# gt: General Translation CLI tool: .stringsdict
URL: https://generaltranslation.com/en-GB/docs/cli/reference/formats/dot-stringsdict-files.mdx
Docs index: https://generaltranslation.com/llms.txt
Description: Translate .stringsdict files with the General Translation CLI. API reference for the .stringsdict file format.

The CLI translates `.stringsdict` files, the XML property lists that carry an app&#39;s plural rules. Each locale has its own file alongside its `.strings` tables in a `<locale>.lproj` directory. Translations keep the plist structure, the format keys, and the format specifiers, and rebuild the plural forms for each target locale.

*Note: `.stringsdict` is part of the legacy Apple localisation layout, paired with [`.strings`](/docs/cli/reference/formats/dot-strings-files). Xcode&#39;s String Catalog migration folds both into a single [`.xcstrings` catalogue](/docs/cli/reference/formats/xcstrings-files) and deletes them, so a project uses one layout or the other.*

## Configuration [#config]

Add a `dotStringsdict` entry under `files` with an `include` array of glob patterns. Put the `[locale]` placeholder in the `.lproj` directory name so the CLI can find the source file and save translations to the right path.

```json title="gt.config.json"
{
  "defaultLocale": "en",
  "locales": ["pl", "ar", "zh"],
  "files": {
    "dotStringsdict": {
      "include": ["Resources/[locale].lproj/Localizable.stringsdict"]
    }
  }
}
```

With this config, the CLI reads `Resources/en.lproj/Localizable.stringsdict` and writes the translated file into `Resources/pl.lproj/`, `Resources/ar.lproj/`, and `Resources/zh.lproj/`. See the [configuration reference](/docs/cli/reference/config#files) for all file keys.

The `dotStringsdict` key requires `gt` 2.18.1 or later.

## File encoding [#encoding]

The CLI detects UTF-8, UTF-16, and UTF-32 byte order marks when it reads a `.stringsdict` file. It sends decoded XML to the API, then writes each translation in the source file&#39;s original encoding. A file without a byte order mark is treated as UTF-8.

If the source file was moved or deleted after upload, the CLI uses the existing translated file&#39;s encoding when one is available.

<Callout type="info">
  **Changed in v2.20.0:** The CLI now preserves the source encoding instead of rewriting a UTF-16 file as UTF-8 or sending its encoded bytes to the XML parser.
</Callout>

## Output behaviour [#output]

The CLI preserves carriage returns in property-list keys and values with XML character references.

## Translate alongside your .strings tables [#pairing]

A `.stringsdict` file only covers the keys that need plural rules; the rest of the locale&#39;s text stays in its `.strings` tables. Configure both keys so one run covers the whole `.lproj` directory:

```json title="gt.config.json"
{
  "defaultLocale": "en",
  "locales": ["pl", "ar", "zh"],
  "files": {
    "dotStrings": {
      "include": ["Resources/[locale].lproj/*.strings"]
    },
    "dotStringsdict": {
      "include": ["Resources/[locale].lproj/*.stringsdict"]
    }
  }
}
```

## Plural categories [#plurals]

A translated file carries the plural categories the target language actually uses, which is rarely the same set as the source. English selects between `one` and `other`, but Polish uses three forms for an integer count, Arabic uses six, and Chinese uses one. The CLI rebuilds each format variable against the target language&#39;s CLDR rules rather than copying the source&#39;s categories:

* Categories the target language uses are always present, so a Polish translation gains the forms English never had.
* Categories the target language never selects are dropped, so a Chinese translation collapses to a single `other` form.
* An explicit `zero` in the source is kept even for a language whose CLDR rules omit one, because Foundation renders it at count 0 regardless.

Because the category set changes, do not expect the translated file to have the same keys as the source. Compare rendered output at representative counts instead.

## Sitemap

See the full [sitemap](https://generaltranslation.com/sitemap.md) for all pages.