Adobe FrameMaker 2020 Release: New version, new translation!
Great news!
The new FrameMaker is here! Well, the same procedure as every year, you might think. Bug fixes, improvements, fancy features. In this case, that's not all. Adobe is looking far beyond the end of its nose. FrameMaker 2020 offers a variety of useful features, yes. But the new built-in highway from content creation city to translation city is revolutionary. It was long awaited: The integration of standardized translation formats and rule sets such as XLIFF 1.2, ITS 2.0 or SRX 2.0. Content authors can now control how the exported data is tagged and segmented for translation. These standards are now supported for FM books and documents, DITA, and any custom XML.
Why did Adobe do this?
The XLIFF, ITS and SRX standards offer a number of advantages, as they are non-proprietary formats - self-contained and independent of the tools used in each case. They are interchangeable between different software applications. A variety of different tools are used in translation processes. Already within a company, but even more so in a network of several language service-providers providers. The XLIFF exchange format facilitates workflows between all parties involved. The ITS and SRX standards support this approach. They aim at making the tool configuration more flexible along the translation process, i.e. tagging and segmentation of XML content to be translated.
Right, but what's the point?
Traditionally, translation is in the hands of the translators. You know your stuff. They are proficient not only in the source and target languages, but also in CAT. Computer-aided translation is the name of the game. Numerous companies on the market offer software tools that facilitate translation work. The freedom of configuration allows great flexibility, but also requires a number of thoughtful settings. This results in communication and coordination efforts.
How did it go so far? Content providers created their content in their desired editor, generated an export file, and sent it to their service-providers service provider (LSP). Everything concerning the processing of the exported data in the CAT tool was in the hands of the translation agency. Issues such as the handling of punctuation marks, the division of the source text into translation segments, or the inclusion of contextual information for the translators had to be clarified in close exchange between the content provider and the LSP.
A solution called "XLIFF"?
The exact and written name of XLIFF is "XML Localization Interchange File Format". That explains a lot. We are dealing with a standardized XML file format introduced to standardize data exchange between different tools in the localization process. It allows structuring the data to be translated and adding contextual metadata to ensure context-sensitive translation.
A standard rarely comes alone ...
XLIFF is powerful. But it also has some little helpers. One of them is the Internationalization Tag Set(ITS). It provides a standardized set of tags that can be used within XML files to identify the actual content to be translated as opposed to, for example, notes for the translator.
Another well-known standard is the Segmentation Rules eXchange(SRX). It allows to describe and define rules when and how the XML file to be translated should be split into individual segments by the CAT tool of the LSP.
All these standardized rules and formats, which initially cause initial effort, subsequently avoid the need for communication about configuration and rule sets between content provider and LSP. The larger the network of participating language service-providers providers, the greater the benefit of XLIFF as a universal exchange format - including the required processing settings.
Light in the box with FrameMaker 2020
By opening the door to translation processes, Adobe lifts the lid on the traditional black box. The integration of XLIFF and supporting localization standards brings light into the darkness. Pre-translation processes such as tagging and segmentation of the XML export file can from now on be performed and controlled by the content owner. To avoid any misunderstanding: The competences translator translator and content owner have not shifted! The need for communication and coordination of XML file processing between both parties remains. But now content owners also own their desired configuration as well as preferred settings for their LSP's CAT tools. This reduces costs and time and makes translation workflows with different parties much more flexible and reliable! The content AND the process design remain in the hands of the content provider. In addition, each LSP - including its tool - can be quickly integrated or replaced by another LSP in a company's translation process. With minimal effort to boot. The risks and causes of communication gaps are enormously reduced, if not completely avoided. This allows the service-providers service providers to concentrate on their actual task, translating content. That is their core competence. No more managing content or its delivery and transformation processes.
Recognized standard in the localization industry
Translation is no longer a "black box" for content providers
Configuration information for the CAT tools can be defined by yourself
More flexible and reliable in working with different LSPs and their various tools
Less effort, both in terms of time and money
XLIFF integration in the new FrameMaker 2020 therefore offers a number of benefits:
Sounds interesting?
We agree! XLIFF is a powerful standard that was discovered not only by Adobe. Many producers and providers vendors in the tech-comm and localization world have recognized the value of a standardized exchange format and have implemented XLIFF-compatible processes in their products accordingly. We at c-rex.net GmbH have also joined in and made our tools for data transformation and information provision XLIFF-compatible. In addition to Adobe FrameMaker(MIF), we support XLIFF integration for Adobe InDesign (IDML), Microsoft Word (.doc/.docx) or QuickSilver/Interleaf formats, as well as for DITA and any custom XML. Machine translation with XLIFF is also offered.
Want to know more?
Take a closer look at the XLIFF integration in FM2020.
Take a look at the pre-segmentation function in FM2020 .
Read here for a comprehensive introduction to the role of XLIFF.. in the localization industry and its integration with FM2020
An even closer look?
We may have left you with a few unanswered questions:
What does the XLIFF configuration look like?
Where do I start in FrameMaker?
Does it all work for both structured and unstructured files?
We will provide answers to these and other questions in our c-rex.net blog in the near future!