home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- Hi!
-
- First of all, this message is mainly directed to the ATO-translators that
- applied in advance to translate the program. However, if you are not an
- ATO-member, but you would like to do a translation of the program and its
- accompanying files, there should be no problem. Just contact me first
- (e.blok@student.utwente.nl) to find out whether there is not someone else
- working on the translation already. And if your *are* interested in translating
- Amiga programs, why not join ATO (Amiga Translators Organization). You can find
- a link to ATO on the Amiga Web Directory (http://www.cucug.org/amiga.html) or on
- my own homepage (http://www.student.utwente.nl/e.blok/amiga).
- Second of all, thank you for your interest in translating Summertime Guard.
- If you choose to translate the program and the accompanying documentation, I
- think you will find it one of the shortest jobs you have ever done. Although it
- is quite straightforward, there are still some things I would like to point out.
-
- There are three files to be translated: a catalog for the program (the
- required .cd is in the same drawer as this .readme), documentation and an
- installation-script. The procedure for translating the catalog and documentation
- is quite the same as it is for every other program. Just take the ATO-guidelines
- into account and it should be a breeze. One note regarding the .guide is that
- you should not translate the table-entries in the "Supported Areas" section.
- This will be subject to regular updating, and it would take too much time to
- translate it with every update. Everything apart from these entries, including
- the introducing text, table headings and table notes *should*, obviously, be
- translated. Do keep the column-widths the same, so that I can simply paste a new
- list of entries in the guide. Also, don't translate the history, apart from the
- heading. Make clear to the reader this section is in English by putting the
- translation of 'English' in brackets () behind the link to that section in the
- table of contents as well as in the section itself. Have a look at the Dutch
- guide for an example.
-
- Translating the installer-script is a little less simple (but probably not
- something you can't handle ;). The script is designed to contain all supported
- languages in one file. I might change that some time, but at the moment there
- are so little strings in the script, that advantages of having only one script
- are more important then the disadvantages. Anyway, all you need to translate is
- the section where the strings are assigned to the collection of message-
- variables. If you want to make it as easy as possible for me, you can replace
- the Dutch (Nederlands) strings with those of your own language. Don't forget to
- translate the language name to the name that the AmigaOS uses for your language.
- In any case, make sure I get to know the name of your language and that you have
- complete and correct installer script lines, so that I can simply paste the
- lines into the complete script containing all languages. Also, keep in mind that
- strings can't be longer then 255 characters in the installer. If you need more
- room (but please, try not to :) contact me, so the script can be changed to
- accomdate the extra string. But again, try to avoid such a thing at all cost; I
- do think there is more then enough room.
-
- If you want to test your translation, you can do the following:
- - Remove the SUMMERTIME envvar from your RAM:ENV/ (ENV:) directory.
- - Run the program, which should treat you to the text telling you it is the
- first time the program is ran, of course in your own language.
- - Change your systems time to a date somewhere outside the timeframe you are in
- (if its summertime, you switch the date to wintertime, or vice versa). Hit
- 'save' (not 'use') in the time-prefs, because otherwise the battclock will not
- be updated.
- - Again, run Summertime Guard. It should notify you of the switch and it should
- change your systems time.
- - Change the date back.
- - Run SG once more, again the change should be made. Note that your systems time
- is now correct again.
-
- Now you tested all the cases that are easily created. Any errors are hard to
- simulate, so careful proofreading should do the trick there. I would also
- appreciate it very much if you also have some attention for the correct
- functioning of the program. If you like, you can ask the status of the
- SUMMERTIME envvar by calling 'getenv SUMMERTIME' in the shell. The last field in
- the string you should see indicates whether SG thinks your are in Summertime or
- not (yes = ST, no = WT). If there is a mismatch with the current time (and SG
- has been run so it had the chance to notice the change), something is probably
- wrong. I don't think there will be any problems, because I tested the program
- myself quite thorougly, but you never know :)
-
- If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask me.
-
- Again, my E-mail is e.blok@student.utwente.nl
-
- Cheers and happy translating,
-
- Eelke
-