Glossary of Terms

Alias

A term used in Windows Help to define an alternative name for a topic. An alias can be used in place of a Context string.

API

Application Programming Interface. Use for programs to access the features of another program.

ASC

Author-it Software Corporation Ltd.

Author-it Administrator

The person who uses the Author-it Administrator program to manage Author-it's user security and other Library settings.

Author-it Administrator program

The separate program that the Administrator uses to manage Author-it's user security and other settings.

Author-it client

The Author-it program that is installed on each computer - either the Workgroup Edition or Enterprise Edition. You use these programs to author, manage, and publish documents, and use the Author-it Administrator program to manage user security and other Library settings in a multi-user environment.

Author-it program

Autotext

This is a collection of rich text pieces of information stored in a Microsoft Word template or document. These can be accessed from the Edit menu in Word. Author-it uses these for storing page headers and footers.

AVI

A format of audio and video file used in Windows Help and HTML.

Book Object

The Book object represents the content and structure of a document. Objects can be dragged and dropped into a hierarchical outline list to form the content of the document and rearranged to form the desired structure.

Browser

Software that allows you, the client, to view World Wide Web or Intranet resources.

Context Document

A published Word or PDF document, used to assist the translation and/or review process. All objects that are in a release state where a review color has been defined, appear highlighted in the Word/PDF document making it easier for a translator to determine context, or for a reviewer to identify what content should be reviewed.

CSS

Cascading Style Sheets. A way of implementing styles in HTML.

Default Library

The Library that you base any new Libraries upon. Default.adl is stored in your ..\authorit\templates file directory.

DHTML

Dynamic HTML (DHTML) is a mixture of HTML, Javascript, and Style Sheets which is used to provide greater user interactivity, dynamic forms and information management. Processing is done client-side to provide fast interaction, and reduce server resources.

Exact Match

The occurrence of a sentence or phrase in a file that is identical to a sentence or phrase stored in a translation memory.

Exact Measurement

An exact or absolute measure of length. The absolute units supported are:

in - inches (1 in = 2.54 cm)
cm - centimeters
mm - millimeters
pt - points (1 pt = 1/72 in)
pc - picas (1 pc = 12 pt)

File Directory

A directory (or folder) in your computer's file system. Not to be confused with Author-it's internal Library Folders.

File Object

The File object is used to link or embed any pictures, OLE objects, or files created and maintained by a separate application. It also defines how they are formatted in the printed and on-line documents.

Fuzzy Match

When a sentence or phrase in a translation memory is similar (but not identical) to the sentence or phrase the translator is currently translating.

Help Workshop

Microsoft's Help Workshop is a tool that is used to compile and test the Windows 95/98 Help system. This tool is distributed with Author-it, and is automatically invoked to compile the RTF file and associated pictures files created by Author-it into a Windows Help file (.hlp).

Hotspot

A clickable area on the screen. The mouse pointer will usually change to a "hand" or other similar symbol over these areas. These areas may also be highlighted using coloring and underlining.

HTML

Hyper Text Markup Language is the language of the World Wide Web. HTML is used to write documents on the World Wide Web, and to "glue" other resources together.

HTML Help

HTML Help is the next-generation online help authoring system from Microsoft Corporation. It uses the underlying components of Microsoft Internet Explorer to display help content.

HTML Help Workshop

Microsoft HTML Help Workshop is a tool that is used to compile and test the HTML Help system. This tool is distributed with Author-it, and is automatically invoked to compile the HTML pages, graphics, and associated files created by Author-it into an HTML Help file (.chm).

Image Map

This is a file that stores information about the "hotspots" (clickable areas) in the image. This file uses a server program to execute the links.

JavaHelp

A platform independent help and online documentation system, written entirely in the Java programming language.

JET

A database format used by Author-it to store a documentation Library. Author-it can also use SQL Server databases.

Library

A Library is a repository that holds all the Author-it objects including the standards. Generally you will only use one library as you will have one set of documentation standards.

Library Folder

A customizable folder in Author-it's Library window, which contains Author-it objects. You can control which activities are possible within each folder by assigning Folder Action permissions to different Users or Groups.

Library Update

A zipped file created by Localization Manager that contains an Author-it library and accompanying external files. This is used as a snapshot of the objects at the point the Update is made and is used by the Update Compare utility to display and import new and modified objects from the Source Library.

Localization

Usually, a country or language that requires the documentation to be translated. However, this could also be variations on the same language such as English (US) and English (UK) or clients that require wildly different versions of the same base library.

Localization Coordinator

The person who uses the Author-it Localization Manager program to coordinate and manage the localization process.

Localization Manager

An Author-it module that creates, manages and updates Target Libraries and exports and imports translation jobs as XML.

Localize

The process whereby objects are converted from one localization to another. This often involves translation into another language but also includes non-translation aspects such as paper size and fonts/styles. This can be accomplished internally (within the Author-it software) or externally (by XML export/import to software such as TRADOS).

Microsoft Word

Microsoft's Windows word processor. Author-it requires the word processor to publish the printed documentation, not for editing or any other output. However, you must have your own licensed copy.

Offline Library

A Library containing all or some of the information from a Main Library which allows an author to take work offline and work on it in a situation where they cannot connect directly to the Main Library. Works in a similar way to a library card and allows an author to 'check-out' objects, work on them somewhere else and then 'check-in' the objects again.

OLE

Object Linking and Embedding. A technology that enables Windows based applications to share information.

Oracle Help for Java

A Help format created by Oracle Corporation.

Pixel

Computer screens are made up of thousands of tiny dots which are individually colored to show an image. These dots are called pixels.

Relative Measurement

A measure of length relative to another length. The supported units are:

em - ems
ex - x-height
px - pixels

RTF

Rich Text Format.

The rich-text format (RTF) standard is a method of encoding formatted text and graphics for easy transfer between different programs and different operations. Generally, it is used by all Microsoft Word programs for moving word-processing documents between different platforms without having to rely on special translation software or conversion utilities. The RTF standard provides a format for text and graphics interchange that can be used with different output devices and operating systems.

Server

A computer system which can be accessed from remote systems for the purpose of exchanging data.

Source Library

The original (or main) library containing content in the starting language.

SQL Server

Microsoft's enterprise level relational database product. Supported database format in Author-it Enterprise Edition.

Tag

This is the popular name for an HTML element, although there is a slight theoretical difference. Basically, a tag is an element in action. It starts with "<" and ends with ">". It can have attributes, but this is not necessary. The end of the element is signaled with the tag without its attributes, and with "/" as the first character. For example, the ending tag for <B> is </B>.

Target Library

The live library that eventually contains the translated/localized content. It is from this library that the localized content is published.

TOF

Table of Figures

Topic Object

A Topic object represents a concise chunk of text, usually no more than a few paragraphs. In a traditional document this would be the text under a specific heading or sub-heading in the document hierarchy.

Topic objects will make up the vast majority of all objects in a Book, and as such contain many properties defining how the Topic will be represented in both the printed and on-line documentation.

Translation Memory

A database of sentences and phrases and their translated equivalent, built from previous translations. Translation memory tools increase efficiency by allowing the reuse of previously translated phrases and sentences. Popular translation memory tools include TRADOS, Deja Vu, Star Transit, and SDLX.

URL

A Uniform Resource Locator is the standard way to express the location of a resource on the Internet. It is used most extensively on the Web.

W3C

World Wide Web Consortium.

WAV

A format of audio file used in Windows Help and HTML.

Windows 95/98

Microsoft's 32 bit desktop operating system.

Windows NT/2000/XP

Microsoft's 32 bit server / professional operating system.

WinHelp

Microsoft Windows Help engine.

WYSIWYG

What You See Is What You Get.

XML

Extensible Markup Language. All XHTML produced by Author-it is fully XML compliant.