Wrong translation in the German UI, based on a misleading text string in the English original

OS: Doesn’t matter in this case

Shotcut version: 24.09.13

The tooltip for the button to copy a set of active filters is currently translated as “Geprüfte Filter kopieren”, which actually means something like “copy scrutinised filters”. From almost 20 years experience in translating software UIs I know how easily an error like this one happens, because very often, translators don’t have the UI in front of them when they are doing their work, especially if the ts file isn’t in the same location as the rest of the source code (talking about extensive experience with Qt Translator here).

Sometimes, however, the problem lies with the source itself, which is the case here. In English the tooltip is “Copy checked filters”, which is ambiguous. It would be better to change this to “Copy active filters”. Instead of “active”, it might also be possible to use “activated” or “currently activated”. The correct German and non-misleading translation would be in any case “Aktive Filter kopieren”.

HTH

I disagree to break all other translations for this minor difference. In any case, the developers do not make translations. Nor do they coordinate issues about them. Info about translation is on the contributing page of the web site.

I’m sorry. This isn’t a minor difference. It’s at best ambiguous and at worst misleading already at the source level.

Oh, and I also checked the Dutch and the French translations. The Dutch translator(s) didn’t bother to translate the problematic string at all. The French translators got it right: “Copier les filtres sélectionnés”.

And honestly, fixing a minor problem isn’t the same as ‘breaking’ anything. Creating changes to the UI should be a normal part of development and one of this is the string freeze for translators, who can then update the translations.

My native language is French but I personally don’t find “Copy checked filters” to be confusing

To me, Checked filters clearly means the filters that have the box next to them checked.

Changing a string makes it untranslated in every language until someone gets around to retranslating, and often that takes a while, if ever. That is the meaning of “breaking” the translation of that string. Most translations are not 100% and infrequently updated.

With the frequency of our releases, I do not do not really do “freezes.” Strings to be translated are updated on a beta release, and all translations are pulled the day or two before release. One could say it is frozen during the short beta period. Some things get translated in some languages by release, others might not until a later release, and sometimes it seems it may never.

You might not like that approach and disagree with my choices. But I am comfortable to not have your approval.