1. App Builder User's Guide
  2. Managing Application Globalization
  3. Understanding the Translation Process

22.5 Understanding the Translation Process

To translate an APEX application, map the primary and target language, seed and export text to a translation file, translate the text, apply the translation file, and publish the translated application.

This section describes the process of translating an application.

Tip:

If you make any changes to the primary application, such as refreshing the theme, modifying the page title, adding a new page item or modifying an existing one, you will need to repeat Steps 2 to 5 and publish the strings to the translated application. Otherwise, you run the risk of having the translated application out of sync with the primary application.

See Also:

Parent topic: Managing Application Globalization

22.5.1 Step 1: Define Application Languages

The first step in translating an application is to map the primary and target application language. The primary application is the application to be translated. The target application is the resulting translated application.

To map the primary and target application language:

  1. Navigate to the Translate Application page:
    1. On the Workspace home page, click the App Builder icon.
    2. Select an application.
    3. Click Shared Components.
    4. Under Globalization, click Application Translations.

      The Translate page appears.

  2. Click Define application languages.

    The Language Mappings page appears.

  3. Click Create.
  4. On Create/Edit Language Application Mapping:
    • Translation Application - Enter a unique integer value that identifies an application. The application ID must be unique on your instance of Oracle APEX.
    • Language - Select the language to be translated.
    • Document Direction - Set document direction. Options: Left-To-Right or Right-To-Left.
    • Image Directory - Enter the directory where images are obtained. Unless you are using static files from the images directory which are translated, leave this field blank. This is the default and most common option.
  5. Click Create.

Parent topic: Understanding the Translation Process

22.5.2 Step 2: Seed and Download to a Translation File

Seed the translation table and then export the translation text to a translation file.

Parent topic: Understanding the Translation Process

22.5.2.1 Seeding Translatable Text

Learn about seeding translatable text.

Seeding the translation copies all translatable text into the Translation Text repository. After you specify the language and seed the Translation Text, you can then generate and export an XLIFF file for translation.

The seeding process keeps your primary language application synchronized with the Translation Text repository. You should run the seed process any time your primary language application changes.

To seed translatable text:

  1. Navigate to the Translate Application page:
    1. On the Workspace home page, click the App Builder icon.
    2. Select an application.
    3. Click Shared Components.
    4. Under Globalization, click Application Translations.

      The Translate page appears.

  2. Click Seed translatable text.
  3. Select the appropriate target application.
  4. Click Seed.

    When completed, the following message displays:

    Successfully seeded translatable text.

Parent topic: Step 2: Seed and Download to a Translation File

22.5.2.2 Downloading an XLIFF File

Learn how to download an XLIFF file.

Once the translation mappings are established the translatable text within the application is seeded into a translation repository. This repository is then exported to an XML Localization Interchange File Format (XLIFF) file for translation.

Parent topic: Step 2: Seed and Download to a Translation File

22.5.2.2.1 About the XLIFF Export Page

Learn about the XLIFF Export page.

The XLIFF Export page is divided into two sections. Use Download XLIFF file for complete Application to export translatable text for an entire application (that is, all pages, lists of values, messages, and so on). Use Download XLIFF file for Application Page to export translatable text for a specific page.

Note:

XML Localization Interchange File Format (XLIFF) is an XML-based format for exchanging localization data. For more information about XLIFF and the XLIFF 1.0 specification, see:

https://www.oasis-open.org/committees/tc_home.php?wg_abbrev=xliff
22.5.2.2.2 Downloading a XLIFF file for an Application

Learn how to download a XLIFF file for an application.

To download an XLIFF file for an complete application:

  1. Seed the translatable text.
  2. Navigate to the Translate Application page:
    1. On the Workspace home page, click the App Builder icon.
    2. Select an application.
    3. Click Shared Components.
    4. Under Globalization, click Application Translations.

      The Translate page appears.

  3. On the Translate page, click Download XLIFF translation files.
  4. Under Download XLIFF file for complete Application:
    1. Language - Choose the language to be downloaded in the XLIFF file.
    2. Include XLIFF Target Elements - Specify whether to include the target elements and corresponding language code in the generated XLIFF file. To include, select Include XLIFF Target Elements.
    3. Export - Choose to export all translatable elements of the application or only those elements which are new or have been updated.
    4. Click Export XLIFF for Application.
  5. Follow the on-screen instructions.
22.5.2.2.3 Downloading an XLIFF File for an Application Page

Learn how to download an XLIFF File for an application page.

To download an XLIFF file for a specific page:

  1. Seed the translatable text.
  2. Navigate to the Translate Application page:
    1. On the Workspace home page, click the App Builder icon.
    2. Select an application.
    3. Click Shared Components.
    4. Under Globalization, click Application Translations.

      The Translate page appears.

  3. On the Translate page, click Download XLIFF translation files.
  4. Under Download XLIFF file for Application Page:
    1. Language - Choose the language to be downloaded in the XLIFF file.
    2. Page - Select a page.
    3. Include XLIFF Target Elements - Specify whether to include the target elements and corresponding language code in the generated XLIFF file. To include, select Include XLIFF Target Elements.
    4. Export - Choose to export all translatable elements of the page or only those elements which are new or have been updated.
    5. Click Export XLIFF for Page.
  5. Follow the on-screen instructions.
22.5.2.2.4 About Including XLIFF Target Elements

Learn about including XLIFF target elements.

When APEX generates an XLIFF document, each document contains multiple translation units. Each translation unit consists of a source element and a target element. The XLIFF document can be generated with both the source and target elements for each translation unit. You have the option of generating a file containing only source elements. The updated translations will be applied from the target elements of the translation units.

22.5.3 Step 3: Translate the XLIFF File

After you export a translatable file to XLIFF format, you can translate it into the appropriate languages.

Because XLIFF is an open standard XML file for exchanging translations, most translation vendors should support it. APEX only supports XLIFF files encoded in UTF-8 character sets. In other words, it exports XLIFF files for translation in UTF-8 and assumes that the translated XLIFF files are in the same character set.

Translation is a time-consuming task. APEX supports incremental translation so that application development can be done in parallel with the translation. An XLIFF file can be translated and uploaded to APEX even when only part of the XLIFF file is translated. For strings that have no translation in the corresponding translated application,APEX uses the corresponding ones in the primary language.

See Also:

For more information about the XLIFF and the XLIFF 1.0 specification, see:

https://www.oasis-open.org/committees/tc_home.php?wg_abbrev=xliff

Parent topic: Understanding the Translation Process

22.5.4 Step 4: Upload and Apply a Translated XLIFF Document

After your XLIFF document has been translated, the next step is to upload and then apply it.

Parent topic: Understanding the Translation Process

22.5.4.1 Uploading a Translated XLIFF Document

Learn how to upload a translated XLIFF document.

To upload a translated XLIFF document:

  1. Navigate to the Translate Application page:
    1. On the Workspace home page, click the App Builder icon.
    2. Select an application.
    3. Click Shared Components.
    4. Under Globalization, click Application Translations.

      The Translate page appears.

  2. Click Apply XLIFF translation files.

    The XLIFF Translation Files page appears.

  3. Click Upload Files.
  4. On the XLIFF Upload page:
    1. Locate the file to be uploaded.
    2. Click Upload.

      The uploaded document appears on the XLIFF Translation Files page.

Parent topic: Step 4: Upload and Apply a Translated XLIFF Document

22.5.4.2 Applying an Uploaded XLIFF Document

Learn about applying an uploaded XLIFF document.

After you upload an XLIFF document, the next step is to apply the XLIFF document and then publish the translated application. When you apply an XLIFF document, the APEX engine parses the file and then updates the translation tables with the new translatable text.

Publishing your application creates a copy of the base language application, substituting the translated text strings from your translations table. This published application can then be used to render your application in alternate languages.

Remember that to run an application in an alternative language, you must run it with globalization settings that cause an alternative language version to display. For example, if the language is derived from the browser language, you must set the browser language to the same language as the translated application.

To apply a translated XLIFF document:

  1. Navigate to the Translate Application page:
    1. On the Workspace home page, click the App Builder icon.
    2. Select an application.
    3. Click Shared Components.
    4. Under Globalization, click Application Translations.

      The Translate page appears.

  2. Click Apply XLIFF translation files.

    The XLIFF Translation Files page appears.

  3. To apply the XLIFF files:
    1. Select the XLIFF files you want to apply.
    2. From Apply to Translation, choose a translation mapping.
    3. Click Apply Checked.

    The XLIFF file is parsed and the contents is applied to the translation repository. Once this process is complete, you must publish the application for each translation.

See Also:

Specifying the Primary Language for an Application

Parent topic: Step 4: Upload and Apply a Translated XLIFF Document

22.5.4.3 Deleting an Uploaded XLIFF Document

Learn how to delete an uploaded XLIFF document.

To delete an uploaded XLIFF document:

  1. Navigate to the Translate Application page:
    1. On the Workspace home page, click the App Builder icon.
    2. Select an application.
    3. Click Shared Components.
    4. Under Globalization, click Application Translations.

      The Translate page appears.

  2. Click Apply XLIFF translation files.

    The XLIFF Translation Files page appears.

  3. In the XLIFF Files repository, select the checkbox to the left of the Filename column.
  4. Click Delete Checked.

See Also:

Specifying the Primary Language for an Application

Parent topic: Step 4: Upload and Apply a Translated XLIFF Document

22.5.5 Step 5: Publish the Application

Publishing your application creates a copy of the base language application, substituting the translated text strings from your translations table. This published application can then be used to render your application in alternate languages.

Remember that to run an application in an alternative language, you must run it with globalization settings that cause an alternative language version to display. For example, if the language is derived from the browser language, you must set the browser language to the same language as the translated application.

To publish an application:

  1. Navigate to the Translate Application page:
    1. On the Workspace home page, click the App Builder icon.
    2. Select an application.
    3. Click Shared Components.
    4. Under Globalization, click Application Translations.

      The Translate page appears.

  2. Click Publish translated applications.

    The XLIFF Translation Files page appears

  3. Select the items you want to publish and click Publish.

You should verify the existence of the translated application after it is published. Translated applications do not display in the Available Applications list on the App Builder home page. In order for a translated application to appear in App Builder, you must ensure that you have correctly configured the application Globalization attributes.

See Also:

Specifying the Primary Language for an Application

Parent topic: Understanding the Translation Process

22.5.6 Manually Editing a Translation

Once you have mapped the target language and seeded the translatable text, you manually edit a translation.

To manually edit a translation:

  1. Define the application language.
  2. Seed the translatable text.
  3. Navigate to the Translatable Text:
    1. On the Workspace home page, click the App Builder icon.
    2. Select an application.
    3. Click Shared Components.
    4. Under Globalization, click Application Translations.

      The Translate page appears.

  4. Under Translation Utilities, click Translation Repository.

    The Translatable Text page appears.

  5. Select a Language Mapping or page and click Set.
  6. To further customize the report, use the Search bar at the top of the page.
  7. To edit translatable text:
    1. Click the Edit icon.
      The Translatable Text page appears.
    2. Translate From Text - Identifies the primary language text.
    3. Translate to Text - Identifies the translated text.
    4. Update all occurrences of this string - Enable this option to update all occurrences of the string in the Translation Repository.
    5. Click Apply Changes.
  8. To access a Grid Edit page:
    1. Click Grid Edit.
      The Translatable Text - Grid Edit page appears.
    2. Click the Edit button.
    3. In the Translate To column, select and then edit the string.
    4. Click the Save button.

See Also:

Parent topic: Understanding the Translation Process