Validating translations of externalized content for inclusion in an application

• US 8,910,122 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2010
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Baumann, Warren J., Bouz, Firas, Brown, Douglas S., Higginbotham, William M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen, Li B
• Assistant Examiner(s): BODDEN, EVRAL E
• Application Number:
  US12/816,587
• Publication Number:
  US 20110314451A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,637 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/126
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44526 Plug-ins; Add-ons
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/454 Multi-language systems; Localisation; Internationalisation

Abstract

A method and system for validating translated files for inclusion in an application being developed. Translatable files having externalized content in a single base language are sent for translation into other languages. Translated files resulting from a translation of the translatable files are received. Each translated file is statically and dynamically validated to detect error(s). The static validation is based on comparing the translatable files to the translated files. The dynamic validation is based on a simulation of how a user interface of the application presents the externalized content, without including an actual presentation of the externalized content by the user interface. Modified translated files that correct the detected error(s) are received and provided for a presentation of the externalized content by the user interface.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of validating translated files for inclusion in an application being developed, comprising:

a computer system sending a translatable file having externalized content in a single base natural language to a plurality of other computer systems, wherein said externalized content is external to code of said application being developed;

in response to a generation of a first translated file including a first translation of said externalized content into a natural language other than said base natural language by another computer system included in said plurality of other computer systems, said computer system receiving said first translated file from said other computer system;

in a simulation environment, a processor of said computer system simulating a loading of said first translation of said externalized content into a user interface of said application at a runtime of said application and simulating a presentation of said first translation of said externalized content in said user interface at said runtime, by calling one or more functions included in said application, without an actual presentation of said first translation of said externalized content in said user interface, wherein an execution at said runtime of said one or more functions displays said externalized content in said user interface;

said computer system determining whether the simulating of the loading of said first translation of said externalized content into said user interface and the simulating of the presentation of said first translation of said externalized content in said user interface by said calling said one or more functions indicates an error condition that causes said application to stop running at said runtime;

based in part on said error condition being indicated by said simulating of the loading of said first translation and said simulating of the presentation of said first translation, said computer system;

determining said first translation of said externalized content includes a syntax error that causes said error condition, generating a report including an identification of a portion of said first translation of said externalized content that includes said syntax error and an error message that is generated by said application at said runtime in response to said error condition, and initiating a correction of said syntax error by sending said report to said other computer system, wherein said syntax error includes at least one of;

(1) a first key included in said first translated file is not matched with exactly one corresponding first value in said first translated file, said first translated file being a first property file including first key-value pairs including said first key and said first value as one of the pairs;

(2) a second key in said translatable file is not in said first translated file, said translatable file being a second property file including second key-value pairs, one of the second key-value pairs including said second key; and

(3) one or more placeholders in said first translated file are not matched to respective one or more placeholders in said translatable file, said one or more placeholders in said first translated file and said one or more placeholders in said translatable file providing variable substitution by being filled in with actual values by said code of said application at said runtime;

based in part on said error condition being indicated by said simulating of the loading of said first translation and said simulating of the presentation of said first translation and in response to a completion by said other computer system of said correction of said syntax error included in said first translation of said externalized content and a generation by said other computer system of a second translated file including a second translation of said externalized content which includes said correction of said syntax error, said computer system receiving said second translation of said externalized content which includes said correction of said syntax error; and

based in part on said error condition being indicated by said simulating of the loading of said first translation and said simulating of the presentation of said first translation and in response to said receiving second translation of said externalized content which includes said correction of said syntax error;

said computer system simulating a loading of said second translation of said externalized content into said user interface of said application at said runtime and simulating a presentation of said second translation of said externalized content in said user interface at said runtime, by calling said one or more functions, without an actual presentation of said second translation of said externalized content in said user interface; and

said computer system determining whether said simulating of the loading of said second translation and said simulating of the presentation of said second translation by said calling said one or more functions indicates said error condition that causes said application to stop running at said runtime; and

based in part on said error condition not being indicated by said simulating of the loading of said second translation and said simulating of the presentation of said second translation, said computer system at said runtime presenting said second translation of said externalized content in said user interface without causing said application to stop running at said runtime; and

based in part on said error condition not being indicated by said simulating of the loading of said first translation and said simulating of the presentation of said first translation, said computer system at said runtime presenting said first translation of said externalized content in said user interface without causing said application to stop running at said runtime.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

said computer system presenting a graphical user interface (GUI) that displays entries of said first translated file in proximity to corresponding entries of said translatable file;

said computer system receiving and storing an identification of a second in said first translated based on a comparison, via said GUI, of said entries of said first translated file against said corresponding entries of said translatable file;

said computer system initiating a correction of said second error by said other computer system; and

based in part on a completion of said correction of said second error by said other computer system and a generation by said other computer system of said second translate file which includes said correction of said second error, said computer system receiving said second translated file and validating said second translated file by determining said second error is not included in said second translated file,

wherein said presenting at said runtime of said second translation of said externalized content in said user interface is further based on said determining said second error is not included in said second translated file.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising prior to said sending said translatable file, said computer system identifying and correcting one or more errors in said translatable file to conform to syntax rules of translation systems running on said other computer systems.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

subsequent to said receiving said first translated file, said computer system reformatting said first translated file to conform to requirements of said application;

subsequent to said receiving said first translated file, said computer system renaming said first translated file with a unique corresponding file name consisting of first, second and third portions, wherein said first portion of said file name indicates a language of said plurality of languages, said second portion of said file name indicates a country of a plurality of countries, and said third portion of said file name indicates a region of a plurality of regions, said region being within said country, and wherein said country and said region within said country together specify a variant of said language;

said computer system generating a file structure; and

subsequent to said renaming, said computer system storing said first translated file in a portion of said file structure identified by said first, second and third portions of said file name.

5. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer readable memory; and

a computer readable program code stored in the computer readable memory, said computer readable program code containing instructions that are executed by a central processing unit (CPU) of a computer system to implement a method of validating translated files for inclusion in an application being developed, said method comprising the steps of;

said computer system sending a translatable file having externalized content in a single base natural language to a plurality of other computer systems, wherein said externalized content is external to code of said application being developed;

in response to a generation of a first translated file including a first translation of said externalized content into a natural language other than said base natural language by another computer system included in said plurality of other computer systems, said computer system receiving said first translated file from said other computer system;

in a simulation environment, said computer system simulating a loading of said first translation of said externalized content into a user interface of said application at a runtime of said application and simulating a presentation of said first translation of said externalized content in said user interface at said runtime, by calling one or more functions included in said application, without an actual presentation of said first translation of said externalized content in said user interface, wherein an execution at said runtime of said one or more functions displays said externalized content in said user interface;

said computer system determining whether the simulating of the loading of said first translation of said externalized content into said user interface and the simulating of the presentation of said first translation of said externalized content in said user interface by said calling said one or more functions indicates an error condition that causes said application to stop running at said runtime;

based in part on said error condition being indicated by said simulating of the loading of said first translation and said simulating of the presentation of said first translation, said computer system;

determining said first translation of said externalized content includes a syntax error that causes said error condition, generating a report including an identification of a portion of said first translation of said externalized content that includes said syntax error and an error message that is generated by said application at said runtime in response to said error condition, and initiating a correction of said syntax error by sending said report to said other computer system, wherein said syntax error includes at least one of;

(1) a first key included in said first translated file is not matched with exactly one corresponding first value in said first translated file, said first translated file being a first property file including first key-value pairs including said first key and said first value as one of the pairs;

(2) a second key in said translatable file is not in said first translated file, said translatable file being a second property file including second key-value pairs, one of the second key-value pairs including said second key; and

(3) one or more placeholders in said first translated file are not matched to respective one or more placeholders in said translatable file, said one or more placeholders in said first translated file and said one or more placeholders in said translatable file providing variable substitution by being filled in with actual values by said code of said application at said runtime;

based in part on said error condition being indicated by said simulating of the loading of said first translation and said simulating of the presentation of said first translation and in response to a completion by said other computer system of said correction of said syntax error included in said first translation of said externalized content and a generation by said other computer system of a second translated file including a second translation of said externalized content which includes said correction of said syntax error, said computer system receiving said second translation of said externalized content which includes said correction of said syntax error; and

based in part on said error condition being indicated by said simulating of the loading of said first translation and said simulating of the presentation of said first translation and in response to said receiving second translation of said externalized content which includes said correction of said syntax error;

said computer system simulating a loading of said second translation of said externalized content into said user interface of said application at said runtime and simulating a presentation of said second translation of said externalized content in said user interface at said runtime, by calling said one or more functions, without an actual presentation of said second translation of said externalized content in said user interface; and

said computer system determining whether said simulating of the loading of said second translation and said simulating of the presentation of said second translation by said calling said one or more functions indicates said error condition that causes said application to stop running at said runtime; and

based in part on said error condition not being indicated by said simulating of the loading of said second translation and said simulating of the presentation of said second translation, said computer system at said runtime presenting said second translation of said externalized content in said user interface without causing said application to stop running at said runtime; and

based in part on said error condition not being indicated by said simulating of the loading of said first translation and said simulating of the presentation of said first translation, said computer system at said runtime presenting said first translation of said externalized content in said user interface without causing said application to stop running at said runtime.

6. The program product of claim 5, wherein said method further comprises:

said computer system presenting a graphical user interface (GUI) that displays entries of said first translated file in proximity to corresponding entries of said translatable file;

said computer system receiving and storing an identification of a second in said first translated file based on a comparison, via said GUI, of said entries of said first translated file against said corresponding entries of said translatable file;

said computer system initiating a correction of said second error by said other computer system; and

based in part on a completion of said correction of said second error by said other computer system and a generation by said other computer system of said second translate file which includes said correction of said second error, said computer system receiving said second translated file and validating said second translated file by determining said second error is not included in said second translated file,

wherein said presenting at said runtime of said second translation of said externalized content in said user interface is further based on said determining said second error is not included in said second translated file.

8. The program product of claim 5, wherein said method further comprises prior to said sending said translatable file, said computer system identifying and correcting one or more errors in said translatable file to conform to syntax rules of translation systems running on said other computer systems.

9. The program product of claim 5, wherein said method further comprises:

subsequent to said receiving said first translated file, said computer system reformatting said first translated file to conform to requirements of said application;

subsequent to said receiving said first translated file, said computer system renaming said first translated file with a unique corresponding file name consisting of first, second and third portions, wherein said first portion of said file name indicates a language of said plurality of languages, said second portion of said file name indicates a country of a plurality of countries, and said third portion of said file name indicates a region of a plurality of regions, said region being within said country, and wherein said country and said region within said country together specify a variant of said language;

said computer system generating a file structure; and

subsequent to said renaming, said computer system storing said first translated file in a portion of said file structure identified by said first, second and third portions of said file name.

7. A computer system comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU);

a memory coupled to the CPU;

a computer-readable, tangible storage device coupled to the CPU, the storage device containing instructions that are executed by the CPU via the memory to implement a method of validating translated files for inclusion in an application being developed, wherein said method comprises;

said computer system sending a translatable file having externalized content in a single base natural language to a plurality of other computer systems, wherein said externalized content is external to code of said application being developed;

in response to a generation of a first translated file including a first translation of said externalized content into a natural language other than said base natural language by another computer system included in said plurality of other computer systems, said computer system receiving said first translated file from said other computer system;

in a simulation environment, said computer system simulating a loading of said first translation of said externalized content into a user interface of said application at a runtime of said application and simulating a presentation of said first translation of said externalized content in said user interface at said runtime, by calling one or more functions included in said application, without an actual presentation of said first translation of said externalized content in said user interface, wherein an execution at said runtime of said one or more functions displays said externalized content in said user interface;

said computer system determining whether the simulating of the loading of said first translation of said externalized content into said user interface and the simulating of the presentation of said first translation of said externalized content in said user interface by said calling said one or more functions indicates an error condition that causes said application to stop running at said runtime;

based in part on said error condition being indicated by said simulating of the loading of said first translation and said simulating of the presentation of said first translation, said computer system;

determining said first translation of said externalized content includes a syntax error that causes said error condition, generating a report including an identification of a portion of said first translation of said externalized content that includes said syntax error and an error message that is generated by said application at said runtime in response to said error condition, and initiating a correction of said syntax error by sending said report to said other computer system, wherein said syntax error includes at least one of;

(1) a first key included in said first translated file is not matched with exactly one corresponding first value in said first translated file, said first translated file being a first property file including first key-value pairs including said first key and said first value as one of the pairs;

(2) a second key in said translatable file is not in said first translated file, said translatable file being a second property file including second key-value pairs, one of the second key-value pairs including said second key; and

(3) one or more placeholders in said first translated file are not matched to respective one or more placeholders in said translatable file, said one or more placeholders in said first translated file and said one or more placeholders in said translatable file providing variable substitution by being filled in with actual values by said code of said application at said runtime;

based in part on said error condition being indicated by said simulating of the loading of said first translation and said simulating of the presentation of said first translation and in response to a completion by said other computer system of said correction of said syntax error included in said first translation of said externalized content and a generation by said other computer system of a second translated file including a second translation of said externalized content which includes said correction of said syntax error, said computer system receiving said second translation of said externalized content which includes said correction of said syntax error; and

based in part on said error condition being indicated by said simulating of the loading of said first translation and said simulating of the presentation of said first translation and in response to said receiving second translation of said externalized content which includes said correction of said syntax error;

said computer system simulating a loading of said second translation of said externalized content into said user interface of said application at said runtime and simulating a presentation of said second translation of said externalized content in said user interface at said runtime, by calling said one or more functions, without an actual presentation of said second translation of said externalized content in said user interface; and

said computer system determining whether said simulating of the loading of said second translation and said simulating of the presentation of said second translation by said calling said one or more functions indicates said error condition that causes said application to stop running at said runtime; and

based in part on said error condition not being indicated by said simulating of the loading of said second translation and said simulating of the presentation of said second translation, said computer system at said runtime presenting said second translation of said externalized content in said user interface without causing said application to stop running at said runtime; and

based in part on said error condition not being indicated by said simulating of the loading of said first translation and said simulating of the presentation of said first translation, said computer system at said runtime presenting said first translation of said externalized content in said user interface without causing said application to stop running at said runtime.

10. The computer system of claim 7, wherein said method further comprises:

said computer system presenting a graphical user interface (GUI) that displays entries of said first translated file in proximity to corresponding entries of said translatable file;

said computer system receiving and storing an identification of a second error in said first translated file based on a comparison, via said GUI, of said entries of said first translated file against said corresponding entries of said translatable file;

said computer system initiating a correction of said second error by said other computer system; and

based in part on a completion of said correction of said second error by said other computer system and a generation by said other computer system of said second translate file which includes said correction of said second error, said computer system receiving said second translated file and validating said second translated file by determining said second error is not included in said second translated file,

wherein said presenting at said runtime of said second translation of said externalized content in said user interface is further based on said determining said second error is not included in said second translated file.

11. The computer system of claim 7, wherein said method further comprises prior to said sending said translatable file, said computer system identifying and correcting one or more errors in said translatable file to conform to syntax rules of translation systems running on said other computer systems.

12. The computer system of claim 7, wherein said method further comprises:

subsequent to said receiving said first translated file, said computer system reformatting said first translated file to conform to requirements of said application;

subsequent to said receiving said first translated file, said computer system renaming said first translated file with a unique corresponding file name consisting of first, second and third portions, wherein said first portion of said file name indicates a language of said plurality of languages, said second portion of said file name indicates a country of a plurality of countries, and said third portion of said file name indicates a region of a plurality of regions, said region being within said country, and wherein said country and said region within said country together specify a variant of said language;

said computer system generating a file structure; and

subsequent to said renaming, said computer system storing said first translated file in a portion of said file structure identified by said first, second and third portions of said file name.