Automatically Generating Language Files

If you already have a Language.properties file that holds language keys for your user interface messages, or even a language module that holds these keys, you’re in the right place.

• Instead of manually creating a language properties file for each locale that’s supported by Liferay, you can get them all automatically generated for you with one command. The same command also propagates the keys from the default language file to all translation files.

• You can also generate automatic translations using Microsoft’s Translator Text API.

Generating Language Files for Supported Locales

If you want to generate files automatically for all locales supported by Liferay, you must make a small modification to your application’s build file.

1. Make sure your module’s build includes the com.liferay.lang.builder plugin, by putting the plugin in build script classpath.

2. Make sure you have a default Language.properties file in src/main/resources/content.

3. Run the gradle buildLang task from your project’s root directory to generate default translation files.

   The generated files contain automatic copies of all the keys and values in your default Language.properties files. That way you don’t have to copy your lanugage keys manually into all of the files. Run the buildLang task each time you change the default language file.

   When the task completes, it prints BUILD SUCCESSFUL with this log output:

   Translation is disabled because credentials are not specified
   

   See the next section to learn how to turn translation on and provide credentials.

Here’s what a configuration of the com.liferay.lang.builder plugin looks in a build.gradle file:

    buildscript {
        dependencies {
            classpath 'com.liferay:com.liferay.gradle.plugins.lang.builder:latest.release'
        }

        repositories {
            maven {
                url "http://repository-cdn.liferay.com/nexus/content/groups/public"
            }
        }
    }

    apply plugin: "com.liferay.lang.builder"

    repositories {
        maven {
            url "http://repository-cdn.liferay.com/nexus/content/groups/public"
        }
    }

Now you can start translating your application’s messages. If you want to configure your app to generate automatic translations using the Microsoft Translator Text API, keep reading.

Translating Language Keys Automatically

If you’ve configured the com.liferay.lang.builder plugin in your app, you’re almost there. Now you have to configure Microsoft’s Translator Text API so you can generate automatic translations of your language keys. You cannot, however, use Liferay’s Lang Builder to automatically translate language keys containing HTML (e.g., <em>, <b>, <code>, etc.). Language keys containing HTML are automatically copied to all supported language files.

Note: These translations are best used as a starting point. A machine translation can’t match the accuracy of a real person who is fluent in the language. Then again, if you only speak English and you need a Hungarian translation, this is better and faster than your attempts at a manual translation.

1. Generate a translation subscription key for the Microsoft Translator Text API. Follow the instructions here.

2. Make sure the buildLang task knows to use your subscription key for translation by setting the translateSubscriptionKey property:

   buildLang {
       translateSubscriptionKey = "my-key"
   }
   

   For security reasons you probably don’t want to pass them directly in your application’s build script. Instead, pass the credentials to a property that’s stored in your local build environment, and pass the property into your application’s build script.

    buildLang {
      translateSubscriptionKey = langTranslateSubscriptionKey
   }
   

So what would the complete buildLang configuration look like if you followed all the steps above?

buildscript {
    dependencies {
        classpath 'com.liferay:com.liferay.gradle.plugins.lang.builder:latest.release'
    }

    repositories {
        maven {
            url "http://repository-cdn.liferay.com/nexus/content/groups/public"
        }
    }
}

apply plugin: "com.liferay.lang.builder"

buildLang {
   translateSubscriptionKey = langTranslateSubscriptionKey
}

repositories {
    maven {
        url "http://repository-cdn.liferay.com/nexus/content/groups/public"
    }
}

Great! You now know how to generate language files and provide automatic translations of your language keys.