--- a/cwconfig.py	Fri Dec 10 15:17:16 2010 +0100
+++ b/cwconfig.py	Fri Dec 10 12:17:18 2010 +0100
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@
 from smtplib import SMTP
 from threading import Lock
 from os.path import (exists, join, expanduser, abspath, normpath,
-                     basename, isdir, dirname)
+                     basename, isdir, dirname, splitext)
 from warnings import warn
 from logilab.common.decorators import cached, classproperty
 from logilab.common.deprecation import deprecated
@@ -399,6 +399,13 @@
         return join(cls.shared_dir(), 'i18n')
 
     @classmethod
+    def cw_languages(cls):
+        for fname in os.listdir(join(cls.i18n_lib_dir())):
+            if fname.endswith('.po'):
+                yield splitext(fname)[0]
+
+
+    @classmethod
     def available_cubes(cls):
         import re
         cubes = set()
@@ -947,6 +954,9 @@
     def __init__(self, appid, debugmode=False):
         self.appid = appid
         super(CubicWebConfiguration, self).__init__(debugmode)
+        fake_gettext = (unicode, lambda ctx, msgid: unicode(msgid))
+        for lang in self.available_languages():
+            self.translations[lang] = fake_gettext
         self._cubes = None
         self.load_file_configuration(self.main_config_file())
 

--- a/devtools/__init__.py	Fri Dec 10 15:17:16 2010 +0100
+++ b/devtools/__init__.py	Fri Dec 10 12:17:18 2010 +0100
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 import logging
 from datetime import timedelta
 from os.path import (abspath, join, exists, basename, dirname, normpath, split,
-                     isfile, isabs)
+                     isfile, isabs, splitext)
 
 from logilab.common.date import strptime
 from cubicweb import CW_SOFTWARE_ROOT, ConfigurationError, schema, cwconfig
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@
     cube_appobject_path = TestServerConfiguration.cube_appobject_path | TwistedConfiguration.cube_appobject_path
 
     def available_languages(self, *args):
-        return ('en', 'fr', 'de', 'es')
+        return self.cw_languages()
 
     def pyro_enabled(self):
         # but export PYRO_MULTITHREAD=0 or you get problems with sqlite and

--- a/devtools/devctl.py	Fri Dec 10 15:17:16 2010 +0100
+++ b/devtools/devctl.py	Fri Dec 10 12:17:18 2010 +0100
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 # completion). So import locally in command helpers.
 import sys
 from datetime import datetime
-from os import mkdir, chdir, listdir, path as osp
+from os import mkdir, chdir, path as osp
 from warnings import warn
 
 from logilab.common import STD_BLACKLIST
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 from cubicweb.__pkginfo__ import version as cubicwebversion
 from cubicweb import CW_SOFTWARE_ROOT as BASEDIR, BadCommandUsage
 from cubicweb.cwctl import CWCTL
+from cubicweb.cwconfig import CubicWebNoAppConfiguration
 from cubicweb.toolsutils import (SKEL_EXCLUDE, Command, copy_skeleton,
                                  underline_title)
 from cubicweb.web.webconfig import WebConfiguration
@@ -64,6 +65,10 @@
     @property
     def apphome(self):
         return None
+
+    def available_languages(self):
+        return self.cw_languages()
+
     def main_config_file(self):
         return None
     def init_log(self):
@@ -263,11 +268,6 @@
 
 ''' % cubicwebversion
 
-def cw_languages():
-    for fname in listdir(osp.join(WebConfiguration.i18n_lib_dir())):
-        if fname.endswith('.po'):
-            yield osp.splitext(fname)[0]
-
 
 class UpdateCubicWebCatalogCommand(Command):
     """Update i18n catalogs for cubicweb library.
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@
         print '-> merging main pot file with existing translations.'
         chdir(cwi18ndir)
         toedit = []
-        for lang in cw_languages():
+        for lang in CubicWebNoAppConfiguration.cw_languages():
             target = '%s.po' % lang
             execute('msgmerge -N --sort-output -o "%snew" "%s" "%s"'
                     % (target, target, cubicwebpot))
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@
     print '-> merging main pot file with existing translations:'
     chdir('i18n')
     toedit = []
-    for lang in cw_languages():
+    for lang in CubicWebNoAppConfiguration.cw_languages():
         print '-> language', lang
         cubepo = '%s.po' % lang
         if not osp.exists(cubepo):