Multi-Lingual Validator Framework

Hi All,

I've always thought it a pity that the Validator doesn't take 
advantage of OpenSP's localized error messages. To fix this, I've 
made a proof-of-concept version based on 0.7.2, which displays the 
localized errors (English, Japanese, French, German, Swedish and 
Turkish):

http://ml-validator.habilis.net/

(Note: this test service is running on a under-powered server, so its slow.)

Source code available at:

http://ml-validator.habilis.net/ml-validator.tgz

At the moment, the ml-validator is just a framework. Files exists for 
all the OpenSP-supported languages, but are untranslated (except for 
English). Error explanations are commented out (except for English). 
The only localized content comes form OpenSP's error messages.

The intention of ml-validator is to provide a working multi-lingual 
framework, in which translations can be added without requiring 
code-changes.

Differences from Validator 0.7.2:

- HTML and template docs broken out to the 6 languages supported by OpenSP:
    English, Japanese, French, German, Swedish and Turkish.

- Cross-language links added to headers.

- Check script modified to support a lang option and basic 
accept-language handling. Check sets LANG environment variable to 
localize OpenSP error output.

- Forms modified to pass the lang option.

- Support added for Apache's MultiView language selection.

Although functional, ml-validator is still under development. In 
particular, the feedback system and doc/errors.html are broken (full 
list of issues in ml-validator/ML-TODO).


Future Directions:

Is this useful? Would anyone like to contribute translations? I'm 
happy to help coordinate a version control repository and administer 
a auto-update test server. Would the W3C be interested in someday 
merging the code changes and translations?

I know from the list archives that there has often been some 
hesitance about opening the Validator up for localization, because 
the Validator is under active development.

However, I think it would be of great benefit for web developers to 
see the error messages in their native languages (even without the 
Validator's explanations).

A minimally usable translation, which just supports a developer's 
edit-validate-repeat loop, would only involve the input forms and 
basic output templates. Error explanations and help/documentation 
translations could be added later (or never, if the Validator is 
undergoing major revisions).

Please let me know what you think - Chuck

Received on Sunday, 1 October 2006 20:24:09 UTC