On 12/21/06, Martinek, Carla <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > <DOH - slapping forehead> I wasn't think of screenshots, which do take > time to recapture. However, any reputable translation company should be > equipped to handle this issue. And if the software being documented > isn't localized to start with, then you don't localize the screenshots. > I've had cases where the instructions are translated, but because the > application isn't localized, all of the references to buttons, menus, or > screenshots are still in English.
If the application must be installed in a complex environment like the stuff I work on (it won't work unless you have a number of very complicated Cisco applications installed and configured) the translation company can't do the screenshots. That's why I ended up Photoshopping the few screen captures that absolutely had to appear in translated online help---the translation agency gave me the strings, and I did the mockups. The most important thing was getting sample data that made sense in the foreign language. You don't want a French application to show "John Doe" type names. Nancy Kaminski ______________________________________________ Author Help files and create printed documentation with Doc-To-Help. New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. Are you a Help Authoring Trainer or Consultant? Let clients find you at www.HAT.Matrix.com, the searchable HAT database based on Char James-Tanny's HAT Comparison Matrix. Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] for details. _______________________________________________ Technical Communication Professionals Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com Subscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Need help? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] Get the TCP whole experience! http://www.techcommpros.com
