atw: Re: Managing a foreign language help file

From: Janet Taylor <jtaylor@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Fri, 7 May 2004 13:40:37 +1000
Erica,
I don't know if XDK will operate in a double byte language such as
Chinese/Japanese, etc. HDK doesn't.

We use HDK here and use an agency in Japan who do the translation from our
Word files and then they use RoboHelp to convert to the finished file. We
then get that file back to distribute with our software. (The actual
software screens are translated separately.)

It was difficult to find a translator prepared to do both jobs and I am
their tech support (why they can't go to someone in Japan I don't know). I
download a demo file of RoboHelp to a Japanese PC here when I need to and
have generally managed to work out their problems (and initial procedures).

We go through this process with about 11 guides and it seems to work OK - or
has since the procedure settled down. For the French ones, I take their
French language files back and convert them using HDK and that is so much
easier.

If you are using XDK interactively, then you won't have independent Word
files that you can send off to translate. You may need to think again about
that process, but that all depends on whether XDK can be used with a double
byte language.

You could do it a different way, but the translation task is more expensive.
Let me know off line if you would like to know about that.

I can also give you some guidelines on managing the source files. That is
the easiest part of the job for me.

All the best.

-----Original Message-----
From: Erica Ferrigno [mailto:EFerrigno@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Friday, 7 May 2004 12:53 PM
To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: atw: Managing a foreign language help file


Hi folks,

I thought I'd find something in the Freelists archives on foreign language
help files, but had no luck.

Anyhow, just a quick post to see if anyone is managing help files in both
english and a second language. We are using XDK and may need our (massive
number of) source files translated into Chinese at some point down the
track.

I figure the ideal person will be a chinese, have e.s.l., technical writer
with a legal background. Unfortunately I only get one hit out of four on
this! :) Finding the translator probably isn't our biggest issue. I think
managing the dual versions of the help file will be. I think I'll
definitely get hit with that one!

Can anyone offer any warnings or recommendations in this area?

Thanks!
Erica.




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atw: Re: Managing a foreign language help file

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