1.
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Keep archives
of graphics
without text
in a separate
folder from
text archives.
Then it will
not be necessary
to duplicate
all the graphics
for every language,
but only those
which contain
text. This simplifies
the management
of archives
and saves physical
space in the
server where
the web site
is stored.
Let us look at an example:
In the figure below there is a structure of archives from a web site:
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The
folders
"00"
and "01"
contain
HTML documents.
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The
folder
"imatges"
contains
all the
images
of the
web site,
some of
which
are linked
more than
once with
various
HTML documents
contained
in "00"
and "01".
In this
way the
same image
does not
need to
be stored
more than
once in
"00"
or "01".
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| Structure of archives from a web site. |
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| 2. |
Differentiate
in some way
graphics
which have translatable
text from those
which do not.
This speeds
up the process
of analysis
of the archives
and saves space
in the server,
as only those
images which
contain text
in different
languages have
to be duplicated.
Hereunder two
alternative
solutions are
proposed:
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Differentiating
the images
with text
from those
without,
by giving
them a
name commencing
with the
letter
t.
Then,
if we
arrange
the archives
in alphabetical
order,
we can
easily
recognise
the series
of archives
containing
text (in
the figure
below
they are
marked
in blue).
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Separate archives of graphics with text and archives of graphics without text in different folders.
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| 3. |
Prepare the
graphic
archives
in format .GIF
and .JPG by
layers.
In one layer
the background
of the graphic
is defined,
in another the
text, and in
another the
drawing of the
foreground,
etc. In this
way, it will
be easy to alter
the text layer
and replace
the original
text with the
translation.
If all the parts
of the graphics
are integrated
into one layer,
it will be impossible
to isolate the
text and the
image will have
to be redesigned.
Preparation in layers of a button with text:
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>> |
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Layer
containing
only the
button
image |
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Layer
containing
only the
button
text |
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>>
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Layer containing the combination of the button image plus the text |
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| 4. |
Ensure that
the people translating
the graphics
know which type
of letter
to use. In this
way the web
manager can
be sure that
the localized
graphic will
have the same
appearance as
the original
graphic. |
| 5. |
Leave additional
space after
text incorporated
into graphics
so that, if
the translation
is longer, the
graphic does
not have to
alter as it
has been anticipated
that the translation
may be longer.
In the example,
the button with
text «D’acord»
has sufficient
space to translate
into English
«OK»,
but does not
leave enough
space for a
longer translation
such as «De
acuerdo».
Possibly a new
button has to
be made during
the process
of localization
into Spanish.
However, if
the button has
enough space
to allow for
a longer translation,
there will be
no need for
a new button.
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Original button:
Allows
for
a
shorter
translation,
but
there
is
no
space
for
a
longer
translation: |
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