4D XLIFF Localization

Stop finding out at runtime that a form shows :xliff:form1.lastname instead of "Last name".

In a 4D project, forms, menus and code refer to translations by name: :xliff:resname or Localized string("resname"). A typo, a string missing in one language, or the same resname defined twice only shows up when the form is opened in that language. This extension checks every reference of the project against its XLIFF files while you edit, and gives you the exact reference to paste into 4D.

Installation

Requires VS Code 1.90 or later.

1. Download the .vsix file attached to a release on the GitHub releases page.
2. In VS Code, open the Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P on macOS, Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows/Linux).
3. Run Extensions: Install from VSIX… and select the downloaded file.

If no release is available yet, you can build and package the extension from source.

Quick start

1. Open your 4D project folder in VS Code. Translations must be stored in Resources/<language>.lproj folders, such as Resources/en.lproj and Resources/fr.lproj.
2. Click the 4D XLIFF icon in the Activity Bar to browse the project's strings by file and group.
3. Click a resname to edit its translations, or use its copy button to copy :xliff:resname into 4D.

Open the Problems view (Cmd+Shift+M / Ctrl+Shift+M) to see unknown references and translation issues. Before renaming a resname, close the affected forms in the 4D form editor to prevent it from overwriting the changes.

Catch broken references before running

The Problems view lists, for the whole project:

• Unknown resnames: a :xliff: reference in a form, menu, choice list or help tip, or a Localized string("…") in a method, that no XLIFF file defines. This is what 4D displays as :xliff:… at runtime. When it looks like a typo of an existing resname (form1.windowTite, form1.WindowTitle), the message says "Did you mean form1.windowTitle?".
• Strings missing in a language: defined in en.lproj but not in fr.lproj, or present without a translation, or with an empty one.
• Strings still to translate (state="needs-translation").
• Duplicate resnames: the same name in two files, where 4D uses only one of them.
• Resnames that :xliff: cannot reference: containing a space, or without a resname attribute.

For unknown resnames, a quick fix (Cmd+. / Ctrl+.) can replace a typo with a suggested existing resname, or create the string in every language alongside its neighbours. The translations panel can also add a missing string to a language in one click.

Resnames provided by 4D itself (CommonMenuFile, CommonMenuItemQuit…) are not reported as unknown, translate="no" strings as untranslated, nor the mac and win versions of a resname (d4:includeIf) as duplicates.

Copy the reference instead of typing it

The XLIFF view in the Activity Bar lists the project's resnames across all project languages, grouped by file and group, with their text. The copy button next to a resname copies :xliff:resname, ready to paste into the Property List of the 4D form or menu editor; the context menu also copies Localized string("resname") for the code. A new string created from the view is copied at once.

See each resname where it is used

• In forms, menus, lists, tips and methods: hover a reference to see its translations, Cmd/Ctrl+click to open its trans-unit in each language, and get resnames suggested after :xliff: and Localized string(".
• In the XLIFF files: a CodeLens above each trans-unit counts its usages, and "Find All References" lists them.
• In the translations panel: "Used in" lists the form objects (Form1 › Button · text), menus, lists, tips and methods using the resname.

Edit the XLIFF files

Additions, renames and deletions are applied across the project's languages; editing a translation updates only the selected language. Edits target the text concerned, preserving the surrounding indentation, comments and attributes.

• Translations panel (click a resname): edit the source and each translation. Enter saves, and confirms a translation marked as needing translation even when it stays the same.
• Add a string or a group (+ and context menu of the XLIFF view), or a file, created in each <language>.lproj and named like the other files of the project. New strings use the source text as their initial value in every language and are marked as needing translation.
• Rename a resname: in every language and in all the forms, menus, lists, tips and methods referencing it, as one operation.
• Delete a resname from every language, after a confirmation listing the places still using it.
• Add a language: a copy of the source language files with every string to translate. The "to translate" view then lists only what remains, and Next / Cmd+Enter moves from one string to the next. To try a language in 4D, call SET DATABASE LOCALIZATION("de").
• mac/win versions (d4:includeIf): each version is shown and edited separately; "Different Text on mac/win…" creates them.

Settings

Known limitations

• The edits are written to the files: close the forms concerned in the 4D form editor before renaming a resname, so that 4D does not save over the change.
• Resnames containing spaces can only be used with Localized string, not in a :xliff: reference.
• Only Resources/<language>.lproj folders are read; an XLIFF file directly in Resources is ignored.
• References built at runtime (Localized string($name)) cannot be found.

Commands

Contributing

See CONTRIBUTING.md for the source layout, tests and build instructions.

License

MIT