Xfce uses the Transifex translation platform as a portal for integrating the translator's efforts into the Xfce project. This allows translators to work online, submit new po-files, watch translations and view statistics. All translation updates are directly submitted into the Xfce git repositories, so they are made available for the rest of the world as soon as new releases are published.

As we would like to translate Xfce into as many languages as possible, we are always looking for new translation contributors. If you are interested in this opportunity, please continue reading.

Before contributing to the Xfce translation effort, please follow the steps below. Note that ALL these steps are required:

1. Go to transifex.com and create a new profile.
2. If you want to communicate with other translators, join the #xfce-translation Matrix channel or write the Xfce translation mailing list. This is where translation communication is coordinated, so it is useful to introduce yourself here. On this list developers may also announce when releases are planned, a translations system changes, or anything else you should know as a translators.
3. Go to Xfce hub project and request access to a team or request a new language if it doesn't yet exist. One of the developers or translation coordinators will approve your request.
4. Wait for approval. If approval seems to be taking too long(>1 week), leave an additional reminder on the translation mailing list or Matrix channel. We will get to your approval as soon as we have time.

Once all of the above steps have been followed and approval has been granted, you should have permission to submit and update translations in your respective language.

Additional information about contributing to the project can be found below as well as on Xfce Wiki translation pages.

Remember to maintain contact with the other translators in your language. You can find them in the translation groups for your specific language. This will help you to coordinate the translation work!

If you experience errors using Transfix, or have ideas for improving the translation workflow, don't hesitate and send an email to the Xfce translation mailing list, we're always there to help you!

Keep in touch with the current translator(s). Is your language already translated or being translated by someone else? You should try and collaborate with the current translator(s) of that language, and split up the work so you are reducing the workload and increasing the quality of the translation. Many translators are happy to share the work or even appreciate people discussing translations.

The header of the PO files contain the field “Last-Translator” As example here is the French translation of xfce4-panel: fr.po.

You can send an email to the i18n mailing-list and copy (CC) to the current translator. Let them know your intentions and wait for an answer from the current translator(s).

Other than getting in touch with current translators, you can use a private page to share progress on translations. The defacto place is on our Xfce Wiki translation pages, but you can also use alternative possibilities like the Google Groups or #xfce-translation Matrix channel.

Transifex allows you to manage a team with a list of translators and coordinators. Usually you will find one coordinator per team who is allowed to perform the following tasks:

• Accept or deny new translators in the team.
• Accept or deny a translation review.

The coordinator should not accept new translators without having a little history of their involvement in other projects. If the coordinator is unsure if a new member has deep knowledge of translations or not, it is possible to check the new Transifex account and start a short discussion per email. At this point, the coordinator can either accept the new member who will be allowed to commit changes directly in our repositories, or the coordinator can ask the new member to submit the work for review. Following this process is important whenever the translations have to use a standard vocabulary.

A good practice for the team language coordinator is to check the translations prior to a new release, A new release consists of compiling each Xfce component with the latest translations and making sure everything is in good shape.

You can read all about Transifex in their support section.

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