TranslationDatabase

From IndLinux

Translation Database

A means/mechanism to build a repository of strings & their translations.

• Strings will be added to database, as they get translated.
• Should import a PO file & store it in db.
  • keeping a track of which string came from which file?
  • regenerating PO file from DB?
  • keeping in sync with changes in CVS?

Some random thoughts on it.

• One problem facing translations is to have consistency in translation terminology. Use of translation memory, PO compendium solves the problem to an extent, in the sense translations can be reused, it doest always work since all translators may not be using the same tools. Also reviewing translations is a complex affair, since a reviewer has to spend significant amount of time going through all the strings, also there is a chance of missing the same string occuring in multiple places.

• Basics goals
  • Handling translations submitted by translators, making the translations consistent.
  • Should be able to identify & group similar strings together.
  • Every word in strings entered into a db, for which translations will be suggested.
  • Generating rough translations match if translation of part of string exists or build it using translation of indv words.
  • Online review framework, wherein reviewers can make corrections in translations online or offline (they can download a set of strings , update & put it back).

• Exploring the workings of translation memory in Kbabel, POedit, Gtranslator.

• DB structure
  • stringid, msgstring, POT file(s) it came from., translation

• Similar stuff / some available implementations
  • UMTF buffers in Gtranslator - An xml format to store translations in single place.
  • Kbabel dictionary
  • Grut is a tool for merging different translations of similar original sentences into one translation in order to maximize language consistency between groups of applications. See http://www.kvdb.net/projects/grut/

Online tool

• Pootle - http://pootle.wordforge.net , http://translate.sourceforge.net

Pootle is good for offline webbased translation work.
Very simple to setup (available for windows also), drop PO files
to translate in a directory & get going. It saves back in same PO files,
so a good option for translation sessions & review meets.

• Entrans - http://entrans.sourceforge.net
• Kartouche - https://developer.berlios.de/projects/kartouche
• Ubuntu Rosetta/launchpad - source code not available.

Review & Testing

• Review meets
• Automated tests? - like LDTP?