Software Localization

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Software Localization
Lecture 7
Dr. Gregory M. Shreve Institute for Applied
Linguistics
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Localizing Help Files

• Online help comprises the greatest portion of
  most localization projects. Thus, understanding
  the different HELP formats is important. There
  are several formats with which you should be
  familiar
• WinHelp (Windows Help) format for pre-Windows 98
  software. This format is being abandoned by
  Microsoft for a format based on HTML.
• HTML Help is standard on Windows 98 and Windows
  2000 systems. Another HTML-based help system is
  called Java Help.
• Mac OS Help (Apple Guide and Apple Help)
• WebHelp (cross-platform internet help)

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Creating Help Files
HTML HTML/XML
.chm .html
HTML help
Java help
HELP source files
compiled (binary) help file
help compiler
Win Help
.hlp .cnt
RTF
source files may also include images and
multimedia
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Localizing Help Files
localization and translation memory tools support
RTF and HTML file formats
adapt images
Microsoft Help Workshop
HELP source files
recompiled help file
recompile using compiler
HTML Help Workshop
translate the source files
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Some Rules

• The help file may be translated before the
  software is complete. If the software is
  available you should check your translation
  against the translations used for the software
  user interface (UI).
• Use the same TM and glossary for both the Help
  and the UI. Coordinate the glossary with any help
  file indices.
• Dont translate TOC (table of contents) before
  the help document is translated.
• Translated the index while doing the text. Create
  separate TM entries.
• Be careful not to disturb coding, text format etc.

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Localizing Help Files WINHELP
Old-style WinHelp HELP files can be created
easily and cheaply with any word processor or
text editor that can create Rich Text Format
(RTF) files. Word for Windows as well as other
word processors can save files in the RTF format.
The RTF file is then compiled by a help compiler
(Microsoft has a DOS utility called the 'Help
Compiler' and it is available for downloading
from Microsoft's FTP site) into a file with a HLP
extension.
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WINHELP File Extensions

• Corel Catalyst allows the direct editing of the
  files that are used to create WinHelp files.
  These are files with the following extensions
• RTF (.RTF -- the Rich Text Format) file that is
  the pre-compiled version of the help file)
• CNT  (.CNT) Contents file. This is the Table of
  contents and links the text (via Topic IDs) with
  the Table of Contents entries
• HPJ  (.HLJ)  Help Project file.This is the file
  that maintains the list of elements that make up
  the helpfile along with other settings

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Localizing Help Files HTML Help Files

• You can use HTML Help Workshop to convert
  existing WinHelp projects to the new HTML Format.
  When you convert a WinHelp project to an HTML
  Help project, the New Project Wizard
• converts the WinHelp project (.hpj) file to an
  HTML Help project (.hhp) file
• the WinHelp topic (.rtf) files to HTML Help
  topic (.htm, .html) files
• the WinHelp contents (.cnt) files to HTML Help
  contents (.hhc)
• files, and the WinHelp index to an HTML Help
  index (.hhk) files.

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Localizing Help Files HTML Help
Altenatively, you can use a utility such as HTML
Help Workshop to create a new help project (.hhp)
file containing information about the location of
your HTML topic files, contents (.hhc) files,
index (.hhk) files, image (.png, .jpeg, .gif)
files, and other files. Project files also
contain help window definitions and other options
that customize the way a help system functions.
HTML Help files compile into a file with the
extension CHM.
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HTML HELP File Extensions

• Later versions of Corel Catalyst allows the
  direct editing of the files that are used to
  create HTML Help files.
• HTM, HTML hypertext source files that are the
  pre-compiled version of the help file. Edit with
  HTML editor.
• HHC (.HHC) Contents file. This is the Table of
  contents and links the text (via Topic IDs) with
  the Table of Contents entries. Text editor or
  HTML Help Workshop.
• HHP  (.HHP)  Help Project file.This is the file
  that maintains the list of elements that make up
  the helpfile along with other settings. Text
  editor or HTML Help Workshop
• HHK (.HHK) Index files. Text editor or HTML Help
  Workshop

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Localization of Help Files RTF Source

• Since both HTML Help and WinHelp can begin from
  RTF files, it is not unusual for the RTF file to
  be exported to the localizer for translation. The
  translated RTF file is then converted to the
  appropriate target Help format.
• The primary issue in the localization of help
  files is protecting the codes that indicate
• hypertext links to topics
• links to popups (glossaries)
• index items
• color and font information

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Corel Catalyst will protect the help codes in RTF
files from being altered.
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Localization of Help Files RTF Source

• The Hypertext organization (hypertext is text in
  which you can click on certain hot spots that
  will take you somewhere else, usually to a
  subtopic relevant to what you want to know) is
  represented in .RTF files in the form of single-
  and double-underlined texts, hidden text, and
  footnotes.
• The title must be translated. All the normal text
  must be translated as well.
• The double-underlined parts represent hyperlinks.
  In the .RTF file they are followed by hidden text
  that tells the compiler what page to go to when
  this link is clicked. The double-underlined part
  must be translated. The hidden text must remain
  untouched.

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Localization of Help Files RTF Source

• The single-underlined parts represent links to a
  help file glossary. They, too, are followed by
  hidden text that tells the compiler what entry in
  the glossary to show in a small window when this
  link is clicked. The single-underlined part must
  be translated. The hidden text must remain
  untouched.
• The colors guide users. They should be retained
  for the translated text.
• The help page starts with several footnotes
  before the title. These footnotes must never be
  removed. As can be seen at the bottom of the
  example, there are different types of footnotes.

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Localization of Help Files Footnotes in RTF
Source

• "" footnotes are never translated. They
  represent hyperlink targets. If a different page
  wants to link to this page, it would do so by
  placing Example_Application_ Welcome_Menu" in
  hidden text behind a hyperlink.
• "" footnotes are titles as they appear in the
  Help content list. These footnotes must be
  translated. It is recommended that this text be
  the same as the help page title.
• "k" footnotes are entries in the Help index list.
  They must be translated, but with the same
  caveats that hold for index entries in documents.
• "" footnotes are internal compiler information
  and must not be translated.

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MAC OS Help Files
Apple uses an HTML help format for all of its
applications following MAC OS 8.6. The format is
called Apple Help. As with Windows HTML Help,
translation can be done in a text editor with
with an HTML editor. Some older systems, between
Os 7.5 and 8.6 use a help format called Apple
Guide. These are generally localized using
Microsoft Word for Mac 5, or the Apple Write II
word processor. Some Mac applications use a
format called Quickhelp. This is an RTF format
and is translated the same way as WinHelp.
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Java Help
JavaHelpTM software is a full-featured,
platform-independent, extensible help system that
enables developers and authors to incorporate
online help in applets, components, applications,
operating systems, and devices. Authors can also
use the JavaHelp software to deliver online
documentation for the Web and corporate Intranet.
JavaHelp uses HTML source files. There is a
project file (extension .hs) that is an XML file
that contains all the settings and lists the
elements of the complete help document
(subsidiary HTML files, index, TOC).
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WebHelp
WebHelp is a browser-based cross-platform Help
authoring system. WebHelp can be run on Windows,
Macintosh and UNIX operating systems, as well as
on Intranet and Internet sites. WebHelp offers
stable, full-featured functionality for Java
applications and for cross-plaform applications
built using other programming languages. WebHelp
files can also be used with Web-based
applications and can be viewed in both Internet
Explorer and Netscape Navigator.The files can be
created from existing WinHelp and/or HTML Help
files.
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Testing the Online Help
After localizing help files you may be called
upon to test them by recompilation and QA
checking. There are tools for doing this.
Microsoft Help Workshop
HTML Help Workshop