Translate waze (client text) to your local language: Difference between revisions Discussion View history

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'''Help us make waze better in your native tongue!'''
'''Help us make Waze better in your native tongue!'''


This article will explain how to translate waze into your native tongue.
'''Step 1'''
Once the translations are ready, we upload them and you can choose to have waze displayed in your language.  
Download the [https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B9MrkeqzAXv1ZGM3ZWJkZjQtYjJlYi00YjMwLTllYjEtMThlYmY4MzhhODRh&hl=en current complete translation file - an Excel spreadsheet]
There are a few languages already available, and a few more that saw some work but are not completed (thus not uploaded yet).


It's important to remember waze is still very dynamic - with every new version we have new features, and those require some new text translations.
Note that the file contains 4 tabs. The first one is large. The other 3 are small but still important.
Without the translations, these texts will remain in English (so you might have a mix of both languages).


You can download the complete translation file from [https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B9MrkeqzAXv1ZGM3ZWJkZjQtYjJlYi00YjMwLTllYjEtMThlYmY4MzhhODRh&hl=en here].
'''Step 2'''
Starting with the first tab, "client_text", Look for your language in the first column. If you're sure it is not there, you can start a new column.  


Here's what you need to know:
'''Step 3'''
* The file has 4 tabs - the first one being the major one.
It is important that you do not edit the spreadsheet file you downloaded. Instead start a new spreadsheet file and only include your additions. That way it is easy for Waze to merge in your changes. For the same reason, use a different new file for each tab you work on.
* In each tab, 1st check for a column with your language - maybe somebody already started working on it


First tab:
If you believe there should be corrections to existing translations, please make them in a separate file also and note them as corrections when you submit them by email so Waze can review them more closely.
* Look for all the missing text lines: you will see them as "0", "N/A", or simply blank.
* Copy the English text from column B to a '''new file'''. You can also copy column C for explanations and comments (where applicable). You only have to translate column B
* Send us an email with your translation of the missing texts.
* '''DO NOT SEND US THE SAME FILE WITH YOUR ADDITIONS. WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO FILTER OUT YOUR TRANSLATIONS AND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE IT'''
* Send us - alpha@waze.com - the new file that has only the missing texts (English and the new translation). We will upload them on the shared file as well as on our servers so you will see them in the client right away.
* Column C has explanations for the strings that are ambiguous or not clear. If something still is not clear
* If you'd like to be notified when new text strings are ready to be translated, just drop us a line and we will notify you every time we add new ones.


Second tab:
'''Step 4'''
* Text for the scoreboard
Starting with the first, "client_text" tab, here is how to identify the text that still needs translating.
* Use the english translation on column D as your reference
* Delete from column D to the language column you are working on, just to get them out of the way. So for example, if you are working on Swedish translation in column H, delete columns D-G. This will put your working language in column D. If you're a polyglot you may wish to put multiple languages in E, F, etc if you're going to translate them all as a group.
* Sort the whole sheet, using your chosen language in column D as the Sort By column. Now all the empty cells, the cells with #N/A and the cells with 0 (zero) will be in up to 3 groups (possibly adjacent). Feel free to blank out the #/N/A and the 0 entries and then resort, so you just have one group to deal with
* Click and drag to highlight the rectangle of each of these 3 groups in turn, including columns B, C and D. Choose Edit/Copy and then in a new spreadsheet Edit/Paste. Paste each group at the end of the preceding one.
* You now have a spreadsheet with 3 columns. Column A (originally B) contains the English text to be translated. Column B (originally C) contains any additional comments to help in the translation, but is not to be translated itself. Column C is where you put the translation and will either be blank or have some #N/A or 0. Move on to Step 5 - doing the translation.


Third tab:
For the second tab "scoreboard_text", use the same process, except the English text to translate starts in column D, and the explanation starts in column C.
* Text for the groups section


Fourth tab:
For the third tab "groups_text" and the fourth tab "ticker_text" use the same process as for the first tab "client_text"
* Text for the ticker messages / gaming
* note that there are character limitations - up to 30 characters is what we recommend


<br/><br/>
'''Step 5'''
Translate the English text in your new file in column A, and type it in column C. Column B will explain the text in column A more clearly but is not to be translated. It is for reference only.


Rules for a good translation:
'''Translation tip - make it short.''' Since the same text is used on all [[client devices]], some of which have small screens, it is best to keep everything as short as possible. Use abbreviations.
* Make it short! Since one file is used for all devices - big iPhone screens as well as small Nokia screens - it's best to keep everything as short as possible. Don't be afraid to use abbreviations.


<br/><br/><br/>
For the fourth tab "ticker_text" make your translations short. 30 character maximum.


Please note: this fiel only has the client text (what you see when you open the application). This doesn't include audio prompts ("in 200 meters turn right") and other special messages.
'''Step 6'''
Email your new spreadsheet file as an attachment to alpha@waze.com with the message subject Translation
 
Because the language files are held on the Waze server you can see your updates in the client once Waze has processed them. You don't need to wait for a new version of the app.
 
'''Step 7''' Come back later and check if you can help some more. Or you can email alpha@waze.com and ask to be notified by email when there are new lines of text to be translated.
 
Every new version of the Waze app has new features with new text that require translating. So even if a language is completed, check back in later to see if we need new translations. If you see English being used in the app, mixed in with another language it's because we don't have a translation for those phrases yet.
 
Note that these translations are for written text in the [[client device] app. Audio prompts such as  "in 200 meters turn right" are not part of this process.


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Revision as of 09:45, 14 September 2010

Help us make Waze better in your native tongue!

Step 1 Download the current complete translation file - an Excel spreadsheet

Note that the file contains 4 tabs. The first one is large. The other 3 are small but still important.

Step 2 Starting with the first tab, "client_text", Look for your language in the first column. If you're sure it is not there, you can start a new column.

Step 3 It is important that you do not edit the spreadsheet file you downloaded. Instead start a new spreadsheet file and only include your additions. That way it is easy for Waze to merge in your changes. For the same reason, use a different new file for each tab you work on.

If you believe there should be corrections to existing translations, please make them in a separate file also and note them as corrections when you submit them by email so Waze can review them more closely.

Step 4 Starting with the first, "client_text" tab, here is how to identify the text that still needs translating.

  • Delete from column D to the language column you are working on, just to get them out of the way. So for example, if you are working on Swedish translation in column H, delete columns D-G. This will put your working language in column D. If you're a polyglot you may wish to put multiple languages in E, F, etc if you're going to translate them all as a group.
  • Sort the whole sheet, using your chosen language in column D as the Sort By column. Now all the empty cells, the cells with #N/A and the cells with 0 (zero) will be in up to 3 groups (possibly adjacent). Feel free to blank out the #/N/A and the 0 entries and then resort, so you just have one group to deal with
  • Click and drag to highlight the rectangle of each of these 3 groups in turn, including columns B, C and D. Choose Edit/Copy and then in a new spreadsheet Edit/Paste. Paste each group at the end of the preceding one.
  • You now have a spreadsheet with 3 columns. Column A (originally B) contains the English text to be translated. Column B (originally C) contains any additional comments to help in the translation, but is not to be translated itself. Column C is where you put the translation and will either be blank or have some #N/A or 0. Move on to Step 5 - doing the translation.

For the second tab "scoreboard_text", use the same process, except the English text to translate starts in column D, and the explanation starts in column C.

For the third tab "groups_text" and the fourth tab "ticker_text" use the same process as for the first tab "client_text"

Step 5 Translate the English text in your new file in column A, and type it in column C. Column B will explain the text in column A more clearly but is not to be translated. It is for reference only.

Translation tip - make it short. Since the same text is used on all client devices, some of which have small screens, it is best to keep everything as short as possible. Use abbreviations.

For the fourth tab "ticker_text" make your translations short. 30 character maximum.

Step 6 Email your new spreadsheet file as an attachment to alpha@waze.com with the message subject Translation

Because the language files are held on the Waze server you can see your updates in the client once Waze has processed them. You don't need to wait for a new version of the app.

Step 7 Come back later and check if you can help some more. Or you can email alpha@waze.com and ask to be notified by email when there are new lines of text to be translated.

Every new version of the Waze app has new features with new text that require translating. So even if a language is completed, check back in later to see if we need new translations. If you see English being used in the app, mixed in with another language it's because we don't have a translation for those phrases yet.

Note that these translations are for written text in the [[client device] app. Audio prompts such as "in 200 meters turn right" are not part of this process.

Nearly complete Require more work
Language % Completed
English 100%
Hebrew 99.9%
Dutch 98.6%
Hungarian 98.6%
French 98.5%
Italian 98.5%
German 98.5%
Danish 98.5%
Polish 98.5%
Spanish 98.4%
Swedish 98.4%
Slovak 98.1%
Czech 94.5%
Spanish tailored for Spain
Arabic
Bosnian
Catalan
Finnish
Lithuanian
Portuguese (Brazil)
Romanian
Russian
Spanish (Venezuela)
Ukranian