More hands on deck for approving/activating new translator accounts

[klonos]

Currently, only @olafgrabienski gets notified when new accounts are created in localize.backdropcms.org. He then has to manually activate the accounts, and communicate with people that want to contribute to specific language.

Ideally, we should automate these notifications, so that they go in a Zulip stream (same as we do for new forum posts). That way, we could crowd-source the activation of the accounts and the onboarding of new translators.

Till that happens, we should have more people help @olafgrabienski out.

[klonos]

I volunteer to help. I already have admin permissions on localize.backdropcms.org - I just need my email added to the people that get notifications when new accounts are created.

[olafgrabienski]

I just need my email added to the people that get notifications when new accounts are created.

Thanks for helping! Before I add your email to the notifications, let me share the current workflow. (Will do it later in this thread.)

[olafgrabienski]

Documentation of the current workflow

Use case: A person wants to contribute to the Backdrop translation of a specific language.

(1) Prospective contributor registers for user account

• The prospective contributor goes to https://localize.backdropcms.org/user/register.
• They fill the form with User name, Mail address and a Message. The latter is to let the moderators know about the kind of contribution and the language they're interested in. (Example: "I'd like to submit translation suggestions for Spanish.")

(2) Site manager activates the account

• The new account triggers the action "Send e-mail about new account to a site manager". Recipients of the action (currently me) receive an email containing user information (and, in theory, the message, see https://github.com/backdrop-ops/localize.backdropcms.org/issues/35).
• The site manager goes to https://localize.backdropcms.org/user?destination=admin/people, looks for the new account, and (until #35 is fixed) looks for the message of the prospective contributor.
• If the registration and the message look good, the site manager activates the account.

(3) Site manager checks for language and translation group

Dependent on the contributor message, there are two possible situations: the language of interest exists on the translation server, or it doesn't exist yet. If it doesn't exist, the language and the respective translation group have to be created first:

• Go to admin/config/regional/language/add, and add a new language.
• Go to node/add/l10n-group, and add a translation group for the language. Note: As node author, you are the first member of this group, and you'll reveive group application messages (see below).

(4) Site manager gets in touch with contributor

Assumption: Language and translation group exist

• Go to the newly activated user account (is it really enabled?), change to the contact tab, and send a welcome message to the contributor. The text details will depend on the situation (new vs. existing language, ecc.). Here's an example regarding a contributor who wants to contribute to a new language:

Subject: LANGUAGE translation group

Hello USER NAME,

Thanks for registering an account on https://localize.backdropcms.org!

You wrote, you'd like to translate Backdrop to LANGUAGE. I've created the LANGUAGE group and activated your user account. As a next step, please visit https://localize.backdropcms.org/translate/languages/LANGUAGE-CODE, look for the group block at the bottom of the right sidebar, and apply for group membership.

As we're not able to evaluate translations into LANGUAGE, it would make sense to provide your account then with the role of a "Translation supervisor". As a user with that role, you'd be able to translate right away and import language files without the need of another member to confirm your suggestions. Are you fine with that role?

All the best, NAME

(5) Manage new group membership

When the new contributor applies for group membership, the group author receives an email notification.

• Go to group/node/NID/admin/people, set the Status of the new member to Active, and update the membership.
• Optional: Edit the group account again, and choose an additional role, usually "translations supervisor".
• Go to the user account contact tab, and send a message with instructions. Example:

Subject: LANGUAGE translation instructions

Hello NAME, Thanks for your group application! I've enabled your membership and updated your role for the LANGUAGE group. You can translate single language single strings on the page https://localize.backdropcms.org/translate/languages/LANGUAGE-CODE/translate, or import .po language files with translations on the page https://localize.backdropcms.org/translate/languages/LANGUAGE-CODE/import.

By the way, if you have translation files of Drupal core, or of Drupal modules that went in Backdrop core (like Views or CKEditor), you can also import these.

Please send me a message when you've done any import(s) or whenever you've completed a larger quantity of translations. To make sure that these strings show up in the download files, we have to 'repackage' the releases on the translation server.

All the best, and happy translating NAME

(6) Repackage language release

When a contributor has imported or translated many language strings, the files have to be repackaged.

• Go to admin/l10n_server/packager.
• Choose a project (usually Backdrop).
• Select a language.
• Hit Repackage now.
• Flush the Page and else cache.

[klonos]

Thank you @olafgrabienski 🙏 ...I've added all that as a first version here: https://github.com/backdrop/backdrop-issues/blob/master/procedures/localize--account-activations.md. We can improve the process as we go 😉

[klonos]

Recipients of the action (currently me) ...

Where do you add more people to be notified @olafgrabienski? I had a quick look at the rules and trigger/actions configured on the site, but couldn't spot me email anywhere.

[olafgrabienski]

@klonos Thanks für adding the steps from above to the Procedures!

Where do you add more people to be notified

It's the action "Send e-mail about new account to a site manager", see admin/config/system/actions. In the configuration form, there is a "Recipient" field which should allow multiple, comma-separated values. Which email address do I put in for you?