Strings from default locale missing from Django JavaScript catalog

Question

Problem

The problem I am having is that the JavaScript catalog doesn't include fallback strings in certain scenarios. In other words: when string "A" is not translated in es_MX but it is translated in es, the JavaScript catalog contains the default or untranslated "A" string.

I set up an app that demonstrates this problem: https://github.com/cmermingas/i18n_test

Setup

• LOCALE_PATHS set to PROJECT_ROOT/locale.

• Translations for all apps stored under LOCALE_PATHS.

• JavaScriptCatalog configured without packages:

path('jsi18n/', JavaScriptCatalog.as_view(), name='javascript-catalog')

• es_MX and es translations that demonstrate the problem:

  • The string "es - Not translated" is translated in the es locale.
  • The string "es_MX - Not translated" is translated in the es_MX locale.

Workaround

This works if I pass packages to JavaScriptCatalog:

path(
    'jsi18n/',
    JavaScriptCatalog.as_view(packages=["testapp"]),
    name='javascript-catalog'
)

But this is not required, is it?

I tried this answer, which suggests adding domain="django", but it didn't work for me.

What am I doing wrong or is this an issue?

Answer 1

This was identified as a bug in issue #33863 and a fix was submitted. The solution will be to update Django when this fix is released.

As a workaround, I suggest what I noted in the question (pass packages to JavaScriptCatalog):

path(
    'jsi18n/',
    JavaScriptCatalog.as_view(packages=["<your-app-here>"]),
    name='javascript-catalog'
)