From kde-i18n-doc  Sat Jul 15 08:50:26 2006
From: Nicolas Goutte <nicolasg () snafu ! de>
Date: Sat, 15 Jul 2006 08:50:26 +0000
To: kde-i18n-doc
Subject: Re: RFC: Out with %n in KDE4
Message-Id: <200607151050.26388.nicolasg () snafu ! de>
X-MARC-Message: https://marc.info/?l=kde-i18n-doc&m=115295369900534

On Tuesday 04 July 2006 02:20, Chusslove Illich wrote:
> Due to some rearrangements in i18n handling in KDE4, of which switch to
> standard Gettext format will be most observable to translators, the
> question is whether we really need %n plural placeholder any more.
>
> Throwing it out would mean direct support from Gettext's msgfmt, as then
> messages would be proper Qt strings, which Gettext knows as qt-format.
> This would also enable elimination of occasional problem with Gettext
> putting c-format for plural messages.
>
> If you are concerned with "spotting" plural messages, remember that they
> will no longer be of "_n: ..." form, but standard Gettext. In KBabel, such
> plural message will have one tab per each form in translation pane, making
> it impossible to miss.

My idea was more to replace it with %i (or %d) as %n is really a nasty 
placeholder in a printf context.

However you cannot remove it completely, as the translators have to tell 
somehow: "here I want the number".

Have a nice day!