[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #28571: Language updates problems

[WordPress Trac]

#28571: Language updates problems
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 Reporter:  pavelevap     |       Owner:
     Type:  defect (bug)  |      Status:  new
 Priority:  normal        |   Milestone:  4.0
Component:  I18N          |     Version:  trunk
 Severity:  major         |  Resolution:
 Keywords:                |     Focuses:
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Comment (by pavelevap):

 markoheijnen: Thank you!

 1) Safe location

 Yes, assumption that `wp-content/languages` is safe can be bad, but really
 used. I did not notice that mentioned examples use other subdirectory. But
 see for example following links:

 https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/23721 (and others). Users need some
 safe directory for modified localization files (and they use `wp-
 content/languages` now, especially for plugins and themes).

 https://wordpress.org/plugins/codestyling-localization-preserver/ Plugin
 to preserve modified localization files.

 There was need for users to modify localization files, because of plugin
 and theme updates overwriting localization files. So, users started using
 `wp-content/languages` and nobody told them not to do it. And we have to
 deal with it even with WordPress core, because there will be more problems
 with themes and plugins. And overwriting modified localization files is
 not a good solution.

 2) Approved language updates

 I am not sure, why we can decide not to update WordPress, plugins or
 themes, but language updates are forced as default. I understand that it
 should work automatically for users not to bother them, but current
 (trunk) state is not ideal.

 What about selection of available languages updates? Users can select what
 can be automatically updated (and they can change it in the future). It
 can be as simply as plugins or themes. Users can check WordPress, Akismet
 and uncheck Twenty Fourteen, because they have own customization here. And
 users know what will be automatically updated (no strange and hidden
 process in the background). And in this case we can forget for point 1,
 because users can simply choose not to update. Everybody happy...

 3) Do not overwrite developers installations

 I tried to add following code to plugin file (or functions.php in 2014
 theme):

 `add_filter( 'auto_update_translation', '__return_false' );`

 Language updates still coming :-( Maybe it is due to SVN localhost
 installation? I am not sure, but it is really annoying because of using
 Poedit and my files are always overwritten.

 4) Distribution of translation

 I still think that some kind of button (checkbox per project in GlotPress)
 is needed. Instead of packaging the whole localized version, there could
 be a simple checkbox for every MAJOR version (minor can work
 automatically). It is still great improvement for translators, only one
 checkbox per project (for WordPress it should combine all subprojects), no
 problem with handling minor versions, etc. Translators could check when
 they think it is done and distribution can start. No script can find that
 localization is ready to use! As I wrote in my example (frontend 100%,
 administration 90%, multisite 10%), localization is ready and standard
 user does not notice any English strings. How can script do it? When
 administration was 88%, we did not want to allow distribution, because of
 About page was not complete (and every users will see it). So 88% for
 administration was not ready, but 90% was. In the next major version it
 can be different. No script can handle it and if it will be done in this
 way, translations will be postponed until 100% (so many users will not
 have their localized version, even if it is ready for using).

 5) More languages

 I tried Slovak version, but do not use it now. I do not want to
 automatically update all languages versions I tried in the past. How can I
 do it? Why there are inefficient checks for files which are not used? It
 can be automatically updated when I switch back to Slovak version? Users
 will be annoyed, because they can see that Slovak version is updated too
 and they do not know why (they forgot that they tried this version in the
 past).

 6) Never ending out of date message

 See new ticket: #28949.

 7) Problem messages

 Screenshots with errors are still valid. Also string "Updating
 translations for WordPress (cs_CZ)" is displayed several times and user do
 not know what is happening behind...

 I can create new tickets for some of these issues, but some points in
 current state are BLOCKERS (regression, bad user experience, overwriting
 files), I guess.

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Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/28571#comment:18>
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