Glossary · Preparation
What is localizability?
Localizability is how easily an application can be translated and adapted to another language without changing its code. A localizable application keeps every user-facing text in resources, builds sentences with placeholders, gives longer translations room, and handles any script the target languages need.
What lowers localizability.
Each of these problems sends work back to developers after translation has started.
| Problem | What happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Text written in the code | It stays in English in every language | Move it into resources |
| Sentences glued from parts | "Saved " + n + " files" cannot follow another language's word order | One string with placeholders: Saved {0} files |
| Fixed-size controls | Longer translations are cut off | Room for about a third more text, or layouts that grow |
| One string, several meanings | "Open" as a verb and as a state needs two translations | Separate strings, with a comment for the translator |
| ANSI-only text handling | Japanese or Polish text turns into question marks | Unicode throughout |
| Fixed formats | Dates, numbers, and currency look wrong | Format by the user's locale |
| Text in images | Every language needs its own image | Keep text out of images |
The guides list the typical problems by platform: Win32 / MFC, WinForms, WPF, and Delphi / C++Builder.
How to check it before translation.
The cheapest moment to find these problems is before the first translator sees the strings.
Find text in codeand move it into resources. Lingobit Extractor does this for C++, C#, Visual Basic, Delphi, and Java.
Pseudo-localizethe build: longer text with accented characters shows cut-off labels, glued sentences, and text that stays in English. See pseudo-localization.
Run the applicationin the pseudo language and go through every screen.
Validatethe translations later: placeholders, hotkeys, and text that no longer fits.
Questions.
What is the difference between localizability and internationalization?
Internationalization is the work of preparing the code; localizability is the result, how ready the application is for translation. See software internationalization.
What is localizability testing?
Testing whether the application can be localized without code changes, usually with pseudo-localization before any real translation exists.
Can a compiled application be checked without its source?
Yes, for what is in its resources: pseudo-translate the EXE and DLL files with a binary localization tool and run the result. Text in code shows up as the English that did not change. See binary localization.
Related paths
- Pseudo-localization — Find localizability problems before translation.
- Software internationalization — Prepare the code.
- Localization QA — Check what the translation broke.
- Glossary — More localization terms.