DDTP status in Ubuntu

[Michael Vogt]

On Sun, Jun 10, 2007 at 12:58:46AM +0200, Szilveszter Farkas wrote:
> Hello,
Hello,
 
sorry for my late reply.

> I'd like to enquiry about the status of DDTP (Debian Description
> Translation Project) in Ubuntu because of several reasons. A member of
> our Translation Team reported that the ddtp package is translatable
> via Rosetta[0], but it doesn't seem to be up to date[1].

There have been technical difficulties to keep the translations
up-to-date within launchpad translations. Those are resolved now and
the imports will started again very soon.
 
> Our question would be: is it worth to put effort into translating
> package descriptions (i.e. will they be updated on a regular basis
> like langpacks)?

The current interface in launchpad translations is not optimal in many
ways. The pot file is way too big currently. I would like to see the
following changes (in this order):

1. Move the binary package description template into each source
   package entry as "pkgdescription.pot" in launchpad instead of the
   current *huge* ddtp table. This moves the translation string where
   they belong and that should give us much more translated package
   descriptions.

2. Import the current existing Ubuntu and Debian translations into the
   new schema so that no exisiting translations get lost. This
   requires to split up the current big po files that contain all
   strings per disro-component (e.g. gutsy-main.po for "de").

3. Make rosetta export the package translation description data in for
   each component (so that you can ask it for the data for all
   translations in main, universe). Use this data to assemble new
   Translation-$lang files that can be uploaded to soyuz. This upload
   ideally is done by rosetta itself.

4. Automatically import/update the package description template on
   each successful package build (much like it is done for the regular
   pot inside the package currently).Currently the changes are
   uploaded as new big pot files manually (there is some automatiation
   here, but it is not ideal).

5. Set the old ddtp ubuntu translations and templates in rosetta
   to read-only

6. Import debian ddtp translations regularly read-only so that they
   appear as suggestions in rosetta. This should be done by rosetta
   itself ideally.

I discussed this with Carlos and he seems to like the ideas. I hope
this (or something similar) can be implemented soon. That should make
the translated package descriptions much more usable and easier to
update. 

As for the updates, I think a similar policy as with the langpacks
should apply. We should publish updates to $distro-proposed and
-updates regulary.

Cheers,
 Michael