How Do You Localize Your App?

xulihang

Active Member
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Longtime User
I have a desktop app written with B4J and I provide two display languages: Chinese and English.

While recently, a French user says he needs the interface to be French.

But I don't know French. How do you translate your app into multiple languages?

I have a blog using BasicCAT (written with B4J) to translate the XLSX file for Localizator: https://www.basiccat.org/how-to-localize-a-b4j-desktop-app/

I can use machine translation. But since I don't know French, I am not sure whether the translation is right or not.
 
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Alexander Stolte

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xulihang said:
I can use machine translation. But since I don't know French, I am not sure whether the translation is right or not.
Click to expand...
That's the problem, you can use good translator websites like deepl.com, but even there I've often had to use other words for the translation to make sense. One option you have is to ask here in the forum if someone who natively knows the language can translate your sheet, that way you would be safer than just using a translation website
 

xulihang

Active Member
Licensed User
Longtime User
Alexander Stolte said:
One option you have is to ask here in the forum if someone who natively knows the language can translate your sheet, that way you would be safer than just using a translation website
Click to expand...

Maybe I should pay some money to ask for a professional translator to do this.
 

xulihang

Active Member
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Longtime User
klaus said:
That is quite a lot.
I would suggest you to make a translation with one of the translator software and then i will have a look at it to make adjustments.
Click to expand...
That would be great. But I am thinking about asking language students in a local college to do this. Let me try this first.
 

William Lancee

Well-Known Member
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Longtime User
In the past I have needed to translate critical material. When using casual translators, the standard is that
you have both forward an back translation. In other words have one group translate from your language to French
and have another group translate the French back to your language. Then resolve the differences.

This is probably overkill for you app, but I am just saying...

P.S. In theory, this technique also works with machine translators - but resolution of differences between AI's is problematic.
P.S.S. French certainly has more 'nuance' than English
 
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MrKim

Well-Known Member
Licensed User
Longtime User
What we have done in our software is put messages in a table. When someone wants a new language we add a column and let the customer put in his own translations. That column gets added to the dropdown on our login page where you pick your language which is then stored so they don't have to deal with it again unless they want to change the language.

We get a copy of the table with the new translation and voila! We have a new language.

And we don't have to make an investment before the purchase.

Advice: Before you spend any more time on this get the money.
 
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