A language file provides translation from one language to another.

They are stored in the app/languages directory. This can be changed using the “dir” configuration key. Files be named after the first part of the locale. For example, if the file provide translation to French, it has to be named fr.php (because the locale is fr-fr).

In the language file you must defined messages using the LangPlugin::setMessages() method. The messages is made of the string of the original language and the translated one.

				
<?php
LangPlugin::setMessages(array(
	'hello' => 'bonjour',
	'how are you?' => 'comment ca va?'
));
			

By default, the plguin will autodetect the language using HTTP headers. This can be turned off by setting false to the “autodetect” configuration key.

If the language cannot be detected, it will fall back on the default language defined in the “language” configuration key.

You can also set the language manually using LangPlugin::set().

				
LangPlugin::set('fr');
			

The current language is available from the global store under the “language” key.

				
$currentLanguage = A('language');
			

To enable translation for a string use the LangPlugin::_() method.

				
LangPlugin::set('fr');
echo LangPlugin::_('hello'); // will echo bonjour
echo LangPlugin::_('how are you?'); // will echo comment ca va?
			

A shortcut function is also defined: __().

				
LangPlugin::set('fr');
echo __('hello'); // will echo bonjour
echo __('how are you?'); // will echo comment ca va?
			

This method can also be use like the vsprintf() function. It can replace patterns in the string by values provided as an array as the second argument.

				
echo __('hello %s', array('Peter'));