diff --git a/tools/executable_manager.lua b/tools/executable_manager.lua
index a8690ea..75b4a6b 100644
--- a/tools/executable_manager.lua
+++ b/tools/executable_manager.lua
@@ -45,9 +45,7 @@ script_data.show = nil -- only required for libs since the destroy_method only h
 
 local PS = dt.configuration.running_os == "windows" and "\\" or "/"
 
-local gettext = dt.gettext
-
-gettext.bindtextdomain("executable_manager",dt.configuration.config_dir.."/lua/locale/")
+local gettext = dt.gettext.gettext
 
 local exec_man = {} -- our own namespace
 exec_man.module_installed = false
@@ -58,7 +56,7 @@ exec_man.event_registered = false
 -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
 local function _(msg)
-    return gettext.dgettext("executable_manager", msg)
+    return gettext(msg)
 end
 
 local function grep(file, pattern)
@@ -167,7 +165,7 @@ for i,exec in ipairs(exec_table) do
     editable = false
   }
   executable_path_widgets[exec] = dt.new_widget("file_chooser_button"){
-    title = _("select ") .. exec .. _(" executable"),
+    title = _(string.format("select %s executable", exec)),
     value = df.get_executable_path_preference(exec),
     is_directory = false,
     changed_callback = function(self)
@@ -210,7 +208,7 @@ for i,exec in ipairs(exec_table) do
     dt.new_widget("section_label"){label = _("reset")},
     dt.new_widget("button"){
       label = _("clear"),
-      tooltip = _("Clear path for ") .. exec,
+      tooltip = _(string.format("Clear path for %s", exec)),
       clicked_callback = function()
         df.set_executable_path_preference(exec, "")
         executable_path_widgets[exec].value = ""
diff --git a/tools/gen_i18n_mo.lua b/tools/gen_i18n_mo.lua
deleted file mode 100644
index 6aa453c..0000000
--- a/tools/gen_i18n_mo.lua
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,108 +0,0 @@
---[[
-    gen_18n_mo.lua - generate .mo files from .po files and put them in the correct place
-
-    Copyright (C) 2016,2018 Bill Ferguson <wpferguson@gmail.com>
-
-    This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
-    it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
-    the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or
-    (at your option) any later version.
-
-    This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
-    but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
-    MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
-    GNU General Public License for more details.
-
-    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
-    along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
-]]
---[[
-    gen_i18n_mo - generate translation files from the source and place them in the appropriate locale directory
-    
-    gen_i18n_mo finds all the .po files scattered throughout the script tree, compiles them into
-    .mo files and places them in the correct locale directory for use by the gettext tools.
-
-]]
-
-local dt = require "darktable"
-local du = require "lib/dtutils"
-local df = require "lib/dtutils.file"
-local log = require "lib/dtutils.log"
-local dtsys = require "lib/dtutils.system"
-
-du.check_min_api_version("5.0.0", "gen_I18n_mo")
-
-local function destroy()
-  -- nothing to destroy
-end
-
--- figure out the path separator
-
-local PS = dt.configuration.running_os == "windows" and "\\" or "/"
-
-local LUA_DIR = dt.configuration.config_dir .. PS .. "lua" .. PS
-local LOCALE_DIR = dt.configuration.config_dir .. PS .. "lua" .. PS .. "locale" .. PS
-
--- check if we have msgfmt
-
-local msgfmt_executable = df.check_if_bin_exists("msgfmt")
-
-if msgfmt_executable then
-
-  -- find the .po files
-
-  local find_cmd = "find -L " .. LUA_DIR .. " -name \\*.po -print"
-  if dt.configuration.running_os == "windows" then
-    find_cmd = "dir /b/s " .. LUA_DIR .. "\\*.po"
-  end
-
-  local output = io.popen(find_cmd)
-
-  -- for each .po file....
-
-  for line in output:lines() do
-    local fname = df.get_filename(line)
-
-    -- get the language used...  this depends on the file being named using
-    -- the convention /..../lang/LC_MESSAGES/file.po where lang is de_DE, fr_FR, etc.
-
-    local path_parts = du.split(line, PS)
-    local lang  = path_parts[#path_parts - 2]
-
-    -- ensure there is a destination directory for them
-
-    local mkdir_cmd = "mkdir -p "
-    if dt.configuration.running_os == "windows" then
-      mkdir_cmd = "mkdir "
-    end
-
-    if not df.check_if_file_exists(LOCALE_DIR .. lang .. PS .. "LC_MESSAGES") then
-      log.msg(log.info, "Creating locale", lang)
-      os.execute(mkdir_cmd .. LOCALE_DIR .. lang .. PS .. "LC_MESSAGES")
-    end
-
-    -- generate the mo file
-
-    fname = string.gsub(fname, ".po$", ".mo")
-    log.msg(log.info, "Compiling translation to", fname)
-    local result = os.execute(msgfmt_executable .. " -o " .. LOCALE_DIR .. lang .. PS .. "LC_MESSAGES" .. PS .. fname .. " " .. line)
-  end
-else
-  log.msg(log.screen, "ERROR: msgfmt executable not found.  Please install or specifiy location in preferences.")
-end
-dt.preferences.register("executable_paths", "msgfmt",  -- name
-  "file", -- type
-  'gen_i18n_mo: msgfmt location', -- label
-  'Install location of msgfmt. Requires restart to take effect.',  -- tooltip
-  "msgfmt",  -- default
-  dt.new_widget("file_chooser_button"){
-    title = "Select msgfmt[.exe] file",
-    value = "",
-    is_directory = false,
-  }
-)
-
-local script_data = {}
-script_data.destroy = destroy
-
-return script_data
diff --git a/tools/script_manager.lua b/tools/script_manager.lua
index e65cd20..6a5d2ac 100644
--- a/tools/script_manager.lua
+++ b/tools/script_manager.lua
@@ -56,14 +56,12 @@ local dtsys = require "lib/dtutils.system"
 local log = require "lib/dtutils.log"
 local debug = require "darktable.debug"
 
-local gettext = dt.gettext
+-- set up translation
 
-
--- Tell gettext where to find the .mo file translating messages for a particular domain
-gettext.bindtextdomain("script_manager",dt.configuration.config_dir.."/lua/locale/")
+local gettext = dt.gettext.gettext
 
 local function _(msgid)
-    return gettext.dgettext("script_manager", msgid)
+    return gettext(msgid)
 end
 
 -- api check
@@ -369,7 +367,7 @@ local function get_script_doc(script)
     -- assume that the second block comment is the documentation
     description = string.match(content, "%-%-%[%[.-%]%].-%-%-%[%[(.-)%]%]")
   else
-    log.msg(log.error, _("Cant read from " .. script))
+    log.msg(log.error, "Cant read from " .. script)
   end
   if description then
     restore_log_level(old_log_level)
@@ -392,7 +390,7 @@ local function activate(script)
     script_manager_running_script = nil
     if status then
       pref_write(script.script_name, "bool", true)
-      log.msg(log.screen, _("Loaded ") .. script.script_name)
+      log.msg(log.screen, string.format(_("Loaded %s"), script.script_name))
       script.running = true
       if err ~= true then
         log.msg(log.debug, "got lib data")
@@ -404,7 +402,7 @@ local function activate(script)
         script.data = nil
       end
      else
-      log.msg(log.screen, script.script_name .. _(" failed to load"))
+      log.msg(log.screen, string.format(_("%s failed to load"), script.script_name))
       log.msg(log.error, "Error loading " .. script.script_name)
       log.msg(log.error, "Error message: " .. err)
     end
@@ -443,11 +441,11 @@ local function deactivate(script)
       script.running = false
     end
     log.msg(log.info, "turned off " .. script.script_name)
-    log.msg(log.screen, script.name .. _(" stopped"))
+    log.msg(log.screen, string.format(_("%s stopped"), script.name))
   else
     script.running = false
     log.msg(log.info, "setting " .. script.script_name .. " to not start")
-    log.msg(log.screen, script.name .. _(" will not start when darktable is restarted"))
+    log.msg(log.screen, string.format(_("%s will not start when darktable is restarted"), script.name))
   end
   restore_log_level(old_log_level)
 end
@@ -515,7 +513,7 @@ local function scan_scripts(script_dir)
   if dt.configuration.running_os == "windows" then
     find_cmd = "dir /b/s \"" .. script_dir .. "\\*.lua\" | sort"
   end
-  log.msg(log.debug, _("find command is ") .. find_cmd)
+  log.msg(log.debug, "find command is " .. find_cmd)
   -- scan the scripts
   local output = io.popen(find_cmd)
   for line in output:lines() do
@@ -589,7 +587,7 @@ local function scan_repositories()
   if dt.configuration.running_os == "windows" then
     find_cmd = "dir /b/s /a:d " .. LUA_DIR .. PS .. "*.git | sort"
   end
-  log.msg(log.debug, _("find command is ") .. find_cmd)
+  log.msg(log.debug, "find command is " .. find_cmd)
   local output = io.popen(find_cmd)
   for line in output:lines() do
     local l = string.gsub(line, ds.sanitize_lua(LUA_DIR) .. PS, "")   -- strip the lua dir off
@@ -627,7 +625,7 @@ local function install_scripts()
   local category = sm.widgets.new_category.text
 
   if string.match(du.join(sm.categories, " "), ds.sanitize_lua(category)) then
-    log.msg(log.screen, _("category ") .. category .. _(" is already in use. Please specify a different category name."))
+    log.msg(log.screen, string.format(_("category %s is already in use. Please specify a different category name."), category))
     log.msg(log.error, "category " .. category .. " already exists, returning...")
     restore_log_level(old_log_level)
     return
@@ -658,7 +656,7 @@ local function install_scripts()
     local count = scan_scripts(LUA_DIR .. PS .. category)
     if count > 0 then
       update_combobox_choices(sm.widgets.category_selector, sm.categories, sm.widgets.category_selector.selected)
-      dt.print(_("scripts successfully installed into category ") .. category)
+      dt.print(string.format(_("scripts successfully installed into category "), category))
       table.insert(sm.installed_repositories, {name = category, directory = LUA_DIR .. PS .. category})
       update_script_update_choices()
       for i = 1, #sm.widgets.category_selector do
@@ -719,14 +717,14 @@ local function populate_buttons(category, first, last)
         button.label = script.name
         button.name = "sm_started"
       else
-        button.label = script.name .. _(" started")
+        button.label = string.format(_("%s started"), script.name)
       end
     else
       if sm.use_color then
         button.label = script.name
         button.name = "sm_stopped"
       else
-        button.label = script.name .. _(" stopped")
+        button.label = string.format(_("%s stopped"), script.name)
       end
     end
     button.ellipsize = "middle"
@@ -749,7 +747,7 @@ local function populate_buttons(category, first, last)
           if sm.use_color then
             this.name = "sm_stopped"
           else
-            this.label = script.name .. _(" stopped")
+            this.label = string.format(_("%s stopped"), script.name)
           end
         else
           log.msg(log.debug, "activating " .. script.name .. " on " .. script.path .. " for button " .. this.label)
@@ -758,7 +756,7 @@ local function populate_buttons(category, first, last)
             if sm.use_color then
               this.name = "sm_started"
             else
-              this.label = script.name .. " started"
+              this.label = string.format(_("%s started"), script.name)
             end
           end
         end
@@ -826,7 +824,7 @@ local function paginate(direction)
   else
     last = first + sm.page_status.num_buttons - 1
   end
-  sm.widgets.page_status.label = _("Page ") .. cur_page .. _(" of ") .. max_pages
+  sm.widgets.page_status.label = string.format(_("Page %d of %d"), cur_page, max_pages)
 
   populate_buttons(category, first, last)
   restore_log_level(old_log_level)
@@ -1125,7 +1123,7 @@ sm.widgets.install_update = dt.new_widget("box"){
 
 sm.widgets.category_selector = dt.new_widget("combobox"){
   label = _("category"),
-  tooltip = _( "select the script category"),
+  tooltip = _("select the script category"),
   selected = 1,
   changed_callback = function(self)
     if sm.run then