In the localization industry, there are many tools that LSPs (Language Services Providers) can choose from to prepare content for translators to translate. But these localization software tools do more than just allow for content to be easily translated. They are used by the localization software engineers before translation starts to prepare the files and tag content, and after translation, finishes to run Quality Checks and ensure the correct functionality of the localized software.
There are many localization tools and TMS (Translation Management Systems) in the market, some are company proprietary and some are available to purchase.
However, some tools are better suited for the translation of UI (user interface) projects. This is because translators and engineers can visualize the UI and see what they are translating: UI strings, dialogue boxes, menu items, etc.
Other tools are better suited for the translation of Help or Documentation projects for which it is not essential to visualize the context.
And different tools are used for website localization where translators need to know whether they are translating a banner, a keyword, or an ad.
Each tool handles numerous software related files, for example:
Also, they can handle any text-based file (any file that can be opened in a text editor, e.g. Notepad). For files other than the above mentioned, for example, .doc/.docx, .pdf, etc., SDL Trados Studio, and memoQ, are better.
Below shows an example of a .strings file and how it appears once it is open in the visual software localization tool Passolo.
The top section shows the format of the file is:
“String ID” = “Translatable Text”
The translator enters the translation in the Properties area. Note how a translator cannot modify the English string or the String ID which are elements that must remain intact in the file.
Inline Patterns / Tags are used to mark text, for example, HTML code, as non-translatable.
Note: text within Inline Patterns / Tags is excluded from the word count.
Other examples of where Inline Patterns / Tags would be used are placeholders, for example, %s, %1$s, {0}.
Most software localization tools have a standard set of inbuilt Quality Assurance Checks. These are the type of QA checks a software engineer will run with a tool such as Passolo after the file is returned from the translator:
There are three steps in the localization process where a software translation tool is used:
To summarize, visual localization software tools not only allow the translators to translate the original content into another language, it also helps software engineers prepare the files for translation correctly and run checks after translation to ensure the correct functionality of the translated software.
Therefore, selecting the correct tool for each project is important for a smooth localization process and for avoiding costly and time-consuming errors.
Learn more about Software Localization by downloading our free checklist below: