StringsUtil - Strings File Library and Utility

StringsUtil provides a library for using Apple ".strings" localization files and
a utility for managing those files. It is intended as a free, smaller,
embeddable, and more flexible alternative to GNU gettext. Key features include:

• Support for localizing using both Apple ".strings" and GNU gettext ".po"
  files.
• Simple C/C++ library with support for embedding localization data in an
  executable and/or loading localizations from external files.
• Tools for exporting, importing, and merging localization files.
• Tool for reporting on the quality of a localization.
• Tool for scanning C/C++ source files for localization strings.
• Tool for doing a first pass machine translation using the LibreTranslate
  service/software.

Requirements

You'll need a C compiler and the CUPS library.

"Kicking the Tires"

StringsUtil provides a configure script that creates a makefile which allows
you to build the unit tests on Linux and macOS (at least), which verify that all
of the functions work as expected:

./configure
make test

The makefile also builds the stringsutil program.

Installing

Run:

sudo make install

to install it in /usr/local along with a man page.

Using the stringsutil Tool

The stringsutil tool allows you to manage your ".strings" files. Create a
".strings" file by scanning source files in the current directory with the
"scan" sub-command:

stringsutil -f base.strings scan *.[ch]

Create a ".po" file for external localizers to work with using the "export"
sub-command:

stringsutil -f base.strings export es.po

When the localizer is done, use the "import" sub-command to import the strings
from the ".po" file:

cp base.strings es.strings
stringsutil -f es.strings import es.po

Run the "report" sub-command to see how well the localizer did:

stringsutil -f base.strings report es.strings

When you have made source changes that affect the localization strings, use the
"scan" sub-command again to update the base strings:

stringsutil -f base.strings scan *.[ch]

Then add those changes to the "es.strings" file with the "merge" sub-command:

stringsutil -f es.strings -c merge base.strings

The "translate" sub-command uses a LibreTranslate service to do a first-pass
machine translation of your strings. For example, the following command will
use a local Docker instance of LibreTranslate:

stringsutil -f es.strings -l es -T http://localhost:5000 translate base.strings

You also use the "export" command to produce a C header file containing a
strings file that can be embedded in a program:

stringsutil -f es.strings export es_strings.h

Legal Stuff

Copyright © 2022-2025 by Michael R Sweet.

StringsUtil is licensed under the Apache License Version 2.0 with an (optional)
exception to allow linking against GPL2/LGPL2-only software. See the files
"LICENSE" and "NOTICE" for more information.