Manage your translation process

As you go on with your translation, you can always see your progress, and the Localization Tool provides you with a number of features such as filtering, flagging and comparing strings, which will facilitate the process.

Progress

The status at the top of the window shows how many strings are missing translation (out of the total number of strings) as well as the percentage of the translated strings. There will e the number of strings missing translation, if any, indicated next to a file in the Files list.

Unknown keys

When you run the tool, it may show you a message about strings with invalid keys found and cleaned up (removed) in the localization files. The strings with invalid keys are the strings found in the target language but no more found in the source language. These are normally deleted or renamed. The strings are saved in the UnknowStrings.xml file in the LocalizationTool.exe's folder.

Automatic translation of identical strings

When you translate a new key, the Localization Tool automatically uses the same translation for any other key that has the same original value. For example, if you have two or more different keys in different files with the value "Error" in English, you will only need to translate the value for one key, the other keys will be updated automatically with your translation.

Filtering by keys

To quickly find a specific key, you can enter its name in the Filter by search field. The Files and the String Keys lists will update automatically to show only the exact file and key in question.

The partial search also works here. You can specify a string or a substring (for example, "console") to filter the keys that contain it.

Flagging keys and filtering by flags

If you want to refer to a specific key later, you can flag it. Later, you can check the Show flagged only option, to only filter flagged keys.

To flag a key:

1. Select a key.
2. Click Flag this.
3. In the popup window, write a comment and click OK.

"(flagged)" will appear next to the key in the String Keys list box. This will create Flags.xml where all your flagged keys with comments if any are saved. The file is placed in the folder where your LocalizationTool.exe is located.

The comment on a flagged key can be seen in a popup balloon message and in the status bar at the bottom when the key is clicked in the String Keys list.

To remove a flag:

1. Select a key.
2. Click Edit/remove this.
3. In the popup window, click Remove.

Updating source strings

If necessary, you can also update the source string (in English by default), for example, if you notice an error.

1. Double-click the edit box with the source string (by default "English (United States)").
   
2. In the popup window, update the the string.
3. Click "Update string" to save the changes.
   

Generating comparison reports

If you want to compare the original strings with their translation side by side:

1. Select a file in the Files list box
2. Click Generate comparison report. This will open a side-by-side string comparison report in your Web browser.
3. Print the report using the print feature of the browser.

The generated report file (.html) is placed in the reports subfolder in the folder where your LocalizationTool.exe is located and named after the corresponding localization file (e.g. Composite.Plugins.PageElementProvider.html).