Hi Yoseph,
sorry, I'm out of my depths then, please ask devs in the development
chat channel.
Maren
Am 02.07.26 um 19:54 schrieb ዮሴፍ ፈለቀ:
> Thank you for the link to the master branch pipeline.
>
> I downloaded the inkscape:windows:7z build from that pipeline and
> extracted it. I verified that the file structure is correct: inside the
> extracted folder under share/locale/am/LC_MESSAGES/, the compiled
> inkscape.mo file is present.
>
> However, when launching the software using Run Inkscape!.bat and
> navigating to Edit > Preferences > Interface, Amharic (am) is still
> completely missing from the language dropdown list.
>
> Yoseph
>
> On Thu, Jul 2, 2026, 7:59 PM Maren Hachmann <maren@goos-habermann.de> wrote:
>
>> Hi Yoseph,
>>
>> you don't need to go through the inkscape.org website to download
>> current development builds. They are created on Gitlab anyway.
>>
>> You can find the last successful builds off the master branch (as of
>> now) linked from here:
>>
>> https://gitlab.com/inkscape/inkscape/-/pipelines/2646960039
>>
>> Maren
>>
>> Am 02.07.26 um 18:53 schrieb ዮሴፍ ፈለቀ:
>>> Hi Maren,
>>>
>>> I saw that the repository updated a day ago—thank you for pushing the
>> fix
>>> through!
>>>
>>> I'm ready to download the new build and test out the Amharic translation
>>> files locally, but it looks like the main Inkscape website is currently
>>> down or not working for me, so I haven't been able to grab the installer
>>> yet.
>>>
>>> Once the site is back up and I can get the latest daily build
>> downloaded,
>>> I'll drop the files in and let you know if everything loads correctly.
>>>
>>> Yoseph
>>>
>>> On Tue, Jun 30, 2026, 8:16 PM Maren Hachmann <maren@goos-habermann.de>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi Yoseph,
>>>>
>>>> nice, thanks!
>>>>
>>>> I've updated the LINGUAS file. It will take a bit until it arrives in
>>>> the main repository, though. Theoretically, the translation files are
>>>> updated once per week by an automated script, however, the last time the
>>>> 'translations-weekly' job has run must have been a month ago, so the
>>>> automation seems to have failed multiple times in a row.
>>>>
>>>> You need to wait until the line at
>>>> https://gitlab.com/inkscape/inkscape/-/tree/master that you can see in
>>>> the attached screenshot shows a more current date.
>>>>
>>>> Maren
>>>>
>>>> (I know you're reading this, Marc, can you have a look, please? Perhaps
>>>> the job is tied to other jobs and those failed so it never proceeded to
>>>> pulling in new translations?)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Am 28.06.26 um 20:40 schrieb ዮሴፍ ፈለቀ:
>>>>> Hi Maren,
>>>>>
>>>>> Thank you! I checked Weblate again, and the GUI component is fully
>>>>> unlocked now.
>>>>>
>>>>> I have already jumped in and started translating and saving the core
>>>>> interface elements, specifically focusing on the primary menus, tools,
>>>> and
>>>>> main menu bars as suggested.
>>>>>
>>>>> Since the initial batch of high-traffic interface strings is being
>>>> updated
>>>>> on the master branch, could you update the LINGUAS file when you have a
>>>>> moment? I would love to start testing the live layout directly within
>> the
>>>>> application as I continue translating the remaining sections.
>>>>>
>>>>> Yoseph
>>>>>
>>>>> —
>>>>> Check out my socials
>>>>> <https://www.facebook.com/@yosephfeleke251>
>>>>> <https://www.tiktok.com/@yosephfeleke251>
>>>>> <https://www.instagram.com/yosephfeleke251>
>>>>> <https://www.youtube.com/@yosephfeleke251>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Sat, Jun 27, 2026, 5:17 PM Maren Hachmann <maren@goos-habermann.de>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi Yoseph,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> eh, you're right, that's so weird. Even when you think you explicitly
>>>>>> choose the GUI part, you get documentation... I've clicked on another
>>>>>> plus sign, please test if it works now!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Maren
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Am 25.06.26 um 18:47 schrieb ዮሴፍ ፈለቀ:
>>>>>>> Hi Maren,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thanks for the screenshot! I see what happened there.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The pencil icon shows up on the main project dashboard because to me
>>>> it
>>>>>>> seems like it defaults to generally showing active languages across
>> all
>>>>>>> components (as shown in Slide 1).
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> However, when clicking through that pencil icon from the main
>> project
>>>>>>> dashboard, it only grants access to translate the documentation
>> files.
>>>>>>> While the interface breadcrumbs doesn't explicitly show this at first
>>>>>>> glance (Slides 2), selecting any of the individual strings below
>>>>>>> immediately reveals that it has loaded the documentation catalog
>> (side
>>>>>> 3).
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> To me, the issue seems to be with the actual application GUI
>>>> component.
>>>>>> If
>>>>>>> you go to the "Components" tab and select "Inkscape (dev)"
>>>> specifically,
>>>>>>> Amharic is still completely grayed out with a plus sign (the
>>>> screenshot I
>>>>>>> sent in my previous email).
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Could you please check the "Inkscape (dev)" component on your end?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thank you!
>>>>>>> Yoseph
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Thu, Jun 25, 2026, 6:01 PM Maren Hachmann <
>> maren@goos-habermann.de>
>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Hi Yoseph,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Amharic seems to be available for the master branch at the moment.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> If someone else added it (Marc?), please, someone-else, don't just
>> fix
>>>>>>>> things but tell us about it, so we don't have to check and wonder
>> what
>>>>>>>> happened.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Maren
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Am 25.06.26 um 05:30 schrieb ዮሴፍ ፈለቀ:
>>>>>>>>> I just logged onto the Inkscape Weblate server to get started on
>> the
>>>>>>>>> master branch, but it looks like the Amharic translation component
>> is
>>>>>>>>> currently locked or uninitialized.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> As seen in the translation dashboard, Amharic is grayed out with a
>>>>>> plus
>>>>>>>>> sign rather than an edit pencil. I clicked the plus sign to start
>> the
>>>>>>>>> language component, which triggered a notification stating that a
>>>>>> request
>>>>>>>>> for a new translation has been sent to the project's maintainers.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Could you please approve that request on your end whenever you
>> have
>>>> a
>>>>>>>>> moment? Once it's initialized, I'll be able to jump right in and
>>>> start
>>>>>>>>> translating the core menus.
>>>>>>>>> Thank you!
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Yoseph
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On Thu, Jun 25, 2026, 5:27 AM Maren Hachmann <
>>>> maren@goos-habermann.de>
>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Am 25.06.26 um 03:27 schrieb ዮሴፍ ፈለቀ:
>>>>>>>>>>> Thank you both for the insights and for explaining how the
>> LINGUAS
>>>>>>>> file
>>>>>>>>>>> works!
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Duarte, I gave your suggestions a thorough try—including the
>>>>>>>> environment
>>>>>>>>>>> variable method and attempting to swap out the .mo file in an
>>>>>> existing
>>>>>>>>>>> language directory—but unfortunately, I still couldn't get the
>>>>>>>>>> translation
>>>>>>>>>>> to register or display locally on my version of Inkscape.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Since the local testing workarounds didn't pan out, I want to
>>>> pivot
>>>>>> my
>>>>>>>>>>> focus entirely to working directly on the Weblate server as you
>>>> both
>>>>>>>>>>> recommended. I will prioritize the high-traffic areas Maren
>>>>>> mentioned,
>>>>>>>>>> like
>>>>>>>>>>> the main menus, the Export dialog, and the Fill and Stroke
>> panels.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Before I dive in, could you let me know if there are any
>> specific
>>>>>>>>>>> documentation links, guides, or resources you recommend for
>>>> learning
>>>>>>>> how
>>>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>>>>> navigate and use Weblate effectively?
>>>>>>>>>> I've never needed any documentation for doing translations in
>>>> weblate,
>>>>>>>>>> it was pretty self-explanatory, so I can't give any
>> recommendations.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> For administration, yes, but nothing beyond what is linked from
>> the
>>>>>>>>>> weblate page itself. The three-dots menu at the top has the link
>> to
>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>> documentation.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Maren
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Yoseph
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> On Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 7:49 PM Maren Hachmann <
>>>>>> maren@goos-habermann.de>
>>>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Hi Yoseph,
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> for documentation, there is a threshold of '80% translated' per
>> po
>>>>>>>> file.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> For the GUI translations, such a threshold does not exist,
>> however
>>>>>> we
>>>>>>>>>>>> may manually disable languages that have a very low percentage /
>>>> no
>>>>>>>>>>>> translations, as has happened with Amharic in the past.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> For a translation to be valuable to users, also the location of
>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>>> translated strings in the interface is important. You can have
>>>> lots
>>>>>> of
>>>>>>>>>>>> rarely seen strings translated, but the Fill and Stroke and
>> Export
>>>>>>>>>>>> dialog and menu items are not, for example. When starting out,
>> I'd
>>>>>> not
>>>>>>>>>>>> focus on completion, but on the most important locations.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Let me know when you've uploaded your po file for the master
>>>> branch
>>>>>>>> for
>>>>>>>>>>>> the first time!
>>>>>>>>>>>> Maren
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Am 23.06.26 um 23:11 schrieb ዮሴፍ ፈለቀ:
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Thanks for the clarification!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Regarding updating the LINGUAS file once the translation is
>>>>>>>> available
>>>>>>>>>> in
>>>>>>>>>>>>> the repository from Weblate: does the Amharic translation need
>> to
>>>>>> be
>>>>>>>>>> 100%
>>>>>>>>>>>>> complete for you to add it to the file, or is there a minimum
>>>>>>>>>> completion
>>>>>>>>>>>>> percentage required before it can be included so I can start
>>>>>> testing
>>>>>>>> it
>>>>>>>>>>>>> normally?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Best regards,
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yoseph
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> On Fri, Jun 19, 2026, 7:32 PM Maren Hachmann <
>>>>>>>> maren@goos-habermann.de>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hi all,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> yes, Duarte is right.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> When a new translation language is added, I need to update the
>>>>>>>> LINGUAS
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> file. I'll do that once the translation is available in the
>>>>>>>>>> repository,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> coming from Weblate.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> When I do that, I'll also check whether any other languages
>>>> might
>>>>>> be
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> missing.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Please get your po file from the Weblate server, because that
>>>> one
>>>>>> is
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> updated from the Inkscape codebase automatically.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> If Inkscape is not available in the PATH, other programs on
>> your
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> computer will not find it, and you will not be able to launch
>>>>>>>> Inkscape
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> from the command line.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Thanks!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Maren
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Am 19.06.26 um 11:26 schrieb Duarte Farrajota Ramos:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yeah, you are right, I could not get it to work either. I
>>>> mostly
>>>>>>>> use
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Weblate
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> these days, so I might be giving you outdated or incorrect
>>>>>>>>>> information.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Looking at the source tree, there seems to be a hardcoded
>> list
>>>> of
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> available
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> languages for Inkscape at
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>
>> https://gitlab.com/inkscape/translations/-/blob/4c5583adc297cd4a2e2d68b0e3c371e1981ac47d/LINGUAS
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Which probably means you have to ask the developers to add
>> that
>>>>>> new
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> language
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> to the list, and will only be available in either future
>>>> versions
>>>>>>>> or
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> alpha
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> builds.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Either way since this is likely to be a process that will
>> take
>>>>>> some
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> time, in
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the meantime so you are not waiting around, you could try
>>>>>> something
>>>>>>>>>>>> else.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Try translating your new po file normally with the correct
>>>>>>>> language,
>>>>>>>>>>>> but
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> when
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> you create the .mo file place it in the folder of some other
>>>>>>>> existing
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> language
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> you don't plan on using, and replace the inkscape.mo file
>> there
>>>>>>>>>> (maybe
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> rename
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the original for safe keeping), then from the UI pick that
>> one
>>>>>>>>>> language
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> instead, and it should show you your translation in progress
>>>>>>>> instead
>>>>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> actual language you picked.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Once it gets sorted out and your language does exist, you can
>>>>>> then
>>>>>>>>>>>> place
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> it in
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the correct folder.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On 19/06/2026 at 01:18, ዮሴፍ ፈለቀ <yosephfeleke22@gmail.com>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Thanks for the detailed steps!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I actually tried that exact setup before your email—compiling
>>>> my
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> progress into
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> an inkscape.mo file and placing it under
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Inkscape\share\locale\am\LC_MESSAGES\inkscape.mo. However,
>>>> when I
>>>>>>>>>> open
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Inkscape, Amharic doesn't show up as an option in the
>> language
>>>>>>>>>> dropdown
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> settings at all.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> To help me figure out what I might be doing wrong, could you
>>>>>>>> clarify
>>>>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> couple
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> of things?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 1) The Source Files: I want to make sure I didn't download
>> the
>>>>>>>> wrong
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> files
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> from the server. Could you point me to the exact URL or
>>>> directory
>>>>>>>>>>>> where I
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> should pull the correct .po files for the master branch?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 2) System PATH: When installing Inkscape, there is an option
>>>> that
>>>>>>>>>> says
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> "By
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> default Inkscape does not add its directory to the system
>>>> PATH."
>>>>>>>> Does
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> leaving
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> this unchecked impact how Inkscape detects custom local
>>>>>> translation
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> folders?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> If these two things are not the source of the issue, do you
>>>> have
>>>>>>>> any
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> idea what
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> else might be causing it not to appear?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yoseph
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On Fri, Jun 19, 2026, 1:20 AM Duarte Ramos <
>>>>>>>> duarte.framos@gmail.com>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> You can edit it by hand with any (programmer) plain text
>>>> editor,
>>>>>>>> like
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Notepad
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> or Kate, but that is error prone and easy to mess up.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> For a more user friendly GUI approach, you can use any pot
>> file
>>>>>>>>>> editor
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> like
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> PoEdit or Lokalize, or any other that you find that you may
>>>> like.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I only used to use PoEdit, but they all probably have an
>> option
>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> compile and
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> export an .mo file.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> You can then navigate to your Inkcape installation folder,
>>>> under
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Inkscape\share\locale\
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> You will find a list of languages. If your translation target
>>>>>> isn't
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> there,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> create one with the corresponding language ISO code. In it
>>>> place
>>>>>> a
>>>>>>>>>>>> folder
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> called LC_MESSAGES, such that it ends up being something like
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Inkscape\share\locale\##\LC_MESSAGES\ where ## is your
>> language
>>>>>> ISO
>>>>>>>>>>>> code.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> In it place your .mo file named inkscape.mo you should then
>> be
>>>>>> able
>>>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> run
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Inkcape normally, and see your language as an option in the
>> UI
>>>>>>>>>>>> language.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> You should end up with something like
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Inkscape\share\locale\am\LC_MESSAGES\inkscape.mo
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On 18/06/2026 at 22:28, ዮሴፍ ፈለቀ <yosephfeleke22@gmail.com>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I have a quick question regarding the workflow.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I prefer not to do the translations directly inside the
>> Weblate
>>>>>> web
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> interface,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> so I went to the server and downloaded a ZIP file containing
>>>> the
>>>>>>>> .po
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> files to
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> work on them locally. However, looking at the files has left
>>>> me a
>>>>>>>> bit
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> confused.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Could you please guide me on:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> What the best practice is for working on these .po files
>>>> locally?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> How I can properly test the translations to see how they look
>>>>>>>> inside
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Inkscape
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> on my machine?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yoseph
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On Wed, Jun 17, 2026, 12:50 PM ዮሴፍ ፈለቀ <
>>>> yosephfeleke22@gmail.com
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hi Maren and Duarte,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Thanks so much for the warm welcome and for pointing me in
>> the
>>>>>>>> right
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> direction!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I will look through the documentation links you shared and
>> log
>>>>>> into
>>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> translation server to check out the master branch. I'll let
>> you
>>>>>>>> know
>>>>>>>>>> if
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I run
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> into any questions as I get started.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yoseph
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On Tue, Jun 16, 2026, 1:50 AM Duarte Ramos <
>>>>>>>> duarte.framos@gmail.com>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hi Yoseph.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> UI translation these days is mostly done through
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> https://translate.inkscape.org/
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Otherwise have you gone through
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> https://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/Translation_information ?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Let us know if you have any further difficulties.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On 15/06/2026 at 00:06, ዮሴፍ ፈለቀ <yosephfeleke22@gmail.com>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I want to work on translating Inkscape into Amharic. Can you
>>>>>> please
>>>>>>>>>>>> tell
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> me
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> what I need to do?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yoseph
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Inkscape Translators mailing list --
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> inkscape-translator@lists.inkscape.org
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> inkscape-translator-leave@lists.inkscape.org
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>