WordPress 4.1 instruction manual

WordPress 4.1 instruction manual

Hello polyglots! In the next 3 hours or so, @johnbillion will be starting the release process (in #core in SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/.). Please make sure you are 100% translated for WordPress 4.1 and all subprojects, and also do not forget about the Akismet project.

I’d expect a release somewhere around 1600 UTC, but for most localesLocale Locale = language version, often a combination of a language code and a region code, for instance es_MX denotes Spanish as it’s used in Mexico. A list of all locales supported by WordPress in https://make.wordpress.org/polyglots/teams/, the release process is now automated. Please read on.

Part 1, Language Packs

If you are 100% translated at the time of 4.1’s release, a language pack will be generated for you. This is a ZIP file consisting of PO and MO filesMO files MO, or Machine Object is a binary data file that contains object data referenced by a program. It is typically used to translate program code, and may be loaded or imported into the GNU gettext program. This is the format used in a WordPress install. These files are normally located inside .../wp-content/languages/ only, and is used for the language chooser during the install process, and for the language switcher on the settings screen.

If you become 100% translated some time after 4.1’s release, a language pack will be generated for you once the script is run. This will be around every hour.

If you are 100% translated, a language pack has been created, and then you modify a translation to fix a typo or whatever, a language pack will be regenerated for you once the script is run. Please do not do this with unnecessary frequency, as it triggers an update across all WordPress sites.

Part 2, Release Packages — IMPORTANT CHANGES AHEAD

release packageRelease package release package is a packaged version of WordPress. That is, a ZIP file consisting of WordPress in its entirety, along with PO and MO files for core, the PO and MO files of default themes and Akismet, and any custom changes a locale has. In the past, most locales built their release package using the form in Rosetta’s dashboard. is what you’re used to building using the form on RosettaRosetta The code name of the theme for the local WordPress sites (eg. bg.wordpress.org is a “Rosetta” site). All locale specific WordPress sites are referred to as “Rosetta sites.” The name was inspired from the ancient Rosetta Stone, which contained more or less the same text in three different languages.’s dashboard. This is a ZIP file consisting of WordPress in its entirety, along with PO and MO files for coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress., the PO and MO files of default themes and Akismet, and any custom changes you have.

Do you have custom changes? For the purposes of this exercise, your localeLocale Locale = language version, often a combination of a language code and a region code, for instance es_MX denotes Spanish as it’s used in Mexico. A list of all locales supported by WordPress in https://make.wordpress.org/polyglots/teams/ falls under one of these four groups:

  • You have never had any custom changes and i18n.svn.wordpress.org is entirely empty for your locale.
  • You have no custom changes for 4.1.
  • You have minor custom changes consisting of, at most, a translated readme, license file, and wp-config-sample.php.
  • You have extensive custom changes consisting of other files, such as wp-content/languages/$locale.php or core modifications.

Here are the details on each:

  • If you have never had any custom changes and i18n.svn.wordpress.org is entirely empty for your locale, you do not need to do anything. Your release package will be created automatically for you. An example locale is en_GB.
  • If you have no custom changes for 4.1, please ensure you have an empty branches/4.1/dist or tags/4.1/dist directory at i18n.svn.wordpress.org. (Having an empty trunk/dist directory does not help you.) You do not need a dist directory if branches/4.1 or tags/4.1 is empty. An example would be nl_NLYour release package will be created automatically for you.
  • If you have minor custom changes consisting of, at most, a translated readme, license file, and wp-config-sample.php, please ensure these files exist in a branches/4.1/dist or tags/4.1/dist directory at i18n.svn.wordpress.org. (Having your stuff in only trunk/dist does not count.) An example would be eo or fr_FRYour release package will be created automatically for you.
  • If you have extensive custom changes consisting of other files, such as wp-content/languages/$locale.php or core modifications, you will need to create a package via Rosetta as you have done in the past. For this, We are phasing out the ability to ship any customizations beyond license, readme, and wp-sample-config.php. This means you need to reach out to the WordPress core contributorsCore Contributors Core contributors are those who have worked on a release of WordPress, by creating the functions or finding and patching bugs. These contributions are done through Trac. https://core.trac.wordpress.org. to fold your modifications into WordPress core. You can start this process by creating a Trac ticket.

To summarize:

  • If all you have is a license, readme, and wp-config-sample.php (or no custom changes at all), everything will be automated for you for WordPress 4.1 if you follow the instructions above. Both language packs and release packages will automatically be created once 4.1 is announced. If you are not at 100% at that time, then language packs and release packages will be created when you reach 100%. If you are later modify a translation (to fix a typo, for example), your language pack and release package will be regenerated.
  • If you have extensive custom changes, you will need to manually create a package via Rosetta as you have done in the past. This option is being phased out in 2015.

 

If you go to the releases screen on your Rosetta dashboard, you’ll see a new notice that explains what the system thinks your status is. If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or issues, please comment here or find me or @ocean90 in #polyglots on Slack.

If your locale is currently eligible for automatic creation of release packages (which includes being at 100%), you’ll find an RC3 build generated from tags/4.1-RC3 waiting for you on your dashboard. Please inspect these ZIPs. Those locales are: az, bs_BA, de_DE, en_CA, en_GB, eo, fi, fr_FR, it_IT, nb_NO, nl_NL, pt_PT, ro_RO, and sv_SE (zip links).

#announcement, #rosetta