How to Localize iCalamus 2

Read our step-by-step instructions for localizing iCalamus 2.

If you did not already find iCalamus in your native language but you would like to translate about 2.000 strings, just go ahead. We will provide you with instructions for localizing iCalamus.

Conditions

1. First of all, you should be very familiar with your own native language and one of the already existing iCalamus languages.
2. iCalamus 2 runs under OS X (10.9 or higher). So it's a good idea that you use a Mac with this version of OS X, too.
3. We recommend that you use the same tools which are used by our other localizers.
4. You should keep in mind that we do not pay for your localization and will not agree to grant you any copyright of your translations if you commit them for a coming version of iCalamus.
5. If you do not already own a legal match code of iCalamus, we recommend that you commit your translation first. He or she who commits a new native language firstly, gets a free iCalamus license.

Translation Tools for iCalamus.app

You need the the following tools:

• iLocalize
  This is an outstanding tool for all localizers, written by Jean Bovet of Arizona Software.
• Xcode 6
  This is the Apple development toolset. iLocalize requires it. Just install it. You don't have to use it yourself.

Please don't change the layout of the various dialogs (.nib files) in your language. You might better report after the localization work is done, which dialogs should be resized to fit your localized strings. We will then adjust English first and based on English we'll adjust all other languages automatically – thanks to iLocalize.

Translation Tools for the iCalamus Manual

If you want to localize the online manual as well, there is more to do. But you can master it in a short while. Just do a handful of pages per day.

We share the iCalamus manual sources on our Subversion server. So, you can never mix up stuff with other localizers as Subversion helps you to keep control of concurrent versions of thousands of files.

• Subversion
  You need to install a subversion client on your Mac which will then manage your local working copy of the iCalamus manual sources.
• svnX
  Use this simple Subversion GUI tool which offers all you need for normal localization work.
• SmartSVN
  Alternatively use this really smart Subversion GUI which is a rich tool even in its unregistered version.
• TextWrangler
  iCalamus manual sources are written in Unicode UTF-8 encoding. We recommend this free text editor which offers more than you can eat ...

Background information worth reading:

• Apple Help Books in Cocoa applications
• Apple Help Books: Trouble Shooting
• How to Optimize NIB Layouts for Localizations

Translation Tools for iCalamus Website

Our website is written in PHP. You will probably find it most comfortable to save the existing pages in HTML format and localize these HTML files. Just send them to us. We can generate the localized PHP files easily then.

We use to tint untranslated web page components in orange color.