Page History

The Java Standard Tag Library v1.0 is used to specify messages in the JSPs like this:

OLD:

<H1>Search Results</H1>

NEW:

<H1><fmt:message key="jsp.search.results.title"/></H1>

This message can now be changed using the config/language-packs/Messages.properties file. (This must be done at build-time: Messages.properties is placed in the dspace.war Web application file.)

jsp.search.results.title = Search Results

Phrases may have parameters to be passed in, to make the job of translating easier, reduce the number of 'keys' and to allow translators to make the translated text flow more appropriately for the target language.

OLD:

<P>Results <%= r.getFirst() %> to <%= r.getLast() %> of <%=r.getTotal() %></P>

NEW:

<fmt:message key="jsp.search.results.text">
  <fmt:param><%= r.getFirst() %></fmt:param>
  <fmt:param><%= r.getLast() %></fmt:param>
  <fmt:param><%= r.getTotal() %></fmt:param>
</fmt:message>

(Note: JSTL 1.0 does not seem to allow JSP <%= %> expressions to be passed in as values of attribute in <fmt:param value=""/>)

The above would appear in the Messages_xx.properties file as:

jsp.search.results.text = Results {0}-{1} of {2} 

Introducing number parameters that should be formatted according to the locale used makes no difference in the message key compared to string parameters:

jsp.submit.show-uploaded-file.size-in-bytes = {0} bytes

In the JSP using this key can be used in the way belovbelow:

<fmt:message key="jsp.submit.show-uploaded-file.size-in-bytes">
  <fmt:param><fmt:formatNumber><%= bitstream.getSize()%></fmt:formatNumber></fmt:param>
</fmt:message>

(Note: JSTL offers a way to include numbers in the message keys as jsp.foo.key = {0,number} bytes. Setting the parameter as <fmt:param value="${variable}" /> workes  works when variable is a single variable name and doesn't work when trying to use a method's return value instead: bitstream.getSize(). Passing the number as string (or using the <%= %> expression) also does not work, either).)

Multiple Messages.properties can be created for different languages. See ResourceBundle.getBundle. e.g. you can add German and Canadian French translations:

Messages_de.properties
Messages_fr_CA.properties

The end user's browser settings determine which language is used by default (the user can change the language by clicking a link in the UI - these links are visible if more than one language is configured in DSpace). The English language file Messages.properties (or the default server locale) will be used as a default fallback if there's no language bundle for the end user's preferred language. (Note that the English file is not called Messages_en.properties – this is so because it is always available as a defaultfallback, regardless of server configuration.)

Message Key Convention

When translating further pages, please follow the convention for naming message keys to avoid clashes.

For text in JSPs use the complete path + filename of the JSP , then followed by a onesingle-word name for the message. e.g. for the title of jsp/mydspace/main.jsp use:

jsp.mydspace.main.title

Some common words (e.g. "Help") can be brought out into keys starting starting with jsp. for ease of translation (however, this is generally discouraged - two strings appearing in two places in the UI should have separate keys, even if the strings are identical), e.g.:

jsp.admin = Administer

Other common words/phrases are brought out into '"general' " parameters if they relate to a set (directory) of JSPs, e.g.

jsp.tools.general.delete = Delete

Phrases that relate strongly to a topic (eg. MyDSpace) but used in many JSPs outside the particular directory are more convenient to be cross-referenced. For example one could use the key below in jsp/submit/saved.jsp to provide a link back to the user's MyDSpace area:

(Cross-referencing of keys in general is not a good idea as it may make maintenance more difficult. But in some cases it has more advantages as the meaning is obvious.)

jsp.mydspace.general.goto-mydspace = Go to My DSpace

For text in servlet code, in custom JSP tags or wherever applicable use the fully qualified classname + a one-word name for the message. e.g.

org.dspace.app.webui.jsptag.ItemListTag.title = Title

Latest language files

The JSPUI language files are updated and released separately from the DSpace core project. Visit the dspace-api-lang project on Github.

Internationalization of Metadata

DSpace stores a language value together with the actual metadata fields. associates each metadata field value with a language code (though it may be left empty, e.g. for numeric values).