feat(i18n): translate labels, and keep brand names out of it

name and title were translated at render time but never machine-filled,
on the grounds that no backend tells the menu label "Pictures" from the
brand "Mastodon". That left the visible half of a card in English. They
are filled now, and the two key sets collapse into one.

The brands need somewhere to be named instead. app/i18n/keep.txt lists
them, one per line, and every entry is stored as itself in every target
language: no request, and never over an entry written by hand. --keep adds
one-off strings, --keep-file points elsewhere.

The shipped list holds the 43 product names that appear as name: or title:
in config.sample.yaml. Generic labels — Pictures, Imprint, Settings,
Certificates — are deliberately absent, and so are Cybermaster, Polymath
and Yachtmaster, which read as brand or as job title depending on who is
asking.

Two of these behaviours first shipped unguarded. A test that protected a
string and asserted the hand-written value survived passed either way,
because a run where nothing is missing reports "complete" and never
writes; and nothing exercised main(), so the keep file could stop being
read without a failure. Both are covered.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

README.md

@@ -171,10 +171,25 @@ make i18n
 This fills the interface strings of the languages that ship no catalogue as
 well. Existing entries are never overwritten, and a string the shipped
 catalogue already covers is never requested, so corrections you make by hand
-survive later runs. Only prose (`description`, `text`, `warning`, `info`, `subtitel`) is
+survive later runs.
-filled automatically; `name` and `title` are left to you, because a machine
+
-cannot tell the menu label "Pictures" from the brand "Mastodon". Write those
+`name`, `title`, `description`, `text`, `warning`, `info` and `subtitel` are
-into the content catalogue yourself when you want them translated.
+translated; `url`, `link_text`, `identifier` and icon classes never are.
+
+A machine cannot tell the menu label "Pictures" from the brand "Mastodon", so
+list the brands in `app/i18n/keep.txt`, one per line — they are then stored as
+themselves in every language and cost no request:
+
+```
+# Strings utils/i18n_sync.py stores as themselves instead of translating.
+Mastodon
+Nextcloud
+freelancermap.de
+```
+
+Add one-off entries with `--keep Foo Bar`, or point somewhere else with
+`--keep-file`. A protected string never replaces an entry you already wrote by
+hand.
 
 ---
 

app/i18n/keep.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+# Strings utils/i18n_sync.py stores as themselves instead of translating.
+# One per line; blank lines and lines starting with # are ignored.
+
+Baserow
+Big Blue Button
+Bluesky
+Buy me a Coffee
+Discourse
+Duolingo
+Eversports
+Facebook
+Friendica
+Garmin
+Gitea
+GitHub
+GitHub Sponsors
+Infinito.Nexus
+Instagram
+Keycloak
+LDAP
+LinkedIn
+Mailu
+Mastodon
+Matomo
+Matrix
+Nextcloud
+Open Project
+Patreon
+PayPal
+Peertube
+Pixelfed
+Signal
+Snipe IT
+Spotify
+Taiga
+Telegram
+Twitter
+WhatsApp
+XING
+YouTube
+Yourls
+Zoom
+freelancermap.de
+malt
+phpMyAdmin
+upwork.com

app/utils/i18n.py

@@ -23,9 +23,9 @@ CONTENT_DIR = I18N_DIR / "content"
 SOURCE_LANGUAGE = "en"
 
 
-AUTOFILL_KEYS = frozenset({"description", "text", "warning", "info", "subtitel"})
+TRANSLATABLE_KEYS = frozenset(
-
+    {"description", "info", "name", "subtitel", "text", "title", "warning"}
-TRANSLATABLE_KEYS = AUTOFILL_KEYS | frozenset({"name", "title"})
+)
 
 UI_STRINGS = (
     "Alternatives",

tests/unit/test_i18n_sync.py

@@ -30,19 +30,26 @@ class TestCollectSources(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(
             i18n_sync.collect_sources(config),
             {
+                "Agile Coach",
                 "I lead transformations.",
                 "Another card.",
+                "Apps",
                 "Application menu",
                 "A tagline",
             },
         )
 
-    def test_label_and_structural_keys_are_left_alone(self):
+    def test_labels_are_collected_too(self):
+        config = {"name": "Pictures", "title": "Agile Coach"}
+
+        self.assertEqual(i18n_sync.collect_sources(config), {"Pictures", "Agile Coach"})
+
+    def test_structural_keys_are_left_alone(self):
         config = {
-            "name": "Mastodon",
-            "title": "Cybermaster",
             "url": "https://example.test",
             "link_text": "www.example.test",
+            "identifier": "@someone@example.test",
+            "icon": {"class": "fa-solid fa-users"},
         }
 
         self.assertEqual(i18n_sync.collect_sources(config), set())
@@ -178,6 +185,80 @@ class TestSupportedLanguages(unittest.TestCase):
                     i18n_sync.supported_languages("http://lt", self._session(payload))
 
 
+class TestReadKeep(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.directory = Path(tempfile.mkdtemp())
+        self.addCleanup(shutil.rmtree, self.directory, True)
+        self.path = self.directory / "keep.txt"
+
+    def test_a_missing_file_keeps_nothing(self):
+        self.assertEqual(i18n_sync.read_keep(self.path), [])
+
+    def test_comments_and_blank_lines_are_ignored(self):
+        self.path.write_text(
+            "# brands\n\nMastodon\n  Bluesky  \n\n# more\nNextcloud\n",
+            encoding="utf-8",
+        )
+
+        self.assertEqual(
+            i18n_sync.read_keep(self.path), ["Mastodon", "Bluesky", "Nextcloud"]
+        )
+
+    def test_the_shipped_list_names_the_brands_of_the_sample_configuration(self):
+        shipped = i18n_sync.read_keep(i18n_sync.DEFAULT_KEEP_PATH)
+
+        self.assertGreaterEqual(set(shipped), {"Mastodon", "Nextcloud", "Matrix"})
+        self.assertNotIn("Pictures", shipped)
+        self.assertNotIn("Imprint", shipped)
+
+
+class TestCommandLine(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.directory = Path(tempfile.mkdtemp())
+        self.addCleanup(shutil.rmtree, self.directory, True)
+        self.keep_file = self.directory / "keep.txt"
+        self.config = self.directory / "config.yaml"
+        self.config.write_text("cards: []\n", encoding="utf-8")
+
+    def _main(self, *extra):
+        with patch.object(i18n_sync, "sync") as sync:
+            i18n_sync.main(
+                [
+                    "--url",
+                    "http://lt/",
+                    "--config",
+                    str(self.config),
+                    "--keep-file",
+                    str(self.keep_file),
+                    *extra,
+                ]
+            )
+        return sync.call_args
+
+    def test_the_keep_file_reaches_the_sync(self):
+        self.keep_file.write_text("# brands\nMastodon\nNextcloud\n", encoding="utf-8")
+
+        keep = self._main().args[5]
+
+        self.assertEqual(list(keep), ["Mastodon", "Nextcloud"])
+
+    def test_the_command_line_adds_to_the_keep_file(self):
+        self.keep_file.write_text("Mastodon\n", encoding="utf-8")
+
+        keep = self._main("--keep", "Taiga").args[5]
+
+        self.assertEqual(list(keep), ["Mastodon", "Taiga"])
+
+    def test_a_trailing_slash_is_stripped_from_the_url(self):
+        self.assertEqual(self._main().args[0], "http://lt")
+
+    def test_a_backend_failure_is_reported_as_an_exit_code(self):
+        with patch.object(i18n_sync, "sync", side_effect=i18n_sync.BackendError("no")):
+            self.assertEqual(
+                i18n_sync.main(["--url", "http://lt", "--config", str(self.config)]), 1
+            )
+
+
 class TestLoadExisting(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         self.directory = Path(tempfile.mkdtemp())
@@ -256,7 +337,7 @@ class TestSync(unittest.TestCase):
         i18n.CONTENT_DIR = self.directory
         self.path = self.directory / "de.yaml"
 
-    def _run(self, sources, offered=("de",), translated="UEBERSETZT"):
+    def _run(self, sources, offered=("de",), translated="UEBERSETZT", keep=()):
         listing = Mock(raise_for_status=Mock())
         listing.json.return_value = [{"code": code} for code in offered]
         answer = Mock(ok=True)
@@ -264,7 +345,7 @@ class TestSync(unittest.TestCase):
         session = Mock(get=Mock(return_value=listing), post=Mock(return_value=answer))
 
         with patch.object(i18n_sync.requests, "Session", return_value=session):
-            i18n_sync.sync("http://lt", "", set(sources), ["de"], self.directory)
+            i18n_sync.sync("http://lt", "", set(sources), ["de"], self.directory, keep)
         return session
 
     def test_missing_entries_are_written(self):
@@ -299,6 +380,22 @@ class TestSync(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertFalse(self.path.exists())
         session.post.assert_not_called()
 
+    def test_a_protected_string_is_stored_as_itself(self):
+        session = self._run(["Mastodon", "Hello"], keep=["Mastodon"])
+
+        catalog = yaml.safe_load(self.path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+        self.assertEqual(catalog["Mastodon"], "Mastodon")
+        self.assertEqual(session.post.call_count, 1)
+
+    def test_a_protected_string_never_overwrites_an_existing_entry(self):
+        self.path.write_text("Mastodon: HAND-EDITED\n", encoding="utf-8")
+
+        self._run(["Mastodon", "Hello"], keep=["Mastodon"])
+
+        catalog = yaml.safe_load(self.path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+        self.assertEqual(catalog["Mastodon"], "HAND-EDITED")
+        self.assertEqual(catalog["Hello"], "UEBERSETZT")
+
     def test_an_empty_translation_is_not_stored(self):
         self._run(["Hello"], translated="")
 

utils/i18n_sync.py

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ sys.path.insert(0, str(REPO_ROOT))
 from app.utils import i18n  # noqa: E402
 
 DEFAULT_CONFIG_PATH = REPO_ROOT / "app" / "config.yaml"
+DEFAULT_KEEP_PATH = i18n.I18N_DIR / "keep.txt"
 REQUEST_TIMEOUT = 30
 
 
@@ -38,11 +39,27 @@ def collect_sources(node, key=None, found=None):
     elif isinstance(node, list):
         for item in node:
             collect_sources(item, key, found)
-    elif isinstance(node, str) and key in i18n.AUTOFILL_KEYS and node.strip():
+    elif isinstance(node, str) and key in i18n.TRANSLATABLE_KEYS and node.strip():
         found.add(node)
     return found
 
 
+def read_keep(path):
+    """Return the strings listed in ``path``, ignoring blanks and comments.
+
+    Args:
+        path: a text file with one string per line, or a path that does not exist.
+    """
+    if not path.is_file():
+        return []
+    lines = path.read_text(encoding="utf-8").splitlines()
+    return [
+        stripped
+        for stripped in (line.strip() for line in lines)
+        if stripped and not stripped.startswith("#")
+    ]
+
+
 class BackendError(Exception):
     """The translation backend answered in a way the run cannot continue from."""
 
@@ -144,7 +161,7 @@ def translate(session, url, api_key, text, target):
     return translated
 
 
-def sync(url, api_key, sources, targets, directory):
+def sync(url, api_key, sources, targets, directory, keep=()):
     """Fill and write the catalogue of every language in ``targets``.
 
     Args:
@@ -153,6 +170,7 @@ def sync(url, api_key, sources, targets, directory):
         sources: English strings to translate.
         targets: language codes to fill.
         directory: catalogue directory to write into.
+        keep: strings to store as themselves instead of translating.
     """
     directory.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
     session = requests.Session()
@@ -168,6 +186,9 @@ def sync(url, api_key, sources, targets, directory):
         if catalog is None:
             continue
 
+        protected = {word: word for word in keep if word not in catalog}
+        catalog.update(protected)
+
         shipped = (
             {}
             if directory == i18n.UI_DIR
@@ -190,7 +211,7 @@ def sync(url, api_key, sources, targets, directory):
                 catalog[source] = translated
                 added += 1
 
-        if not added:
+        if not added and not protected:
             print(f"  ! {target}: nothing translated, leaving the file untouched")
             continue
 
@@ -227,6 +248,24 @@ def main(argv=None):
             "ui: the interface strings that ship with the project."
         ),
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--keep",
+        nargs="+",
+        default=[],
+        metavar="STRING",
+        help=(
+            "Store these as themselves instead of translating, "
+            "in addition to --keep-file."
+        ),
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--keep-file",
+        type=Path,
+        default=DEFAULT_KEEP_PATH,
+        help=(
+            f"One string per line, stored untranslated (default: {DEFAULT_KEEP_PATH})."
+        ),
+    )
     parser.add_argument(
         "--languages",
         nargs="+",
@@ -245,8 +284,18 @@ def main(argv=None):
         sources = collect_sources(config) | set(i18n.UI_STRINGS)
         print(f"{len(sources)} string(s) in {args.config} and the interface")
 
+    keep = read_keep(args.keep_file) + args.keep
+    print(f"{len(keep)} string(s) kept untranslated")
+
     try:
-        sync(args.url.rstrip("/"), args.api_key, sources, args.languages, directory)
+        sync(
+            args.url.rstrip("/"),
+            args.api_key,
+            sources,
+            args.languages,
+            directory,
+            keep,
+        )
     except BackendError as error:
         print(f"ERROR: {error}", file=sys.stderr)
         return 1