The XML Localization Interchange File Format (XLIFF) is a standardized
document format used for localization. Because an XLIFF package contains a
single XLF file for your entire publication, XLIFF packages are useful for
the localization of small publications and for projects that can be
completed by one translator. An XLIFF package can contain only
textual content and cannot include any media files, like screenshots.
Package Contents
An XLIFF package can contain the following resources:
Note:
Only translatable elements are included in the package. This means that elements with the translate attribute set to no are not included in the packages.
Reference Publish Folder
An output of your publication, for example, a PDF,
that translators can use as a reference during the
localization process.
Remember:
To add a reference file to the localization job, you must publish a map before creating the localization job. We recommend including a reference file in localization packages and instructing the localization provider on where to find it.
XLF File
A file that contains all the DITA content to be
localized for a particular project. The name of the
file indicates the target language, for example,
pl=Polish and
fr-ca=Canadian French.
Depending on how many locales, that is target
languages, you select when creating your XLIFF
package, it can contain one or more XLF files.
Note:
The package contains complete text content from the dependencies of the map, including resource-only topics. In other words, the content added with content references (conref) or content key references (conkeyref) is localized.
Important:
Your Localization
Services Provider (LSP) should never modify the
content of source elements inside
the XLF file. Instead, they should modify the
content of <target>
elements to provide their localization.
Also,
they should never modify the name of the XLF file.
If they modify either source
elements or the XLF file name, when loading the
XLIFF package back to Heretto CCMS, Heretto CCMS will
show errors since it's no longer able to link the
source text with the target text content
correctly.
Project Notes
Notes that you add when you create a localization job. Project notes are useful to share information with the localization provider.
Remember:
Always ask the localization provider to read the project-notes.txt file included in the package. Otherwise, they may ignore it.
XLIFF Package Localization Process
XLIFF packages contain only textual content. This process covers both the textual localization with the use of an XLIFF package
and the optional media localization with the use of a media package.
Tip:
If you want to localize both the textual content and media content, you can
use an XLIFF package and a media package. Consider using a source package for
localization.
Set the source language for the DITA content that you want to localize.
Recommended: Publish the reference content.
Remember:
While publishing, set the locale option to the source language.
Create an XLIFF package for a map that includes one XLF file with all your content for that map. Only one XLF file is created for each localization job, regardless of how many files are included in your map. The XLIFF package contains no media files, so if your map contains media files that require localization, make sure to create a Media Package for your map and send it to the localization provider.
In the Content Library, click the map you want to localize.
On the right side of the screen, the Resource Drawer opens.
Create a localization package by doing one of the following:
Option
Description
Recommended: Create a localization package for a released map
In the Resource Drawer, select Releases.
In the Releases tab, go to the release you want to localize and click Localize.
Create a localization package for a branched map
In the Resource Drawer, select Branches. You will see a list of branches related to your map.
In the Branches tab, switch to the branch that contains the map you want to localize.
The Branches tab closes and you can see the Content Library in the branch you switched to.
Click the map you want to localize and, in the Resource Drawer, select the Jobs tab.
Create a localization package for a standard map
In the Resource Drawer, select the Jobs tab.
Click Create Localization Job.
Configure and create an XLIFF package
From the Job Type drop-down menu, select XLIFF Package.
In the Manager field, choose the person you want this project to be assigned to.
Click the Locales field and select applicable target languages.
Click the Due Date field and set a deadline for this project.
In the Notes field, enter information about the project, including information for the localization provider.
Optional: To add translations that were previously uploaded to Heretto CCMS to the XLIFF package, select the Include existing translations check box.
Optional: To add an output of your publication, for example, a PDF, that translators can use as a reference during the localization process, in the Include Reference Content select an output.
Remember:
To add a reference file to the localization job, you must publish a map before creating the localization job. We recommend including a reference file in localization packages and instructing the localization provider on where to find it.
Figure 1. XLIFF Package Configuration
A summary of the configuration is added to the package in project-notes.txt.
Click Create.
Download the package and send it for localization
In the Jobs tab, click the newly created package.
Click Download Localization Package.
A ZIP file named companypackage type-localization-job-number.zip, for example herettoxliffpackage-localization-job-101.zip, is saved to your computer. The ZIP file contains the following elements: Where:
localization-reference-pdf folder contains the reference PDF
pl-_-.xlf is the XLF file to which content in the target language will be added in the target elements
project-notes.txt contains project notes added as part of this localization job
Send your XLIFF ZIP file to your localization provider.
If your localization provider is not familiar with localizing XLIFF files, you may want to share with them Localize XLIFF Package Content.
If needed, you
can localize content in-house instead of sending it to an external localization
provider.
Save the ZIP file you received for localization to your computer and unzip it.
Important:
Do not change the name of the folder after you unzip the
file.
Open the unzipped XLIFF folder and read the project-notes.txt
file.
The project-notes.txt file contains the email address of the
project manager and important project-related information.
Open the XLF file, for example pl-_-.xlf, and localize content that is in the <target> elements. You can use free editors to open and edit XLIFF packages.
Important:
Do not modify any content outside of the
<target/> elements.
When you finish localizing content, save the XLF file to the original unzipped folder
under the original file
names and extensions.
Zip the localized XLIFF package by right-clicking it and compressing it to a ZIP
file.
Important:
The new ZIP file must be named exactly the same as the
original ZIP file.
Send the localized ZIP file back to the project manager or upload it to Heretto CCMS.
Upload a Localized XLIFF Package
Upload the XLIFF file containing the localized target elements.
When your localization provider has localized your content, they send you an identical XLIFF
ZIP file with the same content. The only difference is that the target
elements of the XLF file now contain localized content. Load the ZIP file to Heretto CCMS and verify the localization.
Important:
Do not rename the XLF file or the XLIFF ZIP files of localized
content. Heretto CCMS associates localization
packages with localization jobs. Both file names must remain the same as the original
file names of the localization job you created for Heretto CCMS to correctly associate the localization
job and package.
Navigate to the localization job for which you want to upload localized content back to Heretto CCMS by doing one of the following:
Option
Description
Recommended: Upload localized content for a released map:
In the Content Library, click the map for which you want to upload localized content.
In the Resource Drawer that opens, select Releases.
In the Releases tab, go to the desired release and click Localize.
Upload localized content for a branched map:
In the Content Library, click the map for which you want to upload localized content.
In the Resource Drawer that opens, select Branches.
In the Branches tab, switch to the branch that contains the map for which you want to upload localized content.
The Branches tab closes and you are back in the Content Library. Click the map for which you want to upload localized content.
In the Resource Drawer that opens, select the Jobs tab.
Upload localized content for a standard map:
In the Content Library, click the map for which you want to upload localized content.
In the Resource Drawer that open, select the Jobs tab.
From the Localization Jobs list, select a job you want to upload localized content for. The value in the Job Type column will show XLIFF Package for this localization job.
Click Upload XLIFF Package and in the Upload localization package window, upload the ZIP file with localized content.
You can easily identify the correct localization job by using the localization job
number that you can see in both the ZIP file name and on the Localization Jobs list. Figure 2. Localization Jobs List
A notification Update was successful! appears.
Under Localizations in Progress, you can click any locale to verify that all files associated
with your map are loaded to Heretto CCMS.
After you upload your XLIFF ZIP file, all your DITA files should show as
Current. If there are any media files associated
with your map, at this point they will show as
Unavailable because you haven't uploaded the
media package for the map yet. Figure 3. Localization Job Overview
Optional: If all work for this localization job is complete, mark the job complete by clicking Complete Job.
The localization job status changes to Completed. You can no longer upload localized content for that package.
Now you can either load your media content or publish the localized content.
