Extract multiple input files into 1 single xliff file for translation

[Colin Yu]

I have 1000+ XML files resides in 300+ folders to be translated. I hope Rainbow can extract all the 1000+ XML files from 300+ folders and merge them to 1 big XLIFF file. So I can send only 1 file to translation vendors for translation. And once the translation done, I can merge the 1 translated XLIFF back to rainbow and generate 1000+ translated XML files in 300+ folders, keeping the original folder structure. Is it possible? Thanks!

[ysavourel]

Hi Colin,

You can do this in Rainbow by first extracting your files to XLIFF the normal way, this will give you a work folder where all the XLIFF files will be. Then you can use a pipeline with a single step: "Join XLIFF" that can group all XLIFF into a single document.

Where processing the files back, you need to use the "Split XLIFF" step first to re-create the multiple XLIFF document, and then merge them back.

Note: You may want to think twice about sending a single big XLIFF to translators. From my experience at least this is not always a good idea, especially if there are many files. It gives you one massive document that CAT tools have a hard time to work with. Some tools won't be able to load it, other tools will be very slow to process it. But obviously that depends on your specific use case.

cheers. -ys

[Colin Yu]

Thanks Yves for the details. But as I tried, it reports the following warnings when I try to run the pipeline step “Join XLIFF” for all the .XLF files in work folder. WARNING: This file is skipped: Input marker not found in its name. Looks like "Join XLIFF" can be only run after "Split XLIFF". I cannot run Join XLIFF first, then run Split Xliff. Is that right? Please double confirm it. Thank you!

[ysavourel]

You correct Colin. Sorry, I was wrong: The XLIFF Joiner step is meant to be used to join back files that were split by the XLIFF Splitter step, not to work on original files.

I don't think there is any way to do the join first at this time.

[Colin Yu]

That's OK. Thank you for the confirmation.