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Contents 1 Text Formatting: Language Files 1.1 Basic rules 1.1.1 String Names 1.1.2 Comments 1.1.3 Text 1.2 Special Characters 1.2.1 Strings and Numbers 1.2.2 Services Alias 1.3 Notes 1.3.1 Line Length

Text Formatting: Language Files

Basic rules

String Names

Every string name starts at the beginning of a line: no space, no tabs, no comment-marks, just plain CAPS text.

Comments

Comments are on lines starting with a comment-mark (#).

Text

Lines with text start with a tab. The next string name indicates the end of the text.

Special Characters

Strings and Numbers

Strings and numbers are indicated with %s and %d, printf styleh. Note that they HAVE to stay in the same order as the source string, or things will break badly.

Services Alias

You can insert the alias of the currently active service by using %S. Usage of this is limited to help messages.

Notes

Line Length

Every line should be at most 60 characters. This makes sure that text-based clients also get a nice view. Usually they have a screen with a width of 80 characters, and if you substract the services alias, timestamp, and the other usual stuff on a line, you usually keep at least 60 characters left to fill. Note that the Special Characters noted above expand, so if you use a %S, add 6 characters to your used line length (%S is 2, a services name usually is 8, 8 - 2 = 6).