✨ feat(i18n): implement pluralization logic

[TheAwiteb]

Ref #276

Proof of concept pluralization for testing.

Discussion: #273

The logic to get the strings is in the macro pluralize.html.

To test:

• Set language to arabic (already done)
• Modify templates/page.html to change the count variable in the Debugging section
• Load any post to see a table with the values and translations:

🚨 IMPORTANT: when you change the TOML strings in i18n, you need to restart zola serve to use the updated strings.

[TheAwiteb]

Yes, this b6aa219 took 51 minutes of debugging. it was always says the language is en

[welpo]

My bad!

[welpo]

Let me know if you want any help or have any questions, by the way! Happy to help here.

[TheAwiteb]

Let me know if you want any help or have any questions, by the way! Happy to help here.

Now the macro works good with Arabic, what next?

[welpo]

• Figure out a way to simplify the macro calls; I don't want 5 lines of Tera every time we need a translation with plurals. Perhaps we can call a macro from within a macro? Ideally we would change a line like:

{{ macros_translate::translate(key='result', default='result', language_strings=language_strings) }}

to:

{{ macros_translate::translate(key='result', default='result', number=X, language_strings=language_strings) }}

Or something like this. Not sure how feasible this is, though. Just an idea.

• Identify strings that need pluralisation:
  • search results
  • minutes to read
  • post/posts? Not sure about this
  • number of words (words)
  • I might be missing something, not sure

All of these are HTML strings, except for the search results. I'll take care of modifying the JavaScript at the end.

• Add/modify the variable names for these. At least agree on the prefixes first
• Expand pluralization macro for other languages (best effort). I can take care of this

Once all of this is done, modify existing i18n files to use the new variables names. Same with the macro calls.

[TheAwiteb]

Great, I'll start on it tomorrow

[welpo]

Changes

Integrate pluralize.html into translate.html

Since translate was simple enough, I've integrated pluralization into it. This simplifies getting the pluralised keys. Now we can do:

{%- macros_translate::translate(key=base_key, number=count, language_strings=language_strings, default="couldn't find the string") -%}

Where number is optional. If it's there, pluralisation logic kicks in. Else, it behaves as before, directly translating key.

Convert $NUMBER

If a number is provided to the new macro, the string $NUMBER will get replaced for the number provided. This makes it more general, instead of needing to handle specific $VARIABLEs.

[TheAwiteb]

Identify strings that need pluralisation:

As I see is

• result
• post
• min_read
• words

At least agree on the prefixes first

I see zero_, one_, tow_, few_ and many_ is good

Note

This only for Arabic (for now) other languges will only have zero_, one_ and many_

I'll work on it now

[welpo]

This only for Arabic (for now) other languges will only have zero_, one_ and many_

Most languages use many for the 0 case, so we'll only need many and one.

[TheAwiteb]

Most languages use many for the 0 case, so we'll only need many and one.

I don't see this is good, because for example in result if there is no search result we can't say "0 results" I think "No result for your query" or something like this is better. What do you think?

[TheAwiteb]

for example in result if there is no search result we can't say "0 results" I think "No result for your query" or something like this is better. What do you think?

Also min_read for zero_ I think "less than minute" is better than "0 minutes"

[TheAwiteb]

If you don't think so, I will add it in Arabic only, because in Arabic we can't say "0 minutes" or "0 results" it is against the laws of language

[welpo]

if there is no search result we can't say "0 results" I think "No result for your query" or something like this is better

It does sound better. My main concern is keeping the i18n files small, so that they are easy to review and adapt.

Also min_read for zero_ I think "less than minute" is better than "0 minutes"

Agreed.

Alright, let's go with zero, one and many for all number-related strings.

---

It makes me sad to realise we'll probably have to duplicate logic for the pluralisation, though:

    function updateResultText(count) {
        const nResultsSpan = document.getElementById('n-results');
        nResultsSpan.textContent = count.toString();

        const singular = document.getElementById('result-text-singular');
        const plural = document.getElementById('result-text-plural');

        if (count === 1) {
            singular.style.display = 'inline';
            plural.style.display = 'none';
        } else {
            singular.style.display = 'none';
            plural.style.display = 'inline';
        }
    }

This is the current search JS. Oh, well. It's better to duplicate logic than to load JS just to do pluralisation, imo.

[TheAwiteb]

This is the current search JS. Oh, well. It's better to duplicate logic than to load JS just to do pluralisation, imo.

I will work on translations now, and keep JS things for you

[welpo]

I will work on translations now, and keep JS things for you

You can do English and Arabic. I'll do the rest!

[TheAwiteb]

@welpo Now should the remaining is JS and translating languages else than Arabic and English

[welpo]

I think we can remove the zero_posts case, no? If we're showing a tag —that's where the key is used— it's because there's at least one post to show.

[TheAwiteb]

Are we done like this? Do I prepare it for review? (Remove debugging and so on)

[TheAwiteb]

btw, I really like the way you merge the PR since I don't really have to make the PR/branch log very clean (because it won't appear in the master, it just shows commit as the PR)

[welpo]

btw, I really like the way you merge the PR since I don't really have to make the PR/branch log very clean (because it won't appear in the master, it just shows commit as the PR)

Yeah, squash-and-merge pull requests are pretty cool! I like how you get to keep the atomic commits for comparison yet keep a clean main history.

Are we done like this? Do I prepare it for review? (Remove debugging and so on)

Nope! I need to add:

• add the new strings for Ukranian and Russian
• implement the JS changes
• do a lot of testing to ensure (1) we're not missing anything and (2) nothing breaks

[welpo]

Almost done! Search now uses the new strings…

s.mov

Can't test with Arabic, as Zola can't build an index for it. However, I replicated the logic for pluralization anyway; if it ever gets added, it should work without any changes.

[welpo]

Added a new replace parameter to translate. When set to true (default), replaces $NUMBER with the number parameter.

I needed to do this so that JavaScript could dynamically update the $NUMBER.

---

I think this is done! Tomorrow I will do a careful review of all changes + some more testing.

If you can do some testing to ensure everything works well, I'd appreciate it!

Off the top of my head:

• Ensure proper fallback to English if string is missing
• Consistent prefix use
• Consistent $NUMBER use
• All new strings available on all languages

[TheAwiteb]

If you can do some testing to ensure everything works well, I'd appreciate it!

I'll, in the morning

[TheAwiteb]

Sorry for the delay, but I've been busy with university. I checked the following and they are all ok

• All new translations have been added to all languages.
• All new translation keys contain no spelling errors.
• All of them who need $NUMBER have it.
• New translations are used correctly with the translate macro.

[TheAwiteb]

• Ensure proper fallback to English if string is missing

I'll check soon as I get to my laptop

[TheAwiteb]

• Ensure proper fallback to English if string is missing

All is good as expected

[welpo]

Thank you! I will do some testing later.

If everything is good, I will remove the debugging stuff and merge.

[welpo]

I think it's done!

I'll merge now. Thank you so much for suggesting this feature and working to make it a reality!

It's been a pleasure collaborating~