Dev: Creating a define based language pack (DEPRECATED - 1.5.7 and below)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Create Folders and Copy Files

Essential Files

To create a new language pack you should start by copying all the English files to your new language folder structure.

Copy includes/languages/english.php to includes/languages/YOURLANGUAGE.php
Copy includes/languages/english/ and all sub directories to includes/languages/YOURLANGUAGE/
Copy admin/includes/languages/english.php to admin/includes/languages/YOURLANGUAGE.php
Copy admin/includes/languages/english/ and all sub directories to admin/includes/languages/YOURLANGUAGE/

If old style image buttons are being used then you will also need to create

includes/templates/template_default/buttons/YOURLANGUAGE/ and
includes/templates/responsive_classic/buttons/YOURLANGUAGE/ then fill with images of the buttons in your language

Prior to 1.5.7

Prior to version 1.5.7 the emails folder contained some English language sections in the templates.

emails modify the email template files contents from English to your language (these files will overwrite the original distribution files).

Admin Extras

The Admin pages store a lot of information in the configuration table on the database. To do a complete conversion it will be necessary to convert the description fields to your chosen language. This will require a SQL patch.

Locations of Language Files

These are the locations where you will find language files that may need translating.

emails (Only required for v1.5.6 and earlier)
- email_common.css
- email_template_checkout.htm
- more html files
admin
- includes
  - languages
    - english.php
    - english
      - admin_account.php
      - more php files
      - extra_definitions
        
        ckeditor.php
        
        more php files
      - images
        
        buttons
        
        button_add_profile.gif
        
        more gif files
      - modules
        
        newsletters
        
        newsletter.php
        
        more php files
includes
- languages
  - english.php
  - english
    - account.php
    - more php files
    - classic
      - header.php
    - extra_definitions
      - cardinal3dsecure.php
      - more php files
      - classic
        
        empty.txt
      - responsive_classic
        
        product_free_shipping.php
    - html_includes
      - define_ask_a_question.php
      - more php files
      - classic
        
        define_checkout_success.php
        
        more php files
      - responsive_classic
        
        define_checkout_success.php
        
        more php files
    - images
      - icon.gif
    - modules
      - order_total
        
        ot_cod_fee.php
        
        more php files
        
        classic
        
        empty.txt
      - payment
        
        authorizenet.php
        
        more php files
        
        classic
        
        empty.txt
      - shipping
        
        flat.php
        
        more php files
        
        classic
        
        empty.txt
    - responsive_classic
      - icon_names.php
- templates (NOTE The folders below are only needed if the store has turned OFF the CSS buttons feature.)
  - responsive_classic
    - buttons
      - english
        
        button_update_cart.png
  - template_default
    - buttons
      - english
        
        button_add_address.gif
        
        more gif files

Note You should have this complete directory structure with english replaced by YOURLANGUAGE so for welsh YOURLANGUAGE becomes cymraeg

Modifying the Language Files

Having copied all the English files you should modify the define statements within the files to your chosen language.

e.g. for a Welsh language translation modifying english.php

// Define the name of your Gift Certificate as Gift Voucher, Gift Certificate, Zen Cart Dollars, etc. here for use through out the shop
  define('TEXT_GV_NAME','Tystysgrif Rhodd');
  define('TEXT_GV_NAMES''Tystysgrifau Rhodd');

// used for redeem code, redemption code, or redemption id
  define('TEXT_GV_REDEEM','Cod Adbrynu');

// text for gender
  define('MALE', 'Br.');
  define('FEMALE', 'Bns.');

NOTE Any files named english.php must be renamed to YOURLANGUAGE.php

Eg. For Welsh english.php becomes cymraeg.php

Get a full list of the descriptions used in admin.

You can extract a full set of the admin descriptions from the configuration table using any database management tool (eg phpMyAdmin) and saving to a CSV or text file. A query you could run is:

SELECT configuration_key, configuration_title, configuration_description FROM configuration;

You will get a file containing:

STORE_COUNTRY, Country, The country my store is located in <br /><br /><strong>Note: Please remember to update the store zone.</strong>
STORE_NAME, Store Name, The name of my store
STORE_OWNER, Store Owner, The name of my store owner
STORE_ZONE, Zone, The zone my store is located in
...

Create an override language defines file to override the descriptions on the database.
- Edit admin/includes/languages/YOURLANGUAGE/configuration.php. This is where you will add the following defines…
- For each entry extracted from the database you need to create 2 define statements
  - One for the title, preceding the configuration key with CFGTITLE_:
    define('CFGTITLE_STORE_NAME', 'Store Name');
  - One for the description, preceding the configuration key with CFGDESC_:
    define('CFGDESC_STORE_NAME', 'The name of my store');
E.g. To change the descriptions above from English to the Welsh your file could contain:

<?php
///... pre-existing defines here
///... your new entries will come after them, like this:
/*
 * Admin configuration title and description overrides
 */
define('CFGTITLE_STORE_COUNTRY', 'Gwlad');
define('CFGDESC_STORE_COUNTRY', 'Y wlad y mae fy siop wedi\'i lleoli yn <br /> <br /> <strong> Nodyn: Cofiwch ddiweddaru\'r parth storfa. </strong>');
define('CFGTITLE_STORE_NAME', 'Enw\'r Storfa');
define('CFGDESC_STORE_NAME', 'Enw fy siop');
define('CFGTITLE_STORE_OWNER', 'Perchennog y Siop');
define('CFGDESC_STORE_OWNER', 'Enw perchennog fy siop');
define('CFGTITLE_STORE_ZONE', 'Parth');
define('CFGDESC_STORE_ZONE', 'Mae\'r parth y mae fy siop wedi\'i leoli ynddo');

...

It will be necessary to do this for every key you want to change in the Configuration menus.

Add Your Language Icon

Place an small image file into includes\languages\images to represent your language. This is often the flag of YOURLANGUAGE country. Ideally the image height will be approx 14px in order to match the fonts and line-heights where the image is usually displayed.

Making The Translation Package User Friendly

Include a file named README.txt where you say something about what has been translated and what has not, along with any other information you feel is appropriate and helpful to the person using it (including your future self!).
Create installation instructions (Install.txt or Install.html)
Update the locale cues in your language files. This lets Zen Cart match up the locale using the call to setlocale() in the following files:

includes/languages/YOURLANGUAGE.php

admin/includes/languages/YOURLANGUAGE.php

Specifically, set the correct lookups in the $locales = .... line below, as well as the relevant date formats.

// look in your $PATH_LOCALE/locale directory for available locales..
  $locales = ['en_US', 'en_US.utf8', 'en', 'English_United States.1252'];
  @setlocale(LC_TIME, $locales);
  define('DATE_FORMAT_LONG', '%A %d %B, %Y'); // this is used for strftime()
  define('DATE_FORMAT', 'm/d/Y'); // this is used for date()

Making Language Pack Available to Others

Having completed your language pack please upload it to the Language Packs section of the Plugins Library.

Updating an Older Language Pack

See updating an older translation.

Dev: Updating an Older Translation (DEPRECATED - 1.5.7 and below)