# The &kbabel; Handbook

## Introduction

&kbabel; is an advanced and easy to use PO file (&GNU; gettext message catalogues) editor. It has many features, that make it easy to edit and manage your PO files. This includes full navigation capabilities, extensive editing functionality, search functions, syntax checking and statistics function. &cataloguemanager; is a file manager view, which helps you keep an overview over your PO files. &kbabeldict; allows you to translate any text using &kbabel; capabilities for automated translation. The &kbabel; suite will help you to translate quickly and also to keep translations consistent.

With the &kde; project growing continuously, the number of PO messages is over 47000 at the time of writing this documentation (plus another 20000 messages used for translating application documentation). There is a need to stay organised and consistent across all translations.

&using; &catman; &kbabeldictchapter; &dictionaries; &preferences; &menu; &kbabelfaq;

## Credits and Licence

&kbabel;

Program Copyright © 1999-2000 &Matthias.Kiefer; &Matthias.Kiefer.mail;

Contributors:

- &Thomas.Diehl; &Thomas.Diehl.mail;

- &Stephan.Kulow; &Stephan.Kulow.mail;

Documentation Copyright © 2000 &Claudiu.Costin; &Claudiu.Costin.mail; and &Matthias.Kiefer; &Matthias.Kiefer.mail;

Update for &kde; 3.0 Copyright © 2002 &Stanislav.Visnovsky; &Stanislav.Visnovsky.mail;

Malcolm Huntermalcolm.hunter@gmx.co.uk

&underFDL; &underGPL;
&glossary;

## Installation

### How to obtain &kbabel;

&install.intro.documentation;

### Requirements

In order to successfully use &kbabel;, you need &kde; 3.x.

All required libraries as well as &kbabel; itself can be found on &kde-ftp;.

If you want to use the translation database, you need Berkeley Database II.

### Compilation and Installation

&install.compile.documentation;
&documentation.index;