Strings in model are not translated

Question

My application has Contact model in app/models/contact.php. I have used _construct to add some list in array which its values should be translated using _('some text',true) as follows:

class Contact extends AppModel{
   var $sex;
   function __construct($id = false, $table = null, $ds = null) {
      parent::__construct($id, $table, $ds);      
      $this->sex =array(
                 'U' => __('Choose Sex', true),
                 'M' => __('Male', true),
                 'F' => __('Female', true)    
                     );
   } 
}

The above mentioned $sex variable is used to populate HTML select as follows:

// From contacts controller index function

function index(){
   $this->set('sex', $this->Contact->sex);
.....
}

// From index view index.ctp
<?php echo $form->input('sex', array('type' => 'select', 'options' => $sex)); ?>

After running cake i18n, translating strings using Poedit version 1.5.5 and deleting files in app/tmp/cache, I have found that strings in the list still as it is without translation.

How could I solve this issue with translation strings in the model?

General Notes:

• CakePHP version 1.2.10
• XAMPP AMP package on Windows7 64 bit

Answer 1

CakePHP 1.2 doesn't use 'lazy loading', the Model may therefore be loaded/constructed before you set the language/locale (for example, inside your AppController::beforeFilter()).

Things to consider

It may be worth considering;

• If these strings should already be translated inside the constructor (you won't be using them all the time)
• If these strings should be translated inside the model at all

Especially this last point; IMO translating strings is part of the 'presentation layer'; i.e. belongs inside a View (or a Helper).

Translate 'on demand'; at the last possible moment

This also allows you to switch the language, without the Model having already translated the strings;

In your model:

class Contact extends AppModel
{
    protected $_sexOptions = array(
        'U' => 'Choose Sex',
        'M' => 'Male',
        'F' => 'Female',
    );

    public function getSexOptions()
    {
        $out = array();
        foreach ($this->_sexOptions as $k => $v) {
            $out[$k] = __($v, true);
        }
        return $out;    
    }
}

Inside your controller;

$this->set('sex', $this->Contact->getSexOptions());

Translate inside the 'presentation' layer; i.e. your view:

Create a simple helper to make this re-usable;

app/views/helpers/options.php

class OptionsHelper extends AppHelper
{
    /**
     * translates options
     */
    public function translate($options)
    {
        $out = array();
        foreach (options as $k => $v) {
            $out[$k] = __($v, true);
        }
        return $out;
    }
}

Add this helper to your controller;

public $helpers = array(
    // ... other helpers
    'options',
);

Inside your view;

echo $this->Form->input('sex', array(
    'type'    => 'radio',
    'options' => $this->Options->translate($sex)
));