Note: This documentation is preliminary and subject to change.
The WorldWide Telescope Localization Tool enables users to create localized versions of the WorldWide Telescope user-interface using a
simple localization tool. The WorldWide Telescope user interface is currently published in several languages with more
coming online. This will enable a worldwide community effort of localizing and
validating the string translations of the UI using a very simple toolset.
The WorldWide Telescope Localization tool provides the astronomy community with a standalone toolkit, WWTLang.exe, that enables
users to:
- Self-host the WorldWide Telescope application with a localized User Interface (UI).
- Validate astronomical-specific translations with domain experts, which may end with a finalized UI localization
becoming publicly available as part of WorldWide Telescope.
Table of Contents
See Also
Running the tool will open this localization dialog:
The dialog shows two main lists -- the English language string on the left, with the new
language string on the right.
Note: For language versions
included in the ADK, some of the strings in the file are un-editable as they
have been pre-translated using
Microsoft translation glossaries to ensure that standard user interface
terminology is used. If a translator wants to override a read-only string and
edit it, they should check the Ignore read-only check for the
selected string. This will enable them to edit that string.
See Also
To edit an existing language file:
- On the top right side of the main dialog select the language version that you want to edit from the languages
drop-down list.
- Click on each
numbered line of the interface language to edit it, then edit or translate it in
the text box in the lower-right corner. Click Enter to save the
change back to the file. Note that some strings have been pre-translated and are
un-editable. These are the strings that were translated using
standard terminology databases. If a translator wants to override a
read-only string and edit it, they should check the Ignore read-only check for
the selected string. This will enable them to edit that string.
- When the file is ready to save and test, either:
- Click Save to save changes back to the existing file.
- Type a new filename and click Save As to create a new version of the language pack.
The new local language pack for WorldWide Telescope (saved as .tdf file) will
be saved to your local documents directory, for example: \Documents\WWT Localization Files\WWT_Spanish.tdf.
- Test the file (refer to Loading and Sharing User Interface Localizations).
See Also
To create a new language version of WorldWide Telescope:
- From the language drop down list, select the language closest to the new one
you wish to create:
- The selected language strings will appear in the right column as a starting point.
- Click the Ignore read-only check and leave it selected.
- Click on each numbered line of the interface language to edit it, then translate
it in the text box in the lower-right corner. Click Enter to save the change back to the file.
- When the file is ready to save, type a filename and ensure to use the
Save As button:
The new local language pack for WorldWide Telescope (saved as a .tdf file) will be saved to your local
documents directory:
…\Documents\WWT Localization Files\language.tdf.
- Test the file (refer to Loading and Sharing User Interface Localizations).
See Also
The WorldWide Telescope application versions 2.2.41.1 and higher enables users to load new language files locally and
share them among peers.
To load a WorldWide Telescope language file locally:
- From the Settings menu, choose Select Your Language. The Select Your Language dialog box appears.
- From the drop-down list, select Load Local Language Pack and Click OK.
- From the File Open dialog, browse to find the language.tdf file and select it.
- At the prompt to restart and load the new string file, click Yes.
See Also
Below are guidelines to assist with the localization of the WorldWide
Telescope User Interface.
- Proper names: Proper names are noted in the Context/Meaning tooltips for each language file.
If there is a local equivalent use the local name. If there is not a local equivalent, leave the term un-translated.
For example, "Saturn" changes to "Saturne" in French.
- Acronyms: Acronyms are used throughout WorldWide Telescope in reference to various data formats,
astronomy and research organizations. These are noted in the Meanings section of the file and should not be
localized, for example: SIMBAD, FITS, ASCOM.
- Abbreviations: Abbreviations are commonly used throughout the text of WorldWide Telescope to save
space within the
user interface. Where there is an abbreviation used, its extended form is shown in the context/meanings column.
When translating, start from the full form of the translated word and abbreviate that as appropriate for your language,
and for the space constraints of the user interface.
String ID | String | Notes |
| 191 | Hrs | Abbreviation for “Hours” - translate then abbreviate translation if needed. |
| 192 | Min | Abbreviation for “Minutes” - translate then abbreviate translation if needed. |
| 193 | Sec | Abbreviation for “Seconds” - translate then abbreviate translation if needed. |
- Variables placed inside of { } brackets should not be localized and the brackets need to remain in place,
so localize around these elements.
String ID | String |
| 290 | "{0} of {1}" in French becomes "{0} de {1}" |
- Formatting inside string files: "\n\n" inside text causes line breaks and needs to remain in place as do
bullets and spaces before and after ("● "). The example below is one of the most
complex -- the string translates into the
Welcome to WorldWide Telescope dialog text.
String ID | String |
|
487 | Navigating in the WorldWide Telescope: \n\n ● Move around the sky by clicking and dragging the Field of View. \n
● Zoom in/out by scrolling the mouse wheel, pressing -/+ or Page Up/Page Down. \n
● Drag with center mouse button or hold Ctrl while dragging to rotate and tilt view.\n
● Navigate with a XBOX 360 controller by connecting it before launching.\n
● Click an object’s thumbnail to pan to the object. Double-clicking the object’s\n
thumbnail jumps you to the object. \n ● Page through multiple thumbnail panes with the scroll wheel \n
● Right-click an object to display the contextual Finder Scope for more information. \n
● Menu Tabs have two parts: click the tab’s top to open a pane,\n
click the tab’s bottom to open submenus with additional functionality. |
- Translated Text Length: The WorldWide Telescope application has very limited room for increased
string length through the translation process.
This means that as you localize, keep the string length as close to (or shorter than) its English counterpart.
As part of the testing process Microsoft Research will do a review for truncation of strings. If a localized string is too long to fit
within the constraints of the user interface, a shorter string will be used – either by editing or abbreviating the
existing string.
Note that tooltips can appear when the user hovers over areas of the user interface that can be longer
than the UI text and give more information about the feature.
To request edits to a published language version of the WorldWide Telescope
User Interface, or for more general questions, feedback and collaboration and
funding opportunities email the
Academic Program team at:
wwt-ap@microsoft.com.
See Also
