OmniDoc# steps for translating the whole technical manual in OmniDoc
When translating technical manuals, API documents and equipment instructions, how to make the same terminology consistent and prevent tables, formulas and codes from being aliased. The article provides methods for judging the source file format, establishing a glossary, selecting a technical style, and checking items one by one.
#Technical document translation method: Terminology unification and format points
Key points of this article
- Before translating, organize the glossary and define proper nouns, abbreviations and fixed translations, and then start processing the full text.
- The format of the source file determines whether the typesetting can be preserved. Editable source files are usually more secure than scans or screenshots.
- The technical style is closer to the wording habits of engineering readers and is suitable for manuals, specifications and interface documents.
- Before delivery, check whether the terminology is consistent, whether tables and formulas are misplaced, and whether codes and models have been altered.
- The results of machine translation require knowledgeable people to check key parameters, warnings and operation sequences.
There are two problems in technical document translation that are easily overlooked. One is that the same concept is translated into different words in different chapters. When readers see "controller", "control unit" and "main control board" appearing alternately, they will think that they are talking about three components. Another is that the layout of the translation is disrupted, the table column width is misaligned, the formulas become garbled, and the parameters in the code block are accidentally changed. In the end, a lot of time has to be spent on manual repair.
This article is written for anyone who needs to translate product manuals, API documentation, device specifications, or engineering specifications, including engineers, technical writers, and documentation leads on small teams. After reading it, you'll know what to prepare before getting started, how to handle an entire technical manual in OmniDoc, and what to check before delivery.
The following method does not rely on the operating habits of a specific software. The core is three things: first determine the terminology, then choose the right format and style, and finally check item by item.
How to translate technical documents so that the terminology is unified without damaging the format? One sentence conclusion
First decide on the glossary, then choose a processing method that matches the file format. After the translation is completed, check it against the list. These three steps are indispensable, and skipping the glossary is the main reason for inconsistent terminology.
| your situation | Recommended practices | reason |
|---|---|---|
| The manual contains a large number of proper nouns and models, with consistent requirements. | First create a glossary, list the original text, translation and notes, and use them uniformly during translation | The terminology is fixed in the translation, and subsequent processing will not be written separately. |
| Source file is editable Word, PPT, Excel or LaTeX | Directly upload the source file for translation, choose bilingual comparison or translation only | Original structures, tables and formulas are easier to retain |
| The source file is a scanned PDF or photocopy of the paper manual | First confirm whether the text can be selected before uploading the translation. After the translation, focus on checking the tables and formulas. | The text recognition results of the scanned documents may be incorrect and require manual verification. |
| Documentation is Markdown or API documentation with lots of code blocks | Keep the code and commands as they are, only translate the description text and check if the code block is complete | Changes to the code will directly cause the example to fail to run. |
| To be delivered to overseas customers or different readership groups | Select a technical style, submit the bilingual comparison to the reviewer, and then publish the translated version | The sentence patterns and wording used by engineering readers are more stable, and bilingualism facilitates review and traceability. |
Before you start: Confirm these points first
- confirm whether the source file can be read. * try to select a paragraph of text with the mouse in PDF. If it can be selected and copied, it is a text PDF;. If a whole picture is selected, it belongs to the scanned part. The focus of the two is different, the former mainly check typesetting, the latter also check whether the identification is accurate.
- sorting out terms that need to be fixed. * pick out recurring proper terms, abbreviations, product feature names and models from the original text, such as "firmware", "rollback" and "handshake protocol". Determine a translation of each word and write it in the glossary. Without this step, the later unity can only be replaced afterwards, and it is easy to change other sentences by mistake.
- distinguish which content cannot be translated. * models, version numbers, commands, variable names, file paths, and code snippets are usually kept as they are. List them in advance so that they will not be mistranslated, and there are clear criteria for checking.
- identify readers and style. * the same manual is written for site installers and developers with different words. Technical style is suitable for most engineering documents, if the document involves legal provisions or medical devices, you should choose the corresponding style, not mixed.
- prepare the version number of the original text. Technical documentation is updated frequently. Confirm which version is used before translation, and mark the version in the translation, so as to prevent readers from finding the corresponding content when comparing the new version with the old version.
- Open omnidoc.top and upload the source file to be translated. PDF, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, EPUB, Markdown and LaTeX source code packages are supported.
two. Choose the technical style to make the sentence patterns and words of the translation closer to the habit of engineering documents.
- If the glossary has been sorted out, enable the term consistency related option in the translation settings to apply the determined translation method to the full text.
- Choose the output mode: bilingual control should be selected when you need to revise paragraph by paragraph, and only when the translation is delivered.
- Submit the task and download the translation file after waiting for the completion of the processing.
- Open the translation and read through the previous chapters to make sure that the terminology and style are in line with expectations. If there is any deviation, go back to the glossary and re-translate it.
- Check the tables, formulas, pictures, and code blocks against the original text to make sure their positions and contents have not changed.
- If you need to further edit the translation, you can modify it in the document editor or UniDoc page editor (app.unidoc.top) on the desktop client, and then export and deliver it.
# check item by item after completion
Do not deliver the translation directly after it is generated, check it item by item according to the list below.
| Check item | What do you think? | What if there's a problem? |
|---|---|---|
| Terminology consistency | Use intra-document search to find out all the translations of terms and whether the comparison is unified. | Replace it uniformly according to the glossary, and confirm that the replacement does not accidentally hurt other words |
| Table structure | Compare the original text page by page to see if the number of rows, merged cells and headers are consistent. | Fix it manually in the editor and disassemble the complex table if necessary |
| Formulas and symbols | Check that superscripts, Greek letters and unit symbols are displayed correctly | Revise it against the original text; keep the original picture and note when the formula is complex |
| Code and command | Check whether the code blocks, commands, paths and variable names are exactly the same as the original text. | Restore the content of the original text, and use the code directly without handing over the translation result. |
| Numbers and parameters | Check the values and units of voltage, temperature, size, version number, model, etc. | Go back to the original article one by one and check it. Don't modify it according to your impression. |
| Warning and order of operation | Check the strength of the "attention", "warning" and "danger" statements and check whether the step numbers are continuous. | Please check by those who understand the equipment or system to make sure that the safety tips are not weakened. |
Both machine translation and OCR can make mistakes, especially the recognition results of scanned parts and long sentences in the field of expertise. Key parameters, safety warnings and operating procedures must be reviewed by knowledgeable people against the original text, not just whether the translation is smooth or not.
# Core comparison
The impact of different source file formats on typesetting retention varies greatly, you can refer to the following table when choosing.
| Source file format | Typesetting retention | A suitable scene |
|---|---|---|
| Editable Word or PowerPoint | The structure is clear, and tables and paragraphs are usually better preserved. | First draft of product manual, training materials |
| LaTeX source code package | The formula and document structure are well preserved, which is suitable for academic and normative documents. | Technical reports, specifications, paper documents |
| Markdown and API documents | Code blocks and header levels are easy to maintain, but be careful that the code is not changed | Interface documentation, developer manual |
| Literal PDF | Layout retention depends on the original file, and complex typesetting needs to be checked page by page. | A finalized specification, standard document |
| Scanning version of PDF | Characters depend on recognition results, and tables and formulas are prone to problems. | Emergency treatment only in paper or photographic version |
# frequently asked questions (FAQ)
1. Can the translation of technical documents be done entirely by machine without manual revision?
This is not recommended. Machine translation can quickly process large chunks of text, but the accuracy of models, parameters, safety warnings and operation sequence still needs to be checked by people who know how to do it. Especially for end-user-oriented instructions, a mistake may bring real risks.
2. How detailed should the glossary be?
Each term should at least state the original text, translation and scope of use. If the same word has different meanings in different chapters, write the remarks clearly, for example, "in the hardware section." In the software section, it refers to. ". The glossary does not have to be done at once, but can be read and supplemented in the process of translation.
3. What about the scanned version of the equipment manual?
First confirm whether it is a scanned part by selecting the text. Scanned pieces can be uploaded and translated directly, but before the translation is delivered, the forms, formulas and model numbers should be checked one by one against the original. If the original is ambiguous, it is recommended to find a clear version before dealing with it.
4. What if the code block in the translation has been translated?
Code, commands, variable names, and file paths should not be translated. If changes are found, restore them directly against the original text and add them to the "keep as is" list of the glossary so as to avoid the same problem in the next translation.
5. Can free online translation tools handle technical documents?
When choosing tools, you can first look at several aspects: file size restrictions, whether the translation is watermarked, the privacy policy of documents, and whether typesetting is retained. Technical documents are highly demanding in terms and format, so it is recommended to test with a sample of several pages to check the effectiveness of tables, formulas, and code blocks before selection.
# Summary
The key to the translation of technical documents is to determine the terms first, then select the right format and style, and finally check them item by item. By making a good glossary, confirming the format of the source file, and checking the tables, formulas, and code blocks and parameters one by one, the translation can be unified and reliable.
