Translating an application using Domino® Global Workbench

Domino® Designer includes the Domino® Global Workbench, a fully integrated translation tool specifically designed to facilitate the translation of Designer applications into a variety of languages.

If you decide to use Domino® Global Workbench, a number of design-stage tasks makes the localization process simpler. For example, you should use aliases for the names of design elements wherever you can. Use a system of standard prefixes for the aliases so that they can easily be identified as text to exclude from translation. To launch Domino® Global Workbench, click the Domino® Global Workbench The Domino Global Workbench icon icon.

For more information, see "Preparing Source Databases" in Domino® Global Workbench Help.

Domino® Global Workbench elements

Domino® Global Workbench, a set of software tools that facilitates the localization (translation) of Domino® applications, consists of the following elements:

  • The Workbench -- The Workbench extracts terminology from a database application and stores it in glossaries, builds localized versions of the application using the translated glossaries, and if the application changes, the WorkBench's update features transmit the changes to the localized versions.
  • The Glossary -- A Web-enabled Domino® application that holds the terminology extracted by the Workbench. Each item in the glossary has a unique ID, linking it back to its source database. The glossary contains views and agents that assist translators (for example, by providing context information), and prevent unnecessary work (for example, by making it easy to select and mark terms as DNT (do not translate)).
  • The Language Synchronizer -- In a multi-language application, such as an international Web site, translation of documents is usually a requirement. New documents authored in one language must be copied and then translated into the other Web site languages. The Language Synchronizer automates much of this process.

Domino® Global Workbench advantages

Domino® Global Workbench provides the following advantages over conventional localization methods:

  • Reuse of technical up-front investment. One technical person can do the initial analysis of the application, define what needs to be translated and what should remain in the source language, provide contextual comments for translators, and so on. This effort speeds the work of all translators, who do not need to concern themselves with issues such as what should and should not be translated (translators do not see much of the text that should not be translated).
  • Efficient use of resources. Technical people perform technical tasks, whereas translators concentrate on translation.
  • Translation is done with full contextual information. Translators know what design element they are translating and they can always trace it back in the source application.
  • Reusability of translations. Because all translations are stored in glossary databases with full contextual information, they can be reused in other applications that use similar terminology.
  • Multilingual applications. You can build several translated databases from a single source, or you can build one multilingual database with design elements in several languages. This simplifies the creation of multilingual Web sites.

Domino® Global Workbench features

Features in Domino® Global Workbench include:

  • Support for the localization of design elements
  • Enhanced glossary functionality, including XML import and export, and Lotus® Translation Component (LTC) enabling
  • Unicode support
  • Support for the localization of external LotusScript® files
  • Support for the localization of XML content

For more information, see the following resources: