Step-by-Step Guide: Installing and Setting Up Sisulizer Free EditionSisulizer Free Edition is a compact localization tool designed for small projects, allowing developers and translators to extract, translate, and reintegrate text from software applications with minimal setup. This guide walks you through downloading, installing, configuring, and using Sisulizer Free Edition, plus tips for common problems and basic best practices for small-scale localization.
What you’ll need before starting
- A Windows PC (Sisulizer runs on Microsoft Windows).
- Administrator rights to install software.
- The software or resource files you want to localize (for example, .resx, .dll, .exe, .properties, .xml).
- Internet access to download the installer and updates.
1. Download Sisulizer Free Edition
- Open your web browser and go to the Sisulizer official website.
- Navigate to the Downloads or Products section and locate “Sisulizer Free Edition”.
- Click the download link and save the installer (usually an .exe file) to your computer.
2. Run the installer
- Locate the downloaded .exe file (typically in your Downloads folder).
- Right-click the file and choose “Run as administrator” to ensure the installer can modify system files as needed.
- Follow the installer prompts:
- Accept the license agreement.
- Choose the installation folder (default is usually fine).
- Select components if presented (Free Edition may have fewer options).
- Complete the installation and launch Sisulizer when prompted.
3. First-time setup and interface overview
- On first launch, you may see a welcome screen or quick-start dialog. Close or follow it to create a new project.
- Familiarize yourself with key interface areas:
- Project Explorer / Source View: where you import source files.
- Editor / Translation Grid: where translations are entered and reviewed.
- Preview / Resource Tree: helps inspect resources and UI layouts.
- Menus and toolbar: contain project, build, and export commands.
4. Create a new project
- From the File menu, choose “New Project” (or use New Project button).
- Enter a project name and choose the base language (the original language of your application).
- Select target language(s) you plan to translate into. For the Free Edition there may be limits on how many target languages are included—stick to the number supported.
- Save the project file (.slproj or similar) to a known location.
5. Import source files
- In the new project, use “Add Files” or “Import” to bring in resource files:
- Common formats: .resx, .dll, .exe, .properties, .xml, .rc, etc.
- Sisulizer will scan the files and extract translatable strings into the project.
- Review the extracted strings for completeness and correct context grouping.
6. Configure project settings
- Open Project Settings or Options:
- Verify source and target language encodings (UTF-8 recommended for most languages).
- Set rules for non-translatable items (numbers, placeholders, tags).
- Configure segmentation and text wrapping preferences.
- If available, enable a translation memory ™ to reuse prior translations; Free Edition may offer limited TM features.
7. Translate strings
- Use the Translation Grid or Editor to enter translations for each target language.
- For strings with placeholders (e.g., {0}, %s), keep placeholders intact and in appropriate order.
- Use context comments and screenshots (if supported) to understand UI placement.
- Regularly save your project.
8. Use translation memory and glossaries (if available)
- If the Free Edition includes a basic TM or glossary, import any existing TMX or glossary files.
- Accept or modify suggestions from TM to maintain consistency.
- Export TM after substantial work to reuse in future projects.
9. Validate translations
- Run the built-in verifier or validation tools to check:
- Missing translations.
- Placeholder mismatches.
- Length or overflow warnings.
- Encoding issues.
- Fix issues flagged by the validator.
10. Build and export localized resources
- Use Project > Build or Export to generate localized resource files (e.g., localized .dlls, .resx files).
- Choose output folders for each target language.
- If your project requires recompilation (for .exe/.dll), follow your development workflow to rebuild the application with localized resources.
11. Test localized application
- Launch or deploy the localized application or resource files in target-language environments.
- Verify UI layout, text truncation, directionality (for RTL languages), and cultural formats (dates, numbers).
- Collect bug reports or issues and return to Sisulizer to correct translations.
Troubleshooting common issues
- Installer won’t run: ensure you used “Run as administrator” and your antivirus isn’t blocking the installer.
- Missing strings after import: check file compatibility and that files aren’t obfuscated.
- Encoding problems (garbled characters): set project and file encodings to UTF-8 or the correct codepage.
- Placeholders changed: use validation tools and be careful editing strings with variables.
Tips for efficient use with the Free Edition
- Work with small batches of files to stay within any Free Edition limits.
- Keep a separate translation memory or glossary files outside Sisulizer to reuse across projects.
- Use consistent terminology and short source strings to reduce UI fit problems.
- Backup .slproj files frequently.
Alternatives and next steps
If your project grows beyond the Free Edition’s limits, consider upgrading to a paid Sisulizer edition or evaluate other localization tools like Poedit, OmegaT, or commercial CAT tools that better fit larger teams and more advanced workflows.
If you want, I can: export a sample checklist for your specific project type (Windows .resx, .NET assemblies, or Android string resources) or create step-by-step commands for automating builds with localized resources. Which platform are you targeting?
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