Method and system for localizing a package

• US 20060117304A1
• Filed: 11/23/2004
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Brombaugh, David C., Anastassopoulos, Demitri R.
• Application Number:
  US10/996,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20060117304A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/136
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/454 Multi-language systems; Localisation; Internationalisation

Abstract

A localization tool is arranged to automatically localize a raw package for a target language, country or geographic region. The raw package is an executable binary stored in a specific location identified in a file system. The raw package includes data that identifies localization information. The localization tool uses the localization information to create a list of files to be localized in the target language, identify any strings to replace within each file, locate the files to be localized in the file system where the raw package is stored, and create any other parameters and functions required to localize the raw package. The raw package is localized by applying the target language, country or geographic region specific information to the files to be localized. The localized package is then stored in a target directory within the file system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for localization of a raw package, comprising:

identifying source files to localize, wherein the source files are associated with the raw package;

identifying indicia associated with the localization of the raw package into localized packages;

processing the identified source files for each of the localized packages according to the indicia associated with each of the localized packages; and

creating the localized packages from the processed source files, wherein each localized package corresponds to a localized version of the raw package associated with the indicia associated with each localized package.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the indicia corresponds to at least one of:

a designated language, a designated country, and a designated geographic region.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the raw package comprises at least one of:

an executable binary, an operating system, a software application program, a file, a program patch, and a user update.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising parsing the identified source files to extract localization information.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the localization information comprises at least one of:

a target language, a list of language specific character strings, and special requirements for a target language, country, and geographic region.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the special requirements for the target language, country, and geographic region further comprises at least one of:

removing text strings from the raw package, removing binaries from the raw package, replacing text strings in the raw package, replacing binaries in the raw package, adding text strings to the raw package, and adding binaries to the raw package.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying source files to localize further comprises locating the identified source files within the raw package.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising creating a task list from the identified source files, wherein the task list comprises items to be processed to create the localized packages.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving the raw package from a target directory in a file system.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising storing the localized package in a target directory in a file system.

11. A system for localizing a raw package, comprising:

a computer system having a memory, wherein the raw package is loaded in the memory; and

a localization tool loaded in the memory, wherein the localization tool is arranged to;

identify source files to localize, wherein the source files are associated with the raw package;

create a task list based on the identified source files;

identify indicia associated with the localization of the raw package into localized packages;

process the identified source files for each of the localized packages according to the indicia associated with each of the localized packages; and

create the localized packages from the processed source files and the task list, wherein each localized package corresponds to a localized version of the raw package associated with the indicia associated with each localized package.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the indicia corresponds to at least one of:

a designated language, a designated country, and a designated geographic region.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the raw package comprises at least one of:

an executable binary, an operating system, a software application program, a file, a program patch, and a user update.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the localization tool is further arranged to parse the identified source files to extract localization information.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the localization information comprises at least one of:

a target language, a target country, a target geographic region, a list of language specific character strings, and special requirements for the target language, country, and geographic region.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the special requirements for the target language, country, and geographic region further comprises at least one of:

removing text strings from the raw package, removing binaries from the raw package, replacing text strings in the raw package, replacing binaries in the raw package, adding text strings to the raw package, and adding binaries to the raw package.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the localization tool identifies source files to localize by locating the identified source files within the raw package.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the task list comprises items to be processed to create the localized packages.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the localization tool is further arranged to:

retrieve the raw package from a target directory in a file system; and

store the localized package in the target directory in the file system.

20. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for localizing a raw package, comprising:

identifying source files to localize, wherein the source files are associated with the raw package;

identifying indicia associated with the localization of the raw package into localized packages, wherein the indicia comprises at least one of;

a target language, a target country, and a target geographic region;

processing the identified source files for each of the localized packages according to the indicia associated with each of the localized packages; and

creating the localized packages from the processed source files, wherein each localized package corresponds to a localized version of the raw package associated with the indicia associated with each localized package.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the raw package comprises at least one of:

an executable binary, an operating system, a software application program, a file, a program patch, and a user update.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, further comprising parsing the identified source files to extract localization information.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the localization information comprises at least one of:

the target language, a list of language specific character strings, and special requirements for the target language, country, and geographic region.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the special requirements for the target language, country, and geographic region further comprises at least one of:

removing text strings from the raw package, removing binaries from the raw package, replacing text strings in the raw package, replacing binaries in the raw package, adding text strings to the raw package, and adding binaries to the raw package.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein identifying source files to localize further comprises locating the identified source files within the raw package.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, further comprising creating a task list from the identified source files, wherein the task list comprises items to be processed to create the localized packages.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, further comprising retrieving the raw package from a target directory in a file system.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, further comprising storing the localized package in a target directory in a file system.