A reasonably priced solution for software developers

RapidTranslation (RT) is primarily not a localization/translation tool but a special, almost unique application that allows Runtime Language Switching for 32-bit Windows Applications. It currently supports applications developed in C++. Visual Basic applications are only supported if they were properly programmed (no mixup of language resources and other program code). Support of .NET assemblies is under development.

The purpose of this software is particularly important for multilanguage applications in critical environments where it is not possible to interrupt a running application in order to switch the language. This is the case for industrial or machine controls, information systems and terminals as well as device-specific software and drivers. Besides such crucial applications, language switching at runtime provides advantages and saves time for software developers, localization engineers and translators who are localizing an application, as there is no need to stop and restart a process in order to see changes take effect.

In addition, software developers can include the runtime module for distributing their multilingual application all wrapped within their own setup procedure. Language switching does not produce any performance loss, and one can customize the process to fit a product. It is always possible to add more languages to the original resource if the developer wants to provide more languages to his or her customers. Alternative to such a "root" translation, RT is also able to translate the interfaces or "surface" of Windows 32-bit software. This is an almost unique feature of RT. As in the case of "root" translations, switching from the current language to any of the other integrated languages takes place while the application is running. As soon as text is displayed within the interface, it is correctly translated. The architecture of the software ensures that there is no code modification and that no programming skills are required to operate the tool.

RT is composed of RT Studio, RT Editor and RT Runtime. RT Studio integrates the RT technology into an existing application, allowing the user to easily create and manage multilingual applications. The used language files (.tra) are automatically created from existing applications in binary formats such as .EXE, .DLL and .OCX. Dependent external language resources are found through either a static or a dynamic dependency check that locates and adds any dependent DLLs or other binary resources containing localizable information and adds them to the language file. If you already have two or multiple language versions of your application, it is quite easy to create one multilingual application by simply merging them to a truly bilingual or multilingual version. The same is possible from a single application that supports several languages by using different associated resources. The switching dialog is held as simple as possible, with country-flags symbolizing different languages to enable all users to select the appropriate language even if he or she is not able to recognize the specific characters of the current language. Applications cannot be satisfactorily localized if string resources are loaded into the memory only at the launch of an application from where they are called each time they are needed instead of reading them from the string table every time they are called for. In this case, one needs to use the "surface translation" strategy where RT captures all text output routines of MS Windows and localizes them according to the bilingual resources. This is, however, not the preferred way of generating multilingual software. Using the project wizard in the developer mode allows software developers to integrate RT into the early steps of developing their software and thereby ensure optimal localizability.

Interface of RapidTranslation Studio

The RT Editor provides a platform to perform the actual translation of the texts and strings involved in the resource. It arranges all texts of the application according to their functions (menus, dialogs and messages) and displays them in a clear tree structure. RT Editor is extremely easy to handle and can be mastered after a short time even by inexperienced translators. It has many word-processing functions available, such as editing, full-text search, automated search and automated replacement of words. Other helpful functions include an automatic tagging feature for not-yet translated texts and the intelligent update handling assistance. Format strings or wildcards (usually displayed as "%") are protected and cannot be edited. Due to the unique RapidSwitching Technology, you can check the results of your modifications right within the running target application by just one mouse click. A basic WYSIWYG editor allows you to resize dialog boxes easily and to fit modified text strings by using the mouse. External third-party translators can also use the RT Editor. As RapidSolution does not compete with professional software localization tools and is aware of the limitations of the included editor, it is also possible to integrate any other translation tool into RT that is capable to handle Windows resource files into the workflow. Due to a tight cooperation of RapidSolution Software and PASS Engineering GmbH, there is a direct linking between RT and PASSOLO, thereby allowing you to visualize the results and effects of your translation immediately at runtime of the localized target application. Besides this tight integration, RT works with any third-party localization tool at the click of a button within the StudioLife bar.

Interface of a localized multilingual version of Outlook Express. A new submenu brings up the language selection dialog box at right

RapidTranslation: Instant Language-Switch from English to Japanese

The RT Runtime can be delivered to the end user along with the multilingual product and enables the runtime switching of languages without the need of having RT installed on this system. RT generates a setup kit which, executed on the target workstation, automatically adds the multilingual ability to the local installation of the target application. It features a clear switching dialogue with country flags enabling the selection of the correct language even if the particular characters of the language cannot be understood. The RT Runtime affects the application in two different ways. First, the runtime module replaces all texts that are loaded from the resources with the corresponding files of the target language. Second, RT Runtime checks every text to be displayed on screen and translates it if necessary. This dual functionality ensures that all texts are covered and translated correctly when RapidSwitching is used.

RT installed quickly without any problems on my Windows XP system. In order to cope with non-Windows-NT kernels, there is also an ANSI version within the same installer. The installation package is an astonishing lightweight (7.5 MB), taking into account that the software is able to capture, manipulate and release language-containing resources deep within the architecture of Microsoft Windows.

Setting up a project within the RT Studio is easy, thanks to a wizard. The only drawback for a newcomer such as me is the lack of an integrated help system and printed manuals, as well as a basic tutorial, which would jumpstart your work using RT. There are several PDF manuals (some of them even only in black-and-white), but they lack bookmarks and internal jumps for an easier navigation. Even if they were perfect, the manuals are no equivalent substitutes for a good help system. However, for most easy projects, there should be no problems, due to the project setup wizard and the clear organization of the user interface of the RT Studio featuring tabs and a hierarchical navigation panel.

Minor annoyances are frequent display errors such as flickers within the multilingual interface, especially if one is moving the mouse over the submenu items. This occurs because MS Windows does not double-buffer dialogs after redrawing them. More serious obstacles were mix-ups between the settings of different projects (a problem which might occur for any user) and the same projects using different external editors (a problem possibly specific for my test environment), resulting in the implementation of incorrect target or language files. In addition, deleting outdated projects is quite clumsy, as you have to use the software de-installation feature of MS Windows to get rid of disturbing files and registry entries.

It is a nice thing to receive the RT Editor together with the RT Studio at no extra cost and to be able to redistribute it to your translators, but it cannot compare to most professional software localization tools. RapidSolution, therefore, even suggests that you use an external third-party tool for the actual translation and has established a strategic partnership with PASS Engineering by integrating a tight connection between RT and PASSOLO. However, using any other tool of your choice is not much more of a hassle.

By its nature, RT is limited to handling standard 32-bit Windows applications only. Software developed in Visual Basic is only supported if properly programmed. This means no mixing of language resources and other program code. There is furthermore no support of web applications, XML and Java. Featuring real-time language switching of the graphical user-interface of Windows 32-bit software, RT has almost no competitors. Only one other product is capable of doing the same trick: WizTom by WizArt. However, while RT is an affordable solution focusing on smaller software developers and translators, WizTom is a high-end language-switching solution for corporations and larger businesses offering custom-adapted packages for most major programming environments, web-based services, XML and Java. On the other hand, WizTom does not serve the purpose of checking the look and feel as well as the functioning of your software during localization and, consequently, does not cooperate with external software localization tools.

For a comprehensive summary, I also want to mention that some software localization tools (CATALYST, Lingobit Localizer and SDL ToolProof) are able to create a link between generated target files and user input in order to log problems within the interface of the localized version manually.

In conclusion, RT offers a reasonably priced out-of-the-box solution for software developers to create multilingual deploys of their Windows 32-bit software. In connection with a powerful localization tool, it might also be very valuable for translators and software engineers to test the look and feel of the localized versions while translation and engineering are still going on.