GlobalizeBridge
===============

This plugin helps to ease the migration of existing Globalize 1 applications to the built in
I18n framework without major code changes. Existing localization helpers and extensions are 
utilized to make the migration as smooth ride.

The plugin builds on top of the Globalize 2 and I18n Backend Database plugins, which need to be installed.

Additionally, the following features were added:

1. Backend chaining for database backend

    # e.g.
    I18n.backend = Globalize::Backend::Chain.new(Globalize::Backend::Static, I18n::Backend::Database)

2. Fallback locales for static and database backends

    # e.g. 
    I18n.fallbacks[:"de-DE"] = [:"de-DE", :de, :en, :root]
    I18n.locale = :"de-DE"
    I18n.t :hello -> lookup in de-DE.yml, de.yml, en.yml then in database


3. Improved backend database caching setup

    I18n.cache_store = ActiveSupport::Cache.lookup_store(:memory_store)


4. Template support and fallbacks

    # e.g.
    I18n.locale = :de
    render :partial => "post"  ->  looks in views/de/post.html.erb or views/post.de.html.erb


5. Model translations, keeping translation inside the table, instead of an associated translation table

    # e.g.
    class Post < ActiveRecord::Base
      self.keep_translations_in_model = true
      translates :title, :base_as_default => true
    end
 
6. Human readable raw key support with scopes yml files and database

    # en.yml
    en:
      foo."bar": "check out the bar"

    I18n.t "bar", :scope => "foo"   -> "check out the bar"
 
7. Fast locale switching:

    # e.g. 
    I18n.locale = :en
    I18n.switch_locale :"de-DE" do
      # here we are German
    end
    # here back in English


Migration Steps
---------------

You can generally follow these migration steps, the detailed steps depend on your app.

1. Create a new database or use existing (run migrations)

2. Populate the locales table with default locales

    rake i18n:populate:default_locales
    
3. Export globalize translations

    rake globalize:export
    
4. Import into Backend Datbase

    rake globalize:import



Installation Requirements
-------------------------

1. Install rails >=2.3.4

2. Install Globalize2
http://github.com/joshmh/globalize2/tree/v0.1.1

3. Install I18n Backend Database
http://github.com/dylanz/i18n_backend_database
by ELC Technologies

4. Configure plugin loading in config/environment.rb

    config.plugins = [:i18n_backend_database, :globalize2, :globalize_bridge, :all]



Acknowledgements
----------------

Thanks to ELC Technology and Josh for their great plugins and inspiration and many others.

Copyright (c) 2010 Juergen Fesslmeier, released under the MIT license