Translation - XML-based or MSoft Word text-based?

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Dave Gehman
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Translation - XML-based or MSoft Word text-based?

Unread post by Dave Gehman »

I'm trying self-study around H+M translation options, having just discovered that my in-process Getting-started Guide must be translated quickly to Japanese.

Output format is WebHelp.

I see that the H+M help file recommends translation on the XML level, but I don't grasp why. In addition, our translator is not savvy enough to work with XML.

What are the problems with the following work flow?

(1) clone a separate TOC, destined to become the Japanese version
(2) copy-and-paste or otherwise export the text from the Writer panes, topic by topic, to the platform the translator is able to use: Microsoft Word
(3) have the translator save the translation to Word RTF (I think I've read that H+M doesn't import Word 2010 DOCX)
(4) install on my Windows 10 system, whatever Japanese font(s) the translator says to use
(5) import or cut-and-paste the Japanese version into my cloned H+M TOC

I realize that the recommendation to work on the XML level is presented in the help file as the result of thought and experience.

I simply can't grasp what's behind that thought -- that is, why it's better to parse through the XML to isolate and then translate text blocks that are delineated by "translate = true" in the XML...
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Tim Green
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Re: Translation - XML-based or MSoft Word text-based?

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi David,
(1) clone a separate TOC, destined to become the Japanese version
(2) copy-and-paste or otherwise export the text from the Writer panes, topic by topic, to the platform the translator is able to use: Microsoft Word
(3) have the translator save the translation to Word RTF (I think I've read that H+M doesn't import Word 2010 DOCX)
(4) install on my Windows 10 system, whatever Japanese font(s) the translator says to use
(5) import or cut-and-paste the Japanese version into my cloned H+M TOC
This workflow would only be viable if your project is not going to contain anything except plain text. Otherwise you would be creating a large amount of unnecessary extra work for yourself -- basically shooting yourself in both feet. You cannot "round-trip" content to other output formats and back without losing things. The whole point of using XML is that it is like stem cells -- it can be converted to anything else at any time without losses. The other direction doesn't work, just as you also can't convert a liver or brain cell back to a stem cell.

Converting from Word back to HM would mean you would lose all your HM structures and features, and also the ability to compare for translation of updates of the documentation in the future.

As explained in the chapter on translation, the best solution is to use translation memory based tools that work directly on the XML project. All professional translators use these nowadays, and using them will significantly increase the quality and consistency of the translations you get.
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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Dave Gehman
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Re: Translation - XML-based or MSoft Word text-based?

Unread post by Dave Gehman »

Tim Green wrote: This workflow would only be viable if your project is not going to contain anything... losing things....
"Anything," "Things" - Clearly, you have specific elements in mind here. Are these things screen shots? Cross-references? Index tag? Header or topic graphics (I thought these were in the skin)?

....
Converting from Word back to HM would mean you would lose all your HM structures and features, and also the ability to compare for translation of updates of the documentation in the future.
Structure = TOC? I thought that working topic-by-topic could preserve the structure of the output document.

Features - I would lose the ability to output WebHelp? (Real question is, could you be more specific about which features are going to be lost? There are myriad features in H+M...)
...Best solution is to use translation memory based tools that work directly on the XML project. All professional translators use these
Right now, time and money constraints = no professional translator, no XML :(
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Martin Wynne
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Re: Translation - XML-based or MSoft Word text-based?

Unread post by Martin Wynne »

Hi Dave,

How about offering to pay the translator with a copy of H&M? Which they could then use in future for other clients. Anyone who thinks Word is the way to do anything needs all the help they can get. :)

Martin.
Dave Gehman
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Re: Translation - XML-based or MSoft Word text-based?

Unread post by Dave Gehman »

Thanks, Martin. I think, but am not 100% sure, that our translator is our Tokyo business unit general manager. H+M would unfortunately bring him no joy. Still, it's a great idea and we may well adopt it if the Tokyo GM kicks the translation down to an underling.
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Tim Green
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Re: Translation - XML-based or MSoft Word text-based?

Unread post by Tim Green »

Dave Gehman wrote: Structure = TOC? I thought that working topic-by-topic could preserve the structure of the output document.

I didn't list the things because you would basically lose everything and have to start over.
Features - I would lose the ability to output WebHelp? (Real question is, could you be more specific about which features are going to be lost? There are myriad features in H+M...)
Again, basically everything. What you get would no longer be your Help+Manual content, it would be imported Word content. No toggles, no image captions, no expanding images, no padding around images, no videos, broken hyperlinks... shall I continue? 8)

Round-tripping with Word is simply a nightmare, and trying to translate projects in the way you describe would be a counterproductive waste of time and effort. Just don't do it. If you want to work in Word, don't use Help+Manual at all. Just forget about it and work in Word all the time. I
Right now, time and money constraints = no professional translator, no XML :(
Cheap socks are more expensive than good socks. 8)
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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Dave Gehman
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Re: Translation - XML-based or MSoft Word text-based?

Unread post by Dave Gehman »

I'm beginning to be enlightened.

I don't want to work in Word. It's our cheap socks that has to.

Still, in my company's case, cheap socks are better than no socks... :(
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