MadCap Software Forums

Hello,

I'm currently building an online help system (html5) for our machine software UI to link to. All data for 3 machine platforms is stored in 1 single Flare project in which I use conditions and different targets to get the correct output.

For our new software release we will for the first time translate our UI, meaning the online help system will need translation as well. Initially we will start with 5 target languages.

I'm looking at the option of using Lingo to make an XLIFF available for the translation agency (they will also translate our UI based on XLIFFs) and then reimport the translated files I receive from them.

Whether I keep the translated data as Lingo projects or export them out into new Flare projects is still to be determined and depends on the answer to the following question:

Our developers want me to publish to a specific directory tree on the webserver that was agreed upon. For each machine platform there will be a folder with then a subfolder for each language. This means however that if I publish each "translated project" to its designated language subfolder, we will each time duplicate a significant amount of files. Especially when it comes to images, this will cause a space issue in the end.

Would project linking be the only way to make sure that all translated projects use and publish only 1 single images folder or are there other/better options?

thank you

regards

Dave

Hi Dave:

I have a very similar problem. I am required to create a 16-language help system for an embedded application where space is at a premium, and the duplication of images has now become critical. As a proof of concept, I have manually created links to images in a common image folder "above" the language projects, and both PDF and HTML5 output is created without errors.

However, I have not found a workflow within Flare that allows me to use "external" images, and that doesn't create a copy on the image somewhere in the output. Perhaps I am missing something, but this seems to be true of:

• Inserting the image using the Insert Image dialog
• Using External Resources
• Using Global Project Linking

Possibly our only option is to post-process the output to adjust the <img> links to a common folder, which seems ridiculous.

Did you ever come up with a solution?

Andi

Sounds like an ideal question for Tech Support, they'll love investigating this one! If they can't come up with a solution that works elegantly then please add a feature request, because this is sure to be something that a lot of users who translate content would love to have. And if they DO come up with a solution, please add it to this thread so we can all use it.

Good luck.

Glad I'm not the only one trying to figure this one out!

I spoke to our developers again and indeed what they would like me to do is have Flare publish common images to a seperate folder at the same level as the output for the different language folders. They did however state that if Flare is not able to do this, there would be another solution. I don't know exactly in detail how but an extra tool they wrote would be able to make sure that the actual file ends up in the common folder and the language folders produced by Flare would hold a link to the common folder.

As suggested I will open a ticket with Madcap Tech Support. Will keep you @240V

Have a nice weekend

Dave

I was informed by Madcap Support that at this point in time it is not possible to "make" Flare publish images in a certain target folder. As soon as I find the time I'll check if there is already a feature request for this and if necessary I will file one myself.