[Freeciv-Dev] Re: (PR#2374) multi-language client-server patch

["Raimar Falke via RT" <rt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Thu, Nov 21, 2002 at 04:30:49AM -0800, Per I. Mathisen via RT wrote:
> 
> On Wed, 20 Nov 2002, mateusz stefek via RT wrote:
> > See incoming/fims.tgz
> >
> > I've spent many hours writing and testing it, so have fun
> 
> Please describe what it is.

From the patch:

+/*
+    The FIMS system (Freeciv Internationalized Message System)
+ == introducion ==
+
+ The FIMS system is used to pack an untraslated expression into
+ a machine-independent buffer, which could be later unpacked and
+ translated.
+
+ Mechanizm is intended to be very simple:
+ 1) Server calls serialize_fims(data_out, format, args)
+    Where format is something similiar to printf-format and
+    following args are used as in vprintf,
+ 2) The serialize_fims writes on some buffer
+    using data_out structure (dataio),
+ 3) Server somehow sends this buffer to the client,
+ 4) Client receives the buffer and calls
+    get_and_translate_fims(struct data_in * din, char *out)
+ 5) The translated string sits in out
+
+ == fims format ==
+
+ It works just like printf, but instead of '%' it uses
+ '^' (We don't want to confuse msgfmt).
+ Directives available:
+  s - the string which will be translated
+  e - the string which will stay unchanged
+  u - unit type (the argument is Unit_Type_id) which will be
+      replaced with its translated name.
+  l - There are 2 arg: (x, y) which
+      will be replaced with
+      get_location_str_in(x, y)
+  L - There are 2 arg: (x, y) which
+      will be replaced with
+      get_location_str_at(x, y)
+  p - There are 3 args (string1, string2, int n) which
+      will be replaced with PL_(string1, string2, n)
+      This is a recursive directive.
+  n - the Nation_Type_id, which will be replaced with get_nation_name
+  N - the Nation_Type_id, which will be replaced with get_nation_name_plural
+  i - There are 2 args (int city_no, Impr_Type_id) which will be replaced
+      with get_impr_name_ex(). (get_impr_name_ex sometimes returns 
"(obsolete)" note)
+  I - Impr_Type_id will be replaced with get_improvement_name()
+  t - Tech_type_id will be replaced with it's name
+  g - government id will be replaced with get_government_name()
+ 
+  Some correct examples:
+  N_("Hello there")
+  N_("The city ^e may soon grow to size ^d"), city.name, size
+  N_("You lost ^u ^l"), get_unit_type(punit), x, y
+  N_("You are the ^s), loser? N_("loser") : N_("winner")
+
+  To change the order of directives you should write a number
+  beetween '^' and the directive. For example:
+  "^2l ^1s", string, x, y
+  is correct.
+  But When you use digit after one '^' you should use it everywhere
+  "^2s ^1s ^d" is incorrect
+
+  == rekursive directives ==
+
+  String which is returned by a recursive directive is treated as another
+  format. Argument for it should be __after__ another arguments.
+  I.E:
+  N_("^p because ^s"),
+     NPL_("You lost ^d unit", "You lost ^d units", count),
+     N_("something has happened"),
+     count);
+
+  There is only one level of recursion allowed.

        Raimar

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