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This page describes the Magnolia i18n API, which is based on standard Java resource bundles.
Overview
The Magnolia i18n API is based on Java resource bundles and related classes. Among the main advantages of this API are:
- a mechanism to automatically load bundles, eliminating the need to handle bundle base names
- merging bundles into one large bundle
- automatic generation of keys for Magnolia items such as template definitions, dialogs, apps and similar things
The base – Java message bundle
Java provides an API to load resource properties files for the purposes of internationalization.
What is a message bundle?
.properties
files. Each file contains key-value pairs of translated user interface text such as labels and messages. The keys in all files of the same bundle are identical but the values are language specific translations.A message bundle must contain at least one .properties
file. The files are named after the language (locale): <bundle-name>_<locale>.properties
, for example app-pages-messages_en.properties
. Every Magnolia module should provide its own message bundle. If a module installs several apps, each app should have its own message bundle.
Bundle basename and location
Typically message bundle files are located within the resources
directory of a Java (Maven) project. For example, the files could be in the src/main/resources/com/example/foobar/messages
directory:
src/ └── main/ └── resources/ └── com/ └── example/ └── foobar/ └── messages/ ├── app-texts_en.properties └── app-texts_de.properties
Working with the ordinary Java internationalization API you have to know the basename to load a message bundle. The basename for the above bundle would be com.example.foobar.messages.app-texts
. The basename reflects the location within the module by the dot notation. Magnolia allows you to use this "plain" Java internationalization API and provides utility classes to operate with it. However, we recommend using the Magnolia i18n API.
Automatic loading of message bundles from the Magnolia i18n folder
The Magnolia i18n API automatically loads message bundles if they are kept in the appropriate folders:
Location | In Magnolia Maven module | In Magnolia light module |
---|---|---|
Preferred | src/main/resources/<module-name>/i18n | <magnolia.resources.dir>/<module-name>/i18n |
Deprecated* | src/main/resources/mgnl-i18n | - |
Message bundles stored in these directories will be loaded automatically during module startup.
*) If you have modules with message bundles located within the deprecated folder, make sure that the bundles' file names are unique!
Bundle load order and bundle merging
Message bundles are loaded in the same order as modules. The Magnolia i18n API loads bundles automatically during module startup as long as they are stored in the directories specified in the table above. If present in the directories, all bundles from all modules are merged at startup into one large bundle, a virtual file, which is then used by the Magnolia i18n API.
The keys stored in the message files in the i18n
folder, as well as in the deprecated mgnl-i18n
folder, must be unique throughout all files in Magnolia i18n directories. When using one and the same key twice, the one which is loaded second overwrites the one loaded first. Organize your bundles and keys in a way that does not depend on the bundle load order.
Auto-generated keys
The Magnolia i18n API automatically creates and assigns keys for properties of items such as template definition, dialog definition, forms, fields, validators, column definitions, subapp description, app definition and others. Depending on the underlying I18nKeyGenerator , one or more keys are generated for a property. As a result, you don't have to assign keys to them. You only have to provide the translations, at least one translation for one key. Please note that you may nonetheless use your own custom keys instead of those that are generated automatically by Magnolia.
Example: Auto-generated keys in a template definition
Let's suppose there is a template named dilberts-page
in a module called foobar
and the task is to provide the translation of the title
property of this template definition.
Here is the yaml template definition file:
templateScript: /foobar/templates/pages/dilberts-page.ftl renderType: freemarker visible: true dialog: foobar:pages/dilberts-page-properties #title: foobar.customlabels.page.dilbert.title
- The key for the
title
property is created automatically by Magnolia, you do not have to provide it. In fact Magnolia will recognize two keys, one with module name and one without it:
foobar.templates.pages.dilberts-page
templates.pages.dilberts-page
- Line 5: If desired, you can assign a custom key.
Here is the message bundle file for the translation of the foobar
module:
# Translation for the auto-generated key(s) # #templates.pages.dilberts-page=This is the dilbert page :-/ foobar.templates.pages.dilberts-page=This is the dilbert page :-) # Translation for the custom key(s) # foobar.customlabels.page.dilbert.title=Dilberts page :^)
Generic keys
Note that Magnolia provides many so called "generic keys" which are already translated and which may fit to your items. See generic i18n keys and their list for further details.
Key generators
Magnolia provides different key generator classes for different items. These key generators are responsible for the creation and assignment of the auto-generated keys.
You can also implement your own custom key generator class. Implement I18nKeyGenerator or extend AbstractI18nKeyGenerator .
I18nable
and I18nText
annotations
Below is an example of an existing Magnolia definition class using an existing key generator class:
@I18nable(keyGenerator = RenderableDefinitionKeyGenerator.class) public interface RenderableDefinition extends NamedDefinition { String getId(); @Override String getName(); String getRenderType(); @I18nText String getTitle(); @I18nText String getDescription(); @Deprecated String getI18nBasename(); String getTemplateScript(); Map<String, RenderableDefinition> getVariations(); }
- Line 1: I18nable annotation specifes the key generator class.
- Lines 11, 14: I18nText annotation marks methods that return text which should be translated.
Use I18nable and I18nText for custom definition classes which should be i18n-ized.
SimpleTranslator – using i18n in Java classes
If you want to internationalize UI elements or other things which are built directly on Java, use the SimpleTranslator translation service. In a simple content app, you probably won't need to create UI elements in code since most of them can be configured. But if you do a custom app or anything more complex, below is the way the translation service should be used:
SimpleTranslator
but inject it in the constructor. import info.magnolia.i18nsystem.SimpleTranslator; import com.vaadin.ui.Button; import javax.inject.Inject; public class MyClass { private final SimpleTranslator i18n; @Inject public MyClass(SimpleTranslator i18n){ this.i18n = i18n; } public void someMethod(){ // more code here ... Button sendMessageButton = new Button(i18n.translate("messages-app.app.button.sendMessage")); // more code here ... } }
Then pass the key in the #translate(String key).
The key messages-app.app.button.sendMessage
must be in a message file with a value:
messages-app.app.button.sendMessage=Send message