System and method for the localization of released computer program

1. A method for localization of a released computer program comprising:

receiving, by a computer, a resource file for the released computer program that includes a first set of text strings in a base language that are used to display one or more text message on a graphical user interface during execution of the released computer program;

receiving, by the computer, processing instructions that define a process for transforming the first set of text strings of the resource file into a first runtime resource file for the released computer program;

receiving, by the computer, a second set of text strings in a target language, wherein the second set of text strings is platform-independent and comprises translations of the first set of text strings in the target language, wherein the second set of text strings corresponds to a valid International Organization for Standardization (ISO) language code and ISO country code that indicates the target language;

determining, by the computer, changes made to at least one of the first set of text strings in the resource file after receiving the second set of text strings;

translating, by the computer, the at least one text string into the target language;

producing, by the computer, a second runtime resource file for the released computer program comprising the second set of text strings according to the received processing instructions that were used for transforming the first set of text strings of the resource file into the first runtime resource file for the released computer program; and

executing, by the computer, the released computer program, wherein executing comprises loading the first runtime resource file and the second runtime resource file, receiving a language selection comprising a selection of either the base language or the target language, and displaying a text string from either the first set of text strings or the second set of text strings according to the received language selection.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target language comprises a different language than the base language.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the computer, an update to the first set of text strings, wherein the update includes an updated text string in the base language;

receiving, by the computer, a translation of the updated text string in the target language;

updating, by the computer, the second runtime resource file to include the translation of the updated text string according to the processing instructions; and

wherein executing the released computer program further comprises displaying the updated text string in either the base language or the target language according to the received language selection.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein receiving an update comprises receiving a new text string.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein receiving an update comprises receiving a modification to at least one of the first set of text strings.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the computer, an update to the first set of text strings, wherein the update includes an updated text string,

wherein the second set of text strings in the target language comprises a translation of the updated text string in the target language.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the computer, a third set of text strings in a second target language, wherein the third set of text strings comprises translations of the first set of text strings in the second target language, the second target language being different from the target language and the base language; and

producing, by the computer, a third runtime resource file for the released computer program comprising the third set of text strings according to the processing instructions.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising copying, by the computer, the second runtime resource file to an installation directory of the released computer program.

9. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to:

receive a resource file for a released computer program that includes a first set of text strings in a base language that are used to display one or more text message on a graphical user interface during execution of the released computer program;

receive processing instructions that define a process for transforming the first set of text strings of the resource file into a first runtime resource file for the released computer program;

receive a second set of text strings in a target language, wherein the second set of text strings is platform-independent and comprises translations of the first set of text strings in the target language, wherein the second set of text strings corresponds to a valid International Organization for Standardization (ISO) language code and ISO country code that indicates the target language;

determine changes made to at least one of the first set of text strings in the resource file after receiving the second set of text strings;

translate the at least one text string into the target language;

produce a second runtime resource file for the released computer program comprising the second set of text strings according to the received processing instructions that were used for transforming the first set of text strings of the resource file into the first runtime resource file for the released computer program; and

execute the released computer program, wherein the instructions to execute the released computer program comprise instructions to load the first runtime resource file and the second runtime resource file, receive a language selection comprising a selection of either the base language or the target language, and display a text string from either the first set of text strings or the second set of text strings according to the received language selection.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , further comprising instructions to:

receive an update to the first set of text strings, wherein the update includes an updated text string in the base language;

receive a translation of only the updated text string in the target language;

update the second runtime resource file to include the translation of the updated text string according to the processing instructions; and

wherein the instructions to execute the released computer program further comprise instructions to display the updated text string in either the base language or the target language according to the received language selection.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the instructions to receive an update comprise instructions to receive a new text string.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the instructions to receive an update comprise instructions to receive a modification to at least one of the first set of text strings.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , further comprising instructions to receive an update to the first set of text strings, wherein the update includes an updated text string, wherein the second set of text strings in the target language comprises translations of the first set of text strings and the updated text string in the target language.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , further comprising instructions to:

receive a third set of text strings in a second target language, wherein the third set of text strings comprises translations of the first set of text strings in the second target language, the second target language being different from the target language and the base language; and

produce a third runtime resource file for the released computer program comprising the third set of text strings according to the processing instructions.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , further comprising instructions to copy the second runtime resource file to an installation directory of the released computer program.