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Extracting the user interface elements
A localization engineer analyzes the program source to locate all translatable elements and prepare them for translation. A typical application includes many types of text elements —strings, menus, commands, and dialog boxes— but also bitmaps, icons, and even sound or video clips. During the analysis, we also verify that there is no "hard coding" left, that all the interface elements have been separated from the code, and that any concatenation is clearly marked. Should elements be hard coded – we would recommend a comprehensive Internationalization (I18n) review of your software code base.
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Building pseudo-translated application
Software localization usually takes place during the last stage of the development, when the original product is undergoing final revisions. To verify that all internationalization guidelines have been followed, we can quickly produce a pseudo-translated version of the user interface. This version is tested by the QA division to locate potential problems and address them before they affect the localization process.
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Preparing the translation kit
Each element of the user interface is prepared according to the tools that will be used by the translators. Translation memories are applied to the text elements to leverage existing translations and increase the consistency between different products from the same family.
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Translating the user interface
Our software translators use industry-standard terminology and client specific glossaries to achieve a high level of acceptance within the target market. During the translation process, they work with the engineering team to ensure that the locale conventions are followed.
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Resizing the dialogs and other UI elements
After translation, a localization engineer resizes the dialog boxes and verifies that all elements of the new user interface display correctly.
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Building and testing the localized application
When all the resources have been resized, the application is compiled and a team of language testers verify that the translated interface is accurate and displays correctly on the localized version of the operating environment.
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Delivering the localized application
When the localized interface has been tested and all the last minute changes incorporated, the localized resources are delivered to the client. Our entire team stays "on call" and fully available to ensure a smooth product release.