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Madcap Flare Plugin

Maha Muhsen

Hi,

How can I obtain the Madcap Flare Plugin that works with SDL Trados 2017?

Thanks,

Maha
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  • 0

    MadCap Flare file type is built in Studio 2017 already.
    Thing is that its default configuration includes only *.htm and *html files, while MadCap Flare produces way more filetypes with localizable content (flmsp, flsnp, flpgl, flglo, fltoc, flvar, fltar, flprj and god knows how many more).
    You need to add all these to the configuration yourself, plus also add the corresponding root element names to the configuration, plus perhaps also add/edit the Parser settings to your needs.

    Plus, very important thing: read this thread if your customized MadCap Flare file type will keep disappearing from the list: https://community.sdl.com/product-groups/translationproductivity/f/90/t/15217
  • 0 in reply to Evzen Polenka
    Hi Evzen,

    I understand that Madcap Flare file types are supported in SDL Trados, but this isn't what I need. Below is an explanation of how I use SDL Trados with Flare so that it would help with finding a solution.

    Madcap Flare is used to create user guide, the output is HTML files. Being a single source tool it allows me to use the same content to generate several different outputs, this requires the use of variables (such as company name, brand, document name, date, etc) and conditions (which content appears in which output). This is very important with the types of documents required by the business.
    When these HTML files need translation, they’re sent in the form of HTML files to the translation agency along with the plugin. The plugin helps them import the files into SDL Trados while showing the variables (they appear as a blue box in the middle of sentence or wherever they’re added), so translators know how to keep an eye on them and maintain the correct structure.
    The translated HTML files are then simply imported into Flare, nothing is affected, the variables and conditions are in place which maintains the integrity of the translation and allows me to generate the required multiple outputs.
    When I need to create the Translation Memory for internal use, SDL Trados will also identify them without any action from me, I don’t have to identify a variables list in Trados.
    There used to be a plugin that worked, I don’t understand what changed.
    Hope this helps!

    Maha
  • 0 in reply to Maha Muhsen
    Hi ,

    It sounds to me as though someone configured the previous version and sent the sdlftsettings file out with the files so all translators had the right file. If this is the case then all you have to do is perform the same customisation in the filetype built into Studio (as this has replaced the appstore plugin as Evzen correctly pointed out) and send the sdlftsettings file for that.

    However, a much better approach would be to not send the source files out if you have Studio yourselves. Rather you prepare the files correctly every time and send out project packages, or even the sdlxliff files.

    Paul Filkin | RWS Group

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  • 0 in reply to Evzen Polenka
    Hi Evzen,

    How do I add the Madcap Flare file types, could you please provide more details on how to import them.
  • 0 in reply to Maha Muhsen

    You need to add file extensions of the other localizable MadCap Flare files, plus configure a way to recognize/detect them (in my examples I used their root elements):

    (the last root element in the list, not visible on screenshot, is "CatapultProject" for the *.flprj MadCap Flare project files)

    Then you might also need/want to edit the Parser settings to add/edit the XML parser rules according your requirements.
    For example here you can see some added rules for the added *.flXXX files (the "//Variable" or "//Content" and other rules), a special rule to exclude texts set as "Do Not Translate" and "Under Construction" (i.e. draft) in MadCap Flare, or an extra rule to exclude texts in <code> element, per client's requirement.

    And here is an example of some further finetuning:
    - a rule to localize hyperlinks, but finetuned to extract link only if it contains a slash (to exclude zillions of nontranslatable links to in-page anchors like <a href="#hist_tags_anchor">hist_tags</a> and not pollute the files with useless stuff screwing up the wordcounts)
    - rules to color texts with "class=uicontrol" attribute, and to color MadCap Flare tracked-changes texts... to visually help translators to comprehend the texts (which gets REALLY REALLY tricky if tracked changes are left in the file!)