Localizing An Extension - Adobe 38040334 - Dreamweaver CS3 User Manual

Localizing an extension

Use the following techniques to make it easier to translate your extensions into local languages.
• Separate extensions into HTML and JavaScript files. The HTML files can be replicated and localized; the JavaS-
cript files are not localized.
• Do not define display strings in the JavaScript files (check for alerts and UI code). Extract all localizable strings
into separate XML files in the Dreamweaver Configuration/Strings folder.
• Do not write JavaScript code in the HTML files except for required event handlers. This eliminates the need to fix
a bug multiple times for multiple translations after the HTML files are replicated and translated into other
languages.
XML string files
Store all strings in XML files in the Dreamweaver Configuration/Strings folder. If you install many related extension
files, this lets you share all strings in a single XML file. If applicable, this also lets you refer to the same string from
both C++ and JavaScript extensions.
You could create a file called myExtensionStrings.xml. The following example shows the format of the file:
<strings>
<!-- errors for feature X -->
<string id="featureX/subProblemY" value="There was a with X when you did Y. Try not to
do Y!"/>
<string id="featureX/subProblemZ" value="There was another problem with X, regarding Z.
Don't ever do Z!"/>
</strings>
Now your JavaScript files can refer to these translatable strings by calling the
in the following example:
function initializeUI()
{
...
if (problemYhasOccured)
{
alert(dw.loadString("featureX/subProblemY");
}
}
You can use slash (/) characters in your string identifiers, but do not use spaces. Using slashes, you can create a
hierarchy to suit your needs, and include all the strings in a single XML file.
Note: Files that begin with cc in the Configuration/Strings folder are Contribute files. For example, the file
ccSiteStrings.xml is a Contribute file.
Localizable strings with embedded values
Some display strings have values embedded in them. You can use the
can find the function, which is similar to the
errMsg()
ration/Shared/MM/Scripts/CMN folder. Use the placeholder characters percent sign (
values should appear in the string and then pass the string and variable names as arguments to
example:
dw.loadString()
function to display these strings. You
errMsg()
function in C, in the string.js file in the Configu-
printf()
DREAMWEAVER CS3
Extending Dreamweaver
function, as shown
and to indicate where
%) s
. For
errMsg()
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