The document discusses best practices and common issues when localizing XML documents, including using standard libraries and formats like XLIFF, avoiding issues with word substitution, translatable attributes, and encoding, and marking non-translatable text. It also promotes the use of standards for interoperability and the Open Architecture for XML Authoring and Localization framework.

1. How to Localize XML Documents: A Workshop on the Do's and
Don'ts of XML Localization
November 2014
http:///

2. XML dominant!
• HTML/XHTML
• Web Services
• Adobe FrameMaker
• Microsoft Office
• Open Office
• ASP
• XAML
• Java Properties
• DITA
• Standards: TMX, XLIFF, SRX, GMX, TBX, xml:tm
• OAXAL Open Architecture for XML Authoring and Localization

3. Benefits of XML for L10N
• Separation of form and content
• Should make documents easier to translate
• There are some critical design decisions
• Mistakes can hinder translatability
• XML can bootstrap its own localization

4. The real significance of XML
• XML is not just another electronic format
• XML is an eXtensible syntax
• XML is a formal IT grammar
• XML is programmable
• XML is can bootrstrap its own localization

5. Benefits of XML for L10N
Why use XML for Localization
• One input format
• Elegant
• Uses the latest IT technology
• Separation of source and content
• One single data bus
• Open Standards based
• You can use XML assist its own localization
• One extraction + TM + SMT engine

6. Benefits of XML
Any electronic format not in XML can be converted to XML
• Frame Maker
• RTF
• Microsoft Office pre 2007
• Quark Express
• Windows resource files
• Java resources
• PO/POT
• YAML
• Etc.
And then back into the original format

7. Do: Use Standard XML Libraries
DO!
• Xerces/Xalan
• MSXML
DO NOT!
• Write your own XML parser
• Write you own serializer

8. Do: Use XLIFF
XML Localization Interchange File Format
OASIS Standard:
https://www.oasis-open.org/committees/xliff
1. Extract text for translation
2. Use Standard library parser!!!!!
• Java/C++ - Apache Xerces
• .Net – MSXML
3. XLIFF:doc – simplified XLIFF
• XLIFF 1.2 subset
http://code.google.com/p/interoperability-now/
4. Use skeleton file
• Use markers for inline elements
• Use only <g> and <x> inline elements
• Use <mrk> for terminology

9. XML Document Design Issues
Important points to take into account

10. Word/Phrase substitution Issues
What works in English/Chinese will not work in most other languages:
English/Chinese languages have an impoverished morphology:
• Please undo the bolt using a spanner.
• Proszę odkręcić śrubę kluczem.
Nominative form: klucz
The real killers: gender and case
• New Ford Model: New Fiesta, New Mondeo, New Focus
• Nowa Ford Fiesta
• Nowe Ford Mondeo
• Nowy Ford Focus

11. Avoid translatable Entity References
<para>Use a &tool; to release the catch.</para>
Problems:
• Grammatical difficulties
• Parsing difficulties
• Translation memory problems
Solution:
<para>
Use a <tool id="a1098">claw hammer</tool>
to release the CPU retention catch.
</para>

12. Avoid Word Substitution Mechanisms
<p>
Using a
<keyword conref=”tools.dita#tools/ClawHammer”/>,
remove the CPU from its mount.
</p>
Problems:
• Grammatical difficulties
• Parsing difficulties
• Translation memory problems
Solution:
<para>
Use a <tool id="a1098">claw hammer</tool>
to release the CPU from its mount.
</para>

13. Incorrect use of Translatable Attributes
<para>
Use a <tool id="a1098" name="claw hammer">
to release the CPU retention catch.
</para>
Problems:
• Grammatical difficulties
• Text flow problems
Solution:
<para>
Use a <tool id="a1098">claw hammer</tool>
to release the CPU retention catch.
</para>

14. CDATA Sections
<TEMPLATE><![CDATA[<p>Please refer to the
<em>index page
</em> page for further information</p> ]]>
</TEMPLATE>
Problems:
• Grammatical difficulties
• Text flow problems
Solution:
<TEMPLATE>
<dx:p>Please refer to the <dx:em>index page
</dx:em> page for further information</dx:p>
</TEMPLATE>

15. Infinite Naming Schemes
<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<resources xml:lang="en">
<err001>Cannot open file $1.</err001>
<hint001>Hint: does file $1 exist.</hint001>
<err002>Incorrect value.</err002>
<hint002>Hint: value must be between $1 and $2.</hint002>
<err003>Connection timeout.</err999>
.
.
</resources>
Problems:
• Poor XML practice
• Problems for extraction programs
Solution:

16. Infinite Naming Schemes contd.
<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<resources xml:lang="en">
<error id="001">
<caption>Cannot open file $1.</caption>
<hint>Does file $1 exist.</hint>
</error>
<error id="002">
<caption>Incorrect value.</caption>
<hint>Value must be between $1 and $2.</hint>
</error>
.
.
</resources>
Solution:

17. Avoid Processing Instructions
<para>
Use a <?tool name="claw hammer"?> to release
the CPU retention catch.
</para>
Problems:
• Grammatical difficulties
• Pis not guaranteed to survive transformations
• Text flow problems
Solution:
<para>
Use a <tool id="a1098">claw hammer</tool>
to release the CPU retention catch.
</para>

18. Avoid text in bitmap graphics

19. Text expansion
Never make assumptions about text length in design

20. Do: Always use UTF-8 or UTF-16 Encoding
• Avoid code conversion issues
• Always use Unicode encoding
• Not just CJK issues
• Also wingbats and special characters such
as:
• M-dash
• Ndash
• Non break spaces
• Etc.

21. Do not break text over non-inline elements
<para>
<line>This text should not be</line>
<line>broken this way – the translated
text may well be in a different order.</line>
</para>
Problems:
• Grammatical difficulties
• Against the principles of XML
• Text flow problems

22. Avoid the use of typographical elements
<para><b>Do not use</b> <br/>
’br’ type elements.
</para>
Problems:
• Grammatical difficulties
• Against the principles of XML
• Text flow problems
Solution:
<para>
<emph>Do not use</emph> 'br' type elements.
</para>

23. Do not mix xlatable and non-xlatable
<data-items>
<data id="class">
com.xmlintl.data.dataDefDefinition
</data>
<data id="text">
Replace generic data
definitions with specific instances.
</data>
</data-items>
Problems:
• Poor XML practice
• Problems for extraction programs
Solution:

24. Do not mix xlatable and non-xlatable contd.
<data-items>
<class id="com.xmlintl.data.dataDefinition">
<text>
Replace generic data
definitions with specific instances.
</text>
</class>
</data-items>

25. Avoid mixed language documents
<para>
<text xml:lang="en">
My hovercraft is full of eels.
</text>
<text xml:lang="fr">
Mon aéroglisseur est plein d'anguilles.
</text>
<text xml:lang="hu">
Légpárnás hajóm tele van angolnákkal.
</text>
<text xml:lang="ja">
私のホバークラフトは鰻で一杯です。
</text>
<text xml:lang="pl">
Mój poduszkowiec jest pełen węgorzy.
</text>
<text xml:lang="es">
Mi aerodeslizador está lleno de anguilas.
</text>
<text xml:lang="zh-CH">
我隻氣墊船裝滿晒鱔．
</text>
<text xml:lang="zh-TW">
我的氣墊船充滿了鱔魚 [我的气垫船充满了鳝鱼]
</text>
</para>

26. Do: clearly mark non-translatable text
<para>
The following part of this sentence
should
<its:its translate=‘no’>not be
translated</its:its>
at all.
</para>

27. Core L10 Interoperability Standards
• W3C ITS Document Rules
• ETSI LIS SRX
• ETSI LIS xml:tm
• ETSI LIS TMX
• ETSI LIS TBX
• ETSI LIS GMX
• OASIS XLIFF
• W3C/OASIS DITA (XHTML, DocBook, or any XML Vocabulary)

28. Putting It All Together

29. • Open Architecture for XML Authoring and Localization (OAXAL)
– http://wiki.oasis-open.org/oaxal/FrontPage

30. OAXAL

31. OAXAL

32. Localization without Standards
Customer
source
text
source text extract
extracted
text tm process
prepared
text
translatetranslated
text
target texttarget text
merge
target text
QA

33. True Cost of Translation

34. OAXAL in Action

35. Translating English Soccer
Articles into Arabic 24x7

36. Translating English Soccer
Articles into Arabic 24x7

37. Flagship website

38. Flagship website

39. Browser-Based Workbench

40. OAXAL In Action

41. Your opinion is important to us! Please tell us what you thought of the
lecture. We look forward to your feedback via smartphone or tablet under
http://LOC23.honestly.de
or scan the QR code
The feedback tool will be available even after the conference!

42. • Contact details:
• Andrzej Zydroń
• azydron@xtm-intl.com
• http://www.xtm-intl.com