Re: feature: 1 plik, 2 pliki, 5 plikov

[Joosep-Georg Järvemaa]

Quoted "Bruno Haible" (address@hidden/16:34 04.04.02):

> >   # available forms
> >   msgid "<index> %d files"
> >   msgstr "all,all:1:1,last_digit:2:4"
> >
> >   # default case
> >   msgid "<all> %d files"
> >   msgstr "%d plik&#243;v"
> >
> >   # exactly 1
> >   msgid "<all:1:1> %d files"
> >   msgstr "%d plik"
> >
> >   # last digit between 1 and 5 (not inclusive)
> >   msgid "<last_digit:2:4> %d files"
> >   msgstr "%d pliki"
>
> What you propose is indeed a solution to the plurals problem. However,
> I believe the currently implemented solution, using msgstr[0..n], has
> the following advantages:

And also it has a big disadvantage - it is impossible to define all
numbers, starting from minus infinity and ending near plus infinity, which
end with digits 2, 3 or 4. Not talking about rules we do not know about
jet and which may exists in some exotic languages .

>   - It makes it easier for the translator, because the <all:1:1>
>     or <last_digit:2:4> notation can be hard to explain.
>
>   - It avoids redundant duplication of the string
>     "all,all:1:1,last_digit:2:4" which usually depends only on the
>     language, not on the msgid.

This duplication has the function to hold available rules and thereby
simplify the implementation.

>   - It makes it easier for the programmer, because all the logic
>     is integrated into the ngettext function.

What about an idea to integrate also this logic into gettext? Then, all
what application programmer must do is:

  printf(gettext("%d files\n"), intNumFiles);

And for backward compatibility the msgid's like "%d files" and "%d file"
may remain into .po files, in addition to id's with those special rules I
proposed.


Joosep-Georg Järvemaa,

still in love with my idea ;)

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