# How to translate Gambas into your own language ?

To translate Gambas into your own language, open the Gambas project in the IDE, and click on Translate... in the Project menu. (If Gambas complains about msgmerge, make sure you have GNU gettext on your computer)

Then, select your translation language in the combo-box.

Note: If the language does not exist in the list, write me and I will add it.

Select a untranslated string in the table.

Then enter its translation into the text field on the bottom of the dialog.

Repeat this process until every string is translated. When you have finished, click on the Close button.

Note: You can translate the project in several shots.

You can play with toolbar icons.

From left to right, these icons allow you to :

- Save the current translation.
- Reload the current translation. All your changes are lost.
- Delete the current translation.
- Duplicate an already existing translation.
- Export the current translation to a file.
- Merge a translation file into the current one.
- Verify the current translation, by checking that every symbol character is preserved.

Note: You can indicate that a string must not be translated by entering a single minus character as translated string.

The result of your translation is stored in a `*.po` file stored in the `.lang` directory of the project. The name of this file depends on the language. For example, the french translation is named `fr.po`.

Send me this file, by exporting it, and I will add it to the Gambas project. Then your name will enter the Gambas Hall Of Fame !

Note: At each new Gambas version, untranslated strings may change. But don't worry, your translated strings are preserved.

- If an untranslated string disappears, the translation disappears with it.
- If a new untranslated string is added, it gets a void translation.
- All other untranslated strings keep their translation.