How to install gnu gettext (>0.15) on windows? So I can produce .po/.mo files in Django

Question

When runing django make messages:

./manage.py makemessages -l pt

I get:

CommandError: Can't find msguniq. Make sure you have GNU gettext tools 0.15 or newer installed.

I tried to install but the last version I find with an Instalation Setup is 0.14. Where may I find a recent version and how do I install it?

Answer 1

The easiest way is to download the precompiled binary installer. Download the "static" flavor of your Operating System (32bit or 64bit) and simple run the installer.

Update the system PATH:

Control Panel > System > Advanced > Environment Variables

In the System variables list, click Path, click Edit and then New. Add C:\Program Files\gettext-iconv\bin value.

To check if it's working, go to cmd, navigate to your project folder and type

"manage makemessages -l de".

You may have to configure the path to store translations. Create a dir named "locale" in your project dir and point to it at settings.py

Also make sure to set the local path in settings.py file:

LOCALE_PATHS = (
    BASE_DIR + 'locale/', )

Answer 2

Django removed this explanation from the recent docs and it took me some time to found it so i pasted it here before this old documentation goes offline:

Source: Django Docs 1.7

Download the following zip files from the GNOME servers

• gettext-runtime-X.zip
• gettext-tools-X.zip

X is the version number (It needs to be 0.15 or higher)

Extract the contents of the bin\ directories in both files to the same folder on your system (i.e. C:\Program Files\gettext-utils)

Update the system PATH:

Control Panel > System > Advanced > Environment Variables

In the System variables list, click Path, click Edit and then New. Add C:\Program Files\gettext-utils\bin value.

You may also use gettext binaries you have obtained elsewhere, so long as the xgettext --version command works properly. Do not attempt to use Django translation utilities with a gettext package if the command xgettext --version entered at a Windows command prompt causes a popup window saying “xgettext.exe has generated errors and will be closed by Windows”.

After doing this I tested and ./manage.py makemessages -l pt works