implementing the xliff format dell inc. and adams globalization michael macgregor – dell inc....

Implementing the XLIFF FormatDell Inc. and Adams Globalization

Michael MacGregor – Dell Inc.Vivek Anand – Adams Globalization

LISA SummitJune, 2006

2 Agenda

• Setting the Stage: Dell’s Partnership with Adams Globalization

• Identifying Software Development Challenges:

– Simultaneous Release of English and Localized Products

– Multiple File Formats for Localization

• Addressing Challenges:

– Standardizing Deliverables and Processes

– Criteria for Selecting a Standard

• Implementing XLIFF as a Standard

– Managing “Sim-ship” Issues with “Boneless” XLIFF

– Increasing Efficiency through Parallel Localization Processes

• XLIFF in Action: Translation and Issue Resolution

• Additional Benefits of XLIFF Adoption

• Summary

• Q&A

3 Background and Introduction

Dell Inc. partners with Adams Globalization to deliver localized solutions to the global market

Multi-Regional Software

Development

Localization (L10n) Technologies

Global Product Testing

Custom L10n Solutions

4 SW Localization ChallengesClassic Development Cycle

Development:

• L10n impact to product functionality

• Ensure Internationalization readiness

• Integrate translations into builds

• Deploy product to global market

Translation:

• Provide translations

• Ensure file integrity

• Resolve content issues reported by test

Product Testing:

• Confirm L10n functionality

• Validate translations

• Report issues found during test

SubmitStrings forTranslation

SubmitStrings forTranslation

IntegrateTranslated

Strings

IntegrateTranslated

Strings

TestTranslations

TestTranslations

ReportIssuesReportIssues

IntegrateAdjustedStrings

IntegrateAdjustedStrings

RegressIssues

RegressIssues

DeployProductDeployProduct

TranslateStrings

TranslateStrings

AdjustTranslations

AdjustTranslations

DeploymentIntegration and TestingImplementation

Dev

elop

men

tT

ran

slat

ion

Pro

du

ct T

esti

ng

5 SW Localization ChallengesSimultaneous Release

Delayed Release:

• Localized version is released some time after completion of English version of application

Simultaneous Release:

• Localized code ships simultaneously with English version

English

Development

English

Release

Localization

Development

Localized

Release

English

Development

Global

Release

Localization

Development

•Single release to all regions – one media kit

•Faster time to market

•Presents a “moving target” – English can change during translations

6

Software Component

A

Software Component

C

Software Component

B

Software Component

D

Software Component

E

Software Component

F

XML Style Sheet

UTF -8

Multi-Lang XML

UTF -8

Properties File

UTF -16LE

Windows RC

ANSI

Custom A

ANSI

SW Development ChallengesMultiple Development Environments

XML File

UTF -8

Java Properties

UTF -8 UCN Esc

Windows MSI

Unicode

C++ Resource

UTF -8

Application

(Suite)

• Different technologies are used in each software suite component• Some components may utilize several different technologies, often requiring different file formats for string resources• Some formats are customized, unique to the product• This results in a project that requires multiple file formats to be localized

7 SW Development ChallengesMultiple File Formats in Translation

XML Style Sheet

UTF -8XML File

UTF -8Multi-Lang XML

UTF -8Java

Properties

UTF -8 UCN EscProperties File

UTF -16LEWindows MSI

UnicodeWindows RC

ANSIC++ Resource

UTF -8Custom A

ANSI

AssessPre-

TranslateTranslate QC

AssessPre-


AssessPre-


AssessPre-


AssessPre-


AssessPre-


AssessPre-


AssessPre-


AssessPre-


•Translations grouped by file type•String segments unique for type•Separate efforts in preparation, pre-translation, and QC

•Each application has its own validation specifications•Difficult to automate•More risks to integrating translations

Multiple formats result in very low leveraging across different file formats

Deliver

8 SW Development ChallengesMultiple File Formats in Issue Resolution

•Search through multiple files•Multiple instances across file types difficult to manage

•Same validation issues as translation

Adjust

Adjust

Adjust

Adjust

Adjust

Adjust

Adjust

Adjust

Adjust

QC

QC

QC

QC

QC

QC

QC

QC

QC

DeliverDFCT

XML Style Sheet

UTF -8XML File


UTF -8Java

Properties

UTF -8 UCN EscProperties File


UnicodeWindows RC

ANSIC++ Resource

UTF -8Custom A

ANSI

Search

Similar challenges are presented when resolving translation issues reported during test

9 StandardizationLocalization Deliverables & Processes

XSL Translation

Memory

XML Style Sheet

UTF -8 XML File

UTF -8

Multi-Lang XML

UTF -8

Java Properties

UTF -8 UCN Esc

Properties File


UnicodeWindows RC

ANSIC++ Resource

UTF -8Custom A

ANSI

Translation Memory

Translation Memory

Translation Memory

Translation Memory

Translation Memory

Translation Memory

Translation Memory

Adjust QC

Adjust QC

Adjust QC

Adjust QC

Adjust QC

Adjust QC

Adjust QC

Adjust QC

Adjust QC

Standardized File Format

Common Translation

Memory FormatSingle Process Automated QC

Standardization

• With standardization, only one file format is used

• Achieves common translation memory format, which increases leveragability across components, and consistency of translations

• Single process stream for all localization activities with automated QC

10 StandardizationSelecting A Standard

Criteria for selecting a standard

• Cannot be a custom file format, must be an industry standard

• Unicode (UTF-8)

• Easy to adopt by Development and by Translation

• Facilitates content management

• Protects terms not to be translated

• Easy to validate with automation

• Extensible

11 StandardizationSelecting A Standard - XLIFF

•XML-based format

•Extensible Namespaces•Project related data

•Neatly packaged units for translations

•Clearly defined segments

•Enables “locked” trans units

•Enables “locked” text segments

•Comments available for translators

OASIS XML Localization Interchange File Format (XLIFF)

12 Implementing XLIFFOutbound Translations

• Separate translatable strings from other text

• Copy or convert data into XML

• Protect non-translatable terms

• Build XML file

English Resource File

Translate

English XLIFF File

Parse & Extract

Convert

13 Implementing XLIFFInbound Translations

• Retrieve translations from XLIFF file

• Build localized resource file (using latest English version)

• No “Skeleton” (SKL) file


Translate

Translated XLIFF File Rebuild

Integrate

Localized Resource File

14

Development continues

Implementing XLIFFUsing SKL File


Translate

English XLIFF File

Parse & Extract


(Updated)

RebuildLocalized

Resource File

Translated XLIFF File

Convert

SKL File

Files do NOT match

• Application fails to launch

• Functional failure in application at runtime

• SKL file holds non-translatable text

• XLIFF holds translatable text

15

Development continues

Implementing XLIFFBoneless - Without SKL File


Translate

English XLIFF File

Parse & Extract


(Updated)

RebuildLocalized

Resource File

Translated XLIFF File

Convert

SKL File

Files Match

• Some English text may appear

• Application functions normally

• No SKL file used

• XLIFF still holds translatable text

16 Parallel Processing through XLIFF StandardizationSerial Processes

• Standardization facilitates parallel process in localization

TRANSLATE TEST TRANSLATE ADJUST TEST ADJUST TRANSLATE TEST ADJUST QUAL

• Each group must wait for file to become available

• Issue resolution cannot start until Translation is complete

• Translation must wait for adjustments to finish

• Test Team cannot test while edits are in progress

• Excessive “downtime”, lacks efficiency

17 Parallel Processing through XLIFF StandardizationParallel Processes

• Standardization facilitates parallel process in localization

• Resources are broken into subsets for each process team

• While translation is under way, Issue Resolution can still occur

• Changes from Translation and/or Issue Resolution are integrated as they arrive

• Test is able to focus on the latest changes, reducing cycle time

• Compressed project cycle; more efficient utilization of resources

TRANSLATE TEST TRANSLATE ADJUST TEST ADJUST TRANSLATE TEST ADJUST QUAL

TRANSLATE

TEST

TRANSLATE

ADJUST

TEST

ADJUST

TRANSLATE

TEST

ADJUST

QUAL

18 Process improvements through XLIFF adoption

• Drastically reduce pre-translation activities

• Fewer file integrity issues

• Less overall down time

• Increased leveragability

• Improved product quality

• Improved efficiency of processes

19 Process improvements through XLIFF adoption

• Extensible format enables tool-based change tracking and audit capabilities

• XLIFF implementation changed localization processes without impacting main stream software development processes

XLIFF File

UTF -8ConvertContent

Manager

Software Development Stream

Localization Development Stream

Reporting

20 Process improvements through XLIFF adoption Standardized Format in Translation

AssessPre-


AssessPre-


AssessPre-


AssessPre-


AssessPre-


AssessPre-


AssessPre-


AssessPre-


XML File

UTF -8

Java Properties

UTF -8 UCN Esc

Windows MSI

Unicode

C++ Resource

UTF -8

XML Style Sheet

UTF -8

Multi-Lang XML

UTF -8

Properties File

UTF -16LE

Windows RC

ANSI

Custom A

ANSI

XLIFF File

UTF -8Convert

AssessPre-


•Tools convert multiple file types into one common format – enabling standardization without impacting code development processes

•Processing complexity minimal – need for only one CAT filter

•Increased leverage of localized content across multiple components

•QC fully automated for XLIFF files

Deliver

21 Process improvements through XLIFF adoption CAT – Without XLIFF

Translatable text not easily identifiable

Tags are included in word counts

Editing tags breaks the file

Special terminology not protected

22 Process improvements through XLIFF adoption CAT – With XLIFF

Translatable text in target tags

All other text cannot be edited

Sections within a string can also be blocked

23 Process improvements through XLIFF adoption Standardized Format in Issue Resolution

Adjust QC

Adjust QC

Adjust QC

Adjust QC

Adjust QC

Adjust QC

Adjust QC

Adjust QC

XML Style Sheet

UTF -8XML File


UTF -8Java

Properties

UTF -8 UCN Esc

Windows MSI

UnicodeWindows RC

ANSIC++ Resource

UTF -8Custom A

ANSI

Properties File

UTF -16LEAdjust QC DeliverDFCT Search

XLIFF File

UTF-8

• Single search point for all strings related to a software component

• Common format reduces risk of file corruption by using one standard

• XLIFF file format provides associated English string in <source> tag for quick and easy reference

• Use of <mrk> tags prevent adjusting of strings currently out for translation, avoiding potential version conflicts

24 Process improvements through XLIFF adoption Issue Resolution with XLIFF

String is out for translation

Translator cannot modify any part of string

Note identifies why the string is blocked

English Text is next to translation

25 Additional Benefits through XLIFF adoption

• Achieved cost savings through reduced overhead and greater leveraging (30% reduction in cost)

• Revolutionized the level of client-vendor cooperation in bringing high quality localized products to Dell’s Enterprise customers worldwide

• Seamless interface between Software Development and Translation

• Simplified process enables greater visibility to issues; easier to root cause and resolve with less “finger pointing”

• Simplified processes and logistics allow for greater focus on additional process improvements

26 Summary

• By standardizing localization deliverables, many of the challenges surrounding a large scale effort can be resolved

– Reduced overhead for processing files

– Increased leveragability for multiple components

– Safer file handling for translation and issue resolution

– Easier to implement automation

• No further need for customization for new products or additional languages

• Standardized process can help foster better communication between client/vendor, improved cost savings for both organizations, and set the stage for future process improvements

27 Q&A

28 References

• XLIFF is featured in the 19 Sept 2005 edition of XML Journal "What Is XLIFF and Why Should I Use It?"

• XLIFF 1.1 Specification, Committee Specification, 31 Oct 2003

• XLIFF 1.1 Schema, Committee Specification, 31 Oct 2003

• Physical Map of The World, 2003 http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/world_maps/world_rel_803005AI_2003.jpg

29 OASIS XLIFF Specification

• What is XLIFF?

– OASIS XML Localization Interchange File Format (XLIFF)

– XML based format, which provides a common ground for localization development to occur unhindered by custom or proprietary formatting requirements

– “The purpose of the OASIS XLIFF TC is to define, through extensible XML vocabularies, and promote the adoption of, a specification for the interchange of [localizable] software and document based objects and related metadata. “

• http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/tc_home.php?wg_abbrev=xliff

• XLIFF standard reduces risk of human error throughout localization development

– Provides clearly defined nodes for translatable content

– Defined nodes for comments, protected content, concatenation grouping, and other key information that may be useful to translators, but should not be counted as part of the translation word count

– Original English text included along side translations, easily referenced

– XML format facilitates automated QA

30 Summary

• by standardizing file formats, many of the challenged we discussed have been resolved

– we’ve reduced overhead for file processing

– we’ve increased leveragability across all components

– single file format means safer handling for translation and issue resolution

– and we’ve been able to automate the QC process

• by choosing xliff, we’ve standardized our processes, with no further need for customization

• standardized processes have improved our communication, and improved cost savings for both organizations. we’ve also set the stage for future process improvements

implementing the xliff format dell inc. and adams globalization michael macgregor – dell inc....

Documents

localized slide

properties file utf

software suite component

different file formats

multilang xml utf

test product testing

product functionality

localized version