What does it take to localize the text strings in an Android app?
Besides the obvious requirement to understand both English and the language you will be translating into, it requires an editor capable of the languages in question or anything that can save in the UTF-8 format. Microsoft Word 2007+ can be used to translate the xml files, but you will need the XML Data View transformation file in order to accomplish the task. Without the XSLT file, you will only see half the information stored in the XML and it makes translations a bit harder.
Using MS Word to translate
MS Word will require an XSL file in order to properly translate the strings stored in XML. You can read up on why over here. android_resource_strings.xsl is the “XML Data View” file you will need to use in conjunction with editing the strings_en.xml with MS Word. Once you have opened the “strings_en.xml”, you will need to choose a data view (XSLT) to appy. Browse to this file and choose it. Once
you do that, the view should change dramatically and show you two columns. One for “String ID” and one for “String Value”. The column you would translate is the “String Value” and the String ID should give you a good idea of where in the app it will be used (along with the English string currently being used). Once you save the file as “strings_translated.xml”, the translation will be complete and ready to be placed into the next version of the app.
Download link: android_string_resources.xsl (zipped)
Android Market description and promotional text
The Market description text is limited in size to 4000 characters (so much more than the 325 it used to be!).
Current English Android Market text for AttachSave Lite:
lso works with Email app on older phones. Browse Folder app not included, but not required. This CANNOT read your email and is forced to guess the attachment name.
2
3
4
5
6
to the SD card and view it from there.
HOW: Preview the attachment in the Gmail app.
A
Current English Android Market text for AttachSave (full version):
2
to the SD card and view it from there.
2
3
4
5
6
7
Also works with Email app on older phones.
Browse Folder app not included, but not required.
Reads your email to get the file name; CANNOT broadcast your email contents anyway.
Current English Android Market text for AttachSave Gopher:
2
except that it has no launcher.
The Promotional text is a short ad for the app. The size limit on this text is 80 characters.
Current English Android Market Promotional text for all versions:
Lists of Text Items
The lists being used inside the app are mainly seen in the Settings area. Only the items underneath the heading need to be translated.
1 | After Save Action setting menu: |
1 | Do Nothing |
1 | Open Attachment |
1 | Open File Browser |
Text strings
strings_en.xml contains the majority of what needs to be translated inside the app. You can edit it directly with your favorite editor, but if you are going to use MS Word, please read this.
There’s a few technical quirks with the translations, but I will handle all that on my end so you don’t have to worry about it (like the backslashes before single and double quotes). A few of the
strings have wildcards in them like “%1$s”. Those wildcards will need to be in the translated string as well, but will be filled in by the appropriate data where applicable. e.g. “Version %1$s” will become “Version 5.1” when the app is running.
FAQ
- You do not have to translate every string. Partial translations are acceptable as well as using English where it is better suited.
Summary
Please email all questions and submissions to me at: ryanf@blackmoonit.com
A quick list of links:
Changes from 2.3 to 3.0:
1 | <string name="pref_title_aftersave_action">After Save Action</string> |
Only the items underneath the heading need to be translated.
1 | After Save Action setting menu: |
1 | Do Nothing |
1 | Open Attachment |
1 | Open File Browser |
THANK YOU!
I hope it’s fairly straightforward to translate. It’s a heck of a lot simpler to translate an Android app than some of the commercial programs I’ve worked on in the past. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. =)
Again, thank you so much for your generosity!
Thank-you verymuch
Frommarthamalagon