What Is Reverse Engineering of Language Constants?

Reverse engineering of language constants is a JCB feature that scans your component files (HTML, PHP, layouts, etc.) for hardcoded strings (e.g. "Submit", "Settings", "Hello World") and converts them into proper Joomla JText::_() references.

When activated, JCB:

• Identifies raw, untranslated strings in compiled or blueprint code
• Automatically replaces them with language constants (e.g. COM_MYCOMPONENT_SUBMIT)
• Injects these keys into your component’s .ini language files
• Maintains a map between the original text and the generated constant

This helps enforce best practices for multilingual readiness, even when components were not originally built with translation in mind.

How It Works

During the build or scan phase, JCB parses:

• Layout files (.php)
• Template files
• Custom snippets and injected code blocks

Text strings not already inside JText::_(), JText::sprintf(), or similar are flagged.

JCB assigns a language key such as:

• COM_EXAMPLE_HELLO_WORLD = "Hello World"

This constant is added to the language file and the original string replaced in code with:

• JText::_('COM_EXAMPLE_HELLO_WORLD')

The relationship between the original and translated string is tracked in metadata for traceability and reuse.

This reverse mapping ensures your project becomes translatable — even late in the development cycle.

When to Use It

• You inherited a non-translatable JCB component with hardcoded labels
• You're converting a legacy project to support multiple languages
• You want to avoid manually replacing dozens or hundreds of text strings
• You're preparing a component for distribution on the Joomla Extension Directory (JED)

Benefits

• 🌐 Multilingual-Ready Instantly
  Convert previously static components into fully translatable interfaces.
• 📦 Clean Joomla Compliance
  Replaces hardcoded values with proper JText:: constants and .ini files.
• ⏱ Save Time on Manual Rewrites
  Ideal for retrofitting old views or imported HTML templates.
• 🧠 Smart Auto-Mapping
  JCB uses component-specific prefixes and camel-case key patterns for clean results.

Best Practices

• Review auto-generated language keys after compilation
• Use JCB’s Excel export/import for translating new keys
• Enable this feature before first major multilingual deployment
• Combine with Language String Auto-Indexing to keep strings up-to-date

Summary

Automatically extract and convert static text strings in your layouts, templates, and snippets into Joomla-compliant language constants. This reverse mapping allows you to make your component translatable without manually rewriting your interface text — greatly accelerating multilingual development.