Hi All,
We use Flare 10.2.2 to maintain the online help and software documentation. Currently everything is in a single language, but we need to translate all help and documentation into two other languages with maybe more on the way. The documentation includes application screenshots which we will re-create for the new languages (so we'll have 3 language versions for each screen).
What is the current best practice to get to an undertaking like this? Is there a literature on the subject I may read before asking more questions? I really need your expert help as we are on a tight schedule and we do not want to take unnecessary turns.
Thank you for your kind help in advance.
Best Regards,
Daniel
Best practice: multi-language HTML5 help and PDF output
Re: Best practice: multi-language HTML5 help and PDF output
Hi there,
If you intend to use MadCap Lingo to manage your translation process, then I would also recommend considering MadCap Capture for your screen shots. The big bonus is that all of the annotations in your Capture images can also be translated in MadCap Lingo, or sent to the translation vendor for translation. So, in some ways the images can follow the same process as all your other content.
At my previous company, we actually created the application screenshots by hand, using Capture, so that the entire image could be translated without having to recapture anything. Whilst this was a bit more work up front, it saved a massive amount of time, as our content was translated into eight different languages. We were lucky that our UI was fairly simple to replicate - this approach may not be feasible for a complicated UI.
Also, you might want to check out the Lingo forum: viewforum.php?f=40. Even if you don't intend to use Lingo, there are some topics about best practice that may be of interest to you.
If you intend to use MadCap Lingo to manage your translation process, then I would also recommend considering MadCap Capture for your screen shots. The big bonus is that all of the annotations in your Capture images can also be translated in MadCap Lingo, or sent to the translation vendor for translation. So, in some ways the images can follow the same process as all your other content.
At my previous company, we actually created the application screenshots by hand, using Capture, so that the entire image could be translated without having to recapture anything. Whilst this was a bit more work up front, it saved a massive amount of time, as our content was translated into eight different languages. We were lucky that our UI was fairly simple to replicate - this approach may not be feasible for a complicated UI.
Also, you might want to check out the Lingo forum: viewforum.php?f=40. Even if you don't intend to use Lingo, there are some topics about best practice that may be of interest to you.
"In an ideal world, software should be simple, well designed, and completely intuitive to end users. In the real world, good documentation is king."
Re: Best practice: multi-language HTML5 help and PDF output
Hi Paulie,
Thank you for your suggestions. I'll definitely look at Lingo, Capture and the forum.
Daniel
Thank you for your suggestions. I'll definitely look at Lingo, Capture and the forum.
Daniel
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ajturnersurrey
- Sr. Propeller Head
- Posts: 348
- Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2010 3:30 am
Re: Best practice: multi-language HTML5 help and PDF output
I think the key to realise is that you will probably end up with several similar Flare projects - ProjectX_BE, ProjectX_BPT,ProjectX_DE etc... for different languages.
Lingo simplifies the process by pulling in your base Flare project, allowing you to export the files to translators as an XLIFF bundle and ultimately packaging up the translation as a new translated Flare project for you.
Some time ago (2013) I got a useful promotional guide from Advancedlanguage.com called the "Ultimate Guide to Translating your MadCap FlareTM Projects" and some slides on "Internationalizing your Flare project" that helped me, then there are the promotional guides for MadCap Lingo which go into workflow.
Lingo simplifies the process by pulling in your base Flare project, allowing you to export the files to translators as an XLIFF bundle and ultimately packaging up the translation as a new translated Flare project for you.
Some time ago (2013) I got a useful promotional guide from Advancedlanguage.com called the "Ultimate Guide to Translating your MadCap FlareTM Projects" and some slides on "Internationalizing your Flare project" that helped me, then there are the promotional guides for MadCap Lingo which go into workflow.