About localization

Localization is the process of translating the content and adapting it for use in another language.

"Translate" and "localize" are often used interchangeably, but they are a bit different. More accurately, localization is translation taken a step further. For example, say an auto parts guide is written in German and translated to English. The initial translation is to British English, so the guide refers to a "windscreen." While a U.S. audience would probably understand the reference, to truly make the guide as "native" as possible, it should be localized to U.S. English, where the "windscreen" becomes a "windshield."

The xml:lang attribute in DITA topics can be used to make this distinction. In typical deployments, it specifies both the language and locale of the topic; for example, pt-br (Portuguese-Brazil) or pt-pt (Portuguese-Portugal). (Note that your environment may use this attribute differently).

The following diagram shows an overview of the localization process.

Note: This process is based on the default localization workflow provided with IXIASOFT CCMS. Your workflow and its statuses may differ.

The process begins when you select the Localize command and specify the set of target languages. When you localize a map, copies of the map and its contents (topics, images, and referred topics) are created in the localization area—one set for each language you selected. When you localize a topic, that topic, its images, and referred topics are created. The files have the status Localization:tb translated.

If auto-translation is enabled, and a previous translation exists, the CMS will try to auto-translate as much of the topics as possible based on previous translations of the same topic.

Note: In the concurrent localization model, if a document was fully translated during auto-translation, it may have the status Localization:machine translated (depending on your configuration). See Concurrent localization model for more information.

The next step is to prepare the localization kit; this is the set of files that you’ll be sending to the translation team for localization. You might need to prepare two localization kits:

A localization kit, which contains the maps and topics to translate. The files are provided in XLIFF or DITA format, depending on the localization method used. The kit may also contain some of the following files: PDF files of the current version and the previous translation (if any) to provide context for the translation, as well as the .image containers for the images referenced by topics being translated. It doesn't include the actual images. If you need to translate some or all of the images, you also need to create an image localization kit.
An image localization kit, which contains the images that are included in the map or topic. An image localization kit includes all the image formats available so that they can all be localized. Images are sent in a separate localization package since they are treated differently in translation.

After you have prepared the localization kits, the files are in the Localization:in translation status.

When the localized files are returned from translation, they are imported back into the Content Store. You first import the localized images back into the system (using the Import localized images command) before you import the localized map and its topics (using the Import localized content command). The system promotes the files to Localization:review.

You can now review the content of the localized files. You can return them to the Localization:tb translated status if there are issues with them, or you can complete the process by putting the files in the Localization:done status.

When the map and all its contents have reached the Localization:done status, you can create a snapshot of the map.

At any time, you can create a pre-localization kit, which is a snapshot of the content that’s under development; you send it to the translation team so that they can prepare their translation memory. Pre-localization kits can contain as many output languages as you require. They can be generated at any point in the document development cycle, and this operation does not change the status of the files.