[Freeciv-Dev] Re: po-files are too big (PR#561)

[Gaute B Strokkenes <gs234@xxxxxxxxx>]

Erik Sigra <freeciv@xxxxxxx> writes:

> Here is a piece of helptext which could be added to the localization
> mini-faq at <http://www.freeciv.org/l10n.phtml> or wherever you
> like. After doing so, this so called bug could be considered
> fixed. Some other translator, please check this text and correct it:
> 
> * How do I edit po-files?
> 
>   Although po-files can be edited directly, the safest and most
>   convenient way to edit them is to use the emacs po-mode. You need to
>   have GNU xgettext

GNU gettext, you mean?

>   installed to do this. Then you need to add the following to your
>   '~/.gnu-emacs' file

.gnu-emacs ?  The conventional name is .emacs .  What kind of system
are you using?

>   (see the xgettext documentation for details):

> (setq auto-mode-alist
>       (cons '("\\.po[tx]?\\'\\|\\.po\\." . po-mode) auto-mode-alist))
> (autoload 'po-mode "po-mode")
> (autoload 'po-find-file-coding-system "po-mode")
> (modify-coding-system-alist 'file "\\.po[tx]?\\'\\|\\.po\\."
>                             'po-find-file-coding-system)
> 
>   Save it and restart emacs with a po-file. Now the buffer should
>   become highlighted with beautiful colors.

I don't think that it's a good idea to include detailed instructions
on how to install things by hand.  If gettext has already been
installed by your sysmonster or if you're using some sort of package
system, this can screw thing up quite severly.

>   If you get the error message "Fontifying XX.po...buffer too big"
>   and don't get the colors, you have to increase the value of the
>   variable font-lock-maximum-size. To do this, open the 'Help' menu
>   and select 'Describe', then 'Descrive variable... (C-h v)'. Type
>   'font-lock-maximum-size'. Read the helptext in the buffer that
>   opens and middleclick on the underlined word 'customize'. Change
>   the value to something high like 1048576 (2^20). (Your
>   customizations are saved in the file '~/.gnu-emacs-custom'.)

First of all, not emacsen have menus.  Mine doesn't.  I can
middle-click etc. either, since I'm using the console.  I think it's
better to point people in the direction of the emacs manual and
M-x customize.  Also, the value 2^20 seems a bit arbitrary.  It's
better to have a look at the actual .po files and add 10% or something
like that.  (My apologies if you've done that already.)  Don't tell
people where their customisations etc. are going to end up, because
you will inevitably be wrong about the exact setup and version of the
person at the other end.  Lastly, it might be nice to know why they
need to set this variable.

-- 
Big Gaute (not to be confused with LG)
Civilization is fun!  Anyway, it keeps me busy!!