Localization Definitions and Standards

Sisulizer supports several localization standards. Here you find a short description, and optional an external link to an organization which provides further information.

Binary Localization

When you localize binary files like Windows executables (exe), dynamic link libraries (dll), and object linking and embedding component executables (ocx), we speak about binary localization. In this method you do not need to provide source code to a translator, or to re-compile your binaries, to create localized files.

This is the prefered localization method of modern localization tools, and supported by Sisulizer for all development systems that use windows resources or ResX.

Resource

A data format in Windows, that can store strings, GUI design elements like dialog boxes, menus, and much more. These data are stored in an executable, or dll file. By using resources you can easily separate design elements and strings from source code, what is a huge plus in localization. Sisulizer supports binary localization of all resource elements.

ResX

The new resource format for .NET applications.

Segmentation Rules

Segmentation Rules describe how to segment text items into text parts. Example: A text paragraph is a huge segment, which can be segmented into smaller parts, like the sentences. We can even further segment a sentence. The segmentation rule now describes how to find a segment, and the exceptions. Typical exceptions are e.g. abbreviations.

Text is segmented to store the segments into translation memory. Smaller strings are more often reused. So with a good set of segmentation rules we raise the profit of a translation memory, too.

Source Code Localization

In development languages that do not support resource files or ResX, strings are typically hard-coded. That means strings are not separated from the source code, and a translator needs the source code of an application to localize it.

Sisulizer does support source code localization, but if you have the choice, use binary localization instead.

SRX

Segmentation Rules eXchange (SRX) is a xml-based format describing a set of rules how to segment text items to store the text segments into translation memory.

With SRX translators are able to reuse their work product and project independant.

[more about SRX by lisa.org]

TM

Translation Memory is a database which stores combination of source text and one or more translations.

Using translation memory makes it easy to reuse your existing translation efforts, in example in updates, or other related products.

TMX

Translation Memory eXchange (TMX) is a xml-based format defined to help localizers and translators to exchange their existing work (translation memory) between localization tools.

[more about TMX by lisa.org]

XLIFF

XML Localization Interchange File Format is a xml-based format which contains translatable data and meta tags which can be used to visualize the data.

[more about XLIFF by oasis-open.org]