In the age of artificial intelligence, the figure of the DTP specialist remains vitally important in the process of document translation and adaptation for print. Whether it is brochures, leaflets or catalogs, the delivery is always the same: obtain a document equal to the original in appearance and format, but with the text in another language.
On the surface it may seem like a relatively simple task, but each tool, from the classics Adobe InDesign, Illustrator and PhotoShop, to Microsoft PowerPoint and even Canva, has its own peculiarities and hides some insidious aspects. For simplicity’s sake in this article I will limit myself to InDesign, which has become the standard, because it is a very comprehensive tool and allows for a roundup of the most common layout problems to be addressed.
When a client sends us an InDesign file to be translated a lot of things happen "behind the scenes," let’s look at them schematically first:
- Preflight verification of the package sent by the customer
- Selection of text in scope
- Transcription of uneditable text
- Review of segmentation
- IDML and PDF export
- Pseudo-translation
- Actual translation
- Final layout
- Export and pre-delivery verification
As we see, translation is even the seventh step, in that, contrary to popular belief, desktop publishing does not come into play only at the stage of finalizing the target files. There is a whole preparatory phase, which precedes the actual translation, that can optimize processing by translation tools and identify and solve in advance issues that may arise in the final layout phase, particularly for larger documents.
Therefore, it is important to have an expert eye on this first check, as it affects all subsequent steps and especially the final result. The skills of our graphic designers and their linguistic sensibilities help them untangle the jungle of formats from which vector images, PDF and infographics are generated, just to name a few examples.
Preflight verification
At this preliminary stage we open the InDesign file to make sure, above all, that we have all the necessary resources (especially fonts and links) available for proper and complete display of the original file.
If we find that any assets are missing, we list them in a separate document before we go any further and point it out to the client so that they can retrieve them and send them to us. In the document we usually clearly indicate the name of the missing file and the page where it is located, to make it easier for the client to find it.
Another aspect not to be underestimated is the adaptation of non-textual graphic elements. For example, if the cover of an English document has the flag of the United Kingdom on it, it will need to be replaced with the flag of the target country during the final layout. Then if the flag the client wants to use is not present, we will need to procure one or ask the client to provide it.
Only when the resource package, with all the fonts and images, is complete, do we move on to the next steps, because this is a crucial step to export the reference files, for example, the "masters" on which the final translation and layout will be based.
Selection of text in scope
First of all, we need to verify that all the text to be translated is visible and only the text to be translated. In fact, sometimes there are elements outside the printable area that need to be removed to lighten the file, particularly text boxes, which will otherwise be included in the word count and thus in the quote to the client. Other times there is text inside the printable area, but hidden under an image because it is no longer needed. Even then it must be deleted, to avoid translating parts that will not be displayed.
In addition, some formats, particularly those that have layer structures, as is the case in InDesign or Photoshop, may contain hidden text, blocked or located outside the artboard that will not be displayed in the translation program. In this case we check with the client what content is to be translated and prepare the file appropriately, hiding or showing layers as needed.
Uneditable text transcription
Another difficulty we often face is the presence of dead text, i.e., text that has been transformed into a path, or text that is within flat images (i.e., in which the text and background layers are joined).
In such cases, especially when the background is a complex image that takes time to recreate, we ask the client if he or she has the original editable file (a PSD or AI, for example), to have it sent to us before we begin. After that we extract the text to put it into a DOCX. Otherwise, for larger content, we process the image with an OCR tool that converts dead text into editable text.
Review of segmentation
Once the exact text to be translated has been determined, the InDesign file is "cleaned up" from the standpoint of formatting the source text, which is not always done properly. Often, page breaks, section breaks, line breaks, or tabulations are used by the client for 'aesthetic reasons', but this comes at the expense of proper segmentation and reduces the efficiency of our translation tools, as well as potentially causing issues during layout.
Therefore, we take care to change the formatting of the text so that the appearance remains the same, but no sentence is truncated by interruptions, tabulations, or forced syllable separation.
IDML and PDF reference export
When we are sure that the format of the content to be translated is also the final one, we move on to exporting from INDD to IDML, InDesign’s exchange format, which is compatible with translation tools and allows for accurate word count and calculating translation timings. It is at this point that the client receives the quote detailing the service.
In parallel we export the reference PDF, which to save space can be generated as an interactive PDF with compressed images, since it will first serve to send it to translators to help them understand the context, and later it will serve our DTP specialist to recreate the layout of the original file in the target language.
Pseudo-translation
Before sending the IDML file to translation, we take advantage of this feature of some translation tools, which basically replaces the original text with altered text according to settings and criteria that you can customize. Here is a simple example of pseudo-translation:
Hello world > _startH$e$l$l$o$ $w$o$r$l$dend_
This step may seem like an unnecessary complication, but it actually serves to verify that all the text in a file has been properly prepared. For example, it is a great ploy for unearthing dead text, because it allows you to identify at a glance the parts of text that have not been pseudo-translated, because they are absent from the file exported for translation.
If the file does not pass this check, go back to the previous step and correct the error.
Proper translation
For translation, we send all the project files, both IDML and any DOCX, along with the client’s instructions and reference files to the translator. Discover the journey of translation in our infographic. When we receive these translated documents and they pass our quality control, we can proceed with layout.
Final layout
Having followed all the steps outlined here, we are normally assured that the DTP phase will run as smoothly as possible. However, layout is still a manual task that requires great attention to detail so that no mistake is missed.
In translated documents we face common problems, for example, variation in text length between languages. Compared with English, French tends to stretch by 5-10%, Italian by 10-15%, Spanish by 15-20%, and German by as much as 20-25%.
This means that it is always necessary to readjust the original formatting to make room for the expansion of the translated text. Depending on the space available, it may be sufficient to enlarge the text boxes, otherwise more drastic solutions will have to be employed, such as reducing font size, line spacing, kerning, etc. In extreme cases and always with the client’s approval, we can move images around and reduce their size slightly, but we usually tend to limit these changes as much as possible.
Of course, at this stage we also take care of recreating all images that contain text, making use of Illustrator or PhotoShop to insert the translation while respecting the original appearance. We also change the language setting of the text boxes so that we can take advantage of InDesign’s spell-checking and hyphenation tools.
Export and pre-delivery verification
Basically, the package we deliver fairly reproduces the structure of the original and contains all the necessary elements, the INDD file, IDML and PDF versions required by the client, optimizing the images to reduce the overall file size without compromising quality. A file that is too "heavy" would significantly slow down its downloading and opening.
Before delivery we always do a last thorough check of various aspects: for example, we check that all fonts used are embedded correctly or converted to curves/tracks where necessary to ensure proper display and printing. All settings such as page size, margins, lineation, abundance, and more are reviewed to make sure they are okay.
Finally, the document is proofread and checked from beginning to end to correct any errors, typos, or layout problems missed in previous checks. Only when we are 100% sure that the document is perfect, we send the package to the client. Attention to detail at this final stage is the key to ensuring excellent results.
