An Introduction to SDL Passolo

M. Micaela Novas

Colorado Translators AssociationSeptember 13, 2014

Today we will cover…• Software Localization Overview• Passolo and File Types• Passolo Panels and Toolbars• What to Localize• Hot Keys and Shortcut Keys• Filters• Statistics• General Settings• SDL MultiTerm/SDL Studio Integration• Checking Options • Final Tips and Resources

Internationalization (I18N)Designing software in such a way that allows for translation without the need for re-design or re-compilation*

• Separation of text and source code• Pseudo translation

• Length restrictions• Date, time, number and currency formats• Hard coded text• Character display• Right to left languages

*Adapted from A Practical Guide to Software Localization, by Bert Esselink

Localization (L10N)• Translation of software strings

• Engineering• Checking for language encoding• Resizing dialog boxes• Fixing functional issues

• Testing• Functional• Linguistic

Software Files * • Resource files (text-only files, e.g. RC, DLG)

• Program files (.exe, .dll)

• XML

• Many more

*Screenshot taken from A Practical Guide to Software Localization, by Bert Esselink

Why Passolo?• Handles executable program files (*.exe) and libraries (*.dll) (Win32)

• HTML, xml, java, .NET, msi, RC files

• Complete file list:http://www.sdl.com/download/sdl-passolo-file-formats/12885/

Key benefits:• Embedded parsers for most common software files• Allows the preview and resize of dialog boxes• Source updates are handled smoothly• Allows hot key validation!

Passolo File Extensions• .lpu > Original Passolo project

• .tbu > Exported bundle, no license

• .tbulic > Licensed exported bundle

Download a free SDL Passolo 2011 Translation Edition from http://www.sdl.com/campaign/lt/sdl-passolo-2011-translator-edition.html

Start Page

What does a Passolo project look like?

Project Window

Source and Target Lists

Open string listin language tab

Passolo Panels

Navigation Toolbar

Comment fieldSource string

Target stringValidates stringAutomatic TranslationFind Fuzzy Translation Find

ConcordancesTranslation Assistant

Untranslate

Translation comment

Check and Find Panels

Find (Ctrl + F)

Display of Strings• Red: strings have not yet been translated, or the source

string has changed. • Green: strings have been pre-translated but not yet

reviewed. • Blue: strings have been manually translated but not yet

reviewed. • Black: strings have been translated and

reviewed.

Old Text

Project View – Columns

Language Tab - Columns

Language Tab - Columns• Number• ID• Source Text• Translation• Comment• State• Last Change (vs. Last Update)• Old Text

Finding Context

What to Localize• Menus

• Dialog Boxes

• String Tables

String Tables

Dialog Boxes

Menus

Hot Keys• Also known as accelerator or mnemonic keys• Ampersand symbol: &

• &File > File• &Insert > Insert

• Underscore symbol: _• _About > About

Consistency and Duplication• Consistency with standard Windows commands in

your language• Avoid duplication• Avoid accented characters as hot keys

Control Keys (shortcut keys)

Variables: %s %d %ld

Replace %ld occurrences in file %s?

Mismatch between expected and actual size after replace:%ld bytes expected, %ld bytes actual in file:%s

Getting Ready to Translate

Start TranslatingTranslate the following string lists

Menu103 “_POPUP_”139 “ListView Menu”Dialog114 “Confirmation Required”118 “Advanced”1540 “Search”String TableTranslate string IDs 61472, 61473, 61747, 61475*

*Microsoft Strings: http://www.microsoft.com/Language/en-US/Default.aspx

Filters

Working with Filters• Filter strings with comments• Filter replicated strings• Filter strings flagged for review

• Now create a filter to view only untranslated and strings flagged for review

Statistics

General Settings - Configuring Passolo

View Options

String List Operations Options

Translation Window Options

Tags Options

Translation Helpers Options

Translation Helpers – Cont’d

Use the same settings for all Translation Helpers

Replicates Options

Translation Assistant Options*

* The “Use Translation Assistant” option needs to be checked every time you open Passolo

SDL MultiTerm/Studio Integration

Checking OptionsDepending on the project needs. Here’re the ones I use the most:

Checking Options

Checking Options > Inline Patterns

When it’s time to run checks…

Let’s run checks…• Build Inline patterns for:• Missing colons• Curly brackets• Square brackets

• Run checks on Dialog 1542 “Filter”• Run checks on the whole project

Useful Tips• Creating a bookmark (Edit > Toggle Bookmark)

• Filter/unfilter, sort, during translation

• Save often! (Passolo sometimes crashes, especially when you are new to it!)

Before delivering a project…

•Spell check (String > Spell checking OR F7)•Run checks•Check the statistics (String List > Statistics)

Useful Resources• Microsoft Style Guides

http://www.microsoft.com/Language/en-US/StyleGuides.aspx

• Microsoft Terminology Searcheshttp://www.microsoft.com/Language/en-US/Search.aspx

• Microsoft Terminology Collectionhttp://www.microsoft.com/Language/en-US/Terminology.aspx

Special Thanks to Laurence Carretey and Uyen Tran

(Interactive Intelligence)