Fabián CholLinguaGraphics Associate

File Preparation: File Preparation: Saving Time and MoneySaving Time and Money

“Set up your computer to avoid physical strain. Sit with your back and chair.”

User’s manual for notebook computer

Sample Translation Segments

“Allows both parents of one or more children to appoint another person to act as their Agent children on a temporary basis (i.e. for a limited time).”

New York State Power of Attorney for the Care of Children

Sample Translation Segments (cont.)

“With the impacts of climate change, what we can do about that, as governor, I was the first governor to form a climate change subcabinet to start dealing with the impacts.”

Sarah Palin, former US Vice-Presidential candidate

Sample Translation Segments (cont.)

The three preceding Sample Translation Segments illustrate that if the source text is poorly structured or contains errors, it will be difficult to accurately convey the meaning in the target language.

•Localization industry professionals all are familiar with the axiom “source files should be final before starting the translation process”.

•Starting with a concise and correct source without ambiguities will avoid multiple queries from different translators.

File Preparation: Analogy to Translation

• A variety of inconsistent “solutions” to the dilemmas inherent in the source must be avoided.

• If the text is to be translated into many languages, the source text should be thoroughly proofed prior to translation.

• This will ensure that it is concise and coherent, free of ambiguities, and does not contain errors.

File Preparation: Analogy to Translation (cont.)

There are many parallels between DTP and construction: in DTP, we talk about “well built” and “stable” files that have a “sound structure” with a “solid foundation”.

•If the file is built on a weak foundation, it will require expensive and time-consuming “propping up” and “retro-fitting” to “build up” (i.e.: to localize).

File Preparation: Analogy to Construction

• To build a home without the help of an architect or an engineer will save their fee but it will inevitably result in a flawed construction and will cause problems and additional expenses in the future.

• If the “mechanics” (water/gas/electric) are inadequate and of poor quality — put in place by untrained labor — the many resulting repairs will cost more over time than opting for quality in the first place.

File Preparation: Analogy to Construction (cont.)

For DTP in general, files should have these characteristics:

•The file outputs correctly (linked art, color space, bleed, etc.)

•Table of contents, indices, and lists generate correctly

•Stories (“text chains”) are applied in a logical way

•File size is not unnecessarily bloated (no unneeded items on the pasteboard, no embedded art, etc.)

File Preparation: General Objective

For multilingual DTP, an ideal source file also has the following characteristics:•File is structured in a way that allows for easy text expansion•Solid paragraph and character styles facilitate a global change of fonts and encodings•Document grid is built for easy layout adjustments (e.g. resize to A4; revert layout for Arabic and Hebrew)

File Preparation: General Objective (cont.)

• Check and fix any segmentation errors

• Check TOC (re-generate TOC)

• Check indices (index marker length)

• Fix unresolved cross-references

• Verify that all links are intact

What does File Prep include?

• Manual clean-up of poorly formatted files

What does File Prep include? (cont.)

Screen captures from a 1,750‐page InDesign

project that needed to be completely re‐built 

before localization. File prep constituted over 50% of the project scope.

12

• Manual clean-up of poorly formatted files

What does File Prep include? (cont.)

Screen captures from a 1,750‐page InDesign

project that needed to be completely re‐built 

before localization. File prep constituted over 50% of the project scope.

• File preparation to accommodate text expansion

What does File Prep include? (cont.)

Screen captures from a 83‐page project that went into 27 languages. Source Quark

file was 

built with boxes and other inconvenient features. File was converted to InDesign

and built 

with tables cells, which grow naturally along with the expanding

text.

• Creating styles, master pages, layers, to gain better control over text expansion and encoding and to assure consistency.

What does File Prep include? (cont.)

Page palettes (pre- and post-prep) of a 1,750- page InDesign project.

Prepped: well-structured master pages

Pre-prep: no master pages

Pre-prep: no paragraph or character styles

What does File Prep include? (cont.)

Prepped: well-structured styles provide superior typographic control

• Creating “live” text from outlined or bitmapped text in Graphics (EPS, TIFF, etc.)

What does File Prep include? (cont.)

• Eliminating graphic elements that are used for type (discuss with client options for redesign)

What does File Prep include? (cont.)

• Analyzing files and re-structuring them to better meet localization needs. Here is an example:

What does File Prep include? (cont.)

The result: guaranteed consistency; savings in translation, DTP, and QA.

The result: guaranteed consistency; savings in translation, DTP, and QA.

File analysis reveals that many pages in one document share identical page elements

These elements are brought into a master page, which is then applied to the respective document pages

File Preparation: Place in the Production Cycle

File preparation with an extract/merge scenario (source file remains frozen after extract).

File Preparation: Place in the Production Cycle (cont.)

With manual text extract and a copy-and-paste DTP scenario, file preparation can take place concurrent with translation.

File 

preparation

Process without file preparation

Target language

TranslationTranslation

Target languageTarget language

Source file

Process with file preparation

Target language

TranslationTranslation

Target languageTarget language

Source file

The time required to thoroughly prep an InDesign or Quark file is equal to the time it takes to DTP this (non-prepped) file into a Western encoded language.

How much time is needed?

For

refe

renc

e on

ly

Rule of Thumb:

Complexity of layout

Page

s pe

r ho

ur

In return, the production of the prepped file will be faster in all target languages:

How much time is needed?

Complexity of layout

Page

s pe

r ho

ur

With a higher number of target languages and more complex target languages, a more thorough, in-depth file prep is advised.

How much time is needed? (cont.)

Investment in file prep is proportionate to the expected “dividend”.

Yes!Yes!However, the very basic steps of…

1. opening the file2. making sure the fonts are loaded3. updating the links4. generating a PDF

already constitute a low-level file prep…

and this takes only a few minutes!and this takes only a few minutes!

Should files always be prepped?

““My file goes only into Spanish, and I want My file goes only into Spanish, and I want

to get it to the translator fast, should to get it to the translator fast, should

I really bother with prepping it?I really bother with prepping it?””

The important hand-off is not to the translatortranslator,

but that of a quality product into the hands of

your clientclient. Prepping the source file will help

you get there faster. Because...

Should files always be prepped? (cont.)

...file prep will not only accelerate DTP, but it can also:

1.Eliminate segmentation errors2.Increase number of repetitions3.Reduce word count (in relation to master page items and TOC)

4.Eliminate inconsistencies5.Increase quality/leveragability of TM6.Reduce time for page proof7.Reduce time for QA

Should files always be prepped? (cont.)

““Thank you, but we have never prepped files this Thank you, but we have never prepped files this way before, and we have managed just fine!way before, and we have managed just fine!””

““This sounds great in theory, but in the real This sounds great in theory, but in the real world, who has time for that?world, who has time for that?””

““My priority is to get the text extracted a.s.a.p. My priority is to get the text extracted a.s.a.p. and out to the translators. I cannot wait for and out to the translators. I cannot wait for the DTP guy to tinker around for hours with the DTP guy to tinker around for hours with the source files!the source files!””

Okay, maybe some numbers can explain this better...

Should files always be prepped? (cont.)

A very basic example of ROI:while cleaning segmentation errors (1) in InDesign, the typesetter, notices style overrides* (2).

*this means the original specs of the style no longer apply to the text

File prep: ROI (Return on Investment)

1

2

He knows that he will need “clean” styles to adjust the text expansion in French and Spanish, the two target languages.

He decides that he can quickly create and apply these styles to the source now, which takes him one minute.

He just eliminated one minute of work from each target language.

File prep: ROI (cont.)

“One minute —

big deal!”

File prep: ROI (cont.)

Yes... only one minute...

One minute was invested, two minutes were saved.

So what is the return on this investment?

That’s right, ROI is 100%!

File prep: ROI (cont.)

File prep: ROI (cont.)

Dividend

Target #11

Target #9

Target #8

Target #7

Target #6

Target #5

Target #4

Target #12

Target #10

...and that was with two target languages.

So with 6 target languages 500% ROI, with 15 target languages 1,400% ROI, etc.?

Exactly.Exactly.It really is that simple.

A typical example for a marketing brochure: A typical example for a marketing brochure: Application: QuarkXPressPage count: 36Target languages: FIGS, PT, NL, RU, CCJK, Thai.

Prep time (thorough prep, with CCJK, TH in mind): 1 day (8 hrs).Time savings in DTP: FIGS, PT, NL, RU: 40%; CCJK, Thai: 60%

File prep: ROI (cont.)

TranslationTranslation

File PrepFile Prep

Source fileSource file DTP 12 languagesDTP 12 languages

Client saves over $2,000

Source file: 83-page QuarkXpress Manager GuidelinesTarget langs: 27, including CE, CYR, CCJK, Viet. and ThaiChallenge: File is poorly structured, ill-suited for text expansion or foreign encodingsEmail from PM: “.... and as usual, the client wants it fast & cheap!”

Solution: file is rebuilt from the ground up in InDesign, with styles, tables master pages, and fonts all tailored for localization. Time required for this task: 2 days of DTP. New “source” file is exported to .ttx, and merged back without any problems.

European languages are DTP’d in 3-4 hours, Asian languages in 5-6 hours (1st pass).

Result: project is produced within budget and delivered ahead of time. Typographic quality of target languages exceeds that of English source file.

File prep: Case Studies

Source file: four 24-pg. HMO brochures for 4 US StatesTarget language: Spanish for USChallenge: Files are 80% identical, with differences limited to some State-specific areas

Solution: join all four files into one file, with separate layers for the State-specific sections. Time required for this task: 4 hours.

New “four-in-one” file is exported to .itd for translation, and then converted back without any problems. DTP time is cut by over 50%. For final delivery to the client, file will be broken up again.

Result: project is produced within budget and delivered ahead of time. Absolute consistency of common sections is virtually is guaranteed. Word count for translation and proof is reduced by 60%.

File prep: Case Studies (cont.)

Benefits of File Prep:

• Eliminates errors before they are replicated

into target languages.

• Ensures global typographic control to adjust

text and encodings.

• Improves overall quality and consistency.

• Increases client satisfaction and profitability.

File Prep Summary

Questions/Comments?

Please feel free to make questions to:info@linguagraphics.com

with the subject“File Preparation Presentation”