System and method for automated localization of software applications and user interfaces

Inventor: Edmund Alex Davis (San Mateo, CA)

Assignee: ORACLE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION

G06F40/40

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12675645
App. No.: 18/236,212
Granted: Jul 7, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

In accordance with various embodiments, described herein are systems and methods for providing automated localization of software applications and graphical user interfaces. A software extension or add-in component operates both as a design tool, and as a runtime process, for purposes of localizing a software application or its graphical user interface, including the translation of user-visible strings displayable within graphical user interface elements. The translation manager can be used to automate the localization of a software application or workbook being developed, including during an extraction process, automatically identifying and associating user-visible strings with string keys. When the workbook is subsequently accessed and used at runtime, for example by a business user working within a particular region or language, the extension or add-in can use the string keys to automatically map prepared-translations to the graphical user interface elements, for use in localizing the software application.

Claims (40)

1 . A system for automated localization of software applications and graphical user interfaces, comprising:

a computer including a processor, and a software development environment provided thereon; and

an add-in component that operates with the software development environment to provide localization of a software application, including operating as a translation manager to:

automatically identify, within a layout associated with a software application document, user-visible strings displayable within graphical user interface elements, wherein the layout is associated with a workbook metadata, and defines one or more localizable strings as the user visible strings that are displayable within the graphical user interface elements of the workbook;

associate such user-visible strings with unique string keys, including traversing the layout to identify a list of localizable strings and their associated metadata, and generating the unique string keys that are bound to corresponding layout metadata items; and

export the localizable strings which have been identified for translation to an export file for use in preparing translations;

wherein prepared-translations are subsequently mapped back to the graphical user interface elements, based on associating the user-visible strings displayable within graphical user interface elements with the unique string keys, for use in localizing the software application.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the add-in component is used with a workbook-oriented software application or integration environment and operates as a design tool and a runtime for purposes of localizing a workbook for use with the workbook-oriented software application or integration environment.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein during an extraction process, the translation manager automatically identifies and associated the user-visible strings with the string keys, wherein when the software application is subsequently accessed and used at runtime, the add-in component uses the string keys to automatically map the prepared-translations to the graphical user interface elements.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the software application includes a workbook or other software application document that contains a metadata that the add-in component uses to interact with a web service or the integration environment on behalf of a business user.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the software application is one of a web application, or a cloud-based or other software application.

6 . A method for providing automated localization of software applications and graphical user interfaces, comprising:

providing, at a computer, a software development environment; and

performing a localization of a software application, including:

automatically identifying, by add-in component operating as a translation manager, within a layout associated with a software application document, user-visible strings displayable within graphical user interface elements, wherein the layout is associated with a workbook metadata, and defines one or more localizable strings as the user visible strings that are displayable within the graphical user interface elements of the workbook;

associating such user-visible strings with unique string keys, including traversing the layout to identify a list of localizable strings and their associated metadata, and generating the unique string keys that are bound to corresponding layout metadata items; and

exporting the localizable strings which have been identified for translation to an export file for use in preparing translations;

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the add-in component is used with a workbook-oriented software application or integration environment and operates as a design tool and a runtime for purposes of localizing a workbook for use with the workbook-oriented software application or integration environment.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein during an extraction process, the translation manager automatically identifies and associated the user-visible strings with the string keys, wherein when the software application is subsequently accessed and used at runtime, the add-in component uses the string keys to automatically map the prepared-translations to the graphical user interface elements.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the software application includes a workbook or other software application document that contains a metadata that the add-in component uses to interact with a web service or the integration environment on behalf of a business user.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the software application is one of a web application, or a cloud-based or other software application.

11 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions thereon, which when read and executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method comprising:

providing, at the computer, a software development environment; and

performing a localization of a software application, including:

exporting the localizable strings which have been identified for translation to an export file for use in preparing translations;

12 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the add-in component is used with a workbook-oriented software application or integration environment and operates as a design tool and a runtime for purposes of localizing a workbook for use with the workbook-oriented software application or integration environment.

13 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein during an extraction process, the translation manager automatically identifies and associated the user-visible strings with the string keys, wherein when the software application is subsequently accessed and used at runtime, the add-in component uses the string keys to automatically map the prepared-translations to the graphical user interface elements.

14 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the software application includes a workbook or other software application document that contains a metadata that the add-in component uses to interact with a web service or the integration environment on behalf of a business user.

15 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the software application is one of a web application, or a cloud-based or other software application.

16 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the export file includes, for each graphical user interface element identified for translation, the unique string key associated with the graphical user interface element, an original text string, and a context information.

17 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the contents of the export file are translated, and a corresponding translation file includes translations associated with the graphical user interface elements for use with the workbook, wherein translation files are subsequently incorporated into a workbook, the add-in component automatically maps the keys back to the graphical user interface elements to provide the translations associated with the graphical user interface elements.

18 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the export file includes, for each graphical user interface element identified for translation, the unique string key associated with the graphical user interface element, an original text string, and a context information.

19 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the contents of the export file are translated, and a corresponding translation file includes translations associated with the graphical user interface elements for use with the workbook, wherein translation files are subsequently incorporated into a workbook, the add-in component automatically maps the keys back to the graphical user interface elements to provide the translations associated with the graphical user interface elements.

20 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 ,

wherein the export file includes, for each graphical user interface element identified for translation, the unique string key associated with the graphical user interface element, an original text string, and a context information;

wherein the contents of the export file are translated, and a corresponding translation file includes translations associated with the graphical user interface elements for use with the workbook, wherein translation files are subsequently incorporated into a workbook, the add-in component automatically maps the keys back to the graphical user interface elements to provide the translations associated with the graphical user interface elements.