WordPress i18n for plugin

Install gettext

1. Use ‘apt’ command

   sudo apt install gettext

2.  php souce file add ‘__( ) , _e() function
   • __(“Engish”, [‘plugin name’]) , It’s function return to ‘string’.
   • _e(“Engish”, [‘plugin name’]) , It’s function string  output to stdout.
   • The others, check gettext document.
3. Make directory for interpreting  language.
   • Execute following command.

   sudo apt install gettext
   cd path/to/your-plugin
   xgettext -k"__" -k"_e" -k"_n" -o languages/{plugin-name}.pot `find {php file top directry} -name '*.php'`

   • -k option specified interpreting function, -o option for output file, find command for looking for ‘*.php’, show ‘man find’.
4. Generate interpreting resource file.

   cd languages
   msginit --locale=ja_JP.UTF-8 --input={plugin-name}.pot --output={plugin-name}-ja.po

5. Edit interpreting resource file .po.

   #: minimenu.php:3
   msgid "Top"
   msgstr "<Japaese>"  <-- if interpret to Japaese, write Japaese Word.

6. Genaraite .mo file.

   msgfmt -o {pluin-name}-ja.mo {plugin-name}-ja.po

7. Language registration to WordPress
   • Add action ‘plugins_loaded’ to plugin function.php following function.

   function xxxxx_textdomain() {
           $dir = dirname(plugin_basename(__FILE__));
           $rt = load_plugin_textdomain('<plugin name>', false,
           $dir . '/languages' );
   }
   add_action('plugins_loaded', 'xxxxx_textdomain');