Translate Components

You must have permission to be a translation coordinator or an administrator before you can select a component and choose to have it translated. For each component or group of components you want translated, you must select the languages and how you want to export the files. Then Inspire creates a folder for each language you've selected. In these language folders are copies of the component files you want translated.

To send a component to translation, you can do any of the following:

  • You can export files to send to a translator who doesn't work in Inspire.
  • Send the files to a translator who works in GlobalLink Enterprise (formerly known as Project Director).
  • Create a project and assign the translation work directly from within Inspire.

By default, a translation coordinator can select any unlocked component and send it to translation.

  • However, an administrator can remove the ability to send a component to translation unless it has been approved.

If an administrator sets the optional TranslationApprovedOnly feature to true and enables it:

  • In the Components browser, when using the right-click or Options menu, the Translate option cannot be selected if the component is not approved.

  • If the topic is approved, for example a map, but the references are not:
    • The coordinator sees errors for those components that are not approved.
    • The translation job can't be created until one of the following occurs:
      • The TranslationApprovedOnly feature is not enabled (set to false).
      • The coordinator approves all referenced components.
      • On the Translate component screen, the coordinator clears the Include referenced components option.

FAQ's

Can I specify that a file should not be translated?

To let other users know a component shouldn't be sent for translation, you can add a component tag that specifies translation is not required. When you add this tag, Inspire won't send the file, even if it's included in the translation job.

Can I add locked components to a translation job?

If the component is locked for review, yes.

  • The locked review component is added to the translation job with the content as it existed at the time it was sent for review.
  • No review comments or changes are included in the content sent to the translator.

Otherwise, no.

Why is the Translate option greyed out?

An administrator can limit a translation coordinator to selecting only approved components to include in a translation job.

By default, a translation coordinator can select any unlocked component and send it to translation. An admin can remove the ability for translation coordinator to send a component to translation unless it has been approved.

If an administrator enables this restriction:

  • In the Components browser, when using the right-click or Options menu, the Translate option cannot be selected if the component is not approved.

  • If the topic is approved, for example a map, but the references are not:
    • The coordinator sees errors for those components that are not approved.
    • The translation job can't be created until one of the following occurs:
      • The TranslationApprovedOnly feature is not enabled (set to false).
      • The coordinator approves all referenced components.
      • On the Translate component screen, the coordinator clears the Include referenced components option.

Why are components locked when I send them to translation?

By default, components are locked when they are added to an active translation job. This ensures that the source content can't be changed until the translated content is added back into Inspire, or the job is cancelled.

However, and administrator can control the lock state of components included in an active translation job.

  • By default, components in translation are locked. When you send a component to translation, all files in the job are shown with a red system lock. You can view the file but not make any changes until the job is cancelled or completed.
  • Administrators can allow components to remain unlocked. This means that when you send a component to translation, all files in the job are shown with an open lock. Users can view the file and make any changes at any time. Administrators can follow the steps in Allow files to remain unlocked during translation.
  • If a user is an administrator or has been added to the can_unlock_system module property, they can unlock a component with a red system lock after it's been sent to translation.
    • The component being translated is unlocked and remains in the translation job.
    • Users can edit the content and this may cause issues when the component is returned from translation

What if I'm authoring content in a language other than English?

You can configure Inspire to translate your content to English first.

  • Then Inspire automatically creates a job to translate the English source to the target language.
  • By default, this feature is not active.

For example:

The goal is to have French content translated to Romanian. However, the Romanian vendor needs the source in English.

To accomplish this goal:

  1. An administrator must enable the TranslationLockSourceDisabled optional feature. Follow the steps in: Allow files to remain unlocked during translation.
  2. An administrator enables the PivotToEnglish feature.
  3. An administrator must configure the translation export configuration to include all referenced content. Follow the steps in: Create an export configuration, and:

    a. In step 4b, select Translation.

    b. In step 5, on the Create Export Configuration screen, select the Relations tab. By default, the element name list is empty and all relations apply to all element types defined within the relation. Make sure the element name list is empty so that the translation export configuration includes all referenced content.

  4. Topics and a map are created in French.
  5. The map is sent to translation with the PivotToEnglish option selected and the Translation Target language set to Arabic.

    After an administrator enables the pivot feature:

    • The Pivot to English checkbox always appears when you create a translation from Translation Management.
      • By default, this option is checked when you translate a non-English component.
      • If the component you are sending to translation is in English, the Pivot to English checkbox is not selected by default.
    • If you create a translation job in another place, such as in the Components browser:
      • The Pivot to English checkbox only appears when you translate a non-English component.
      • The Pivot to English checkbox is hidden when you translate an English component.
  6. Inspire creates a translation job with French as the source language and English as the target.

    • Translation starts with the non English components.

    • The second job for a translation pivot contains the same number of files as the first.

    • If an English component is locked, the entire job fails.

    • Images remain linked to the original language. For example, if the source is in German, images remain linked to the German source components.

  7. When you import the English translation files into Inspire, a new job is automatically created with a source language of English and the target language set to Arabic.

    The Pivot To English US (en-US) feature only works if both of the following conditions are true:

    • An Administrator enables the PivotToEnglish feature
    • The language in the source component is NOT English

    The Pivot To English GB (en-GB) feature only works if both of the following conditions are true:

    • An Administrator enables the PivotToEnglishGB feature
    • The language in the source component is NOT English

Will I see the translated content correctly displayed in Oxygen?

Yes, if the content is read from right to left.

When you send a component for translation, Inspire creates a target copy of the component in a new language sub-folder. When creating the target copy, Inspire ensures content that is read from Right-to-Left displays correctly in Oxygen.

For the topic's language, Inspire sets the Reading property in these cases:
  • If it doesn't exist yet
  • Only if the language Reading property is rtl (Right-to-Left)
  • For example: <concept id="concept_guid" xml:lang="ar-Ar" dir="rtl">
  • Inspire makes no changes if the language Reading property is ltr (Left-to-Right)

What happens if there are no changes since the last translation?

Files with no changes are not translated again. You can select a component that's been translated before, and choose to translate it again. When the component is queued for translation, Inspire checks to see if there are any content changes since the most recent translation. If not, Inspire takes the following actions:

  • The component isn't included in the files sent for the translation project.
  • The component isn't included in the list of components for the job.
  • Inspire sends you an email notification if no components have changed and don't require translation.

If there were issues with a previous translation and you want to translate the component again, you can use the Force Translation option. You can use this option to tell Inspire to disregard any previous translations and translate the component again.

Can I import the translated files manually?

Yes. However, you must import them only from the Translation Management tab.

When you import files by opening a folder's Options menu and selecting import, Inspire checks to make sure none of the files are in an active translation job.

If the files you are importing are part of an active translation job:

  • The entire import will fail, even if some files are not part of an active translation job.
  • You see an error message: You are trying to import files that are part of an active translation job. Use the "Translation Import" action in the translation management tab instead.
  • You see one error for each file you are trying to import that is part of an active translation job. File ({fileName}) was found in translation job ({translation job id}).

To import translation files:

  1. Go to the Translation Management tab.
  2. Select the job that the files belong to.
  3. Right-click the job or click the Options menu.
  4. Select Import translation...

For more information, read Import translated components.

What happens if I select a publish configuration when sending files to translation?

If you normally publish your content after the translation process is complete, you can automate this step in a translation request. When you create the translation job, you can use the Publish tab to schedule publishing automatically when the translation is complete.

The Publish tab is always available, no matter what Translation Project or Export Configuration you select.

If you select a Publish Configuration, after the translation of all topics for a single language completes, a publishing request is automatically created by Inspire. This request is to publish the translation of the source components that just completed.
  • For example, you create a job to translate three topics in My_Map to Spanish and French.
  • The map component itself isn't part of the translation package.
    • This is because the map sent to translation only needs three topics translated.
    • The rest of the topic references are already translated.
  • When the translation for all three topics is completed for the Spanish language:
    • The translated content is imported back into Inspire.
    • Inspire creates a publishing job for the Spanish content.
    • The translation coordinator receives a publication notification for the entire Spanish map.
  • When the translation for all three topics is completed for the French language:
    • The translated content is imported back into Inspire.
    • Inspire creates a publishing job for the French content.
    • The translation coordinator receives a publication notification for the entire French map.
  • The map is published even if it isn't part of the translation package. For example, this happens when you send a map to translation, but only a few topics go because the rest of the map is already translated.

When the translation completes, Inspire creates a publish request using the properties of the publish configuration you select.

  • Create attachment. In the publish configuration, you can choose to import the published deliverable back into Inspire automatically.
  • Target folder. In the publish configuration, you include the location where you want the publish deliverable saved in Inspire.

If a publishing configuration includes the create attachment option and folder properties, Inspire includes that in the publishing request. This results in the published deliverable created and imported back into Inspire.