XLIFF 2.0 csprd01 comment by David Filip - classification of processes and agents to improve precision of conformance statements

["Dr. David Filip" <David.Filip@ul.ie>]

Fellow TC members,

our specification is still too document centric. Compared to XLIFF 1.2, we have many Processing Requirements and it is very well so.

However the only explicit statement we are making towards the application conformance target is isolated and does not have much backing throughout the spec (see evaluation by TAB member Martin Chapman in last TC minutes)

I attach and include in the e-mail body proposed definitions that should be included in the spec and used throughout PRs to refine the intended application conformance targets.

It is vital that the spec contains normative language that will allow for unambiguous construction of application conformance profiles and to specify admissible document states before and after a specific processes are performed by agents of specific types.

This proposal will be presented on the 4th XLIFF Symposium, it should also be preliminary discussed in the F2F on June 10, 2013

[DRAFT] [Normative]

Process and Agent Related terminology in XLIFF 2.0

 

Agent – a tool that does anything to an XLIFF file from extract to merge inclusively.

Extract/Extraction – the process of encoding localizable content from a native content or User Interface format as XLIFF payload, so that localizable parts of content in the source language are available for translation into the target language along with necessary context.

Extractor (Agent) – an Agent that performs the Extraction process.

Merge – the process of importing XLIFF payload back to the originating native format, based on the full knowledge of the extraction mechanism, so that the localized content or User Interface strings replace the source language in the native format.

Merger (Agent) –an Agent that performs the Merge process.

Warning:

Unless specified otherwise, Merger is deemed to have the same knowledge of the native format as the Extractor throughout the specification. Mergers independent of Extractors can succeed, but it is out of scope of this specification to specify interoperability for merging back without the full extractor knowledge of the native format.

Enrich/Enriching – the process of associating module and extension based metadata and resources with the extracted XLIFF payload.

PR:

Enriching MAY happen at the time of extraction.

Enricher (Agent) – an Agent that performs the Enriching process.

Note:

Extractor knowledge of the native format is not assumed while Enriching.

Modify/Modification – the process of changing core XLIFF structural elements and bin-file module elements.

Modifier (Agent) – an Agent that performs the Modification process.

PR:

Structural elements MAY be Modified and Enriched at the same time. Modifier MUST be able roll back the core and bin-file structure of an XLIFF that it has previously modified.

Note:

Enricher or Extractor knowledge of the native format is not assumed while Modifying.

Warning:

Rollback of Modifications performed by a different Modifier is out of scope.

Edit Source/Source Editing – the process of changing payload of <source> children of <segment> elemensts.

Source Editor (Agent) – an Agent that performs Source Editing.

PR:

Source editing MAY be performed at the time of Modification.

Translate/Translation - a rendering of the meaning of source text, expressed in the target language. As an XLIFF based process it means creating and changing <target> children of <segment> elements.

Translation Editor (Agent) – an Agent that performs the Translation process.

Review/Revision – the process of creating or changing any annotation elements, attributes or values specified in core, modules or extensions. This includes marking spans of <source> and <target> children of <segment> elements.

Revision Agent – an Agent that performs the Revision process.

PR:

Revision MAY be performed at the time of Translation.

Revision MAY be performed at the time of Modification.

Validate/Validation – the process of checking XLIFF payload against any rules specified via the Validation Module or any general, core or module specific Processing Requirements.

Validator (Agent) – an Agent that performs the Validation process.

PR:

Validators MAY add test results via the Validation Module.

Validator MUST not modify any other XLIFF elements, attributes or values.

Validation MUST NOT be performed at the time of Merge.

Note:

Extractor/Merger Agents will benefit from use of a Validator. Even though the Validator will often be a part of the same tool/platform, it is important to distinguish between validation and the actual Merge. Validation will routinely precede Merge, while failed Validation will lead to exception handling, such as returning the XLIFF file to a Revision Agent or Translation Editor, Modifier etc.

Dr. David Filip

=======================

LRC | CNGL | LT-Web | CSIS

University of Limerick, Ireland

telephone: +353-6120-2781

cellphone: +353-86-0222-158

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mailto: david.filip@ul.ie

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