. Many editors can be used. There are at least three GUI translating tools (Emacs PO mode, KDE KBabel, GNOME gtranslator).
• In the Sun approach, the function ResourceBundle.getString throws a MissingResourceException when no translation is found. In the GNU gettext approach, the gettext function returns the (English) message key in that case.
• In the Sun approach, there is no support for plural handling. Even the most elaborate MessageFormat strings cannot provide decent plural handling. In the GNU gettext approach, we have the ngettext function.

To compile GNU gettext message catalogs into Java ResourceBundle classes, the msgfmt program can be used.

Author:

Bruno Haible

Nested Class Summary

Nested classes/interfaces inherited from class java.util.ResourceBundle

ResourceBundle.Control

Field Summary

Fields

Modifier and Type	Field and Description
static boolean	verbose

Fields inherited from class java.util.ResourceBundle

parent

Constructor Summary

Constructors

Constructor and Description
GettextResource()

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method and Description
static String	gettext(ResourceBundle catalog, String msgid) Returns the translation of msgid.
static String	ngettext(ResourceBundle catalog, String msgid, String msgid_plural, long n) Returns the plural form for n of the translation of msgid.
static String	npgettext(ResourceBundle catalog, String msgctxt, String msgid, String msgid_plural, long n) Returns the plural form for n of the translation of msgid in the context of msgctxt.
static String	pgettext(ResourceBundle catalog, String msgctxt, String msgid) Returns the translation of msgid in the context of msgctxt.

Methods inherited from class java.util.ResourceBundle

clearCache, clearCache, containsKey, getBaseBundleName, getBundle, getBundle, getBundle, getBundle, getBundle, getBundle, getKeys, getLocale, getObject, getString, getStringArray, handleGetObject, handleKeySet, keySet, setParent

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Field Detail

verbose

public static boolean verbose

Constructor Detail

GettextResource

public GettextResource()

Method Detail

gettext

public static String gettext(ResourceBundle catalog,
                             String msgid)

Returns the translation of msgid.

Parameters:

catalog - a ResourceBundle

msgid - the key string to be translated, an ASCII string

Returns:

the translation of msgid, or msgid if none is found

ngettext

public static String ngettext(ResourceBundle catalog,
                              String msgid,
                              String msgid_plural,
                              long n)

Returns the plural form for n of the translation of msgid.

Parameters:

catalog - a ResourceBundle

msgid - the key string to be translated, an ASCII string

msgid_plural - its English plural form

Returns:

the translation of msgid depending on n, or msgid or msgid_plural if none is found

pgettext

public static String pgettext(ResourceBundle catalog,
                              String msgctxt,
                              String msgid)

Returns the translation of msgid in the context of msgctxt.

Parameters:

catalog - a ResourceBundle

msgctxt - the context for the key string, an ASCII string

msgid - the key string to be translated, an ASCII string

Returns:

the translation of msgid, or msgid if none is found

npgettext

public static String npgettext(ResourceBundle catalog,
                               String msgctxt,
                               String msgid,
                               String msgid_plural,
                               long n)

Returns the plural form for n of the translation of msgid in the context of msgctxt.

Parameters:

catalog - a ResourceBundle

msgctxt - the context for the key string, an ASCII string

msgid - the key string to be translated, an ASCII string

msgid_plural - its English plural form

Returns:

the translation of msgid depending on n, or msgid or msgid_plural if none is found