12. Locale support

WinMerge allows translating the user interface to other languages than English. Several translations have been contributed. At the time of this writing, translations are available from WinMerge.org for the following languages:

Note

The translations cover interface content, including menus, dialogs, tooltips, and messages -- essentially the translation of of all strings displayed. However, they do not provide areas outside of string translation; they do not handle how numbers are divided, or how words are alphabetized. (These issues should be addressed in the conventional Windows manner, which is via the Regional settings in the Control Panel.)

12.1. Selecting language

In order to change the current user interface language, do the following:

  1. Run WinMerge

  2. Select Language from the View menu

  3. Select your language and click OK

Note that the WinMerge user interface instantly updates to the selected language.

12.2. Installing translation

The easiest way to install translations is to select them in the installer. Translations are selected in the 4th installer dialog (Select components). The default install (Typical Installation) does not install translations, but they can be individually selected from the list.

If you don't want to re-run installer, or didn't install WinMerge with the installer in the first place, then WinMerge translation files are available in zipped versions and translation updates. To install new translation file:

  1. Download the zipped release from WinMerge download site or updated translation file from Languages download.

  2. If the Languages subdirectory does not exist under the WinMerge directory (where WinMerge.exe and/or WinMergeU.exe is located) create it.

  3. a) If you downloaded just the language files, unzip them into the Languages directory.

    b) If you downloaded an entire WinMerge release, then search for Merge*.lang files, where * is a language name (MergeSwedish.lang for Swedish translation). Unzip that file to the Languages directory.

  4. Run WinMerge

  5. Select Language from the View menu

  6. Select your language and click OK

12.3. Reporting error in translation

Please submit errors you find in translations as bugs to our bug-list. It would be great if you can provide a corrected version of the translated text also.

12.4. Submitting a new translation

If you would like to add your language to the list, look at the on-line documentation for the details on how to do it. All translations are not complete so it would be nice if you can help improving them too. Translating (or improving translation) does not require you to have all compile tools or knowledge of WinMerge internals. Just read instructions from above link. And if you have problems ask help from us in one of WinMerge forums.