Me, naive-&-ignorant-dept (translation sibling question)

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Dave Gehman
Posts: 575
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2017 9:05 pm

Me, naive-&-ignorant-dept (translation sibling question)

Unread post by Dave Gehman »

Key question: is there any way I can automate the steps needed to correct my error?

The error - bad folder structure
We're about to translate an uncompressed H+M project from English to Japanese using an external service company.

To my great surprise, I find that I should have set up my file structure such that it is optimum for building a sibling project.

Reality
Instead, I've placed pretty much all my files in different folders. Sort of like this:

Root
..| - Uncompressed
..|...|- main hmxp
..|...| - images
..|-SnippetRepository
.......|- snippet hmxp

In other words, to reference the images, the main hmxp goes up one folder level, then to images
To reference the snippet content, the main hmxp goes up 2 levels to Root, then to SnippetRepository > snippet.hmxp

Optimum
Best setup would be to have everything going to the translators in one directory (right?).

Root
|-main hmxp, snippet hmxp, images

The Question
I have to (a) create the right folder structure ("RightFolder")
(b) move the 2 hmxp files & 1 set of images to RightFolder, then
(c) go back through the main hmxp and manually revise the file path for every referenced image & snippet -- right?

Or can I fix all the relative paths in Configuration > Project search path, simply by removing the wrong folders and putting the new (correct) one there?

Also, should I 'save as' the hmxp files in RightFolder, or can I simply copy them to RightFolder before going in to fiddle with the reference paths?
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Martin Wynne
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Joined: Mon May 12, 2003 3:21 pm
Location: West of the Severn, UK

Re: Me, naive-&-ignorant-dept (translation sibling question)

Unread post by Martin Wynne »

Hi Dave,

H&M doesn't store any file paths in the project, only file names.

I didn't follow your diagrams, but all you need to do is:

1. copy/paste or drag your folders into the desired arrangement. It's best have /images/ and /snippets/ as sub-folders within you main project folder, unless you plan to use them in any other project.

2. set up the Search Path(s) in H&M to find them.

You don't need to change any references in the topics. H&M will find the files.

Hint: H&M creates its own folders in the project folder as lower case, e.g. Topics. Create your folders as upper case, e.g. IMAGES or WEBHELP_OUTPUT. Then you will always know which is which.

regards,

Martin.
Dave Gehman
Posts: 575
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2017 9:05 pm

Re: Me, naive-&-ignorant-dept (translation sibling question)

Unread post by Dave Gehman »

Where would I be without you?

Good tip on the capitalization. I'm busy reorganizing my H+M Project folders...
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Martin Wynne
Posts: 2656
Joined: Mon May 12, 2003 3:21 pm
Location: West of the Severn, UK

Re: Me, naive-&-ignorant-dept (translation sibling question)

Unread post by Martin Wynne »

Hi Dave,

Hint: When you insert an image from elsewhere into a topic, H&M adds it into the first folder it finds in the search paths. So arrange the search paths with the /IMAGES/ folder first.

Normally of course, you will have put the image there before using it anyway.

But if not, you don't want H&M putting it in the /SNIPPETS/ folder.

cheers,

Martin.
Dave Gehman
Posts: 575
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2017 9:05 pm

Re: Me, naive-&-ignorant-dept (translation sibling question)

Unread post by Dave Gehman »

Thanks. As it turns out, purely by luck, I put my new IMAGES directory first.
Andreas Boettcher
Posts: 21
Joined: Fri Jun 07, 2013 7:52 am

Re: Me, naive-&-ignorant-dept (translation sibling question)

Unread post by Andreas Boettcher »

I don't really see why it would be necessary to restructure your projects in the first place. What do you hope to achieve?
Dave Gehman
Posts: 575
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2017 9:05 pm

Re: Me, naive-&-ignorant-dept (translation sibling question)

Unread post by Dave Gehman »

Andreas Boettcher wrote:What do you hope to achieve?
I wanted to save time and conserve brain power when making an archive (zip) file.

So, I wanted to consolidate all the files for a translation sibling in one place. That way, I can easily put everything into a zip archive to send to the translation service.

"All the files: "
-- our images are referenced, not embedded, so to send the files for translation, the recipient needs the IMAGES folder
-- our snippets are drawn from an external repository H+M project, so the translators also need the Topics files from the SNIPPPET_REPOSITORY folder.

Having the main hmxp in the root, with both IMAGES and SNIPPET_REPOSITORY folders (and all the other folders created by H+M*) tucked under the root, I can easily create a zip archive. I simply select the root folder in 7-Zip, then archive that folder and the folders under it.

*_history, Baggage, Maps, Topics
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