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Software Localisation Course 4

3. Features

Extraction of Localisable Elements (2/12)

Ressourcen in einem Lokalisierungsprojekt
Resources in a localisation project

A typical feature of software L10N tools is the extraction of localisable elements, which implies:

  • The selection of different parsers according to the localisation formats involved
  • The retrieval, editing and preparation of localisable elements as:
    • Source code, or
    • Binary files

In either case, when using the appropriate software localisation tool, the localisation process is more or less the same. When you create a localisation project from scratch with a L10N tool or when you add new source files or target languages to an existing project, you need to generate the corresponding string lists containing the localisable elements. Localisable elements are extracted from the source files and are grouped according to their "resources" (where they are contained), for example: menu, dialog, string table, accelerator, etc.

 
Aus einer Benutzeroberfläche extrahierte Strings (lokalisierbare Elemente oder Übersetzungsressourcen); Die Strings im rechten Fenster sind Teil eines Menüs der Benutzeroberfläche (rot umrahmt)
Strings (localisable elements or translating resources) extracted from a software user interface. The strings on the right-hand window belong to a menu of the user interface (surrounded by a red line)

From these resources, source string lists containing the translatable text will be generated.

 

Die Zieltextliste wurde erstellt und es gibt nun Quelltexte (für die Ausgangssprache Englisch) und (noch nicht übersetzte) Zieltexte (für die Zielsprache Deutsch)
The target string list has been created and there are now source strings (for the source language English) and (not yet translated) target strings (for the target language German)

Since the actual translation will be done in a translation string list, this has to be created. To do so, L10N tools simply copy the resources from the source string list and generate strings for the selected target language(s). Translatable elements will be translated in the translation or target string list.

 

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