21.5 Understanding the Translation Process
To translate an application developed in App Builder, you must map the primary and target language, seed and export text to a translation file, translate the text, apply the translation file, and publish the translated application.
This section describes the process of translating an application.
- Step 1: Define Application Language
The first step in translating an application is to map the primary and target application language. The primary application is the application to be translated. The target application is the resulting translated application. - Step 2: Seed and Download to a Translation File
Seed the translation table and then export the translation text to a translation file. - Step 3: Translate the XLIFF File
After you export a translatable file to XLIFF format, you can translate it into the appropriate languages. - Step 4: Upload and Apply a Translated XLIFF Document
After your XLIFF document has been translated, the next step is to upload and then apply it. - Step 5: Publish the Application
Publishing your application creates a copy of the base language application, substituting the translated text strings from your translations table. This published application can then be used to render your application in alternate languages. - Manually Editing a Translation
Once you have mapped the target language and seeded the translatable text, you manually edit a translation.
Parent topic: Managing Application Globalization
21.5.1 Step 1: Define Application Language
The first step in translating an application is to map the primary and target application language. The primary application is the application to be translated. The target application is the resulting translated application.
To map the primary and target application language:
Parent topic: Understanding the Translation Process
21.5.2 Step 2: Seed and Download to a Translation File
Seed the translation table and then export the translation text to a translation file.
Parent topic: Understanding the Translation Process
21.5.2.1 Seeding Translatable Text
Seeding the translation copies all translatable text into the Translation Text repository. After you specify the language and seed the Translation Text, you can then generate and export an XLIFF file for translation.
The seeding process keeps your primary language application synchronized with the Translation Text repository. You should run the seed process any time your primary language application changes.
To seed translatable text:
Parent topic: Step 2: Seed and Download to a Translation File
21.5.2.2 Downloading an XLIFF File
Once the translation mappings are established the translatable text within the application is seeded into a translation repository. This repository is then exported to an XML Localization Interchange File Format (XLIFF) file for translation.
- About the XLIFF Export Page
- Downloading a XLIFF file for an Application
- Downloading an XLIFF File for an Application Page
- About Including XLIFF Target Elements
Parent topic: Step 2: Seed and Download to a Translation File
21.5.2.2.1 About the XLIFF Export Page
The XLIFF Export page is divided into two sections. Use the upper section to export translatable text for an entire application (that is, all pages, lists of values, messages, and so on). Use the lower section to export translatable text for a specific page.
Note:
XML Localization Interchange File Format (XLIFF) is an XML-based format for exchanging localization data. For more information about XLIFF and the XLIFF 1.0 specification, see:
https://www.oasis-open.org/committees/tc_home.php?wg_abbrev=xliffParent topic: Downloading an XLIFF File
21.5.2.2.2 Downloading a XLIFF file for an Application
To download an XLIFF file for an complete application:
- Seed the translatable text.
- Navigate to the Translate Application page:
- On the Translate page, click Download XLIFF translation files.
- Under Download XLIFF file for complete Application:
- Language - Choose the language to be downloaded in the XLIFF file.
- Include XLIFF Target Elements - Specify whether to include XLIFF target elements. To include then, select Include XLIFF Target Elements.
- Export - Choose to export all translatable elements of the application or only those elements which are new or have been updated.
- Click Export XLIFF.
- Follow the on-screen instructions.
See Also:
Parent topic: Downloading an XLIFF File
21.5.2.2.3 Downloading an XLIFF File for an Application Page
To download an XLIFF file for a specific page:
- Seed the translatable text.
- Navigate to the Translate Application page:
- On the Translate page, click Download XLIFF translation files.
- Under Download XLIFF file for Application Page:
- Language - Choose the language to be downloaded in the XLIFF file.
- Page - Select a page.
- Include XLIFF Target Elements - Specify whether to include XLIFF target elements. To include then, select Include XLIFF Target Elements.
- Export - Choose to export all translatable elements of the page or only those elements which are new or have been updated.
- Click Export XLIFF.
- Follow the on-screen instructions.
See Also:
Parent topic: Downloading an XLIFF File
21.5.2.2.4 About Including XLIFF Target Elements
When Oracle Application Express generates an XLIFF document, each document contains multiple translation units. Each translation unit consists of a source element and a target element. The XLIFF document can be generated with both the source and target elements for each translation unit. You have the option of generating a file containing only source elements. The updated translations will be applied from the target elements of the translation units.
Parent topic: Downloading an XLIFF File
21.5.3 Step 3: Translate the XLIFF File
After you export a translatable file to XLIFF format, you can translate it into the appropriate languages.
Because XLIFF is an open standard XML file for exchanging translations, most translation vendors should support it. Oracle Application Express only supports XLIFF files encoded in UTF-8 character sets. In other words, it exports XLIFF files for translation in UTF-8 and assumes that the translated XLIFF files are in the same character set.
Translation is a time-consuming task. Oracle Application Express supports incremental translation so that application development can be done in parallel with the translation. An XLIFF file can be translated and uploaded to Oracle Application Express even when only part of the XLIFF file is translated. For strings that have no translation in the corresponding translated application, Oracle Application Express uses the corresponding ones in the primary language.
See Also:
For more information about the XLIFF and the XLIFF 1.0 specification, see:
https://www.oasis-open.org/committees/tc_home.php?wg_abbrev=xliff
Parent topic: Understanding the Translation Process
21.5.4 Step 4: Upload and Apply a Translated XLIFF Document
After your XLIFF document has been translated, the next step is to upload and then apply it.
- Uploading a Translated XLIFF Document
- Applying an Uploaded XLIFF Document
- Deleting an Uploaded XLIFF Document
Parent topic: Understanding the Translation Process
21.5.4.1 Uploading a Translated XLIFF Document
To upload a translated XLIFF document:
Parent topic: Step 4: Upload and Apply a Translated XLIFF Document
21.5.4.2 Applying an Uploaded XLIFF Document
After you upload an XLIFF document, the next step is to apply the XLIFF document and then publish the translated application. When you apply an XLIFF document, the Application Express engine parses the file and then updates the translation tables with the new translatable text.
Publishing your application creates a copy of the base language application, substituting the translated text strings from your translations table. This published application can then be used to render your application in alternate languages.
Remember that to run an application in an alternative language, you must run it with globalization settings that cause an alternative language version to display. For example, if the language is derived from the browser language, you must set the browser language to the same language as the translated application.
To apply a translated XLIFF document:
21.5.5 Step 5: Publish the Application
Publishing your application creates a copy of the base language application, substituting the translated text strings from your translations table. This published application can then be used to render your application in alternate languages.
Remember that to run an application in an alternative language, you must run it with globalization settings that cause an alternative language version to display. For example, if the language is derived from the browser language, you must set the browser language to the same language as the translated application.
To publish an application:
You should verify the existence of the translated application after it is published. Translated applications do not display in the Available Applications list on the App Builder home page. Instead, use the Application Navigate list on the left side of the page.
Note that in order for a translated application to appear in App Builder, you must ensure that you have correctly configured the application Globalization attributes.
Parent topic: Understanding the Translation Process
21.5.6 Manually Editing a Translation
Once you have mapped the target language and seeded the translatable text, you manually edit a translation.
To manually edit a translation:
Parent topic: Understanding the Translation Process