website translation systems Tēmas autors: Thomas Johansson
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Hi!
I wonder if there are any good systems for managing website translations.
For instance: if I have a site in Swedish and progressively want to translate it into various other languages, while at the same time constantly keeping existing translations up-to-date as the original Swedish version changes (modifications, additions, etc.).
Are there any good web systems for handling these processes, e.g. - as I imagine - to extract source texts from the web si... See more Hi!
I wonder if there are any good systems for managing website translations.
For instance: if I have a site in Swedish and progressively want to translate it into various other languages, while at the same time constantly keeping existing translations up-to-date as the original Swedish version changes (modifications, additions, etc.).
Are there any good web systems for handling these processes, e.g. - as I imagine - to extract source texts from the web site, generate files for translation by (human) translators, import translations back into the website, get it all to work and interact smoothly, continuously keep translations up-to-date and in accordance with the source version, etc.
Or if there are no good systems for handling these things, how do companies and other organizations usually handle translation processes of their websites?
Any suggestions or insights would be welcome.
Thomas ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Package of software | Jan 11, 2009 |
I usually use SDLX software packages to handle such the minor update/change of translated files.
The system is an offline file translation/localization system by using existing TM etc.
I understand that some expert in programming language can automate what you suggest above by using macros or other utility to link the web browser with the translation CAT tools.
Soonthon L.
| | | | Robert Tucker (X)
Apvienotā Karaliste
Local time: 00:12
vācu - angļu
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| Marc P (X) 
Local time: 01:12
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Have you tried OmegaT? If your site is straightforward html (i.e. not a database with dynamically generated pages), you can just dump the entire site, graphics and all, into the project's \source folder, and the strings will be presented to you for translation. No need for complicated "extraction" or generation of intermediate files.
Marc
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| follow-up question | Jan 13, 2009 |
Robert Tucker wrote:
I think xml:tm is currently the accepted standard for doing this, although it may be over the top for small websites and small company documentation needs.
Thank you!
I will check up on XML.
Would you by any chance know a specific site that uses this method? I'd like to see what the result looks like from a vistor's point of view and check the source code of the viewed document.
Based on my limited (or actually quite non-existent) knowledge of XML, I get the impression that this solution would entail that the document sent to a visitor's browser for viewing, an XML document, in effect would contain the source text plus all its translations (although only that of the relevant language would actually be displayed to the user). Which implies potentially very large transfers of documents across the Internet and much use of bandwidth. Would this be somewhat correct?
(I suppose an ideal solution would be one where the document sent to a user's browser, e.g. an HTML document, only contains the text in the relevant target language (and not that of any other language), so that in effect the selection/inclusion of the relevant target text is done entirely at the level of the server, not the client user browser.)
Thomas
| | | | Robert Tucker (X)
Apvienotā Karaliste
Local time: 00:12
vācu - angļu
+ ...
| DocZone – Spyker cars | Jan 14, 2009 |
Thomas Johansson wrote:
Would you by any chance know a specific site that uses this method? I'd like to see what the result looks like from a vistor's point of view and check the source code of the viewed document.
Spyker cars was the first one I heard about. DocZone were and are still the only company I've heard about using the XML:TM system. Information about the contract bewteen DocZone and Spyker cars can be found here:
http://www.doczone.com/news-events/doczone-comTM-announces-5-year-asp-contract-with-spyker-cars
(I can see no options to change the language of the Spyker cars website in my browser, perhaps it has detected where I am from my IP address.)
Thomas Johansson wrote:
Based on my limited (or actually quite non-existent) knowledge of XML, I get the impression that this solution would entail that the document sent to a visitor's browser for viewing, an XML document, in effect would contain the source text plus all its translations (although only that of the relevant language would actually be displayed to the user). Which implies potentially very large transfers of documents across the Internet and much use of bandwidth. Would this be somewhat correct?
(I suppose an ideal solution would be one where the document sent to a user's browser, e.g. an HTML document, only contains the text in the relevant target language (and not that of any other language), so that in effect the selection/inclusion of the relevant target text is done entirely at the level of the server, not the client user browser.
"The DocZone environment is delivered with support for XSLT processing to electronic output formats (e.g., HTML, online help), and XSL-FO rendering to PDF output.The system also supports the export of XML documents for automated processing by higher end composition tools, such as XPP, 3B2, and TopLeaf."
www.doczone.com/company/doczone_sellsheet.pdf
So, in other words, the XML:TM is used as the base format for all the companies documentation.
[Edited at 2009-01-14 09:10 GMT]
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Translating a website is, short of a better word, a nightmare.
It requires a lot of organization. While I'm sure there might be software out there to help with the task, the reality is that a client usually wants an existing website to be translated. Parts of it will not be translated and the client likely won't realize that until you mention it. There will be buttons, pictures, backgrounds, what have you, with text on it, etc. And expect to deal with IT technicians who, despite not... See more Translating a website is, short of a better word, a nightmare.
It requires a lot of organization. While I'm sure there might be software out there to help with the task, the reality is that a client usually wants an existing website to be translated. Parts of it will not be translated and the client likely won't realize that until you mention it. There will be buttons, pictures, backgrounds, what have you, with text on it, etc. And expect to deal with IT technicians who, despite not knowing enough about the language to actually input your translation properly, will also think he, himself, can translate heading and buttons. Oh, and by the time you are done, the original will already have been changed. A real nightmare. That's why I never want my name to show up on a website I helped translate.
I really think the task of translating a website needs to be handled by the client's bilingual IT who sends the translator all the necessary files. But I have yet to see this done properly. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | It is very easy if the website in based on php ... | Feb 25, 2009 |
Thomas Johansson wrote:
I wonder if there are any good systems for managing website translations.
If them website is based on php, there is some special software which you simply upload to the website, run it, and it will automatically generate a text file(s) in php format with all text strings that a user could possibly see when using the site, and all text displayed on the page.
It is a few years since I have used it, and unfortunately I cannot remember what it is called, but if yopu can't find it on an internet search you can ask here:
http://dp.rastko.net/faq/translate.php
where they use the software for translating the whole site into many languages. Just ask the site coordinators what tool they use for generating the files for translation.
I can't remember exactly how it is used, but it is effective and works well, and very easy to use. I think it might be a function built into php itself, but I am not sure about that. Unfortunately I am currently away, otherwise I could very easily check from my own website. The software is specifically designed for preparing the input for the translation.
If I remember correctly, the software will then even take the translated strings and substitute them back into the php file to produce the new version of that file. Whether you run the program once for each php file or once for the whole site I cannot remember.
What the limitations are I don't know - for example whether it works with all HTML or only for php - but php certainly has to be installed to use it.
Best wishes
Bhante
[Edited at 2009-02-25 18:21 GMT]
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