[drupal-devel] [task] Consistent return 'passive voice' in form_set_error() and drupal_set_message()

[puregin]

On 22 Apr 2005, at 5:05 AM, stefan nagtegaal wrote:

> Issue status update for http://drupal.org/node/15595
>
> Project:      Drupal
> Version:      cvs
> Component:    base system
> Category:     tasks
> Priority:     normal
> Assigned to:  stefan nagtegaal
> Reported by:  bertboerland at www.drop.org
> Updated by:   stefan nagtegaal
> -Status:       active
> +Status:       patch
>
> Setting status to Patch.
>
>
>
>
> stefan nagtegaal
>
>
>
> Previous comments:
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 
> -
>
> January 14, 2005 - 15:59 : bertboerland at www.drop.org
>
> *My* drupal not *Yours*!
>
>
> I think that when one addresses the user or the administrator of a
> site, it is best to do this outside in instead of inside out. So when
> in the documentation the coder is referring to the site of the
> administrator, this site should be called "your site" (/inside out/)
> but "my site" (/outside in/). There are numours examples where the text
> in referring to "your"where "my"would be apopriate [1]
>
>
> There used to be some "your" in the userinterface for the enduser as
> well, but that has been solved in 4.5. Before that you had "my
> account", but "track your postings". This has now all beens replaced by
> "my"and "mine". If everybody agrees, lets also corect this for the
> administrator as well; my administrator, not yours ;-)
>
>
> [1] examples:
> admin/logs/referrers "...that point to your web site."
> admin/settings "General configuration options for your site"
>
>
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 
> -
>
> April 19, 2005 - 18:36 : stefan nagtegaal
>
> We should consistently use the 'passive voice', when returning messages
> using form_set_error() and drupal_set_message().
>
>
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 
> -
>
> April 22, 2005 - 14:05 : stefan nagtegaal
>
> Attachment: http://drupal.org/files/issues/drupal_set_message  
> consistency part 1 of 2 (51.16 KB)
>
> first patch of 2 to make the drupal_set_message(), form_set_error() and
> watchdog() messages more consistent.
>
>
> please review/comment and apply..
>
>
For some reason, when I click on the patch link, I get a
'Page Not Found' error.

Looking at the patch on the issues page, I have a couple of
comments.

     Generally, the passive voice messages read well, though they are  
longer than the
messages they replace.   There's some inconsistency with single and  
double quoting
of strings - is this deliberate?

    1) There is a problem with the message "The permissions of directory  
%directory has been changed...".
In order to agree with the subject (permissions) the verb phrase must  
be plural in number:

     "The permissions of directory %directory have been changed...".

    2) The message

      The directory %directory is not writable, because it has not the  
right permissions set.

would read better as

      The directory %directory is not writable, because it does not have  
the correct permissions set.

    3)  The word 'not' is doubled:

'The selected file %file could not not be uploaded, because the  
destination %directory is not properly configured or has not set the  
right permissions.',

Also, this is better expressed as

'The selected file %file could not be uploaded, because the destination  
%directory could not be found, or because its permissions do not permit  
the file to be written.',


      4)  Should we specifically indicate that it is the *destination*  
of the copy that would be overwritten?

      The selected file %file can not be copied, because the file  
already exists.

Might be better as:

      The selected file %file could not be copied, because a file by  
that name already exists in the destination.

     5)  'could not' vs. 'can not' - for consistency and clarity (could  
implies that we tried :)

        The selected file %file can not be copied.

I'd prefer to see:

        The selected file %file can not be copied.

(should we give hints as to what might cause the problem?)

      6)  "The removal of the original file %file has failed."

      Again, can we give some hints as to why this might have failed?

      7)  'The file %file has not been saved, because of a possible  
exploit abuse.'

Hmm - I'm not sure about this.  How about

        'The file %file has not been saved, because it may be a possible  
attempt to exploit or abuse this system.'

      8)  "The file %file has not been saved, because it has exceeded  
the maximum allowed size."

Why do we say 'has not been" sometimes and "could not be" at other  
times?  I suggest:

        "The file %file could not be saved, because it exceeds the  
maximum allowed size."

      9)  "The file %file has not been saved, because the upload was  
incomplete.   "

Same issue.  Suggest:

      "The file %file could not be saved, because the upload did not  
complete.   "

      10)  "The file %file has not been saved. "

       "The file %file could not be saved.   An unknown error has  
occured. "


      11) in function file_save_upload around line 402:  same comment as  
7) above

      12) 'The file can not be created.'  - Suggest 'could' instead of  
'can' - this implies
that we tried.

      13)  in _locale_import_po:

       Rather than 'There is an unsupported language selected for  
import.', I'd suggest

      'The language selected for import is not supported.'

      14)  'The translation file %filename appears to be broken and  
could not be read.'  - I suggest

       'The translation file %filename appears to contain errors and  
could not be read.'

This is a little more formal.

        15) 'The translation file %filename appears to be broken, due to  
the header which is not properly set.'

I suggest

        'The translation file %filename appears have a missing or  
improperly formed header.'

        16) 'The translation is succesfully imported. There are %number  
new translated strings created and %update strings updated.'

  I suggest

       'The translation  was successfully imported. There are %number  
newly created translated strings and %update strings were updated.'

      17) The translation import failed, because the file %filename  
cannot be read.'

Can vs. could:

     'The translation import failed, because the file %filename could  
not be read.'

     18)  'The translation file %filename seems to be broken, because  
"msgstr" is expected on line %line.'

Suggest:

       'The translation file %filename contains an error:  "msgstr"  was  
expected but not found on line %line.'

     19) 'The translation file %filename seems to be broken, because  
"msgid_plural" is expected on line %line.'

Suggest:

      'The translation file %filename contains an error:  "msgid_plural"  
was expected but not found on line %line.'

      20) 'The translation file %filename seems to be broken, because  
"msgid" is unexpected on line %line.'

Suggest:

     'The translation file %filename contains an error:  found  
unexpected "msgid" on line %line.'


    21) 'The translation file %filename seems to be broken, because  
there is a syntax error on line %line.'

Suggest:  'The translation file %filename contains a syntax error on  
line %line.'

I'm quit here for now...   I didn't realize that it was quite so long  
when I started!

Perhaps it would be easier if I grab the files from CVS, apply the  
patch file, edit, and submit the
new patch?   Or would you prefer if I continue in this way and supply  
some justification for
my changes?

     Regards, Djun





--
Djun M. Kim, Director                            
djun.kim at cielosystems.com
Cielo Systems Inc.                               
http://www.cielosystems.com
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