Lingo and Flare and SDL Studio

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Uwe
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Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2015 2:52 pm

Lingo and Flare and SDL Studio

Post by Uwe »

Following you will find a high-level description of the workflow in use for the localization of documentation written in Flare and being prepared for L10N with Lingo but translated with SDL Studio. I though it might be useful for you.
THE WORKFLOW WAS UPDATED ON MARCH 31 TO REFLECT SDL FIXES.
I am using Analyzer 7, Flare 10, Lingo 9 and SDL Studio 2014 Sp2 latest patches

When we put the policy together the main focus areas were:
  • • Absolute control of the XLIFF environment, because there are soo many different ways LSPs handle them, ist not even funny anymore.
    • Being able to scale up vertically, meaning adding addtional languages at anay given time.
    • Being able to scale up horizontally, meaning being able to add translators for a particular language at any given time.
    • Being able to provide L10n for documentation in sprint mode.
If anyone has questions for the individual steps or needs more detail, let me know.

Proceed as follows:
  • 1. Compile the MadCap Flare project. In case of errors return to the writer. See Documentation Refusal or Online Help Refusal.
    2. Run MadCap Analyzer and remove all files listed as not needed. Be careful when the project has multiple targets so you only remove what is "really" not needed.
    3. Repeat Step 1.
    4. Create the MadCap Lingo project for the MadCap Flare project to be translated. Refer to the product documentation for instructions on how to create a MadCap Lingo project.
    All projects created with MadCap Lingo are to be created as master projects to make use of the sprint methodology in future updates.
    5. If this is an update, disregard step 4. Open instead the master project and select File > Update Project and navigate to the location of the updated project to load the changes.
    6. Create the translation bundle.
    For translation, the following file types are to be included into the translation bundle:
    .html, .htm, .flmsp, .flpgl, .flsnp, .css, .flglo, .flskn, .fltoc, .flvar. When creating a translation bundle, make sure to use the Xliff option, so you only have the files to be translated in the bundle.
    The .fltar file will not be localized because it is used for categorizing localized versions of the manuals in the documentation repository.
    7. Unzip the translation bundle to a directory of your choice. (MadCap Lingo numbers the exports so you need to keep a close eye on the numbers if multiple languages are involved.)
    8. Create a Creating a SDL Studio Project using the files from Step 7
    9. Create a Creating a SDL Studio Package (if applicable).
    10. Translate the material and complete the steps described in Finalizing Translations in SDL Studio.
    11. Merge the translation bundle into the MadCap Lingo project.
    12. Export the localized project from MadCap Lingo into the relevant directory.
    13. Compile the project. If there are no errors, proceed to the next step. In case of errors they need to be corrected.
    14. Forward the localized MadCap Flare project to the vendor (if applicable).
    15. Have the vendor insert the localized screen shots (if applicable).
    16. Have the vendor compile the localized MadCap Flare project (if applicable).
    17. The vendor delivers the MadCap Flare project and the outputs required.
    18. The L10N Coordinator places the outputs in the relevant locations and informs the PM and makes the necessary backups and closes the project.
Last edited by Uwe on Tue Mar 31, 2015 9:15 am, edited 2 times in total.
charleybrown
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Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2013 9:14 am

Re: Lingo and Flare and SDL Studio

Post by charleybrown »

Hi Uwe,

thanks for your detailed description! I have a few questions or some of the steps are a little confusing to me. We are basically following a similar approach translating Flare projects in Trados Studio but so far I have always tried to use the Lingo XLIFFs in Studio. This works mostly fine, but the problem occurs when trying to reimport the translated XLIFFs that come out of Trados into Lingo, because Trados cleans them and delivers translated XLIFFs while Lingo expects a bundle with bilingual XLIFFs. So I assume this is the reason why you translate the actual Flare files, not the Lingo XLIFFs, right?
  1. If you decided it is better to translate the Flare files directly in Studio, why do you even create the Lingo project and even export and reimport it? Why don't you simply make a copy of the entire Flare project and translate it directly?
  2. The Flare file type does not seem to be available anymore through SDL Open Exchange. Could you share it here?
  3. If more than one language is involved, do you create one Lingo project with several target languages or one individual project per target?
  4. And in Studio? One project for several target languages or one project per target language?
Thanks & Regards
Patrick
Uwe
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Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2015 2:52 pm

Re: Lingo and Flare and SDL Studio

Post by Uwe »

Patrick,

I will relpy tomorrow in more Detail. Lots of Meetings...
Uwe
Propeller Head
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2015 2:52 pm

Re: Lingo and Flare and SDL Studio

Post by Uwe »

Patrick,

here are the answers:

First of all, I updated the workflow a bit since some of the fixes from SDL came in with the latest patch. Ist now back down to 18 steps.

For the Intro:
I only translated the actual Flare files, until the bug was fixed. I am back to translating the .XLF files again.
As for your Problem, I am not quite sure that I understand this correctly. When I go ahead and create the bundle for Translation, it creates the Zip file. I unzip this file to a Location as needed and then create the Studio Project. When it comes for the file selection in the Project, I select the Folder and the files are added correctly. Studio creates a file with the sdl.xliff Extension for every file added. So for example: c01_01_Getting_Started.htm.xlf becomes c01_01_Getting_Started.htm.xlf.sdlxliff. It is the latter file that is used for Translation. When the Translation is completed and you finalize it, Studio will generate the correct target files again. I then go ahead and zip them up to maintain the structure and then I open the Lingo Master Project and merge the bundle. I did never run into any issues like what you describe.

For Number 1:
The reason for using Lingo consists in the fact that it gives me better control and only really gives me the changed files. With Studio this is not always the case, and I have lots of other files that really had no changes besides the compiling. While they will be processed as Perfect Match ist to much of a hassle (IMO) to deal with full-fledged Projects in Studio every time.

For number 2:
The file type is availalbe. I checked this morning: http://www.translationzone.com/openexch ... html#45314

For number 3:
I only have one Lingo Master Project for each Manual/help. If I have to add languages, I will add them to this Project. Just Keep in mind you can only add languages, when there is nothing sent out for translation.

For number 4:
Its also one Language per Project. I know I can create multiple language Projects, but even with the large volume I am handling, this works the best.


HTH
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