[Python-Dev] Re: gettext in the standard library

[M.-A. Lemburg]

Martin von Loewis wrote:
> 
> > Just dreaming a little here: I would prefer that we use some
> > form of XML to write the catalogs.
> 
> Well, I hope that won't happen. We have excellent tools dealing with
> the catalogs, and I see no value in replacing
> 
> #: src/grep.c:183 src/grep.c:200 src/grep.c:300 src/grep.c:408 src/kwset.c:184
> #: src/kwset.c:190
> msgid "memory exhausted"
> msgstr "Virtueller Speicher erschöpft."
> 
> with
> 
> <entry>
>   <sourcelist>
>     <source file="src/grep.c" line="183"/>
>     <source file="src/grep.c" line="200"/>
>     <source file="src/grep.c" line="300"/>
>     <source file="src/grep.c" line="408"/>
>     <source file="src/kwset.c" line="184"/>
>     <source file="src/kwset.c" line="190"/>
>   </sourcelist>
>   <msgid>memory exhausted</msgid>
>   <msgstr>Virtueller Speicher erschöpft.</msgstr>
> </entry>

Well, it's the same argument as always: better have one format
which fits all than a new format for every application. XML
suits these tasks nicely and is becoming more and more accepted
these days.
 
> > XML comes with Unicode support and tools for writing XML are
> > available too.
> 
> Well, the catalog files also "come with unicode support", meaning that
> you can write them in UTF-8 if you want; and tools could be easily
> extended to process UCS-2 input if anybody desires.
> 
> OTOH, the tools for writing po files are much more advanced than any
> XML editor I know.
> 
> > We'd only need a way to transform XML into catalog files of some
> > Python specific platform independent format (should be possible to
> > create .mo files from XML too).
> 
> Or we could convert the XML catalogs in Uniforum-style catalogs, and
> then use the existing tools.

True.

Was just a thought...
-- 
Marc-Andre Lemburg
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