Contribute a Language Translation via Weblate
- Jessica Crouch
For those more comfortable working outside of GitHub or who would like to contribute to the ArchivesSpace translation project without providing a full translation, ArchivesSpace uses an open-source, web-based translation tool called Weblate. Weblate enables a user to provide a translation of ArchivesSpace in real time and does not require the complete translation of the application to contribute. Through Weblate, users can collaboratively translate the application and can contribute as much or as little towards a translation as their time and skill allow. We encourage anyone interested in language translation of the application to consider using Weblate.
Weblate allows users to translate strings of text and offers a suite of tools and resources to make translation easier. The instructions below provide information about how to use Weblate to translate the ArchivesSpace application.
In addition to this documentation, Weblate also provides its own user manual available at https://docs.weblate.org/en/latest/user/translating.html
Requesting access to Weblate
If you are interested in using Weblate to provide a translation of ArchivesSpace, you will need to reach out to the ArchivesSpace program team at ArchivesSpaceHome@lyrasis.org to request a user account for Weblate and provide the team with the specific language you are translating ArchivesSpace into.
ArchivesSpace will create a user account for you and will provide a set of blank files within Weblate for the translation you are interested in providing. These files correspond to the five .yml files (public, common, enums, frontend, and frontend_help) in ArchivesSpace that create all the labels and other text in the interface.
Navigating Weblate
After requesting access to the ArchivesSpace Weblate dashboard, you will receive an email directly from Weblate with instructions for how to log in to your new account.
Once you are logged into Weblate, you can navigate to the ArchivesSpace dashboard by clicking the Projects dropdown and selecting archivesspace-interfaces.
To avoid abuse of the application, Weblate rate limits certain behaviors in the application, including translating. If you behave in a way Weblate views as suspicious (like moving around the application too quickly or jumping around interfaces) you will be logged out of the application. Be mindful of this limit as you begin navigating the application for the first time.
From there, navigate to the display option Languages.
From the Languages display, you can view all available languages for translation and the percentage of the translation that has been completed. Click the language you are interested in translating to open the files specific to that language.
Here you will find the available components for translation. These components correspond to the five .yml files within ArchivesSpace that need to be translated as well as a glossary of terms. Select the file you’d like to begin translating.
From here, you will be given the option to either browse the words and strings that have already been or need to be translated or the option to begin translation. To begin translating, select Translate.
Depending on the status of the translation and the percentage of completion, you will want to filter your results. For new translations or to continue translating untranslated strings and worlds, filter your results for Untranslated Strings.
In addition to translating new content from this interface, you can also review translated strings that require attention or editing. If you are not the only individual working on a specific language translation or if you would like to review your past work, you can use the filter to limit your results to review translated content as well. Alternatively you can use the Search feature to find a specific string or term.
Translated strings can be marked for review by the translator if they are uncertain of the translation or can be marked for review by Weblate if a change has been made to the ArchivesSpace application that has changed the .yml files being translated since the translation was provided. Translations do not need to be reviewed to be saved.
Saving a translation in Weblate
The string under active review and translation is provided in the Translation section of the interface. The string is provided in English. You, as the translator, will then provide the translation in the selected language below.
Once you are satisfied with the translation, you can save the translation by either selecting Save and Continue or Save and Stay. By selecting Save and Continue, your translation will be saved and you will be provided the next string in need of translation. By selecting Save and Stay, your progress will be saved but you will not be provided with any additional content to translate. Weblate automatically submits all saved translations to ArchivesSpace as pull requests in GitHub after 72 hours.
If you are unsure of how to translate a particular string, you can select Suggest to be provided an alternate string to translate from elsewhere in the file or Skip to move to the next string in the file. No content will be saved when a user selects Suggest or Skip.
Weblate translation assistance
Weblate provides users with a series of helpful tools for translation below the Translation section of the dashboard. These tools can help you determine how to translate a string or term but should not be relied upon to generate a translation without review and confirmation.
These tools include:
Nearby strings - provides users with context for the string being translated by displaying content in the strings immediately preceding and after the string being translated in the translation file.
Similar keys- provides users with examples of strings with similar characters.
Other occurrences - provides users with a list of other places this string appears in the translation file.
Comments - if other users are working on this translation, they can leave comments for one another about the translation.
Automatic suggestions - providers users with a suggested translation. This feature uses external translation tools which are noted in the suggestion. Users should be mindful of the accuracy of these translations within the context of ArchivesSpace and should validate the suggestion before accepting it.
Other languages - provides users with the translation of this string in the other available translations of ArchivesSpace.
History - provides the edit history of the string.