PO files

what are and how to edit .po files

Table of Contents

.po files are used for software localisation and contain pairs of source strings (msgid) and their translations (msgstr). Here’s how you can edit them:

1. Using a Text Editor

  • Open the file in a text editor like Notepad++, VS Code, or Sublime Text.
  • Locate the msgid (source text) and update the msgstr (translated text).
  • Example:
    po msgid "Hello, world!" msgstr "Hallo, Welt!"
  • Save your changes in the .po format.

2. Using PO File Editors

  • Use tools like:
  • Poedit (Free and paid options available)
  • Lokalize (For KDE users)
  • Virtaal
  • Steps:
  • Open the .po file in the editor.
  • Edit translations in the user-friendly interface.
  • Save the file.

3. Using Online Tools

  • Use platforms like POEditor for collaborative online editing.

4. Validate and Compile the File

  • After editing, validate the .po file using the msgfmt tool to ensure there are no syntax errors:
    bash msgfmt -c file.po
  • If needed, compile the .po file into a .mo file (binary format for software use):
    bash msgfmt -o file.mo file.po

Tips

  • Keep the syntax intact (e.g., comments, quotes, special characters).
  • Validate your file to avoid runtime errors.

By following these steps, you can efficiently edit and manage .po files for software localisation.

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