LangBuilder

Category:Libraries::Language

[h3]Language Files Builder[/h3]

This utility class eases the process of translation management for CI language files. The goal is to centralize all translated items in one CSV file. This allows to keep a consistent baseline for translated data and to keep track (thanks to OpenOffice) of those who need to be translated (the blank columns) after a huge amount of change/improvement in your multilingual views.

The data could be retrieved and organized as needed from a CSV file through the use of the [url=http://www.codeigniter.com/Wiki/CSVReader]CSVReader[/url] library.

Here is an example of CSV file that I use:

line;français;english
Checkout;Commander;Checkout
Remove item;Retirer l'article;Remove item

The first column name ([em]line[/em]) must be strictly respected.

[h3]Note[/h3]

You have probably noticed that I do not prefix item names as recommended in the [url=http://www.codeigniter.com/user_guide/libraries/language.html]language[/url] manual page and that I extensively use spaces. In case of missing definition, it allows to display an [em]understandable[/em] (I know this is controversial and localization dependent) alternative to the user through the direct use of the item name and thanks to a dedicated helper. Here is the helper:

<?php if (!defined('BASEPATH')) exit('No direct script access allowed');
/**
 * Internationalization helper
 * 
 * $Id: i18n_helper.php 193 2008-01-12 00:37:41Z Pierre-Jean $
 *  
 * @author        Pierre-Jean Turpeau
 * @link        n/a
 */
function i18n($p_Item, $p_Param = null) {
    $CI =& get_instance();
    $line = $CI->lang->line($p_Item);
    if( $line == null ) {
        log_message('error', 'i18n: unknown item ['.$p_Item.'] in '.$_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']);
        $line = $p_Item;
    }
    if( $p_Param != null ) {
        if( is_array($p_Param) ) {
            return vsprintf($line, $p_Param);
        } else {
            return sprintf($line, $p_Param);
        }
    } else {
        return $line;
    }
}
?>

[h3]Requirements[/h3]

• CI: tested on 1.5.3
• PHP: tested on 5.2.1

[h3]The library code[/h3]

<?php if (!defined('BASEPATH')) exit('No direct script access allowed');
/**
 * LangBuilder Class
 * 
 * $Id: langbuilder.php 140 2007-06-03 22:12:19Z Pierre-Jean $
 * 
 * Build languages files from languages data as needed in the language/
 * sub directories. 
 * 
 * The following data organization is assumed:
 * 
 *         Array(
 *             [0] => Array(
 *                     [line] => Checkout
 *                     [français] => Commander
 *                     [english] => Checkout
 *             )
 *             [1] => Array(
 *                     [line] => Remove item
 *                     [français] => Retirer l'article
 *                     [english] => Remove item
 *             )
 *         )
 * 
 * It will produce the following files:
 * 
 *    <language_directory>/français/generated_lang.php
 *         &lt;?php
 *        $lang['Checkout'] = 'Commander';
 *        $lang['Remove item'] = 'Retirer l&rsquo;rticle';
 *         ?&gt;
 * 
 *    <language_directory>/english/generated_lang.php
 *         &lt;?php
 *        $lang['Checkout'] = 'Checkout';
 *        $lang['Remove item'] = 'Remove item';
 *         ?&gt;
 *  
 * @author        Pierre-Jean Turpeau
 * @link        http://www.codeigniter.com/wiki/LangBuilder
 */
class LangBuilder {
    
    /**
     * Build the language files from the specified data.
     * 
     * @param array
     * @param string
     * @param string
     * @return void 
     */
    function build($p_Data, $p_LanguageDirectoryPath, $p_TargetName = 'generated' ) {
        $CI =& get_instance();

        $php = array();
        
        foreach( $p_Data as $item ) {
            foreach( $item as $lang => $value ) {
                if( $lang != 'line' ) { // skip the 'line' column
                    if( !isset($php[$lang]) ) {
                        $php[$lang] = '';
                    }                
                    
                    if( trim($value) != '' ) {
                        $php[$lang] .= "\$lang['".trim($item['line'])."'] = '".preg_replace('/\'/', '&rsquo;', preg_replace('/"/', '&quot;', trim($value)))."';\n";
                    }
                }
            }
        }
        
        foreach( $php as $lang => $text ) {
            $filename = $p_LanguageDirectoryPath.'/'.trim($lang).'/'.$p_TargetName.'_lang.php';
            $f = fopen&#40;$filename, 'w'&#41;;
            fwrite($f, "&lt;?php\n");
            fwrite($f, $text);
            fwrite($f, "?&gt;\n");
            fclose($f);
        }
    }    
}
?&gt;