Overview

Releasing new software simultaneously into multiple markets is a challenge faced by many organizations. Many processes need to be considered to ensure that tight software release deadlines are met. One of the key activities required to develop software for global markets is localization.

SDL Passolo 2009 is a specialized software localization tool that greatly speeds up the translation of user interfaces. It is easy-to-use and users require neither time-consuming and expensive training, nor programming experience.  SDL Passolo greatly optimizes both manual and automated localization workflows, either as a stand-alone application, or when integrated with other SDL products such as SDL Trados Studio and SDL MultiTerm.

User-friendly software localization tool - no programming experience required!

• Real-time visual localization environment that provides clear visibility of how translation impacts dialog boxes and menus
• Easily translate software strings and adapt user interfaces, without accidentally changing elements or structures
• Integrates with your development environment and workflow management systems
• Modern interface that can be customized to suit your preferences and requirements

Speed up software localization projects - translate faster than ever before!

• Fully integrated with SDL software for further leveraging of translation memories and terminology
• New QuickIndex™ reduces the lookup speed of previously translated content to a fraction of a second
• Consolidates translation memories, files and settings into one file, called a bundle, that can be sent to all involved in a project 

Extensive QA checks - improve the accuracy and consistency of your projects

• The pseudo-translation feature checks for localization suitability before the translation begins
• Automated quality assurance (QA) checks verify spelling, correct use of terminology and formatting of dialogs, menus or buttons
• Customized QA checks can also be set-up to ensure that your software localization projects are of the highest quality

Full control of your projects - access previous versions in just a few clicks 

• Access to the complete history of edits made to each string during the translation process
• Easily revert back to a previous version of the translation if changes are made and then retracted

• Fully compatible with the Microsoft .NET framework including 3.5
• In addition, a large number of software specific file formats, including executable programs, resource files and XML based files.
• Text strings can be translated into numerous languages including Asian languages (Unicode) and right-to-left scripts like Hebrew and Arabic.   

System Requirements

SDL Passolo 2009 will be delivered as a Unicode application only and therefore can be used only on Windows XP or Windows Vista. A multilingual Windows XP is recommended for projects with Asian languages. SDL Passolo 2009 can also localize software for Windows 9x.

New Features

SDL Passolo 2009 is specifically designed with the software localizer in mind. Providing one visual environment for software localization, it enhances the speed, quality and efficiency of the localization process.

This latest version of SDL Passolo is the fastest yet, so you can complete your software localization projects quicker than ever before. It is also compatible with even more file formats and has been re-designed to increase flexibility and ease-of-use.

Key new features include:

Revolutionary QuickIndex technology for faster projects completion!

• Reduces lookup time from up to one minute to a fraction of a second compared to a large non-indexed glossary
• Improves the quality of matches by interpreting programming language specifics within software strings
• Provides the ability to index projects for faster lookup

Improved user interface that you can tailor to suit your requirements

• Modern, intuitive look and feel
• Customizable interface allows you to resize, reposition or close task panes
• The ability to customize your keyboard shortcuts for maximum efficiency

Access the full history of edits to each string for greater control over your projects

• Roll-back changes, enabling you to revert to a previous version
• Provides an audit trail of the localization process

Additional features to speed up your software localization projects

• Search for strings in large projects faster with the project view filter
• Find repeated strings more easily and quickly with the replicate filter
• Easily add source files, as well as import translation files and bundles with drag-and-drop functionality

Be future-ready with additional and enhanced support for all the latest file filters

• Microsoft® .NET 3.5
• Enhanced Microsoft® WPF support
• Delphi® 2009
• Enhanced Java™ support
• Oracle® 11 databases
• Microsoft® Silverlight™ support

Editions

With several different editions available, SDL Passolo offers a cost-effective solution for any project, of any size.

Professional Edition
As a stand-alone solution, the Professional Edition is particularly suited to the localization of medium to large sized projects. With the add-ins for translation memory systems and terminology databases, translation data can be exported to external programs to translate the relevant manuals and online help.

The integrated script development environment also makes it possible to change or add functions to SDL Passolo.

Team Edition
The Team Edition offers the additional benefit of being able to create and administer a certain number of translation bundles. These translation bundles can be processed using the free Translator Edition (please see below). With a single Team Edition license it is possible to delegate entire projects to external translators, including the task of adapting and testing the dialog layouts.

The Team Edition has three different options, depending on the number of translation bundles you need to manage. You can opt for either 5, 10 or unlimited bundles.

SDL Passolo Essential
SDL Passolo Essential is included as an application within the latest version of SDL Trados Studio. This edition allows you to create and translate projects, as well as generate localized target files.

However, there are feature limitations, such as no QA checking feature, no leveraging from previously translated content and you can only use one target language per project.

Translator Edition
The Translator Edition is a free editor that can be downloaded from our website. It allows translators to edit the bundles created with the Team Edition. It cannot parse source files or generate target files, but it offers all the other functions needed to process translation bundles.

Optional Add-Ins

Using the optional file parser Add-Ins, it is also possible to process other types of resource files directly in SDL Passolo 2009. These Add-Ins enable SDL Passolo 2009 to localize the following file formats:

Add-In for Microsoft .NET 3.5 programs
All resources generated with Microsoft .NET 3.5 can be localized with this Add-In. This includes binary files (EXE, satellite DLLs und Assemblies) and resource files used for development (RESX und RESOURCE). In addition to the localization of text strings in table form, this Add-In provide WYSIWYG editors for displaying and processing dialogs, menus and bitmaps. Also Custom Properties of control elements can be localized. The dialog editor suports private, public and external inheritance, and is able to visualize third party controls and is able to localize user defined properties.

Add-In for Borland Delphi/C++ Builder programs
All binary files (EXE, DLL, BPL) for programs generated using up to Borland Delphi 2009 and Borland C++ Builder. SDL Passolo 2009 supports both the multibyte format used in Delphi 5 and UTF-8 format for Delphi 6. In addition to the localization of text strings in table form, this Add-In provide WYSIWYG editors for displaying and processing dialogs, menus and bitmaps.

Add-In for Java programs
All Java platforms (J2EE, J2SE, and J2ME) are supported. The resource data formats can be processed not only in Java source files, but also in compiled binary files and compressed JAR files.

Resource Property files have the file extension PROPERTIES and contain a simple list of IDs and strings.

• ListResourceBundles are Java classes derived from the base java.util.ListResourceBundle or from another class derived from ListResourceBundle. The Java Add-In can process source files (JAVA) as well as compiled binary files (CLASS).
• ArrayResourceBundles are Java classes, but their setup is slightly different. ArrayResourceBundles were introduced by Inprise Borland and Oracle. Once again, the Java Add-In can process both the source files and the compiled binary files.
• JAR files can contain a complete Java application in compressed form, which simplifies the distribution and administration of components. The Java Add-In can extract property files and ResourceBundles from the files contained in a JAR file, and can insert the translations into the JAR file in compliance with the Java conventions.

Add-In for OBDC Databases
Using this parser the content of different databases can be translated. Supported are databases, where an appropriate OLE DB Provider is available e.g. MS ACCESS, MS Excel, MS SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL and IBM DB2. The translations can be stored in new records, in different columns or the text can be exchanged.

Add-In for Palm OS Software
Using the parser for Palm OS all localizable text strings from PRC files can be extracted and localized using PASSOLO. Beside the translation of text strings in table form, this Add-In provide WYSIWYG editors for displaying and processing dialogs, menus and bitmaps.