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The translation process

Content Manager helps translation coordinators by minimizing the content that needs to be translated and by determining the target languages following the reuse relationships.

Content Manager helps translation coordinators by tracking topics that are reused in many different publications, each with different translation requirements.

Introduction

In traditional systems, entire projects are sent to translators because such systems don't and can't track the components that change. This has many disadvantages, one being that translation needs to wait until the entire project is finished. Furthermore, XML files that were not changed are translated again because users don't know which XML files were updated.

Minimize the content that needs to be translated

Content Manager only sends objects into the translation workflow that have actually changed. Moreover, a new version of a topic must first go through all review cycles in its source language. Only then is the content considered stable enough to be translated, and eligible for target language file generation by Content Manager.

Determine the target languages

Content Manager generates the target language objects for a topic based on that topic's presence in the baseline of a publication version. The generation of target language objects can happen in two ways:
  • a user explicitly asks for the target language objects of the publication version to be generated
  • a user adds the publication version to a translation job

In either case, Content Manager generates target language objects for all released objects in the publication version.

As for the languages for which target language objects are generated, this depends on how the objects are generated:
  • If the objects are generated explicitly by a user, then by default, target language objects are created for all languages configured as requested languages of the publication version. The user can override this default by deselecting one or more of the requested languages, but they can't add languages.
  • If the objects are generated because the publication version is part of a translation job, then target language objects are created for all languages configured for that translation job. If the translation job has target languages that are not among the requested languages of the publication version, then the set of requested languages of the publication version is extended to include such languages.

For example, imagine that a publication version has the requested languages French, Greek and Spanish.

If a user explicitly generates target language objects, they will see a dialog in which French, Greek and Spanish are preselected; they can deselect any language. Target language objects are generated only for selected languages.

Alternatively, if a user adds the publication version to a translation job with target languages Spanish and Portuguese, target language objects will be generated for Spanish and Portuguese, and Portuguese will be added to the publication version's requested languages. No French or Greek target language objects will be generated.

Translating the content

When a translation coordinator sends out a translation job, any new target language objects are sent to the translation service, where they are picked up and distributed to translators. The objects also end up in the inbox of the translation coordinator, who can monitor translation progress. Translators perform the translation using the proper translation tools outside Content Manager or XML editor. When the translation is ready, it is checked in to Content Manager and sent to the next status in the workflow.

Alternatively, in a setup where the translator does not have access to the system (that is, when working with external translation agencies), the translation coordinator cannot create a translation job, but instead creates a translation package, by selecting translation objects and exporting them to a zip file. The coordinator gives the translator access to the zip file. As soon as the translator is ready with the translation, the coordinator imports the translations in bulk.

Automatic Generation of Target Languages

Only target languages that are explicitly requested (through explicit action or through inclusion in a translation job) are generated. If a topic version occurs in versions of multiple publications, and the requested languages of those publication versions are different, Content Manager ensures that each target language object is generated only once, and only when it is requested.

For example, imagine that you have created a newly released and not yet translated version, version 5, of a US English topic called "Customer support contact information." This topic occurs in the baseline of two publication versions:
  • version 3 of the publication "User Manual," which is configured for translation into Japanese, Simplified Chinese, French and German
  • version 7 of the publication "Admin Guide," which is configured for translation into Korean, Japanese and Simplified Chinese

When the new Admin Guide is added to a translation job, three target language objects, for Korean, Japanese and Simplified Chinese, are generated for version 5 of "Customer support contact information."

Later, when the new User Manual is added to a translation job, two more target language objects, for French and German, are generated: the ones for Japanese and Simpified Chinese already exist and are therefore not generated again.