GNU gettext utilities: Python

15.5.2 Python

RPMs: python
Ubuntu packages: python
File extension: py
String syntax: 'abc', u'abc', r'abc', ur'abc',

"abc", u"abc", r"abc", ur"abc",
abc, uabc, rabc, urabc,
"""abc""", u"""abc""", r"""abc""", ur"""abc"""

gettext shorthand: _('abc') etc.
gettext/ngettext functions: gettext.gettext, gettext.dgettext, gettext.ngettext, gettext.dngettext, also ugettext, ungettext
textdomain: gettext.textdomain function, or gettext.install(domain) function
bindtextdomain: gettext.bindtextdomain function, or gettext.install(domain,localedir) function
setlocale: not used by the gettext emulation
Prerequisite: import gettext
Use or emulate GNU gettext: emulate
Extractor: xgettext
Formatting with positions: '...%(ident)d...' % { 'ident': value }
Portability: fully portable
po-mode marking: —

An example is available in the examples directory: hello-python.

A note about format strings: Python supports format strings with unnamed arguments, such as '...%d...', and format strings with named arguments, such as '...%(ident)d...'. The latter are preferable for internationalized programs, for two reasons:

When a format string takes more than one argument, the translator can provide a translation that uses the arguments in a different order, if the format string uses named arguments. For example, the translator can reformulate

"'%(volume)s' has only %(freespace)d bytes free."

to

"Only %(freespace)d bytes free on '%(volume)s'."

Additionally, the identifiers also provide some context to the translator.
In the context of plural forms, the format string used for the singular form does not use the numeric argument in many languages. Even in English, one prefers to write "one hour" instead of "1 hour". Omitting individual arguments from format strings like this is only possible with the named argument syntax. (With unnamed arguments, Python – unlike C – verifies that the format string uses all supplied arguments.)