maps (trans_maps.java) needs a context field to guide translation

[holgermappt]

The list of TMS/WMS/WMTS sources, https://josm.openstreetmap.de/wiki/Maps and https://josm.openstreetmap.de/maps, contains a lot of names with acronyms and names in languages other than English. Examples:

• OSMIE EDs
• LPI NSW Base Map
• Powiat łańcucki: Budynki (buildings)
• Vercors - Réserve naturelle des Hauts-Plateaux du Vercors - Orthophotos 1999 - 1 m

Those strings make their way into Launchpad for translation. But a translation requires more context if acronyms are used and an English translation for strings in other languages. What is missing is a context field for the entry <name> in the imagery definition XML. The context can write out acronyms or have an English translation. That context field is then added to trans_maps.java by convmaps.pl. The name could be <name-context>.

Or should acronyms be discouraged and be written out in the XML? In my opinion most acronyms make sense only to the one who adds a layer entry. Or in the region that is covered with the layer. But the usage and translation is world wide.

An other question is what should happen with entries that have something like this:

<entry>
  <name>Buildings</name>
  <name lang="de">Gebäude</name>
  ...
</entry>

The German translation will be lost in the current setup. Should it be added to the context too?

[holgermappt]

The term context might be misleading. I don't mean msgctxt found in PO files, but a comment with additional information, #. Comment (extracted comments) in PO files. Therefore something like <name-comment> is better than <name-context>. Not sure if a real comment (<!-- ... -->) is a good idea.

[Klumbumbus]

Best solution is in my opinion when all the imagery entry names are in english. This way they can be translated properly in every language via the josm "translation tool" (Launchpad atm).

[stoecker]

Actually the texts should be corrected to be plain English. The local variant can be preserved with <name lang="nl"> for example.

The acronyms are a bit harder. Usually it's probably better to keep them instead of trying a meaningless translatable form. Most time it is best to handle them as personal names.

The translated names in the XML override another translation. Yes, that wastes effort, but syncing them is not so easy - it needs a complex infrastructure. The current infrastructure to gather the translatable text is already complex enough.

This could probably be easier when my dream of a Trac based translation infrastructure would come true, but chances are very low for this to happen anytime soon.

[holgermappt]

Would it make sense to add a description field? That could be translated to a comment in trans_maps.java and also be displayed in the WMS/TMS settings (e.g. tool tip or an "i" icon that opens a popup window) and in the layer info window. That would allow to add more information about a layer, e.g. who provides that data (what's where most acronyms are used), when it was captured, a link to the website of the imagery provider, etc.
Right now I do some research to figure out what a good translation would be. Would be nice to reduce that effort by providing that information initially or to capture the research results.

[stoecker]

There is a <description> tag, but it is rarely used. It should be used to describe what the imagery is.