the xml localisation interchange file format

An Introductionto XLIFF

Tony JewtushenkoOracle Corporation - Principal Product Manager

Chair – OASIS XLIFF TC

The XML Localisation Interchange File Format

Agenda

• Overview of XLIFF Definition, goals, and benefits of XLIFF

Brief history of XLIFF

• ArchitectureMain features of XLIFF

• The Real WorldUse cases and Tools support for XLIFF

• Current State of AffairsPost XLIFF 1.1 – what’s next…

XLIFF Overview

A glance at the definitions, goals and benefits of the XML Localisation Interchange File Format.

What is XLIFF?

A specification

for the lossless interchange of localizable data and its related information,

which is tool-neutral,

has been formalized as an XML vocabulary,

and features an extensibility mechanism.

XLIFF TC’s Charter

“The purpose of the OASIS XLIFF TC is to define, through XML vocabularies, an extensible specification for the interchange of localization information. The specification will provide the ability to mark up and capture localizable data and interoperate with different processes or phases without loss of information. The vocabularies will be tool-neutral, support the localization-related aspects of internationalization and the entire localization process. The vocabularies will support common software and content data formats. The specification will provide an extensibility mechanism to allow the development of tools compatible with an implementer's own proprietary data formats and workflow requirements.”

Why XLIFF is Needed?

Localization offers the following challenges:

• Insufficient interoperability between tools.

• Lack of support for overall localization workflow.

• Necessity of localization tools developers to deal with many formats.

• Large number of proprietary intermediate formats.

Advantages – Localization Customer

• Single format for adjunct processing (e.g. quality control in terms of spell checking).

• Less dependency on vendors which are able to work with special formats.

• Tighter control on what goes to localization (Pre-filtering of what to translate or not).

• Controlled information flow (author/developer notes, item properties, etc.).

• ID-based leveraging.• All advantages of XML-based processing.

Advantages – Tools Vendor

• Focus on development of core functionality rather treatment of source format.

• Allow usage of tools in new contexts.

• All advantages of XML-based processing.

Advantages – Service Provider

• Single format for adjunct processing (e.g. quality control in terms of spell checking).

• Less dependency on specific localization tools.

• Controlled information flow (author/developer notes, item properties, etc.).

• Allow usage of tools in new contexts.

• All advantages of XML-based processing.

• Open and standard solution for proprietary formats.

Advantages – Technology (1/2)

• For a given utility, only one implementation is necessary (e.g. not one spell checker for RTF, and another one for HTML).

• Increases usability of utilities (i.e. all formats with XLIFF filters can be used with XLIFF-enabled utilities).

Advantages – Technology (2/2)

• All advantages of XML-based processing:– Use of its internationalization features.– Better interoperability and cross-platform support.– Powerful rendering options (XSL-FO, CSS).– Powerful transformation options (XSLT).– Greater integration with Web services.

• Access to existing, and often open-source, XML implementation (lower costs).

Genesis of XLIFF

• Founded: Sept 2000

• Founding Members: Novell, Oracle and Sun

• Initially named “DataDefinition” group

XLIFF Timeline

• September 2000 - DataDefinition Kickoff

• December 2000 - first face to face

• March 2001 - second face to face

• End March 2001 - draft 1.0 spec and DTD published

• June 2001 - White Paper published

• December 2001 - OASIS XLIFF Technical Committee Proposal submitted

• April 2002 – XLIFF 1.0 Specification approved by formal vote as an OASIS Committee Specification

• May 2003 – XLIFF 1.1 Specification approved by formal vote as an OASIS Committee Specification

• August/Sept 2003 – XLIFF 1.1 Peer Review

• November 2003 – Revised XLIFF 1.1 Specification approved as OASIS Committee Specification

• November 2003 – XLIFF 1.1 Specification submitted for public review

OASIS: Standards Body Home of XLIFF

• OASIS: Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards

• World’s largest independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the standardisation of XML applications and Web Services

• More than 150 member companies plus individuals

• Operates XML.ORG Registry, the open community clearinghouse of XML application schemas clearinghouse of XML application schemas

• Technical work on XML interoperability includes XML conformance and XML Registries/Repositories

• General XML technical resource

Drivers Behind XLIFF

Alchemy SoftwareBowne Global SolutionsConvey SoftwareEktron, Inc ENLASO Corp (RWS)GlobalsightHPLotus/IBMLionbridgeLRCMoravia IT

NovellOraclePASS EngineeringMicrosoftSAPSDL InternationalSun MicrosystemsTektronixTRADOS

Present OASIS XLIFF TC• TC Officers:

– TC Chair: Tony Jewtushenko, Oracle Corporation– TC Secretary: Peter Reynolds, Bowne Global Solutions– TC Editor: Yves Savourel

• Current Members of TC: • Mat Lovatt, Oracle• Enda McDonnell, Individual• Eiju Akahane, IBM• Gerard Cattin des Bois, Microsoft Corporation• Doug Domeny, Individual• Milan Karasek, Moravia IT• Christian Lieske, SAP• David Pooley, SDL International• John Reid, Novell• Reinhard Schaler, Limerick Localisation Research Centre• Bryan Schnabel, Individual• Shigemichi Yazawa, Individual• Andrzej Zydron, Individual• Magnus Martikainen, TRADOS Inc.• Florian Sachse, Individual

XLIFF TC in the Community

• Shared interests with OASIS Translation Web Services Technical Committee– XLIFF may be used as data container for WS

• Shared interests with the OSCAR SIG at LISA– Segmentation and word-count.– Content markup (inline codes).

• Shared interests with the W3C i18n WG– Localization directives.– Best practices.– In the localization aspects of the W3C. recommendations.– Web services.

Architecture

A look at XLIFF’s main features and how they work together.

Extract-Localize-Merge Paradigm

• Separate data related to localization from parts not related to localization.

• Merge translated data with codes at the end of the process to create the final document.

• Skeleton file is optional, so this paradigm is also optional

A Birds-Eyes View

An XLIFF document can capture anything needed for a localization project:

1. Localizable objects (e.g. text strings) in source and target languages.

2. Supplementary information (e.g. glossaries, or material to recreate the original format).

3. Administrative information (e.g. workflow data).

4. Custom data (e.g. initialization information for tools).

The XLIFF Document

• An XLIFF document is designed to store the extracted data related to localization.

• Each given source container (e.g. a file, a database table, and so forth) corresponds to a <file> element in XLIFF.

• Each XLIFF document can include several <file> elements.

• A whole localization project can possibly be stored in a single XLIFF document.

Bilingual Model

• Each <file> element is designed to store one source language and one target language.

• The rational is that the translation of different target language is done by different people most of the time.

• However, languages in <alt-trans> element can be different. For example, proposed matches in national Portuguese when translating into Brazilian Portuguese.

Localizable Objects

• XLIFF allows not only text string as localizable object but also other object types such as graphics.

• Supplementary information can be represented in a generic way through inline codes (e.g. formatting of text).

• Relationship between object can be captured (e.g. all items in a menu).

An XLIFF Snippet…

A simple menu represented as XLIFF

Supplementary Info

• XLIFF provides “hooks” for storing supplementary information (for example to glossaries or translation memories which should be used).

• The supplementary information can be referenced (i.e. reside outside of the document), or embedded within the document.

Administrative Info

XLIFF provides mechanisms for capturing administrative information:

• For relating source material to XLIFF documents.

• For storing workflow data.

• For providing pre-translation entries.

• For keeping track of changes.

Administrative Info – Pre-Leveraging

A set of proposed translation can be included for each <trans-unit> element, using the <alt-trans> element.

<trans-unit id='1'> <source xml:lang='en'>The text</source> <alt-trans quality-match='high' origin='MTsystem'> <target xml:lang='fr'>Le texte</target> </alt-trans></trans-unit>

Custom Data in XLIFF 1.0

In XLIFF 1.0, we use the <prop> element and the ts attribute to store user-defined information (*note: these features are deprecated in XLIFF 1.1)

<trans-unit id='1' ts='ctx:23a7'> <prop-group> <prop prop-type='myType' >Some property data</prop> </prop-group> <source>Text</source></trans-unit>

XLIFF 1.1 Custom Data

In XLIFF 1.1, we have the ability to customise XLIFF by extending:– Elements– Attributes– Attribute Values

Extending Elements

– Extension points in the following elements: • <header>, <group>, <tool>, <trans-unit>, <alt-trans>,

and <bin-unit>.

– content of each custom element can be any valid XML content:

• empty content, PCDATA, mixed content, and so forth

– Custom elements defined in private namespace schema

Example of Extending Elements in XLIFF 1.1

<xliff version='1.1' xmlns='urn:oasis:names:tc:xliff:document:1.1' xmlns:sup='http://www.ChaucerState.ac.pg/Frm/XLFSup-v1'> <file original='passus-1.doc' source-language='enm‘

datatype='plaintext'> <group> <sup:SourceInfo> <sup:Book>Piers Plowman, Passus 1</sup:Book> <sup:Author>William Langland</sup:Author> </sup:SourceInfo> <sup:WorkInfo Task='transcription' Context='Middle-

English:1360'/> <trans-unit id='1'> <source xml:lang='enm'>What this mountaigne bymeneth</source> <target xml:lang='en'>What this mountain means</target> <sup:Reference Type='strophe'>1-a</sup:Reference> </trans-unit> </group> </file></xliff>

Extending Attributes

• Attributes of a namespace different than XLIFF can be included in these XLIFF elements: – <file>, <group>, <trans-unit>, <source>, <target>,

<tool>, <bin-unit>, <bin-source>, <bin-target>, <alt-trans>, <mrk>, <g>, <x/>, <bx/>, <ex/>, <bpt>, <ept>, <ph>, and <it>

• No specific location where to insert the non-XLIFF attributes

• No limit to the number of non-XLIFF attributes that can be used in an XLIFF document

Example of Extending AttributesAttributes from the HTML vocabulary extend the

<group> and <trans-unit> <xliff version='1.1' xmlns='urn:oasis:names:tc:xliff:document:1.1' xmlns:htm='http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40'> <file original='table.htm' source-language='en' datatype='html'>

<group restype='table' htm:border='1' htm:cellpadding='5‘ htm:cellspacing='0' htm:width='100%'><group restype='row'>

<trans-unit id='1' htm:valign='top' htm:width='30%'> <source>Text of row 1 column 1</source>

</trans-unit> <trans-unit id='1' htm:valign='top' htm:width='30%'>

<source>Text of row 1 column 2</source></trans-unit>

</group> <group restype='row'>

<trans-unit id='1' htm:valign='top' htm:width='30%'><source>Text of row 2 column 1</source>

</trans-unit><trans-unit id='1' htm:valign='top' htm:width='30%'>

<source>Text of row 2 column 2</source></trans-unit>

</group></group>

</file></xliff>

Extending Attribute Values

• Attributes where the list of values can be extended are the following: context-type, count-type, ctype, datatype, mtype, restype, size-unit, state, unit, priority, and purpose

• User-defined values must start with a “x-” prefix

• There is no specified mechanism to validate individual user-defined values, beyond starting with “x-”

Example of Extending Attribute Values

• The following excerpt shows how the user-defined value x-for-engineer can be utilized in a document:...<group>

<context-group name='EngineersData'>

<context context-type='x-for-engineers'>Data...</context>

</context-group>

</group>

...

Embedding XLIFF (XLIFF 1.1)

• Can embed an entire or part of an XLIFF doc in other XML doc

• XML defined by XML Schema (XSD) that includes an <any> element in the definition of the element where the XLIFF data can be inserted

Deprecated or changed 1.0

• reformat – feature changed

• tool attribute becomes tool element

• new tool-id attribute

• ts, prop / prop-group - deprecated

• header was required, now optional

• default –can specify default values for given scope

Data Validation

• In 1.0, validation by DTD

• In 1.1, validation by XML Schema – XSD

• XSD provides better control over XML document: – Structure – structured order can be specified– Content – support for standard datatypes like

date– Semantics – can specify range of valid values

or pattern– Support for namespace

The Real World

A look at some concrete examples on how XLIFF can be used in localization projects.

Streamlining L10n Files Exchanges

Localization Customer

LocalizationPreprocessorLocalizationPreprocessor

Pre-translatedProprietary Format File

Localization Vendor

Customer Supported

Localization Tool

INCCSV

DOCDBLANG

SHLMDB

CATCFG

.INI.TXT

ZINCDOCLANG

MSGAGENT

ICSFILXLIFF

HTML.XSL

XML

INSNLM

ASDHGFF

VBNPARA

CATXRDB

PROP.JAVA

C++

HLPRC

MCEN

XSFTFD

LDIMENU

PCT.EXE

..DLL

Localization Customer

INCCSV

DOCDBLANG

SHLMDB

CATCFG

.INI.TXT

ZINCDOCLANG

MSGAGENT

ICSFILXLIFF

HTML.XSL

XML

INSNLM

ASDHGFF

VBNPARA

CATXRDB

PROP.JAVA

C++

HLPRC

MCEN

XSFTFD

LDIMENU

PCT.EXE

..DLL

Localization Vendor

VendorLocalization Process

Localization Customer Localization Vendor

Any tools based on XLIFF Industry

Standard

INCCSV

DOCDBLANG

SHLMDB

CATCFG

.INI.TXT

ZINCDOCLANG

MSGAGENT

ICSFILXLIFF

HTML.XSL

XML

INSNLM

ASDHGFF

VBNPARA

CATXRDB

PROP.JAVA

C++

HLPRC

MCEN

XSFTFD

LDIMENU

PCT.EXE

..DLL

XLIFFLocalizationPreprocessorLocalizationPreprocessor

Basic Use Case – without XLIFF

Tool ResourceFilters

DeveloperApplications TranslatorCustomer

SpecificTool (s)

Native File 2(e.g., JavaFiles)

Native File 1(e.g., HTML)

Native File 3(e.g., Java Properties)

Native File n

Publisher/CustomerDomain

LocalisationDomain

Basic Use Case –with XLIFF

XLIFF compliant DeveloperApplications

TranslatorXLIFFCompliantEditor

XLIFF file(s) containingHTML, Java, Properties, etc translatable resources

Non XLIFF compliant DeveloperApplications

- OR -

Publisher/CustomerDomain

LocalisationDomain

Direct toXLIFF authoring

HTML

Java Properties

RC Data

Pre-processing

Simple Automated Localisation Use Case

Developer Translator

GenerateXLIFF

Pseudo Translate / Test

LocalizationEngineer

XLIFF Translation Kit

Leverage

TranslationRepository

DefectReport

XLIFF Editor

Update


Translate

RequiresTranslation

100%Translated

0% Translated

100%Translated

Automated Localisation with CAT Use Case

Developer Translator

GenerateXLIFF

Pseudo Translate / Test

LocalizationEngineer


100% match

TranslationRepository

DefectReport

XLIFF Editor


Translate

RequiresTranslation

100%Translated

0% Translated

100%Translated

Fuzzymatch

TranslationMemory

MachineTranslation

MachineTranslate

Update

Benefits: Use of XML Technologies

• XSL can be used to perform many tasks on XLIFF documents, for example:– Display translatable content in Web browser.– Generate statistics (e.g. number of localizable

objects).

• Availability of many XML engines makes using XLIFF easy.– Content-related checks (e.g. that certain characters

do not appear as textual contents) can be performed with ordinary Web browsers.

XML-Enabled Translation Tools

• Any XML-enabled translation tool can work with an XLIFF document, as long as the text to translate is initially copied in the <target> elements. However, this does not mean it supports all XLIFF features, but just permits translation of <target> content.

• Many tools cannot handle conditional translation (for example: <trans-unit translate="no">). Then, you need to add extra elements temporarily.

3rd Party Tools Support for XLIFF• ENSALO Corp (formerly “RWS Group”) : Extraction

Utility for RC Data and Java Properties to XLIFF 1.1 http://dotnet.goglobalnow.net/

Various Utilities: http://www.translate.com/shared/tools • XML-Intl : XLIFF Editor http://www.xml-intl.com • Heartsome XLIFF Editor: http://www.heartsome.net• Alchemy Software - Catalyst 5.0 – Visual XLIFF 1.1

Editor http://www.alchemysoftware.ie• PASS: Passolo: Visual XLIFF Editor: http://www.passolo

.com• Trados: No direct XLIFF support, but can edit XLIFF

files using modified INI

More Tools Support for XLIFF• Bowne Global Solutions: Elcano, Online Translation

Service has a web service based connector for XLIFF files http://elcano.bowneglobal.com

• IBM: Domino Global Workbench Version 6 (http://www6.software.ibm.com/devcon/devcon/docs/dwkbbet6.htm);

I18n Components for Unicode (ICU): http://oss.software.ibm.com/developerworks/oss/icu/project/userguide/ResourceManagement.html#XLIFF_usage

• Macromedia Flash: http://livedocs.macromedia.com/flash/mx2004/main/wwhelp/wwhimpl/common/html/wwhelp.htm?context=Flash_MX_2004_Documentation&file=13_mul19.htm

More Tools Support for XLIFF• Sun : Internal XLIFF Editor as described in this article:

http://www.sun.com/developers/gadc/technicalpublications/articles/xliff.html

• Novell: XMsgTool: http://labs.novell.de/ndk/doc/msgtool/index.html?page=/ndk/doc/msgtool/msg__enu/data/aec0nh0.html

• Open Source XSLT Tools: http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=42949&release_id=67485

• Oracle: HTMLDB: a rapid web application development tool for the Oracle database: http://otn.oracle.com/products/database/htmldb/index.html

HyperHub: Internal tool for editing XLIFF based translation archives

Future Support for XLIFF Announced:• Apple Corp: Apple’s resource editor AppleGlot• Idiom: Worldserver V.6.0• SDL International: SDLX support for XLIFF currently

in development. See http://www.sdlx.com for more information.

Current State of Affairs

A look at the work under way at the OASIS XLIFF TC, the future, etc.

Current State of Affairs – To Do

• Specification of canonical representation in XLIFF of common formats (e.g. Windows resources, Java properties), so all XLIFF representations are the same regardless which tool created the document.

• Translation/Localization tools that support XLIFF out-of-the-box (not just as another XML format).

• Open Source filters: https://sourceforge.net/projects/xliffroundtrip/

• Segmentation Sub Committee: Representing Segmentation metadata in XLIFF content to improve effectiveness of Translation Memory.

More Information

• The XLIFF TC Web Site: http://www.xliff.org

• Presenter: – XLIFF TC Chair: Tony Jewtushenko (Oracle)

([email protected])

• Significant Contributors to this Presentation:– Christian Lieske, (SAP)

([email protected])

– Yves Savourel (RWS Group)([email protected])

Thank You...

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