Spanish Software Translation

Spanish software Translation

Your source software must be fully "globalized" before you can take steps to make sure that your Spanish software translation is not only a fully accurate software translation, but has also been fully adapted to the Spanish-speaking markets you intend to enter. Within the translation services industry, "globalization" refers to the basic process of creating software that functions in any market in the world.

Due to the many complexities of Spanish software translation, not all translation companies are equal to the tasks and challenges at hand with such a project. While selecting a Spanish translation company to translate your software into Spanish, you should investigate their capabilities in the following areas:

  1. Spanish Software Translators
     Spanish software translation projects should be executed by professional, native-speaking software translators who specialize in the specific professional and technical areas of your company. Spanish translators should be experienced with issues related to software translation in particular, such as the proper translation of dialog boxes, error messages, and buttons, standard user interface terminology, and software localization workflows.
  2. Spanish Software Terminology Management
     Spanish software translators utilize translation memory tools like Trados to translate the text strings that have been externalized from the various file formats. This activity results in client-specific glossaries and terminology databases. The valuable data contained in the translation memories becomes the proprietary property of the client, and ensures consistent translations throughout the components, and creates an authentic user experience.
  3. Spanish Software Component Translation
    Spanish software translation projects frequently involve translation of related components such as online help and printed documentation like user guides or packaging. Your software translation company should demonstrate the capability to translate text from such source files as Java, XML, ASP.NET, C/C++, C#, Visual Basic, Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, and others. Common documentation file types include FrameMaker, InDesign, QuarkXpress, Illustrator, and Word.

Spanish software localization

Spanish software localization is the process of adapting the language, appearance, and functionality of a software application for Spanish-speaking markets. Your software development developers should work in conjunction with the experienced teams of localization professionals who will execute your Spanish software localization project. The professional software localization team will ensure that global software development best practices are followed to assure project success.

Your software must have all of its components localized to make your software relevant for strategic Spanish-speaking markets. This includes the databases, user interface, online help, graphics, and documentation. Rigorous testing and accurate localization are required for all components to ensure that the resulting Spanish software is culturally, linguistically, cosmetically and functionally correct.

A Spanish localization company should have solid experience and a comprehensive localization methodology, which includes at a minimum:

  1. Spanish localization kit review, analysis, and preparation.
  2. Spanish glossary and terminology development.
  3. Spanish software build capability.
  4. Spanish online quality assurance.
  5. Spanish graphics localization, dialog resizing, and screen capturing.
  6. Spanish cultural correctness assessment.
  7. Spanish translation, editing, and proofreading of the user interface, help, and documentation content.
  8. Spanish graphics localization, dialog resizing, and screen capturing.
  9. Spanish usability, localization, and functionality testing.
  10. Client review and approval.

You will need to provide your localization company with the critical information encompassed in the "Spanish localization kit." This information allows your localization company to properly analyze your software and to determine its Spanish localization requirements. The kit includes:

  1. All files in your development environment, specifically resource files (for example, RC, RC2, DLG, H, HH, CPP, EXE, DLL, and graphic file formats).
  2. All documentation source files (for example, FrameMaker or Word).
  3. File names and types, including an explanation of each file's purpose.
  4. All online help source files (for example, graphics, RTF, VBS, HTML, CNT/HHX/HHC).
  5. Reference material (glossaries, past translations, style guides, etc.).
  6. The name and version of development, documentation, and online help authoring tools.
  7. The location (directories/files) of any hard-coded literals which are in the user interface.
  8. Original files of any third-party applications/components used.
  9. Detailed build instructions (if applicable).
  10. Test plan and test scripts (if applicable).

Spanish software internationalization (I18n)

The two step process of Spanish software globalization (G11n) includes Spanish software internationalization (I18n) and Spanish software localization (L10n). Software internationalization deals primarily with software application functionality, enabling back-end technologies to function or support the Spanish language and the locales in which it is used. The front-end or linguistic and cosmetic aspects of a software application including locale-specific content, cultural correctness, translations, and software design, make up the Localization process.

The software internationalization process is the first step in ensuring your software application's global interoperability. Any language- or culture-specific assumptions in your software application's code base are "neutralized" during software internationalization. Once this is accomplished, your application will then be primed for efficient localization into Spanish.

Your Spanish translation company should have solid experience handling Spanish software internationalization issues, including:

  1. Reviewing and analyzing the source code for a software application.
  2. Externalizing text strings for ease of Spanish translation, including hard-coded text strings and text within graphics.
  3. Software testing, including bug reporting and fixing.
  4. Resolving issues related to Spanish address, time, date, currency, and numerical formats.

You will need to provide your localization company with the following information, collectively referred to as a "Software internationalization kit." This information allows your localization company to analyze your software and to determine its Spanish internationalization requirements. This kit includes:

  1. All files in your development environment, specifically resource files (for example, RC, RC2, DLG, H, HH, CPP, EXE, DLL, and graphic file formats).
  2. All online help source files (for example, graphics, RTF, VBS, HTML, CNT/HHX/HHC).
  3. All documentation source files (for example, FrameMaker or Word).
  4. Reference material (glossaries, past translations, style guides, etc.).
  5. The name and version of development, documentation, and online help authoring tools.
  6. File names and types, including an explanation of each file's purpose.
  7. The location (directories/files) of any hard-coded literals which are in the user interface.
  8. Detailed build instructions (if applicable).
  9. Original files of any third-party applications/components used.
  10. Test plan and test scripts (if applicable).

Target users of Spanish software have the same high standards for functionality as users of the original software. Spanish software testing is a crucial quality control phase in the process of Spanish software globalization. In order to meet the expectations of Spanish software users, your localization company must use experienced Spanish software testers who follow a comprehensive, defined software testing process.

Spanish software testing

Spanish software testing should be executed by professional, native-speaking specialists, whether it is performed on-site or off-site. Working from a thorough test plan and test scripts/cases, the Spanish testing team will use a combination of manual and automated tests, as well as bug tracking tools, to locate and fix critical software defects before release.

It is very common for Spanish software testing professionals (typically translators and engineers) to work side-by-side with a company's own expert users to go through the following software testing phases:

  • Spanish Software Internationalization Testing
  • Spanish Software Functionality Validation or Testing
  • Spanish Software Localization Testing

 

For information on The Spanish language and Spanish translation, please see our Spanish Translation Pages.

You may also check out our Spanish Translation Services for complete information in Spanish Language.