MessagesTranslation

Overview

The Identity Provider software contains by default US English messages.properties file(s) that contain the strings to render messages in the various views included in the software. In addition, the built-in attribute registry rules define names and descriptions of many standardized Attributes.

Many deployers may want to present this information in the local language(s) or customize/localize some strings. To translate or adapt the IdP messages and thus support multiple languages, the IdP supports translations of the corresponding message files. The servlet container will then automatically select a matching message file based on the client's Accept-Languages header as provided by the web browser. The attribute metadata is, by contrast, directly embedded in the various default rule files we include.

A new Git repository, java-idp-translations, has been created as the authoritative source of all of the internationalizable information for all our software products. We are willing to offer commit access to that repository to anybody willing to maintain translation(s) into any languages. Access is by public key and you can contact us at the usual places to express interest.

Within the repository, each software product is represented by a folder tree with a subdirectory for each major release version:

https://git.shibboleth.net/view/?p=java-idp-translations.git;a=tree

For example, the IdP is laid out thusly right now:

• java-identity-provider/

  • 5/

    • messages/

    • attributes/

At the time of each release, we will incorporate any translation updates provided (copying the changed files into the actual software projects).

Notably, while message translations can generally be added to existing installs automatically during upgrades, as they’re internal, changes to attribute metadata require deployer action, as those files are created alongside the “existing” files.

Messages

As of modern IdP versions, the default message files for the IdP and its plugins are embedded inside each software project’s library jars. Any translations we obtain are also embedded in the software. In all cases, these messages can be overridden via files placed in the messages directory after installation.

The existing set of messages for various release branches can be found here:

To e.g. create a German translation of the IdP's error messages strings, copy the default (US English) messages file, to a file named messages_de.properties (see also error messages configuration) and translate/adapt the strings in the new properties file. For example, translate the string idp.title.suffix = Error to idp.title.suffix = Fehler

The IdP will select a language file based on the locale of the browser without additional configuration. Note that Spring (and by extension the IdP) does not support a precedence of languages to fall back to, so the support for full i18n is constrained by that limitation. Also, note that if the browser does not specify a locale to use, the OS default will generally dictate what is selected, so this may or may not be the right answer.

In addition to the default use of the filenames noted above, you can freely change the message files used in conf/services.xml if you prefer that.

Translated Message Properties

These are the already completely translated versions of the messages.properties files available for download. All translations were provided by volunteers from the community. They are listed in the Translation Credits. See Contribute to the Translation Project below how you can contribute yourself.

General Installation Instructions

1. Download the languages your IdP should support

2. Copy them into  the shibboleth-idp/messages directory. A software upgrade will not touch them, but you will have to manually fetch new versions as they become available.

3. Best watch this page (login and click on "Watch") to get informed on changes.

You should also consider merging your own customization, such as idp.logo and idp.logo.alt-text.

Important: No deployer should use the text provided for example-tou-1.text as is. You need to replace that text with one that fits your local legal framework.

Identity Provider 4

2023-03-14: Minor update applied to all files below for IdPv4.3. Adds idp.css property.

2022-11-23: Minor update applied to all files below for IdPv4.2. Filename changed for idp.logo property from dummylogo.png to placeholder-logo.png.

Contribute to the Translation Project 

Several federation operators created a translation project on the free translation service Zanata. Translations are available in the Shibboleth IdPv3 Translation project (that now also covers IdPv4).

If you just want to download existing translations pick from the files listed above or ask your local federation operator.

If you want to contribute translations for other languages, please:

1. Go to http://zanata.org/ and create an account

2. The send your account name to aai@switch.ch and ask to be added as contributor/maintainer for the Shibboleth translations.

That way you'll get access to the translation project.

Once you complete (or correct something in) a translation, please notify aai@switch.ch since the Zanata tool has no built-in notification mechanism. Someone from SWITCHaai will then download the new files via the zanata-cli client, will prepend the correct license text und upload it onto this page. Downloading the file via the Zanata web interface unfortunately results in a wrong character set, not UTF-8.