Translated content using the file system

Question

Hi, 
 My role as a DITA tools engineer has not included performing workflow related tasks. I am familiar with object levels, and I have some familiarity with the web services API. At my current job I have a task to research using multiple languages. There are no plans yet to use a translation management system. 
 Should it work to change the status of objects, which have translation management enabled, to "To be translated" send an export the report. Create translated copies of the exported files changing xml:lang and keeping the same GUIDs. Then use Import translations? 
 What I have tried is to add status transitions and inbox actions to add a Change2ToBeTranslated action and status transitions from Review to To be translated, but when I try to generate a workflow report, the transition does not appear. 
 In the web client there is a recycle symbol next to the status transitions. Is there some action that I need to perform?

Kendall Shaw · Accepted Answer

I got help from support. Details that were not in the documentation were: A user with role "Translator" is required to start the export for translation. Export happens in 2 steps. The files have to be in released state before the other languages can be generated (the first step). This is done from the Translation button in the web client. The 2nd step exports the files. 
 The report was started from the publication object in the web client. 
 In the translation report window, you have to click in just the right place on the very bottom of the page to make the report expand (repeatedly click on the words until the window opens. Then if you click the checkbox next to files, above, it selects the files in the corresponding state. 
 Aside from inbox definitions (Change2Released and Change2ToBeTranslated) and status transitions for Translator and TRANSLATORSERVICE, the file x:\InfoShare\Web\Author\ASP\XSL\WorkflowReportConfig.xm has to be modified to include status transitions.

Dave De Meyer · Answer

Hi Kendall,

Not easy to do a written correspondence on translation management. If you are up for some research, I would advise to start with

Checking that your system is still configured for Translation Management within the CMS. It could be that your deployment was explicitly customized to not have it anymore. Can you verify Web Client > Settings > XML Translation Settings as it should contain some language path entries that indicate what will be the source language for the French generated stub.
```
 <languagepaths>
  <languagepath from="en" to="fr"/>
  <languagepath from="en" to="nl"/>
```
Check that Settings > Initial Statusses has "Translator Service" user role that typically points to initial status "To be translated"
The easiest way to generate that French stub is to have a topic version that is (D)raft (like Ready-for-Release). Make sure that on the logical level Translation Management is enabled. Then push the English topic to (R)eleased status. This should trigger a BackgroundTask that will generate the French topic next to the English topic within the same version. Most likely in status "To be translated".
Then through a TranslationJob object or by Translation Report for French, you can force an export to SDL TMS or SDL WorldServer or to the server's file system.

I do think if you want to make a good judgement call for your process, that it is worthwhile to reach out to Professional Services.

Best of luck,
Dave

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Translated content using the file system