Developing Juzu portlets – Step 6: Let the whole world create new secrets

Previous steps:
– Learn how to develop great Juzu portlets for eXo Platform!
– Step 2: viewing and posting secrets
– Step 3: Building a sexy secret wall
– Step 4: adding Likes and Comments for Secret
– Step 5: Saving Secrets in the JCR

We are close to the end, guys. In this step, we will make our JuZcret portlet understandable by the whole world! Ok, for this tutorial we will just manage the French and Vietnamese languages but when you understand the concept, feel free to add all the languages you want.

Internationalization and Localization

Internationalization

Internationalization is the process of developing software whose core design does not make assumptions based on a language. It means that all messages and labels in the application can be translated into all supported languages.
Note: Juzu supports i18n natively in its core. We just need to modify all the labels in all our templates. Next time, remember to do this as soon you start developing a template.

Update the editMode.gtmpl template:

#{param name=enableComment/}

<form action="@{JuZcretApplication.enableComment()}" method="POST" role="form">
	<h5>&{label.configuration}</h5>
	<input type="checkbox" name="enableComment" <%=enableComment ? "checked" : "" %>/>&{label.enableComment}
	<button type="submit">&{label.save}</button>
</form>

The syntax for retrieving an i18nized message is &{label}. For instance we’ve replaced <h5>Configuration</h5> with <h5>&{label.configuration}</h5>.

We need to do this for all the labels in all JuZcret templates:

addsecret.gtmpl:

<div class="secret-wall-container">
	<div class="secret-wall-heading">
		<div class="row-fluid">
			<div class="span6">
				<h3 class="title">JuZcret Portlet</h3>
			</div>
			<div class="span6 text-right">
				<a class="btn btn-primary" href="@{JuZcretApplication.index()}" role="button">&{label.secretWall}</a>
			</div>
		</div>
	</div>
	<div class="text-center">
		<div class="uiBox share-secret-box">
			<h4 class="title">&{label.shareSecret}</h4>
			<div class="uiContentBox">
				<form class="share-secret-form" action="@{JuZcretApplication.addSecret()}" method="POST" role="form">
					<div class="control-group">
						<label class="control-label" for="mySecret">&{label.mySecret}:</label>
						<div class="controls">
							<textarea id="mySecret" rows="3" name="msg" placeholder="&{label.writeSecret}"></textarea>
						</div>
					</div>
					<div class="control-group">
						<label class="control-label" for="secrImgUrl">&{label.img}:</label>
						<div class="controls">
							<input type="text" id="secrImgUrl" name="imgURL" placeholder="">
						</div>
					</div>
					<div class="control-group mgB0">
						<div class="controls text-center">
							<button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary">&{label.share}</button>
						</div>
					</div>
				</form>
			</div>
		</div>
	</div>
</div>

secretWall.gtmpl:

#{param name=secretsList/}
#{param name=enableComment/}

<div class="secret-wall-container">
	<div class="secret-wall-heading">
		<div class="row-fluid">
			<div class="span6">
				<h3 class="title">JuZcret Portlet</h3>
			</div>

			<div class="span6 text-right">
				<a class="btn btn-primary" href="@{ JuZcretApplication.addSecretForm()}" role="button">&{label.shareSecret}</a>
			</div>
		</div>
	</div>
	<ul class="secret-wall-list clearfix">
		<% secretsList.each { secret -> %>
		<li class="secret" data-secretId="${secret.id}">
			<div class="secret-image" style="background-image: url('${secret.imageURL}')">

				<div class="secret-mesage">${secret.message}</div>

				<div class="secret-action">
					<a class="btn-like secr-toggle-link toggle-like-comment" href="#">
						<i class="uiIconThumbUp uiIconWhite"></i><span class="numb"></span>
					</a>
                    <a class="btn-popup-comment secr-toggle-link toggle-write-comment" href="#">
                    	<i class="uiIconComment uiIconWhite"></i><span class="numb"></span>
					</a>
				</div>

				<div class="popover popover-secret fade top">
					<button class="closePopover close" type="button">&times;</button>
					<div class="arrow"></div>

					<div class="popover-content">
						<div class="secr-comments-box">
							<ul class="secr-comments-list">
								<% secret.getComments().each { comment -> %>
								<li><!--Add class .open-popover to display popover -->
									<div class="media">
										<a class="pull-left" href="https://localhost:8080/portal/intranet/profile/${comment.userId}">
											<img src="https://localhost:8080/social-resources/skin/images/ShareImages/UserAvtDefault.png" alt="avatar">
										</a>

										<div class="media-body">
											<div>
												<a class="cm-user-name" href="https://localhost:8080/portal/intranet/profile/${comment.userId}">${comment.userId}</a> <span class="cm-time">${comment.createdDate}</span>
											</div>

											<div class="cm-content">${comment.content}</div>
										</div>
									</div>
								</li>
								<% } %>
							</ul>
						</div>
						<div class="secr-create-comment clearfix">
							<button class="btn-comment btn btn-primary pull-right">&{label.comment}</button>

							<div class="secr-write-comment ">
								<div class="inner">
									<div class="media">
										<a href="#" class="pull-left">
											<img src="https://localhost:8080/social-resources/skin/images/ShareImages/UserAvtDefault.png" alt="avatar">
										</a>

										<div class="media-body">
											<textarea name="comment" class="secret-add-comment" placeholder="&{label.addComment}"></textarea>
										</div>
									</div>
								</div>
							</div>
						</div>
					</div>
				</div>
			</div>
		</li>
		<% } %>
	</ul>
</div>

That’s it for internationalizing the templates.

Now, how can I manage the translation of &{label.configuration}?
It’s very simple and easy in Juzu. You just need to configure the path of your bundle in the portlet.xml and then create a Java resource bundle file (*.properties or *.xml) per language.

So, first update the portlet.xml file in the src/main/webapp/WEB-INF folder:

<portlet-app>
	<portlet>
		<portlet-name>JuzcretApplication</portlet-name>
		[...]
		</supports>
		<resource-bundle>locale.portlet.juzcret</resource-bundle>
		<portlet-info>
		[...]
	</portlet>
</portlet-app>

The resource bundle tells the portlet container to find the resource bundle files in /locale/portlet/juzcret_*.properties.

Localization

Localization is the process of customizing an app for a particular language. That includes translating the labels and messages into that language.
In this tutorial, we will limit support to French and Vietnamese.

Add the resource bundle files to this path /src/main/resources/locale/portlet/, as declared in portlet.xml:

juzcret.properties for the default language (English in eXo Platform)

label.addComment=Add your comment
label.shareSecret=Share my secret
label.configuration=Configuration
label.enableComment=Enable Comment
label.save=Save
label.mySecret=My secret
label.writeSecret=Write your secret here
label.img=Image URL
label.share=Share
label.comment=Comment
label.secretWall=Secret Wall

juzcret_vi.properties for Vietnamese

label.shareSecret=Chia s\u1EBB b\u00ED m\u1EADt
label.configuration=C\u1EA5u h\u00ECnh
label.enableComment=Cho ph\u00E9p b\u00ECnh lu\u1EADn
label.save=L\u01B0u
label.mySecret=B\u00ED m\u1EADt c\u1EE7a t\u00F4i
label.writeSecret=Vi\u1EBFt b\u00ED m\u1EADt \u1EDF \u0111\u00E2y
label.img=\u0110\u01B0\u1EDDng d\u1EABn \u1EA3nh
label.share=Chia s\u1EBB
label.secretWall=T\u01B0\u1EDDng b\u00ED m\u1EADt
label.addComment=Th\u00EAm b\u00ECnh lu\u1EADn
label.comment=B\u00ECnh lu\u1EADn

juzcret_fr.properties for French

label.shareSecret=Partager mon secret
label.configuration=Configuration
label.enableComment=Activer les commentaires
label.save=Sauvegarder
label.mySecret=Mon secret
label.writeSecret=Ecrit ton secret ici
label.img=URL de l'image
label.share=Partager
label.secretWall=Mur des secrets
label.addComment=Ajouter votre commentaire
label.comment=Ajouter

That’s all.
Recompile and deploy JuZcret eXo Platform as explained in a previous step of this tutorial:

$ mvn clean install

Copy and paste the war file (i.e., replace the old one) in the web app folder of eXo Platform, start the server and open the JuZcret page created in step 1.

Now you can share secrets in Vietnamese:

or look at the secret wall and add comments in French:

So, here we are. We have an international JuZcret application ready for sharing secrets with people all around the world.

Hum, do you think that we forgot to do some important things during the steps? Let’s fix this in the last step.

The final source of step 6 is available for downloading from GitHub.

Previous and next steps:
– Learn how to develop great Juzu portlets for eXo Platform!
– Step 2: viewing and posting secrets
– Step 3: Building a sexy secret wall
– Step 4: adding Likes and Comments for Secret
– Step 5: Saving Secrets in the JCR
– Step 6: Let the whole world create new secrets
– Step 7: Finishing the job properly with unit test

Join the eXo tribe by registering for the community and get updates, tutorials, support, and access to the Platform and add-on downloads!

Make the most out of eXo Platform 4

Register to the next webinar and get a complete overview of what you can do with eXo Platform 4. Reserve your seat now!

Brahim Jaouane

I am a Digital Marketing specialist specialized in SEO at eXo Platform. Passionate about new technologies and Digital Marketing. With 10 years' experience, I support companies in their digital communication strategies and implement the tools necessary for their success. My approach combines the use of different traffic acquisition levers and an optimization of the user experience to convert visitors into customers. After various digital experiences in communication agencies as well as in B2B company, I have a wide range of skills and I am able to manage the digital marketing strategy of small and medium-sized companies.