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diff --git a/runtime/doc/mlang.txt b/runtime/doc/mlang.txt new file mode 100644 index 000000000..3045b46a1 --- /dev/null +++ b/runtime/doc/mlang.txt @@ -0,0 +1,205 @@ +*mlang.txt* For Vim version 7.0aa. Last change: 2004 Feb 24 + + + VIM REFERENCE MANUAL by Bram Moolenaar + + +Multi-language features *multilang* *multi-lang* + +This is about using messages and menus in various languages. For editing +multi-byte text see |multibyte|. + +The basics are explained in the user manual: |usr_45.txt|. + +1. Messages |multilang-messages| +2. Menus |multilang-menus| +3. Scripts |multilang-scripts| + +Also see |help-translated| for multi-language help. + +{Vi does not have any of these features} +{not available when compiled without the |+multi_lang| feature} + +============================================================================== +1. Messages *multilang-messages* + +Vim picks up the locale from the environment. In most cases this means Vim +will use the language that you prefer, unless it's not available. + +To see a list of supported locale names on your system, look in one of these +directories (for Unix): + /usr/lib/locale ~ + /usr/share/locale ~ +Unfortunately, upper/lowercase differences matter. Also watch out for the +use of "-" and "_". + + *:lan* *:lang* *:language* *E197* +:lan[guage] +:lan[guage] mes[sages] +:lan[guage] cty[pe] +:lan[guage] tim[e] + Print the current language (aka locale). + With the "messages" argument the language used for + messages is printed. Technical: LC_MESSAGES. + With the "ctype" argument the language used for + character encoding is printed. Technical: LC_CTYPE. + With the "time" argument the language used for + strftime() is printed. Technical: LC_TIME. + Without argument all parts of the locale are printed + (this is system dependent). + The current language can also be obtained with the + |v:lang|, |v:ctype| and |v:lc_time| variables. + +:lan[guage] {name} +:lan[guage] mes[sages] {name} +:lan[guage] cty[pe] {name} +:lan[guage] tim[e] {name} + Set the current language (aka locale) to {name}. + The locale {name} must be a valid locale on your + system. Some systems accept aliases like "en" or + "en_US", but some only accept the full specification + like "en_US.ISO_8859-1". + With the "messages" argument the language used for + messages is set. This can be different when you want, + for example, English messages while editing Japanese + text. This sets $LC_MESSAGES. + With the "ctype" argument the language used for + character encoding is set. This affects the libraries + that Vim was linked with. It's unusual to set this to + a different value from 'encoding'. This sets + $LC_CTYPE. + With the "time" argument the language used for time + and date messages is set. This affects strftime(). + This sets $LC_TIME. + Without an argument both are set, and additionally + $LANG is set. + This will make a difference for items that depend on + the language (some messages, time and date format). + Not fully supported on all systems + If this fails there will be an error message. If it + succeeds there is no message. Example: > + :language + Current language: C + :language de_DE.ISO_8859-1 + :language mes + Current messages language: de_DE.ISO_8859-1 + :lang mes en +< + +MS-WINDOWS MESSAGE TRANSLATIONS *win32-gettext* + +If you used the self-installing .exe file, message translations should work +already. Otherwise get the libintl.dll file if you don't have it yet: + + http://sourceforge.net/projects/gettext + +This also contains tools xgettext, msgformat and others. + +libintl.dll should be placed in same directory with (g)vim.exe, or some +place where PATH environment value describe. Message files (vim.mo) +have to be placed in "$VIMRUNTIME/lang/xx/LC_MESSAGES", where "xx" is the +abbreviation of the language (mostly two letters). + +If you write your own translations you need to generate the .po file and +convert it to a .mo file. You need to get the source distribution and read +the file "src/po/README.txt". + +To overrule the automatic choice of the language, set the $LANG variable to +the language of your choice. use "en" to disable translations. > + + :let $LANG = 'ja' + +(text for Windows by Muraoka Taro) + +============================================================================== +2. Menus *multilang-menus* + +See |45.2| for the basics. + +Note that if changes have been made to the menus after the translation was +done, some of the menus may be shown in English. Please try contacting the +maintainer of the translation and ask him to update it. You can find the +name and e-mail address of the translator in +"$VIMRUNTIME/lang/menu_<lang>.vim". + +To set the font (or fontset) to use for the menus, use the |:highlight| +command. Example: > + + :highlight Menu font=k12,r12 + + +ALIAS LOCALE NAMES + +Unfortunately, the locale names are different on various systems, even though +they are for the same language and encoding. If you do not get the menu +translations you expected, check the output of this command: > + + echo v:lang + +Now check the "$VIMRUNTIME/lang" directory for menu translation files that use +a similar language. A difference in a "-" being a "_" already causes a file +not to be found! Another common difference to watch out for is "iso8859-1" +versus "iso_8859-1". Fortunately Vim makes all names lowercase, thus you +don't have to worry about case differences. Spaces are changed to +underscores, to avoid having to escape them. + +If you find a menu translation file for your language with a different name, +create a file in your own runtime directory to load that one. The name of +that file could be: > + + ~/.vim/lang/menu_<v:lang>.vim + +Check the 'runtimepath' option for directories which are searched. In that +file put a command to load the menu file with the other name: > + + runtime lang/menu_<other_lang>.vim + + +TRANSLATING MENUS + +If you want to do your own translations, you can use the |:menutrans| command, +explained below. It is recommended to put the translations for one language +in a Vim script. For a language that has no translation yet, please consider +becoming the maintainer and make your translations available to all Vim users. +Send an e-mail to the Vim maintainer <maintainer@vim.org>. + + *:menut* *:menutrans* *:menutranslate* +:menut[ranslate] clear + Clear all menu translations. + +:menut[ranslate] {english} {mylang} + Translate menu name {english} to {mylang}. All + special characters like "&" and "<Tab>" need to be + included. Spaces and dots need to be escaped with a + backslash, just like in other |:menu| commands. + +See the $VIMRUNTIME/lang directory for examples. + +To try out your translations you first have to remove all menus. This is how +you can do it without restarting Vim: > + :source $VIMRUNTIME/delmenu.vim + :source <your-new-menu-file> + :source $VIMRUNTIME/menu.vim + +Each part of a menu path is translated separately. The result is that when +"Help" is translated to "Hilfe" and "Overview" to "Überblick" then +"Help.Overview" will be translated to "Hilfe.Überblick". + +============================================================================== +3. Scripts *multilang-scripts* + +In Vim scripts you can use the |v:lang| variable to get the current language +(locale). The default value is "C" or comes from the $LANG environment +variable. + +The following example shows how this variable is used in a simple way, to make +a message adapt to language preferences of the user, > + + :if v:lang =~ "de_DE" + : echo "Guten Morgen" + :else + : echo "Good morning" + :endif +< + + vim:tw=78:sw=4:ts=8:ft=help:norl: |