How to spell out the result of plural UI escape sequences?

[LudiusMaximus]

Hi, how can I get the interpreted version of a string including plural UI escape sequences?

local pluralString = "2 |4car:cars;"
-- Do something with pluralString such that the result is what would be printed.
local interpretedPluralString = ???
assert(interpretedPluralString == "2 cars")

Thanks in advance!

[SDPhantom]

I believe that's in the C-code renderer for FontStrings, not anything we have access to.

[LudiusMaximus]

I found a way.

local converterTooltip = CreateFrame("GameTooltip", "converterTooltip", nil, "GameTooltipTemplate")
local function CovertLine(line)
  converterTooltip:ClearLines()
  converterTooltip:AddLine(line)
  return _G[converterTooltip:GetName().."TextLeft1"]:GetText()
end

[SDPhantom]

Doesn't it just spit back the UI escape code? You can expose it by doing something like :gsub("|","||"). What this does is escape the identifier so FontStrings will show the raw code.

[LudiusMaximus]

Hm, it definitely works for the plural escape sequences. E.g. turning "2 |4car:cars;" into "2 cars".

[SDPhantom]

Unexpected behavior, but my own tests are confirming it as well. I simplified it down to running through a FontString, which would be where the processing happens, stripping the overhead of the Tooltip code.

local ProcessLocalizedString; do--  Package persistent FontString object into function prototype's scope
    local ConverterFontString=UIParent:CreateFontString(nil,"BACKGROUND","GameFontNormal");
    function ProcessLocalizedString(text)
        ConverterFontString:SetText(text);
        return ConverterFontString:GetText();
    end
end

[LudiusMaximus]

Nice, this is even better! Thank you!