gnu.gettext
Class GettextResource

java.lang.Object
  |
  +--java.util.ResourceBundle
        |
        +--gnu.gettext.GettextResource

public abstract class GettextResource

extends java.util.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.

Field Summary

static boolean

verbose

Fields inherited from class java.util.ResourceBundle

parent

Constructor Summary

GettextResource()

Method Summary

static java.lang.String	gettext(java.util.ResourceBundle catalog, java.lang.String msgid) Returns the translation of msgid.
static java.lang.String	ngettext(java.util.ResourceBundle catalog, java.lang.String msgid, java.lang.String msgid_plural, long n) Returns the plural form for n of the translation of msgid.

Methods inherited from class java.util.ResourceBundle

getBundle, getBundle, getBundle, getKeys, getLocale, getObject, getString, getStringArray, handleGetObject, 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 java.lang.String gettext(java.util.ResourceBundle catalog,
                                       java.lang.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 java.lang.String ngettext(java.util.ResourceBundle catalog,
                                        java.lang.String msgid,
                                        java.lang.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