Is ODK Collect prepared for multi language?

Development
1

Hi,

I need to translate ODK Collect into Spanish (and customize texts for a
very particular use, that's why I don't look for already existing
translations).

I've noticed that all the strings are in the strings.xml file, so I
already know how to edit it to replace the english texts with my custom
spanish texts.

Now my question is, is it already prepared somehow for having multiple
languages that the user can choose perhaps in the settings? At first
sight it looks like it isn't (that is, looks like I'll have to export
multiple versions of the app in different language and have the users
choose which one to install, which is pretty acceptable for my setup).

But I'm wondering if there is some mechanism that is already there,
already implemented, that I just don't know about, where I only need to
somehow add just another xml with the strings in another language??
Or am I dreaming?

I ask because I've seen there's a string called "change_language" but I
don't see any such option in the settings...

Thanks
m.

2

Just to clarify, I meant multiple languages in the user interface, not
in the forms.

··· On 10/24/2011 04:33 PM, Matteo Sisti Sette wrote: > I ask because I've seen there's a string called "change_language" but I > don't see any such option in the settings...

Oh I see, the "change language" is for changing the language of the
form, right?

So I guess the answer to my original question is no, multiple-language
user interface is not possible at the moment, �right?

thanks
m.

3

Matteo,
Multiple languages are possible in the interface. If you make a second (or
more) strings.xml file called strings-[language code].xml and add that to
the project, when you select Spanish as a language on your phone-settings
the application will use that language pack instead for the interface.

The form-language setting is separate.

If you do this, please send us the new strings.xml file and we'll add it to
the project.
Thanks,
Carl

··· On Mon, Oct 24, 2011 at 7:37 AM, Matteo Sisti Sette < matteosistisette@gmail.com> wrote:

Just to clarify, I meant multiple languages in the user interface, not in
the forms.

On 10/24/2011 04:33 PM, Matteo Sisti Sette wrote:

I ask because I've seen there's a string called "change_language" but I
don't see any such option in the settings...

Oh I see, the "change language" is for changing the language of the form,
right?

So I guess the answer to my original question is no, multiple-language user
interface is not possible at the moment, ¿right?

thanks
m.

4

Mateo,
Have you tried changing the language setting on your phone?
Menu >> Settings >> Language and Keyboard>> Language

~Neil

··· On Mon, Oct 24, 2011 at 10:37 AM, Matteo Sisti Sette < matteosistisette@gmail.com> wrote:

Just to clarify, I meant multiple languages in the user interface, not in
the forms.

On 10/24/2011 04:33 PM, Matteo Sisti Sette wrote:

I ask because I've seen there's a string called "change_language" but I
don't see any such option in the settings...

Oh I see, the "change language" is for changing the language of the form,
right?

So I guess the answer to my original question is no, multiple-language user
interface is not possible at the moment, ¿right?

thanks
m.

5

I just tried Collect 1.1.7RC2 on a phone using French for the general
Android interface. The ODK Collect was in English. Thus I guess no one has
translated it to french yet. I'd love to do that but I don't feel confident
to go into the development code and search out a translation file. Can
someone send it to me and then I can do the translation and send it back to
get re-integrated into the main branch.
Curtis Broderick

··· On Mon, Oct 24, 2011 at 5:42 PM, Carl Hartung wrote:

Matteo,
Multiple languages are possible in the interface. If you make a second (or
more) strings.xml file called strings-[language code].xml and add that to
the project, when you select Spanish as a language on your phone-settings
the application will use that language pack instead for the interface.

The form-language setting is separate.

If you do this, please send us the new strings.xml file and we'll add it to
the project.
Thanks,
Carl

On Mon, Oct 24, 2011 at 7:37 AM, Matteo Sisti Sette < matteosistisette@gmail.com> wrote:

Just to clarify, I meant multiple languages in the user interface, not in
the forms.

On 10/24/2011 04:33 PM, Matteo Sisti Sette wrote:

I ask because I've seen there's a string called "change_language" but I
don't see any such option in the settings...

Oh I see, the "change language" is for changing the language of the form,
right?

So I guess the answer to my original question is no, multiple-language
user interface is not possible at the moment, ¿right?

thanks
m.

--

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6

I tried that, but then I get hundreds of compile error, basically
telling me for each and every string in the xml that it has a
duplicate definition.

I guess I'm missing some parameter/attribute in the xmls (hopefully
not on EACH string)...

··· 2011/10/24 Carl Hartung : > Matteo, > Multiple languages are possible in the interface. If you make a second (or > more) strings.xml file called strings-[language code].xml and add that to > the project, when you select Spanish as a language on your phone-settings > the application will use that language pack instead for the interface.

--
Matteo Sisti Sette
matteosistisette@gmail.com
http://www.matteosistisette.com

7

If you do this, please send us the new strings.xml file and we'll add it to
the project.

Oh sorry, I'd love to, but apart from translating it, I'm also
customizing the texts to our particular scenario, where odk is used
actually to send "messages" rather than answer surveys. So for example
a saved form is called a "message" and a new form is called a
"template" and even more strange things. My translation wouldn't be of
much use to anybody else...

8

Here's how to do localization in Android applications:

··· On Mon, Oct 24, 2011 at 3:23 PM, matteo sisti sette < matteosistisette@gmail.com> wrote:

2011/10/24 Carl Hartung carlhartung@gmail.com:

Matteo,
Multiple languages are possible in the interface. If you make a second
(or
more) strings.xml file called strings-[language code].xml and add that to
the project, when you select Spanish as a language on your phone-settings
the application will use that language pack instead for the interface.

I tried that, but then I get hundreds of compile error, basically
telling me for each and every string in the xml that it has a
duplicate definition.

I guess I'm missing some parameter/attribute in the xmls (hopefully
not on EACH string)...

--
Matteo Sisti Sette
matteosistisette@gmail.com
http://www.matteosistisette.com

9

I just tried Collect 1.1.7RC2 on a phone using French for the general
Android interface. The ODK Collect was in English. Thus I guess no one has
translated it to french yet.

I think there's no translation to any language included in the current release.

··· -- Matteo Sisti Sette matteosistisette@gmail.com http://www.matteosistisette.com
10

Ahh, ok, it's the folder values-[language code]/ not the file
strings-[language code].xml :wink:

Thanks
m.

··· 2011/10/25 Carl Hartung : > Here's how to do localization in Android applications: > http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/resources/localization.html#creating-alternatives > > On Mon, Oct 24, 2011 at 3:23 PM, matteo sisti sette wrote: >> >> 2011/10/24 Carl Hartung : >> > Matteo, >> > Multiple languages are possible in the interface. If you make a second >> > (or >> > more) strings.xml file called strings-[language code].xml and add that >> > to >> > the project, when you select Spanish as a language on your >> > phone-settings >> > the application will use that language pack instead for the interface. >> >> I tried that, but then I get hundreds of compile error, basically >> telling me for each and every string in the xml that it has a >> duplicate definition. >> >> I guess I'm missing some parameter/attribute in the xmls (hopefully >> not on EACH string)... >> >> >> -- >> Matteo Sisti Sette >> matteosistisette@gmail.com >> http://www.matteosistisette.com > >

--
Matteo Sisti Sette
matteosistisette@gmail.com
http://www.matteosistisette.com