Visual Source Code Localization

Source code localization is very simple in Sisulizer because it is visual and safe. The basic idea of source code localization it to parse the source, extract strings from it and create localized copy of the source code where the original strings are replaced with the translated ones. The structure of the localized file is identical to the original file. Only the strings are different.

For example if we have the following C++ source code:

void TForm1::FormCreate(TObject *Sender)
{
  Caption = "Hello"; // Form caption
  Label1->Caption = "How are you?";
}

Sisulizer extracts two strings: "Hello" and "How are you?". When building the Finnish files Sisulizer creates the following source code:

void TForm1::FormCreate(TObject *Sender)
{
  Caption = "Moi"; // Form caption
  Label1->Caption = "Mitä kuuluu?";
}

When building the Japanese files Sisulizer creates the following source code:

void TForm1::FormCreate(TObject *Sender)
{
  Caption = "?????"; // Form caption
  Label1->Caption = "??????";
}

As you can see only the string have been replaced. Everything else (e.g. code and comments) are left unchanged.

Whenever you change the original source code you have to create the localized source code files again. Just open the Sisulizer project file and choose Project | Build All. You can also use Sisulizer's command line tool, SlMake to build the localized files.

Source code localization is supposed to be used only with the platform that do not use resource files. Such platforms are J2ME applications and embedded system applications. Source code parser is also used together with other parsers such as XML and HTML to localize scripts that are embedded into these files.

Tagging

By default Sisulizer extracts all strings from the source code. You can exclude one or more strings by using tagging. You can also use tagging to make Sisulizer to extract only those strings that you mark.

Context

When you localize a source code file you can choose between two context methods.

Context method specifies how context value of formed. Possible values are:

Both methods can be used with any file. The difference is how duplicates strings are handled. Item index creates as many rows as there are duplicate strings. String value method always only one row for each string.

Samples

Sisulizer's Source directory contain source code samples.