Re: Automating of localizations
Hi,
From: Petter Reinholdtsen <pere@hungry.com>
Subject: Re: Automating of localizations
Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2003 09:31:31 +0100
> [Tomohiro KUBOTA]
> > I am a maintainer of language-env. I am glad if we can cooperate.
>
> This sounds good. I send you an email a while ago, but did not see a
> reply. Not sure if the email got lost.
> <URL:https://init.linpro.no/pipermail/skolelinux.no/devel/2003-October/000779.html>.
Well, it seems that I missed the mail. Sorry not for replying.
I downloaded and started checking the package.
I found that many of configurations are originally controlled by
installation-time "debconf" procedure of each package. Thus,
at least language-env or locale-config-skolelinux should keep
consistency with debconf database for these packages. (For
example, not only modifying /etc/locale.gen, we also need to
modify "locales/locales_to_be_generated" item of debconf database.
Please see /var/lib/dpkg/info/locales.config for example.)
Otherwise, when these packages are updated, the settings
by locale-config-skolelinux will be overrided and lost. However,
when implementing this, we need to discuss with the maintainers
of these packages.
> > I have some questions. Does the whole locale-config-skolelinux
> > package have a list of "supported packages" and then each supported
> > package has a list of supported languages? Or, does the whole
> > locale-config-skolelinux package have a list of "supported languages"
> > and then each language governs which packages to support?
>
> Both. You can run 'update-locale -l' to list the supported languages,
> and their supported subsystems. The implementation consist of several
> small scripts for each type of configuration, and each script have a
> list of languages it supports.
I found that locale-config-skolelinux package adopts the former
approach. This approach is useful for settings which will be
similar between languages and the configrations hardly need
language-specific tricks. However, in such a case, I think the
configuration can easily be integrated into the each package.
If there is a separate package or mechanism for localization, its
raison d'etre can be more than just configurating each package.
Of course, locale-config-skolelinux is useful because it can configure
many packages for one purpose (same language). I think it is really
useful now, but this role should be transferred to the installer
in future. I.e., the installer will ask the default language for
system-wide setting and it will be stored as a debconf item. Then
packages will be able to use the information. For example, when
installing "locales" package, popular locales for the language/country
will be selected at debconf screen.
---
Tomohiro KUBOTA <kubota@debian.org>
http://www.debian.or.jp/~kubota/
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