An Introduction to XLIFF Tony Jewtushenko Oracle Corporation - Principal Product Manager Chair – OASIS XLIFF TC The XML Localisation Interchange File Format

Slide 2 Agenda Overview of XLIFF Definition, goals, and benefits of XLIFF Brief history of XLIFF Architecture Main features of XLIFF The Real World Use cases and Tools support for XLIFF Current State of Affairs Post XLIFF 1.1 – what’s next…

Slide 3 XLIFF Overview A glance at the definitions, goals and benefits of the XML Localisation Interchange File Format.

Slide 4 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.

Slide 5 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.”

Slide 6 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.

Slide 7 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.

Slide 8 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.

Slide 9 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.

Slide 10 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).

Slide 11 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).

Slide 12 Genesis of XLIFF Founded: Sept 2000 Founding Members: Novell, Oracle and Sun Initially named “DataDefinition” group

Slide 13 XLIFF Timeline September DataDefinition Kickoff December first face to face March second face to face End March draft 1.0 spec and DTD published June White Paper published December 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

Slide 14 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

Slide 15 Drivers Behind XLIFF Alchemy Software Bowne Global Solutions Convey Software Ektron, Inc ENLASO Corp ( RWS) Globalsight HP Lotus/IBM Lionbridge LRC Moravia IT Novell Oracle PASS Engineering Microsoft SAP SDL International Sun Microsystems Tektronix TRADOS

Slide 16 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

Slide 17 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.

Slide 18 Architecture A look at XLIFF’s main features and how they work together.

Slide 19 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

Slide 20 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).

Slide 21 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 element in XLIFF. Each XLIFF document can include several elements. A whole localization project can possibly be stored in a single XLIFF document.

Slide 22 Bilingual Model Each 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 element can be different. For example, proposed matches in national Portuguese when translating into Brazilian Portuguese.

Slide 23 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).

Slide 24 An XLIFF Snippet… A simple menu represented as XLIFF

Slide 25 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.

Slide 26 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.

Slide 27 Administrative Info – Pre-Leveraging A set of proposed translation can be included for each element, using the element. The text Le texte

Slide 28 Custom Data in XLIFF 1.0 In XLIFF 1.0, we use the element and the ts attribute to store user-defined information ( *note: these features are deprecated in XLIFF 1.1) Some property data Text

Slide 29 XLIFF 1.1 Custom Data In XLIFF 1.1, we have the ability to customise XLIFF by extending: –Elements –Attributes –Attribute Values

Slide 30 Extending Elements –Extension points in the following elements:,,,,, and. –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

Slide 31 Example of Extending Elements in XLIFF 1.1 <xliff version='1.1' xmlns='urn:oasis:names:tc:xliff:document:1.1' xmlns:sup=' Piers Plowman, Passus 1 William Langland What this mountaigne bymeneth What this mountain means 1-a

Slide 32 Extending Attributes Attributes of a namespace different than XLIFF can be included in these XLIFF elements: –,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and 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

Slide 33 Example of Extending Attributes Attributes from the HTML vocabulary extend the and <xliff version='1.1' xmlns='urn:oasis:names:tc:xliff:document:1.1' xmlns:htm=' Text of row 1 column 1 Text of row 1 column 2 Text of row 2 column 1 Text of row 2 column 2

Slide 34 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 purposecontext-type count-typectypedatatypemtyperestype size-unitstateunitprioritypurpose User-defined values must start with a “x-” prefix There is no specified mechanism to validate individual user-defined values, beyond starting with “x-”

Slide 35 Example of Extending Attribute Values The following excerpt shows how the user-defined value x-for-engineer can be utilized in a document:... Data......

Slide 36 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 element in the definition of the element where the XLIFF data can be inserted

Slide 37 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

Slide 38 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

Slide 39 The Real World A look at some concrete examples on how XLIFF can be used in localization projects.

Slide 40 Streamlining L10n Files Exchanges Localization Customer Localization Preprocessor Pre-translated Proprietary Format File Localization Vendor Customer Supported Localization Tool INC CSV DOC DB LANG SHL MDB CAT CFG.INI.TXT ZINC DOC LANG MSG AGENT ICS FIL XLIFF HTML.XSL XML INS NLM ASD HGFF VBN PARA CAT XRDB PROP.JAVA C++ HLP RC MC EN XSF TFD LDI MENU PCT.EXE..DLL Localization Customer INC CSV DOC DB LANG SHL MDB CAT CFG.INI.TXT ZINC DOC LANG MSG AGENT ICS FIL XLIFF HTML.XSL XML INS NLM ASD HGFF VBN PARA CAT XRDB PROP.JAVA C++ HLP RC MC EN XSF TFD LDI MENU PCT.EXE..DLL Localization Vendor Vendor Localization Process Localization Customer Localization Vendor Any tools based on XLIFF Industry Standard INC CSV DOC DB LANG SHL MDB CAT CFG.INI.TXT ZINC DOC LANG MSG AGENT ICS FIL XLIFF HTML.XSL XML INS NLM ASD HGFF VBN PARA CAT XRDB PROP.JAVA C++ HLP RC MC EN XSF TFD LDI MENU PCT.EXE..DLL XLIFF Localization Preprocessor

Slide 41 Basic Use Case – without XLIFF Tool Resource Filters Developer Applications Translator Customer Specific Tool (s) Native File 2 (e.g., Java Files) Native File 1 (e.g., HTML) Native File 3 (e.g., Java Properties) Native File n Publisher/ Customer Domain Localisation Domain

Slide 42 Basic Use Case –with XLIFF XLIFF compliant Developer Applications Translator XLIFF Compliant Editor XLIFF file(s) containing HTML, Java, Properties, etc translatable resources Non XLIFF compliant Developer Applications - OR - Publisher/ Customer Domain Localisation Domain Direct to XLIFF authoring HTML Java Properties RC Data Pre-processing

Slide 43 Simple Automated Localisation Use Case Developer Translator Generate XLIFF Pseudo Translate / Test Localization Engineer XLIFF Translation Kit Leverage Translation Repository Defect Report XLIFF Editor Update XLIFF Translation Kit Translate Requires Translation 100% Translated 0% Translated 100% Translated

Slide 44 Automated Localisation with CAT Use Case Developer Translator Generate XLIFF Pseudo Translate / Test Localization Engineer XLIFF Translation Kit 100% match Translation Repository Defect Report XLIFF Editor XLIFF Translation Kit Translate Requires Translation 100% Translated 0% Translated 100% Translated Fuzzy match Translation Memory Machine Translation Machine Translate Update

Slide 45 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.

Slide 46 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 elements. However, this does not mean it supports all XLIFF features, but just permits translation of content. Many tools cannot handle conditional translation (for example: ). Then, you need to add extra elements temporarily.

Slide 47 3 rd Party Tools Support for XLIFF ENSALO Corp (formerly “RWS Group”) : Extraction Utility for RC Data and Java Properties to XLIFF Various Utilities: XML-Intl : XLIFF Editor Heartsome XLIFF Editor: Alchemy Software - Catalyst 5.0 – Visual XLIFF 1.1 Editor PASS: Passolo: Visual XLIFF Editor: Trados: No direct XLIFF support, but can edit XLIFF files using modified INI

Slide 48 More Tools Support for XLIFF Bowne Global Solutions: Elcano, Online Translation Service has a web service based connector for XLIFF files IBM: Domino Global Workbench Version 6 ( wkbbet6.htm); wkbbet6.htm I18n Components for Unicode (ICU): ect/userguide/ResourceManagement.html#XLIFF_usage ect/userguide/ResourceManagement.html#XLIFF_usage Macromedia Flash: help/wwhimpl/common/html/wwhelp.htm?context=Flas h_MX_2004_Documentation&file=13_mul19.htm help/wwhimpl/common/html/wwhelp.htm?context=Flas h_MX_2004_Documentation&file=13_mul19.htm

Slide 49 More Tools Support for XLIFF Sun : Internal XLIFF Editor as described in this article: s/xliff.html s/xliff.html Novell: XMsgTool: msgtool/msg__enu/data/aec0nh0.html msgtool/msg__enu/data/aec0nh0.html Open Source XSLT Tools: ease_id= ease_id=67485 Oracle: HTMLDB: a rapid web application development tool for the Oracle database: HyperHub: Internal tool for editing XLIFF based translation archives

Slide 50 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 for more information.

Slide 51 Current State of Affairs A look at the work under way at the OASIS XLIFF TC, the future, etc.

Slide 52 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: Segmentation Sub Committee: Representing Segmentation metadata in XLIFF content to improve effectiveness of Translation Memory.

Slide 53 More Information The XLIFF TC Web Site: Presenter: –XLIFF TC Chair: Tony Jewtushenko (Oracle) Significant Contributors to this Presentation: –Christian Lieske, (SAP) –Yves Savourel (RWS Group)

Slide 54 Thank You... Questions?