Translating

Translation Editor (Strings)

Article content is machine translated from English to other languages by Phrase Translate.

Translation work is performed in the translation editor. The editor provides meta information for translated strings, key management and search functionality.

The translation editor is split up into three functional areas within the browser window:

strings_editor.jpeg

There are two methods to open the translation editor:

  1. From the main Projects page, hover over the desired project card and select Editor.

  2. From the Languages tab of the current project page, select Editor on the right side of the desired language locale.

A series of videos has been prepared to demonstrate the editor:

Note

Due to continuous improvements, the user interface may not be exactly the same as presented in the video.

Key List

The left-side section of the translation editor is used to find keys that require translation or review through different search modes and filtering tools. This section also allows to create new keys manually in the current project by selecting the Add key button at the bottom.

By default, a preview of the source content is displayed under each key in the list. To hide the source preview in the key list, toggle Show source text preview from the View dropdown menu at the top right of the source and target language pane.

Search bar

Use the search bar at the top to look for words or phrases occurring in key names and translation copy. The search only finds translations within the languages selected from the drop-down menu on the right side of the search field. Available search languages are listed according to the languages set up in the current project.

The search bar supports different types of queries:

  • Exact match query:

    To search for exact matches, set the query into double quotes.

  • Wildcard search query:

    Use an asterisk as a wildcard to generalize the search query.

  • Tag search query:

    Filter search results by a specific tag.

    After typing tag: a list of available tags is displayed. Reuse the tag:keyword syntax to search for multiple tags at once. Enter multiple tags in the search field separated by commas.

  • Key search query:

    Filter search results by a specific key name.

Advanced search

Available for
  • Advanced plan

  • Enterprise plan

Get in touch with Sales for licensing questions.

Click on the button adv_search.jpeg next to the search bar to toggle advanced search and display additional options and fields above the key list.

When advanced search is toggled on, use the main search field at the top to find and display keys with content matching the search query. To narrow the search only to key names, use the Key name search field below. Case sensitive search mode is enabled by selecting the relevant checkbox under the main search bar.

The advanced search also allows to search for keys by tags. Click on the Add tags dropdown field to filter keys by selecting the desired tags in the list or by typing a specific tag in the Tags search field.

Sorting and filtering tools

Under the search bar, there is a drop-down menu to sort the key list. Use the available options to order keys and search results by best match, by alphabetical order, by last update or by age.

On the right side of the search bar, different filtering options are displayed by clicking on Filter. Select one or multiple options to filter keys and search results based on their translation or verification status, excluded state, plural forms or pre-translation state. Toggle the desired checkboxes to combine multiple filters.

For keys displaying only source language, filters are applied on the source key view.

Batch actions

At the top of the listed keys and next to each key there are checkboxes for multiple keys selection. Upon selection, the editor shows a new popup at the bottom of the screen allowing to perform a batch action on the selected keys.

Batch actions can be applied to selected keys both in single target language view and in multilingual view. Batch actions are also enabled for keys with only source language view.

Note

When target languages are selected, batch actions are applied to the target languages.

Batch actions are:

  • Update status

    Show a dropdown with options to mark selected keys according to their verification (flagged/unflagged) or exclusion status.

    If the advanced review workflow has been enabled in the project settings, additional options are displayed to mark selected keys according to their review status.

  • Delete keys

    Delete the whole selected keys, not just their translations.

  • Attach screenshot

    Select the 3dots_icon.jpeg button to display this batch action.

    Upload one or more screenshots to attach to the selected keys. The uploaded screenshots are displayed as key reference in the contextual sidebar.

  • Add Figma preview

    Select the 3dots_icon.jpeg button to display this batch action.

    Add new Figma links as a key reference in the contextual sidebar for the selected keys.

  • Add to job

    Select the 3dots_icon.jpeg button to display this batch action.

    Click on Add to job and choose a job from the list, or select Add job to create a new job based on the selection.

  • Add/remove tags

    Select the 3dots_icon.jpeg button to display this batch action.

    Enter the desired tags and add them to or remove them from the selected keys.

  • Character limit

    Select the 3dots_icon.jpeg button to display this batch action.

    • Set character limit for the selected keys by typing the desired value in the Character limit window. Press Enter to apply it.

      Any existing character limit for the selected keys is replaced by the new value.

    • Remove any existing character limit for the selected keys by clicking Remove set character limit in the Character limit window.

  • Pre-translate

    Select the 3dots_icon.jpeg button to display this batch action.

    Run pre-translation on selected keys to fill out any missing translations in the current target language. Pre-translation only translates empty translations and skip over keys that have already been translated.

  • Clear target translations (displayed in target language view)

    Select the 3dots_icon.jpeg button to display this batch action.

    Discard any changes in the target language and revert to the previous content. The translation status is set to untranslated.

  • Clear source translations (displayed in source language view)

    Select the 3dots_icon.jpeg button to display this batch action.

    Discard any changes in the source language and revert to the previous content. The source translation status is set to untranslated.

Source and Target Language Pane

The middle section of the translation editor is where translation and review of the selected keys are performed.

By default, keys are listed in cards including the source language text to be translated and/or verified, as well as the target language text field. Use the drop-down menu at the top left to select both source and target languages for the translation among the available project languages. If no target language is selected, the source key view is displayed.

To change the default card layout and how selected keys are displayed in the pane, click on View at the top right: a popup is displayed to enable single key view or the horizontal card layout. The card layout option is disabled for keys displaying only source language.

If enabled, single key view displays a full-height key card. Use the arrow buttons arrow_up_single_key_view.jpeg and arrow_down_single_key_view.jpeg in the footer at the bottom left to move between keys from the single key view.

By default, non-breaking spaces non-breaking_space_editor.jpeg and line breaks return_editor.jpeg are displayed in the translation text once the translation is saved. Click on View at the top right and select Show non-printable characters to toggle the visualization of such characters.

The source and target language card provides these actions on the translations through a series of buttons and options:

  • Copy source to target

    Select the target language field of the card to display this button copy_source_icon.jpeg.

    Copy the content from the source language into the target language field.

  • Copy key name

    Hover the mouse on the key name at the top of the card to show this button copy_key_name_icon.jpeg.

    Copy the key name to clipboard.

  • Set character limit

    Select the source or target language field to display this button in the dots_icon.jpeg dropdown.

    Set the maximum number of characters a translation can contain. After typing a number in the popup, press Enter to apply the character limit.

    The character count is displayed at the bottom when editing translations for the key.

  • Exclude translation

    Select the source language or target language field of the card to display this option in the dots_icon.jpeg dropdown.

    Click on it if the selected key does not require a translation in the target language.

    The status label of the card is updated accordingly and saving any changes to the text is no longer possible.

  • Saving options

    Click on the Save button at the bottom right to save a translation.

  • Verifying options

    To verify or unverify a translation, use the flag icon at the bottom of each card.

    If unverified, the status label of the card is updated accordingly and provides the option to verify the translation.

    MT provider logo is also displayed to indicate strings that are machine translated.

  • Changes visualization

    By default, any changes applied to an unverified translation are automatically displayed in the source text when selecting the translation field.

    To toggle changes visualization, click changes_button.jpeg to hide or show changes as required.

  • Reviewing options

    If the Advanced review workflow has been selected in the current project settings, the status label of the card is updated accordingly and an additional button is available at the bottom of the card.

    MT provider logo is also displayed to indicate strings that are machine translated.

    To complete the review and update the key status, hover over the target text and click on Review. Alternatively, click on the translation field to apply any changes to the source or target language text, then click Save and review save_and_review.jpeg at the bottom of the card.

  • Mark as minor change

    Select the target language field of the card to display this option in the dots_icon.jpeg dropdown.

    Enable it to make small changes (e.g. adding missing punctuation) that does not update the verification status of the translation.

  • Discard

    Discard any changes in the text and revert to the previous content.

  • ICU message preview

    In case of keys including translations with ICU MessageFormat syntax, select ICU_preview.png at the bottom left of the card to display ICU message preview in the contextual sidebar.

    The preview lists all variables and attributes of the selected translation and is updated according to text typed in the relevant fields. Styled ICU message fields are also supported.

    The preview shows an error state when selecting a translation with broken ICU message.

To display additional actions for editing or managing the translations, click on the dots_icon.jpeg button at the top right of the pane. Upon selection of the target language field, these options are available:

  • Save & next

    Select this option to save the current key translation and proceed directly to the next target language field.

  • Clear translation

    Select this option to discard any changes in the target language pane and revert to the previous content.

Multilingual view

When working with projects with multiple target languages, multilingual view allows the display and editing of different language translations in a single key card.

Use the drop-down menu at the top left to select multiple or all target languages among the available project languages. The language selector is updated with information about how many target languages have been selected.

Selecting more than two languages automatically enables the key multilingual view which provides a summary of the current status of all selected translations at the top right of each key card.

Selected languages in the multilingual view are remembered when switching to other branches.

All translations displayed for each key card in the multilingual view are editable with relevant options according to their status. Batch actions are available when selecting multiple keys.

Sidebar

The sidebar on the right of the editor shows useful information that provide context and helpful tools when translating. Options and sections available in the sidebar are based on the item type currently selected in the editor: project, key card or source/target language field.

Sections displayed in the contextual sidebar can be hidden or rearranged according to user needs. To customize sections visualization, follow these steps:

  1. Click on View at the top of the source and target language pane and select Reorder sidebar from the dropdown.

    The Sidebar settings panel is displayed with a list of available sections.

  2. Use the handles on the left of the desired sections to drag and reorder them in the list.

    Relevant changes are instantly applied to the contextual sidebar on the right. Reordering is saved and replicated in all projects the user has access to.

  3. Click the toggle on the right of the desired sections to hide or show them in the contextual sidebar.

    Relevant changes are instantly applied to the contextual sidebar on the right.

Note

Some sections (e.g. Terms, Suggestions, and Quality Assurance) might not be visible in the sidebar if no content exists. As soon as there is content to display, they will appear in the order set through Sidebar settings.

Project context

When opening the editor, the sidebar includes a project overview. Click project_URL.jpeg to copy the project URL.

Job context

If jobs exist in the project, a job list is displayed with status information. To view details about each job, hover over the job and select View job context: the sidebar is updated with relevant information about keys included in the selected job.

Note

Only assigned jobs are listed in the contextual sidebar.

From the job context view:

  • Use options under the Mark as dropdown menu at the top right to edit the job or translation status.

  • Select Add ticket link to add a Jira link to the job context.

    Note

    This option is displayed only if there are no Jira links already added.

  • Select the Comments tab in the Activity section to add comments about a job.

    The Comments tab also enables to search for comments, add reactions, edit or delete comments.

Key and translation context

After selecting a card, the key details are displayed in the sidebar with interaction menus. Available menu names are displayed at the top of the sidebar and clicking on the menu name will jump to the selected menu.

At the top of the key sidebar, click on the icon project_URL.jpeg to copy the key URL or click on the gear icon to edit some of the key attributes. Use the description field to review or add a new description for the selected key.

Below the key name and description, the menus are presented:

  • References

    Show a preview of any existing reference files attached to the project.

    • Screenshots:

      To add new screenshots as a key reference, select Add screenshot from the new_template.jpeg menu at the top right. Select the gear icon at the top to access the screenshot management page of the project.

    • Figma previews:

      To add new Figma links as a key reference, select Add Figma preview from the new_template.jpeg menu at the top right. Once the link is added, a Figma preview is generated with real-time information about filename and latest changes at the bottom left. The Figma preview allows to scroll and zoom in/out through the attached file.

      Hover over the preview and select available options under the More more.jpeg menu to open a bigger in-app preview of the Figma link, open the file in Figma, edit the link or detach it from the key. Detaching a Figma preview does not delete the link, which is only detached from the key.

  • Quality assurance

    List all QA issues which have been found in the selected translation with relevant information.

  • Terms

    Display matches from the attached term bases and apply the correct translation for the desired terms in the editor.

  • Suggestions

    View hits from the built-in translation memory or any machine translation matches and apply them directly from the sidebar.

    MT provider logo is displayed in the key card to indicate strings that are machine translated.

  • Tags

    • Select the pencil icon pencil_icon.jpeg to search for any tags applied to the key or create new tags.

    • Clicking on a tag will automatically insert the tag into simple and advanced search fields to filter the key list. Tags already applied to search are disabled from clicking.

  • All languages preview

    Preview all the languages of the selected key and relevant translations with status information.

    By default, the first 3 lines of text are displayed for each translation. Any truncated translations can be expanded by clicking on the relevant language.

    Hover on a language and click open_in_editor.png to open it in the editor through multilingual view.

  • Jobs

    View jobs where the key is included and add the key to existing jobs.

    Hover on a job in the list to display the following options:

    • Open in the editor open_job_in_editor.jpeg: Refine key list by applying job tag and update keys displayed in the editor.

    • Open job overview page suite_link.jpeg: Display job overview in the relevant project page.

    • Remove key from this job remove_key_editor.jpeg: Remove the selected key from the job. This option is not available for locked keys.

  • Meta

    View additional metadata about the current key.

  • Activity

    • Comments tab

      Select this tab to communicate directly with team members on keys and languages in the project by adding comments.

      The Comments tab also enables to search and filter comments, add reactions, edit, resolve or delete comments and comment threads.

    • Changes tab

      Change history of a translation.

      To restore a previous version of the translated text, hover over the desired change displayed in the history and click on the restore_icon.png icon.

To display additional actions for editing or managing keys, click on the dots_icon.jpeg button at the top right of the pane. Upon selection of the key card, these options are available:

  • Duplicate key

    Create a copy of the selected key inside the current project.

  • Copy key name

    Copy the key name to clipboard.

  • Copy link to key

    To get and copy the link to the page currently viewed in the editor.

  • Copy key ID

    To copy the key ID to clipboard.

  • Delete key

    To delete the selected key, not just its translation.

Editor Keyboard Shortcuts (Strings)

Some shortcuts are not available in editing mode.

Action

Shortcut

Saving progress

Save

Ctrl+Enter

Ctrl+S

Save and next

Ctrl+Shift+S

Managing translations

Copy source to target

Ctrl+Shift+O

Review translation

Ctrl+Shift+R

Mark as ready for review

Ctrl+Shift+P

Verify translation

Ctrl+Shift+V

Unverify translation

Ctrl+Shift+U

Exclude/include translation

Ctrl+Shift+E

Include translations

Alt+I

Navigation

Select next key

ArrowDown

Select previous key

ArrowUp

Deselect translation or key

Esc

Select first target translation

Enter

Searching and filtering

Open Search

/

Open Filters

ArrowUp+F

Working with keys

Copy link to key

Ctrl+L

Add new key

Ctrl+J

Delete key

Ctrl+BackSpace

Add to job

Alt+K

Add tags

Alt+B

Sidebar commands

View term base

Ctrl+ArrowUp+G

View translation suggestions (TM)

Ctrl+ArrowUp+M

View all languages section

Ctrl+ArrowUp+A

View changes section

Ctrl+ArrowUp+H

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