SumTotal Localization Tool

The SumTotal Suite is an commercial, enterprise product line that is globalized into 20 languages. As the product line grows, there is a recurring cost to translate new features.

In 2005, I developed a Localization Tool for SumTotal that extracts all localized text from across the suite (which includes numerous resource file formats) and places the localized text into a centralized “memory”. The tools stores the set of unique strings along with the location where each string is used.

The Localization Tool saves SumTotal significantly on translation costs by never retranslating a string which has already been translated. The tool can also export all strings that need to be translated into a single file in a format used by the translation industry. This dramatically reduces the cost and effort that is usually associated with extracting string resources from proprietary file formats.

The Localization Tool is also aware of “components” within the SumTotal Suite. During normal software development, some components might be completed and ready for translation earlier in the release cycle. The tool facilitates sending specific components out for translation. This ensures optimized efficiency.

SumTotal is proud to simultaneously ship its enterprise products in 13 core languages with each release.

Employer

SumTotal Systems

Roles

Lead Software Architect, Development Lead

Style

Commercially-available

Focus Area

Globalization

Technology

C#/.NET 1.0/1.1