Share translations between projects to save time and cost

The Problem

You have an iOS app, Android app, and website. A majority of the text are similar across the platforms, but each platform has different file formats and rules. Translating the text for each platform is also a waste of time and money. What to do?

We've got the solution. But before we explain what OneSky has to offer, let's understand the different file formats and behaviors.

iOS

"login_button" = "LOGIN";

<dict>
 <key>%d Apples(s) in Stock</key>
 <dict>
  <key>NSStringLocalizedFormatKey</key>
   <string>%#@apples@</string>
  <key>apples</key>
  <dict>
   <key>NSStringFormatSpecTypeKey</key>
    <string>NSStringPluralRuleType</string>
   <key>NSStringFormatValueTypeKey</key>
    <string>d</string>
   <key>one</key>
    <string>%d Apple in Stock</string>
   <key>other</key>
    <string>%d Apples in Stock</string>
  </dict>
 </dict>
</dict>

<dict>
 <key>Artist</key>
  <string>David Bowie</string>
 <key>Songs</key>
 <array>
  <string>Changes</string>
  <string>Let's Dance</string>
 </array>
</dict>

 <trans-unit id="1">
   <segment>
    <source>David Bowie</source>
   </segment>
 </trans-unit>

Apple developers usually convert their .strings files into .xliff files because they are the more standard and adapted format for non-technical translation companies. You can easily generate them on Xcode, combining all of your .strings files into a single .xliff file. 

Since OneSky accepts all technical files, both .strings and .xliff can be parsed on our platform for translation, and your decision to convert them is up to your convenience.

Please note that .xliff files do not support plural strings (.stringsdict) or property list values (.plist), which would have to be uploaded in separate files.

Android

<string name="artist">David Bowie</string>

<plurals>
 <item quantity="one">Artist</item>
 <item quantity="other">Artists</item>
</plurals>

<string-array name="artists">
 <item>David Bowie</item>
 <item>Prince</item>
</string-array>

For Android, there is only one .xml file type that can be easily generated on Android Studio.

OneSky Migration Tool

Now that you understand the different file formats for iOS and Android, how can you translate your apps quickly and cost-efficiently?

OneSky has a migration tool that allows you to share translations between projects.

Here is a sample workflow:

1. Create iOS project and upload generated iOS (.strings/.stringsdict/.plist) OR (.xliff/.stringsdict/.plist) string files.
2. Translate iOS strings on our platform's translation management system (TMS).
3. Create a separate Android project and upload base strings.xml files generated from internationalizing your Android app.
4. Use migration tool to migrate existing translations from your iOS project to your Android project.
• Only strings with 100% matching content (not string IDs) will be migrated (whitespace and newlines matter)
• Due to different placeholder and pluralization behavior of iOS and Android, strings with placeholders or plural forms will NOT migrate
5. In your Android project, you can see that most strings are already translated!
6. Translate the rest of your base Android project strings that did not have a 100% content match with your base iOS project strings.
7. Export your Android .xml translation files.

Note: This workflow works for any type of project (Android -> iOS, iOS -> website, etc.).