Mobile app version of vmapp.org
Login or Join
Heady304

: How can I localize an InDesign file? I'm looking for some method for automating the localization process for an InDesign document. Basically, I want to be able to take the contents of the file,

@Heady304

Posted in: #AdobeIndesign #Workflow

I'm looking for some method for automating the localization process for an InDesign document.

Basically, I want to be able to take the contents of the file, translate it into a few other languages (using machine translation) then rebuild the document that many times with all the formatting maintained. The document is already using things like threaded master frames anchored objects to keep the graphics in-line with the text, so the length changing shouldn't be an issue. I'm not sure how to maintain the paragraph and character styles though.

10.03% popularity Vote Up Vote Down


Login to follow query

More posts by @Heady304

3 Comments

Sorted by latest first Latest Oldest Best

 

@Goswami567

There is a (paid-for) add-on for InDesign that does exactly what you're asking for.
It will machine-translate (using Google Translate) an InDesign document.
It keeps all paragraph and character styles intact (which is probably the toughest requirement in the original question).
If wanted, it will create new duplicates of the paragraph and character styles, changing just the language setting (and if needs be, the text direction: from left-to-right to right-to-left).
And it does this all in-place (just like Google Translate for a web page), so you don't need to "rebuild" the InDesign document.
It's created by Id-Extras.com: www.id-extras.com/products/translate
So this would definitely be a step forward in automating the localization process for an InDesign document.

10% popularity Vote Up Vote Down


 

@Fox8063795

There are few options:


Redokun redokun.com (disclaimer: I’m one of the Co-Founders) - Export all the sentences in an Excel file, translate them and then reimport the sentences into the InDesign files automatically. However, the tool doesn't provide a way to translate automatically. That would result in an unprofessional work, as some users already said.
Make an InDesign script, although there are a few things to keep in mind when exporting/importing phrases from InDesign
Use a (paid) tool (InPagina come to mind, but there are a few of them).


There are also more advanced solutions that save your document layout and information in a database and automatically create your InDesign document. These solutions are very powerful, they are able to manage any changes you make and store your translations.

10% popularity Vote Up Vote Down


 

@Marchetta832

This might be easiest done by linking a text file.


By default, text you place in InDesign is not linked to the original
text file. However, if you select the Create Links When Placing Text
And Spreadsheet Files option in File Handling preferences before you
place a file, the name of the text file appears in the Links panel.
You can use the Links panel to update and manage the file. When you
update a linked text file, any editing or formatting changes applied
within InDesign are lost. Because of this risk, linked text files are
not automatically updated when the original file is edited. However,
you can easily use the Links panel to update content or to unlink
(embed) the file.

Do one of the following: To apply this change to a document, open the
document.

To apply this change to any new document you create, close all
documents.

Choose Edit > Preferences > File Handling (Windows) or InDesign >
Preferences > File Handling (Mac OS). To create links in placed files,
select Create Links When Placing Text And Spreadsheet Files. If this
option is turned on, use the Links panel to update, relink, or remove
links. If this option is turned off, text files are embedded (not
linked).




Source: help.adobe.com/en_US/indesign/cs/using/WS714a382cdf7d304e7e07d0100196cbc5f-6199a.html#WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-6f63a and blog.lynda.com/2012/05/10/indesign-secrets-linking-a-table-to-an-excel-spreadsheet-for-easy-updating/

10% popularity Vote Up Vote Down


Back to top | Use Dark Theme