Language Pack Revision

[Antes]

Well, this was talked in 2009. I just want to remind it.

The idea came from when we update language files, we need to inform users manually that's a big work (and nearly impossible) so small area for language files shows

Current Revision : xx
Latest Revision : xx

I think this can be useful for everyone

[emanuele]

That reminds me to ask why SMF doesn't use a "proper" package (i.e. one that can be uploaded through the package manager) to install languages...
I can imagine three reasons:
1) in the past it could've been a problem of size (maybe the pack was large due to the images, honestly I haven't checked 1.0 and 1.1 file sizes even though I have them around somewhere), but nowadays that shouldn't be a problem,
2) a problem of packaging (i.e. the language editor is able to pack the files, but not to create a package-info.xml),
3) forums with *a lot* of languages would have a page full of packs.

Is there any other reason?

[Antes]

LE already putting revision numbers after you make commit to it (translate/update/delete etc...) and making this to all files, so maybe there will be a compare tool reads first line of language file

// Version: 2.0; Login R5700 (example) and compare it with core one, different ? One click update

[Arantor]

Well, it's weird because the package manager is aware of packages whose type is language (along with modification, avatar, smiley and the ever famous 'other')

They're even segregated away from all the other packages when the page is built.

The language editor itself doesn't make package-info.xml files if I remember rightly but that's no big deal. What would be fantastic is if in 2.1 the files were re-arranged into Themes/default/languages/english and so on since then it's a one line operation to handle it in the package-info.xml file (just require the entire directory)

[emanuele]

Well, it's weird because the package manager is aware of packages whose type is language (along with modification, avatar, smiley and the ever famous 'other')

Yes, I've seen them while rewriting a couple of things and that was one of the reasons I was wondering why it is like that...

The language editor itself doesn't make package-info.xml files if I remember rightly but that's no big deal.

Yep, it should not be difficult to create.

What would be fantastic is if in 2.1 the files were re-arranged into Themes/default/languages/english and so on since then it's a one line operation to handle it in the package-info.xml file (just require the entire directory)

Yes, that would be a wonderful thing to do... but I think it was more for the step 1.x => 2.0 or now 2.x => 3.0.
I'd love to see all the languages in their sub-dirs (would be so easy to delete one ), but change it at that stage wound mean to break almost every existing mod...(not that we didn't break anything already! ) ...and now that I think about it, it would probably require some changes to the language editor too (just guessing though).

[Arantor]

Yes, I've seen them while rewriting a couple of things and that was one of the reasons I was wondering why it is like that...

IIRC that code all predates Compuart's language editor.

Yes, that would be a wonderful thing to do... but I think it was more for the step 1.x => 2.0 or now 2.x => 3.0.

Given how much changed from 1.0 to 1.1, such a change between 2.0 and 2.1 would not be unprecedented.

[Arantor]

So looking at this, the stuff about packman is a mere bagatelle compared to the real issue.

Having rev numbers inside the language files is certainly doable if we can modify LE - but that's an issue in itself - but do we need to display those numbers anywhere?

What I'm getting at: is this purely an issue for LE/site stuff or do we actually need to do something in the core to support it and if so what would you like to see done?

[Antes]

Actually i forgot this, this feature needs changes on Language Editor itself so its not possible doing it via only SMF. Currently LE outputting revision for project, either we need to put all languages as separated project (which is not optimal) or we do some changes on LE and it reflect revision for each language pack (I mean different revision for 1.0 / 1.1 / 2.0 / 2.1) also because of our mods doing edits on language packs update means do diff on language packs I'm not sure SMF can do diff.