Translating LimeSurvey

Translating LimeSurvey

Wouldn't it be great to have LimeSurvey completely translated to your mother-language? The LimeSurvey team is always on the look-out for new translations and for people who help to update the existing ones. Please read these instructions and don't hesitate to send email to translations@limesurvey.org if you are in doubt or have any other questions.

How to translate - Step-by-Step instructions

Updating an existing translation

1. Create a free user account on the LimeSurvey website.
2. Note: If you already have an account please log in once at the LimeSurvey website first!
3. Go to http://translate.limesurvey.org, login there with the same user name and password.
4. Pick the LimeSurvey version you want to translate for and start translating. After your translation was approved it will automatically be released in the weekly stable release and your username will be credited in the change log.
5. If you are interested  to become a prime translator for your language with the ability to approve newly translated string please contact us at translations@limesurvey.org . Such a position requires a maximum of about an hour of work per week - important to us is that you are reliable doing this.

Customize an existing translation

Sometimes you want to modify an existing translation so it accommodates your particular survey situation better. In that case do the following:

1. Go to http://translate.limesurvey.org (external link), pick the LimeSurvey version you want to translate for and the particular language you want to modify.
2. On the bottom of the translation page you will find an option to export all strings as .po file. Do that and save it as *.po file to your local harddisk:
   
3. Download and install poEDIT
4. Start poEdit end edit the downloaded *.po file - modify the particular translations.
5. Save. When you save the .po file then automatically a .mo file is created too. That is the one LimeSurvey will read from.
6. Place the particular .mo file in the right language folder in /locale by replacing the existing one - for example for French this would be /locale/fr/LC_MESSAGES/fr.po
7. Done.

Note: If you are using LimeService they will be happy to place the file for you. Just create a support ticket.

Creating a new translation

1. First of all get access to the development version of LimeSurvey. You can find detailed instructions how to get your hands on it on this page: Accessing the source code
2. Download and install poEDIT
3. Now you have to find out the language-code for your language - you can search for your language-code in the IANA Language Subtag Registry.
4. Go to the /locale directory and create a directory named after your language code.
5. Inside that directory create a directory named LC_MESSAGES.
6. Download the language template file from http://www.limesurvey.org/translationstatus/limesurvey.pot and rename it to <your_language_code>.po.
7. Save the (yet) empty file to that dir (in the /locale/your_language_code/LC_MESSAGES/ folder).
8. Now open the file with poEdit and translate everything you need to translate.
9. To make LimeSurvey know about your language you must add it to the file application/helpers/surveytranslator_helper.php. Open that file with a text editor and add your language in the same way the other languages in that file are defined.
10. Save - make sure that beside the .po file also the binary .mo file is created (that's the one LimeSurvey is reading from).
11. Send the new .po-File and the updated surveytranslator_helper.php file to translations@limesurvey.org . If you want your name to be linked from/shown on the team-page please write so in the e-mail!