Thanks, that was quick and very helpful and comprehensive feedback. I will let you know if this helped to make our case.
Thanks Klaus > -----Original Message----- > From: Bruno Haible <[email protected]> > Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2025 6:12 PM > To: [email protected] > Cc: Marchi, Simon <[email protected]>; Gerlicher, Klaus > <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: Suggestion to Update GNU Coding Standards Regarding gettext() > -> #define _() Usage > > Hi, > > Klaus Gerlicher wrote: > > Many GNU packages-if not all-use a macro #define _() as a shorthand > > for gettext() to support internationalization in a concise way. > > However, this convention is not currently documented in the GNU coding > > standards. > > This convention is documented in multiple places in the GNU gettext > documentation [1][2][3][4]. > > > This omission causes issues with clang-format, which treats _() as > > a regular function call and consistently inserts a space between _ and ( > > during formatting. While minor, this behavior is inconvenient for > > projects following GNU conventions. > > [2] actually documents the omission of the space in this context: > "Many packages use ‘_’ (a simple underline) as a keyword, and write > ‘_("Translatable string")’ instead of ‘gettext ("Translatable string")’. > Further, the coding rule, from GNU standards, wanting that there is > a space between the keyword and the opening parenthesis is relaxed, > in practice, for this particular usage." > > This has been documented like this for more than 20 years. > > > I've proposed a change to clang-format to allow customization of > > this behavior (discussion here). However, without a broader policy > > or documentation in the GNU coding style, the maintainers are > > hesitant to accept such a change. > > https://github.com/llvm/llvm-project/pull/159925#issuecomment- > 3322484612 > > Maybe it convinces these people that there are more than 500000 > occurrences of this pattern in the Debian GNU/Linux source code? [5] > > In summary, I don't think it is necessary to adjust the GNU Coding Standards > for such details. I have presented enough arguments for the clang-format > people to listen. > > Bruno > > [1] > https://www.gnu.org/software/gettext/manual/html_node/Overview.html > [2] https://www.gnu.org/software/gettext/manual/html_node/Mark- > Keywords.html > [3] > https://www.gnu.org/software/gettext/manual/html_node/Libraries.html > [4] https://www.gnu.org/software/gettext/manual/html_node/C.html > [5] https://codesearch.debian.net/search?q=+_%28%22&literal=1 > > Intel Deutschland GmbH Registered Address: Am Campeon 10, 85579 Neubiberg, Germany Tel: +49 89 99 8853-0, www.intel.de Managing Directors: Sean Fennelly, Jeffrey Schneiderman, Tiffany Doon Silva Chairperson of the Supervisory Board: Nicole Lau Registered Office: Munich Commercial Register: Amtsgericht Muenchen HRB 186928
