Interview Questions

What we need consider in localization testing?

Localization Testing


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What we need consider in localization testing?

  • testing resource files [separate strings from the code] Solution: create a pseudo build
  • string expansion: String size change breaking layout and aligment. when words or sentatences are translated into other languages, most of the time the resulting string will be either longer or shorter than the native language version of the string. Two solutions to this problem:
    1. Account the space needed for string expansion, adjusting the layout of your dialog accordingly
    2. Separate your dialog resources into separate dynamic libraries.
  • Data format localization:
    European style:DD/MM/YY
    North American style: MM/DD/YY
    Currency, time and number formate, address.
  • Charater sets: ASCII or Non ASCII
    Single byte character 16bit (US) 256 charaters
    Double byte character 32bit(chinese) 65535 code ponits
  • Encoding: Unicode: Unicode supports many different written languages in the world all in a single character encoding. Note: For double character set, it is better to convert from Unicode to UTF8 for chinese, because UTF8 is a variable length encoding of Unicode that can be easily sent through the network via single byte streams.
  • Builds and installer : Creating an environment that supports a single version of your code, and multiple version of the language files.
  • program's installation, uninstallation in the foreign machines.
  • Tesing with foreign characters :
    EXP:
    enter foreign text for username and password.
    For entering European or Latin characters on Windows
    1. Using Character Map tool
    Search: star-program-accessories-accessibility-system tool-
    2. escape sequences. EXP: ALT + 128
    For Asia languages use what is usually called an IME (input method editor)
    Chinese: I use GB encoding with pin yin inputer mode
  • Foreign Keyboards or On-Screen keyboard
  • Text filters: Program that are used to collect and manipulate data usually provide the user with a mechanism for searching and filtering that data. As a global software tester, you need to make sure that the filtering and searching capabilities of your program work correctly with foreign text. Problem; ignore the accent marks used in foreign text.
  • Loading, saving, importing,and exporting high and low ASCII
  • Asian text in program: how double charater set work
  • Watch the style
  • Two environment to test for the program in chinese
    1. In Chinese window system. (in China)
    2. In English Window system with chinese language support (in USA)
    Microsoft language codes:
    CHS - Chinese Simplified
    CHT - Chinese Traditional(Taiwan)
    ENU - English (United States)
    FRA - French (France)
    Java Languages codes
    zh_CN - Chinese Simplified
    zh_TW - Chinese Traditional(Taiwan)
    Fr or fr_FR - English (United States)
    en or en_US - French (France)
  • More need consider in localization testing:
    • Hot key.
    • Garbled in translation
    • Error message identifiers
    • Hyphenation rules
    • Spelling rules
    • Sorting rules
    • Uppercase and lowercase conversion

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