MediaPortal is translated into many languages using simple .xml language files.

These language files, called string files, are stored in your Program Data \language folder i.e. ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\language

Strings XML files

The stings files are named stringxx.xml where xx is the abbreviation for the language. For example the English language strings file is called strings_en.xml.

The 'strings' translate text for the user interface, such as button text, context menu text, messages and so forth.

When a string, or text, has not been translated yet, MediaPortal will 'fall back' to the English language file.

Although you can edit the strings files, they will be overwritten whenever you reinstall MediaPortal.

The correct method to customize the language files is to contribute a new version. See Contribute > Localization for details.

Structure of strings XML files

<Language name="NAME" characters="512" rtl="false">
    <Section name="unmapped">
        <String id="0>Translation 0</String>
        <String id="1>Translation 1</String>
        ...
        <String id="X>Translation X</String>
    </Section>
</Language>

Language is the main section of XML document taking three arguments. Name argument is self explanatory, characters (optional) is the number of characters in the character set (usually varies between 256 and 1524)

1.2.0 beta:   rtl (optional - Default: false) denotes whether language contains right to left characters - used as an argument rtl="true" in the <Language> tag. Option was set to" true" for Hebrew (strings_he.xml).

Section - only "unmapped" section is used and you should always use that when translating.

String is the translation taking id as string identifier and translation as value.

Local Content

Of course, that will not translate local content for you, such as your EPG Guide data, Movie data, etc.

For that data, you can use localized EPG grabbers (sources) or movie info grabbers.

Add Support for a Language

It is very easy to add support for your local language, as well as local content,  if it is not already available. 

See Contribute > Localization.