RE: Missing requirment - content format/type

Hi Dave, all,

> The text we currently have in the requirements for 
> the content data category seems very similar, albeit 
> a subset of, the values defined for restype in XLIFF.

I assume you mean the 'context' (not 'content') data category:
http://www.w3.org/International/multilingualweb/lt/wiki/Requirements#context

You are right indeed, 'context' seems to be what would be mapped to XLIFF's 'restype', not 'formatType'.

(which leaves us with the question of what exactly is the 'formatType' data category?)


> Yves, I'm not very familiar with this feature in XLIFF,
> could you provide a bit more background on where 
> it used and by whom?

Essentially that metadata (restype) identifies the type of "resource" where the text is used in the original format. This is easily generated for software-type formats like Windows RC, etc.

It is used, for instance, to provide a basic context to the translator (e.g. a "help" button and a "help" label on a menu bar don't translate the same in French in some cases; or the translation of a title or caption may require different casing rules in some languages, etc.)

It is also used to help leveraging translations. If two entries with the same source text have no unique names (resname), then the restype value, if present, may help in guessing which translation should be used.

In my experience, early on this was mostly used for software formats. Nowadays the difference between UI and document-type files is much more fuzzy and many XML-based formats could provide the element name (or a mapping to the element name to a more standard list) as a good context information. HTML5 is certainly a good example of a more "modern" UI format.

As for the list of values: I suppose, like for 'domain' or other metadata, we could start with a list of basic values, and have a mechanism to allow its customization/expansion. Ideally we would have the same solution for all lists. I'm just not sure what exactly is the best solution:

- x- values: its-context="x-mywidget"

- namespace-like values: its-context="myns:mywidget"

- an extra attribute to extend the main attribute: its-context="string" its-context-ext="mywidget"

- something else?

Cheers,
-yves

Received on Tuesday, 1 May 2012 11:06:25 UTC