Automated File Localization Mechanism for Software Development
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional localization methods are error-prone and time-consuming, requiring manual translation guides and human intervention, which can damage file structures and are not scalable for processing multiple languages or products, leading to costly delays in software product development.
Innovation Solution
An automated localization mechanism that extracts localizable text content from various file formats, generates translation kits in a canonical format, and merges translations back into files while preserving structure, reducing human errors and enabling scalable localization across multiple languages and products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual translation guides are used to translate localizable files, then translators can preserve file format integrity, but the process is error-prone and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary extraction of localizable content from files before translation, creating a separate translation-ready format. This preliminary action allows translators to work with clean, isolated content while the system automatically handles the reintegration afterward, eliminating the need for translators to manually preserve file structures during the translation process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary automated process that sits between the original files and the translators. This intermediary extracts content, manages the translation workflow, and automatically merges translations back into files, acting as a mediator that protects file integrity without requiring translator expertise in file formats.
2Extent of automation
If conventional localization programs are used to parse files, then automation is achieved, but the programs are error-prone and cannot process all file formats
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables files to serve themselves through automated extraction and reintegration processes. The localization mechanism automatically identifies, extracts, translates, and merges content without human intervention, allowing the system to serve its own localization needs reliably across multiple file formats through standardized processing.
3Reliability
If translations are performed manually by human translators, then file format integrity can be maintained, but the process cannot be scaled across multiple languages and products
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the localization process into distinct automated phases: extraction of localizable content, translation management, and reintegration of translations. This segmentation allows different parts of the process to be handled by specialized automated components, enabling scaling across multiple languages and products while maintaining consistent quality through standardized procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a universal localization framework that can handle multiple file formats, languages, and products through a single automated platform. The standardized extraction and reintegration processes work across diverse file types, and the system can manage translations for multiple languages simultaneously, providing multi-functional capability that scales efficiently.
4Reliability
If development teams freeze files before translation, then translation accuracy improves, but product development timelines are delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary extraction of all localizable content from development files before translation begins. By pre-extracting content and preparing translation packages in advance, the system eliminates the need for development teams to freeze their work, allowing continuous development while translation proceeds in parallel on the extracted content.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables continuous development action by decoupling the translation process from the development workflow. Developers can continue modifying files while the localization system continuously extracts changes, manages translations, and updates localized versions, maintaining continuous useful action in both development and localization without interruption or freezing.
Data Source
AI summary
Method and apparatus for the on-demand localization of files. Embodiments may provide a file format-independent localization mechanism that automates the extraction of localizable text content from localizable files, the process of generating translations for the extracted localizable text content, and the generation of localized versions of the localizable files including the translations for the extracted localizable content. The localized versions of the files may be automatically generated with correct structure and content, correct file names, and automatically placed in correct file locations by the localization mechanism, and are thus readily available to and locatable by an automated build process for the localized version of the product, thus reducing or eliminating the necessity for human intervention during the localization process.