Localizing AcidSearch

If you are willing to take the time to localize AcidSearch into your language, I will be glad to add it to the main package, as well as give you credit on the site. I will email you with necessary updates to localize before I release each new version, to give you a chance to update your localization. If you do not know how to localize .nib files (if you do, you'll know what I mean), this is probably not the project for you, as I don't really have the time to coach you through the nib localization process. This is not because I'm being a jerk, I'm truly grateful you want to help out, but it is quite difficult to explain how to localize .nib files unless you already understand Interface Builder. If you do not know how to localize .nib files and would still like to help, first install the Developer Tools, then read up on Apple's excellent localization site to get a feel for localization. Once you feel comfortable with Interface Builder, I'd love to have your assistance!

With that in mind, if you do know how to localize .nib files and are willing to help localize AcidSearch into your language of choice, please email me before you get started to be sure that someone else isn't already working on that localization. That would be a big waste of your time!

Localization Tips

Click here to download a copy of the latest version of AcidSearch. Then, once the installer has downloaded and unzipped, control-click on the installer and choose "Show Package Contents." Open the Contents/Resources folder and copy out the "English.lproj" folder. Rename this to whatever your language's code is (e.g. "Dutch.lproj" or "zh_TW.lproj"). This folder is the localization pack for the installer itself. Next, control-click on the "AcidSearch.bundle" file (also in Contents/Resources) and pick "Show Package Contents" for it. Again, open the Contents/Resources folder and copy out the "English.lproj" folder, and rename it. This is the localization package for the AcidSearch bundle. Notes for each of the localizable files are below. Thanks to those of you who are taking the time to make AcidSearch more world-friendly!

AcidSearch.bundle

AcidSearchLocalizable.strings
Make sure you only translate the text on the right side of the equals sign.
In the "Help Text" section, there are several "\n"s. These add a return (newline) to the text. Test this out by clicking the "Import Channels..." button in the Advanced Options section of the Edit Search Channels window. You will need to put the \n in the right places for all the text to show up in the window.

In the "%@ Search" string, leave the %@ in. It will be replaced by the selected channel's name (e.g. Google, Teoma, etc).
default.dict
This is a dictionary containing the list of channels that will be imported when a user first opens AcidSearch (unfortunately, if the user already installed AcidSearch before your localization was created, this list will not be imported). If you want to test out this file, make sure your localization pack is added to your active version of AcidSearch (the one in the /Library/Application Support/SIMBL/Plugins folder), choose "Edit Search Channels..." and make sure the Advanced Options pane is open, then click "Import Channels," select "AcidSearch" and click OK.
This file is a plist-style dictionary, so it's probably easiest to use Apple's Property List Editor (included with the Developer Tools) to translate it.
help.html
This is the main help file for AcidSearch, accessed by clicking the purple ? button in the Edit Search Channels window. You do not have to translate it if you do not know HTML or do not want to take the time. If AcidSearch has already been localized into your language, but does not have a translated help file, you are welcome to translate the help file yourself. I would love to have this done as it makes AcidSearch much more accessable to people who do not speak English. Currently, the help has only been translated into Japanese.
InfoPlist.strings
This file is fairly straightforward. It will change how the copyright text appears when you Get Info on the AcidSearch bundle.
Prefs.nib
This file is also fairly straightforward. Sometimes, you will see some options which are pink and do not normally show up. These are options which I plan to add but did not make it into the final release, so instead of removing them completely, I simply hid them. You do not have to translate these.

AcidSearch Installer.app

InfoPlist.strings
I have put all of the Installer's translatable strings in this file (except for those in the .nib file), so make sure you translate it. Remember to only translate the right side of each equals sign.

The "Instructions" string contains two %@ symbols. The first one will be replaced with the path to the user's home directory (e.g. /Users/steve"). The second %@ will be replaced by the "Administrator" string. If you aren't clear on how this works, mess around with the radio buttons in the English installer.