技术求助：如何入门i18n-ally？翻译自制VSCode扩展失效且无get started指引

Hey there, let's tackle your issues step by step—whether it's getting started with i18n-ally or fixing those unresponsive translation actions for your VS Code extension.

Since you couldn't find the get started guide, here's a condensed, practical walkthrough to get you going:

• Install the extension: Search for i18n-ally in VS Code's Extensions panel and hit install.
• Set up your config: Create a .vscode/i18n-ally-custom.json (or edit workspace settings) to define your translation structure. At minimum, add these core settings:

  {
    "localesPaths": ["src/locales"],
    "primaryLocale": "en",
    "fallbackLocale": "en",
    "enabledParsers": ["json", "ts", "py"]
  }
  

• Initialize translation files: Create a folder (like src/locales) with your primary locale file (e.g., en.json) and add initial key-value pairs:

  {
    "greeting": "Hello World",
    "extension.name": "My Custom Extension"
  }
  

• Start translating: Right-click on a string in your code, select i18n-ally: Extract to locale key, and follow prompts to add it to your locale files.

If none of your translation operations work, try these troubleshooting steps:

• Verify config correctness: Double-check that enabledParsers includes json, ts, and py in your i18n-ally settings. Also confirm localesPaths points to the actual folder where your translation files live.
• Check file associations: Make sure VS Code recognizes your files correctly (e.g., .ts files are marked as TypeScript, .py as Python). Incorrect file types can prevent i18n-ally from parsing them.
• Validate translation syntax: Ensure your locale files have valid syntax (no missing commas in JSON, no typos in TypeScript/Python dictionaries). A single syntax error can break the entire setup.
• Restart VS Code and extension: Sometimes a fresh start fixes glitches—try reloading the window (Ctrl+Shift+P → Reload Window) or disabling/enabling i18n-ally again.

Here's how to work with your specific file types:

• JSON: i18n-ally natively supports JSON locale files. For your extension's package.json, use %extension.name% to reference translation keys—i18n-ally will pick them up if your config is set correctly.
• TypeScript: Use a translation function (like t('greeting')) in your code. Configure the translationFunction setting to let i18n-ally detect these calls:

  "translationFunction": ["t", "$t", "i18n.t"]
  

  Make sure your TypeScript code imports the translation function from your i18n setup (e.g., using vscode-nls for VS Code extensions).
• Python: If your extension has Python components, use gettext or libraries like python-i18n. i18n-ally can parse .po/.mo files or Python dictionaries—just add po or py to enabledParsers and point localesPaths to your Python translation directory.

内容的提问来源于stack exchange，提问作者Frank4466