Different font for translated content

This Forum is for general issues about MadCap Lingo
Post Reply
sarahb
Propeller Head
Posts: 28
Joined: Sun May 14, 2017 6:30 pm

Different font for translated content

Post by sarahb »

I created a Flare project and sent it off to our translators to translate into Japanese. When I imported the translated topics back into Flare and built the book for the translators to review, they said the Japanese font being used was an "old style font". The translator said a modern font for Japanese was MS Mincho. Through Lingo's online help, it looks like in order to change the font, you have to do "font mapping". I have sent my translator the instructions to map the font, but it doesn't work. In the Modifying Font Map dialog in Lingo, it doesn't recognize any fonts, nor give an option to replace font (i.e. map it to something else). The Discover Fonts button in that same dialog does not discover any fonts.

The Flare project only uses two font families: Arial and Courier New. Is there something that needs to be done in Flare first in order for Lingo to recognize fonts? Or is there something that we're not doing right in Lingo?

Has anyone experienced this issue? Are we missing something?
sarahb
Propeller Head
Posts: 28
Joined: Sun May 14, 2017 6:30 pm

Re: Different font for translated content

Post by sarahb »

Replying to my own post based on what I've learned so far in hopes it may help someone else.

Font mapping in Lingo is the correct approach, but it appears the translator (or whoever is using Lingo), needs the CSS from your Flare project. Only once they have the CSS can font mapping be performed:

1. In the Lingo Project, click the Resources ribbon and use the Manage Font Mapping tool.
2. Select the Modify the highlighted Font Map file.
3. Select your stylesheet (.css file) and select Discover Fonts.
This should bring up a list of the original fonts with the drop-down options to replace the fonts.
4. Once you are done mapping, click OK.

I am still seeing if there is a way to do font mapping in Flare, as we'd rather not send the translator the CSS. Our CSS is constantly being updated and a new one would need to be sent with each new project...which could get messy. If there is a way to do this outside of Lingo, I'll post it here. :)
techwriter31
Propellus Maximus
Posts: 551
Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2008 10:50 am

Re: Different font for translated content

Post by techwriter31 »

For our projects, we have an English .css and then localized .css files that reference the English .css as an import. The localized .css files then only contain the differences from the English (usually this is font type, localized auto text, etc.), and rarely changes. This might be an option for you?

For example, we have a Global_EN.css and a Global_JA.css and both reside in the same directory. In the Global_JA.css, we specify:

Code: Select all

/*<meta />*/

@import url('Global_EN.css');

font-family: 'IPAPGothic', 'MS Gothic';
...
Kellie
Post Reply