Translation and Localisation
ShadoCMS has a unique parallel content system which means each content object exists in parallel and recognizes it exists in other language formats. This reduces the complexity of managing a multi-lingual web site and provides for extensibility and scalability.
Managing Parallel Content
When a new object is created in the system such as a new page or section it is created in all the active languages configured for the site. The settings and content for from the primary language objects are copied across to the new language objects.
The Parallel Content system is configurable to allow some metadata object fields, such as page publish date to be the same for all language versions of a page but other fields such as page name to be unique to the language specific version.
Displaying Parallel Content
The value of using a parallel content architecture really comes to the fore when you build the front end of your web site. Developers need only work with one set of code for all languages making the development process the same as a single language site. With the content in parallel it is also easy to provide metadata and keywords for each language and switch languages accordingly.
Translation Service Gateways
One of the key processes in managing a multi-lingual web site is being able to interact with tools that language translation companies commonly use. This is where the ShadoCMS Translation Services come in. They allow administrators to configure a Translation Service that defines how content is exported from, and imported back in to ShadoCMS. To make life easy ShadoCMS ships with some pre-built services but new ones can be easily built and configured. Translation Services interact with the ShadoCMS Translation Management System which is an internal module for handling translation packages and workflows (it does not actually do translations).
Configuring the Translation Service
Translation services are remote services that the content will be sent to for translation. Examples are the Across Language Server which facilitates the human translation process, machine translation tools such as Language Weaver and Google or even just simple email gateways that send the translation to someone as a spreadsheet.
Translation Memory Connector
Translation memory tools save time and money by creating a memory store of previously translated content that translators can access directly when editing content. There are various translation tools that are pre-con?gured for connection such as Across Cross Term and Cross Tank. ShadoCMS also has an internal Terminology Manager that can be synced with remote translation memory tools. The terms stored in the Terminology Manager module can also be used in site templates.
The Translation Process
As every organization is different we have built a framework for configuring your own translation workflow and review processes rather than trying to prescribe one for you. In many cases more complex workflows may be handled by the translation tool being used by a translation company. If you are using ShadoCMS without a remote translation service workflow publishing is integrated into the native permissions capabilities where you can define which users have rights to edit which language and whether they have just edit or publishing rights.
Language and Service Settings
Each section of the web site can be configured with specific settings for each language pair. You can also set if a specific language pair should be automatically dispatched for translation to a remote translation service.
Language Permissions
The parallel content systems means that each language can have permissions that are language, and user specific. For example, you can have one user who is a publisher in English, one who is an editor (translator) in Spanish and another who is a publisher in Spanish.
Create, Translate and Publish Using External Translation Services
Create/Edit Content in Primary Language
ShadoCMS works as a parallel content system where all web pages and content exist in all the active languages. The primary language is the language that the majority of contributors / editors will write content in, when they publish content in the primary language it triggers workflows that push the content to the translation management system for processing. Editors use in-context editing tools so content can be previewed as it will look at the page in the various languages
Dispatched for Translation
When content is published in the primary language the ShadoCMS Translation Management System will dispatch the content to the service that has been configured to handle translations for the given language pair.
Once the content has been translated the ShadoCMS Translation Management System is notified and imports the translated content.
The translated content returned from the translation service will be automatically imported in ShadoCMS and content objects for the translated content will be automatically created. Translators or internal staff now have the ability to go into a container and review a translation side by side or alternatively actually do the translation side-by-side - massively speeding up the content create - translate - publish process.
Adjusted Translation Pushed Back Into Translation Memory
If any adjustments are done to the translated content then when the publisher updates the content they have the option to notify the translation memory system and push the latest version of content to it.
Create, Translate and Publish Process - Using an Internal Translation Process
Create/Edit Content in Primary Language
ShadoCMS works as a parallel content system where all web pages and content exist in all the active languages. The primary language is the language that the majority of contributors / editors will write content in, when they publish content in the primary language it triggers workflows that push the content to the translation management system for processing. Editors use in-context editing tools so content can be previewed as it will look at the page in the various languages.
Create Translation in Secondary Language
The user can switch languages to a secondary language on the web page and open the container for editing. The user will have the option to copy content from the primary language.
Create/Edit Content in Primary Language
Each content object can be translated element by element ensuring formatting remains between languages. Using the side-by-side translation feature you also have the option to access stored translation memory elements by right clicking on highlighted (matched translation) words in the text box.
Resources
Development required for multi-language templates.
Specific development required to add a new Translation Service.
Outlines the basics to get translated content running.
Once the multi-language service is set-up, documented here are the tasks your Administrator will perform.
