Getting Started with the Translator

Welcome to the Translator

The Translator is a feature of our Survey Suite software, which is a suite of software programs designed and written by the Center for Human Resource Research (CHRR). It is available over the Internet using client/server architecture. The Translator allows users (clients) to connect to the central database (server) in order to translate survey questionnaires into multiple lanugauges on-line from remote locations. The Survey Suite also features the Designer which allows users to design, author, and test survey questionnaires on-line.

Overview and Organization

This overview of the Translator is organized into the following sections. To go to a section, click on its hyperlink.

  1. Before You Start - Tools you will need
  2. How Do I Get Started
  3. The Translator Screen
  4. Contact Informtion
  5. Glossary Terms Used
  6. Troubleshooting



Before You Start - Tools you will need

This section section outlines the tools you will need once you have the Translator up and running on your system. It does not go into detail on how to install 'exotic' fonts, for example, and in such cases you may have consult with your system administrator or gather more information on-line. If you have more concerns about the software and hardware requirements in which to run the Survey Suite software and want more information, please click on Project Design and Environmental Variables.

PC - A Personal Computer

Keyboard, language specific - A keyboard or "keyboard layout" that uses keys specific to the language into which you are translating. If you do not have the physical keyboard device for the language, you may be able to customize your English keyboard settings from the Control Panel in Windows.

Open "Start | Settings | Control Panel | Regional and Language Options | Languages tab | Details".

When you click on Details you will see an image similar to the one below.

Language Settings

Click on the Add button abd you will see an pop-up Add Input language as shown in the image below. Verify the language you need is in the list, then choose the Input Language from the list to add it's keyboard layout as an input language.

Add Input Language

If you are able to replicate the alternate language keyboard, you will certainly want to have an image of the keyboard layout open on your desktop to remind you which keys replicate the non-English characters. To find keyboard layout you may want to "Google" to find an image map of the language you are using on the internet and save it to your desktop. Or you may want to place "key stickers" over the keys to replicate the new keyboard layout.

Language Keyboard

Internet access — Cable or fast internet connection — the CAPI Translator application you will be using is not suitable for dialup.

Dictionaries — It is highly recommended that you have an online dictionary shortcut on your desktop or in you favorites for quick access. Caution: While you may use online dictionaries, they must not be your single source for translation. If you are unsure of the English meaning of a question that you are translating, please make note of the question and contact your supervisor. If you don't understand the question, chances are your translation will not be correct.

User link — The Translator requires a link to the survey questionnaire that it will translate. Via this link each question's text will appear "read–only" in the original language in one window pane of the Translator and can be translated in another pane. If the Translator is used in conjunction with the Designer the following link can be used:

If the Translator is used "stand-alone", a different link to a survey questionnnaire will be supplied to the user.

Java Runtime Environment — Both the Translator and the Designer use the Java Runtime environment over the Web. How to install the Java Runtime Environment is discussed in the section called. "How Do I Get Started" later in this document. Read the instructions carefully.

User name and password — In order to log into the Translator and begin translation, a Username and Password are required. You will be with them when you have purchased the right to use the software. A valid email address that can be verified will be used to inform you of updates and technical issues that may affect access to our servers.



How do I get started?

To begin the Translator, you must click on Translator. If you have never clicked on Translator before, a few additional steps will take place: a JAR file, (or Java ARchive) will be downloaded.  The JAR file bundles many Java files and directories into one file for easy distribution and permits the Translator program to function properly.

When you click on Translator for the first time, you will see some pop-up windows similar to the following two images: the  

The JAR file display for the Translator

Every time the JAR file is updated it will automatically be downloaded again.

JAR

Once the JAR file is downloaded, an image entitled "Downloading Application." will open automatically and decompress the files in the JAR and begin the setup for the Translator software.

Downloading Application

Do not click on the Cancel button in the above image even if the blue progress bar appears to be finished. Wait until the image disappears. Clicking on the Cancel button will nullify the download.

Once the file setup for the Translator is complete and the above image disappears, the following login window will appear from which you can log in to the Translator. When you or your organization purchases the rights to use the Survey Suite software, you should receive your Username and Password to enter into the login fields. 

Translator login

After successfully logging in, the software will begin loading data from the server to your PC, the client, as shown below.

Loading Data

When the data have loaded, a Translator screen similar to the following will appear.



The Translator screen

The Translator allows users to translate questions from one language into another. You will need to click on the + signs in the left panel to make your screen look like the image below.

The Translator screen is divided into panels: the left panel is a "tree" structure in which you can locate Cohorts (groups or rounds of instruments), Instruments (surveys or questionnaires), the Sections (questions, lists, rosters, etc.) of the various surveys.  The right panel is divided into two frames, in which the original appears on top and the translated language appears on the bottom.

Translator Screen

You are now ready to begin using the Translator.  For detailed help on how to begin using the Translator, click here or use the Help link on the main page.



Contact Information

Center for Human Resource Research
921 Chatham Lane, Suite 100
Columbus, OH 43221-2418
Phone 614-442-7300
Email mailto:usersvc@chrr.osu.edu

Technical issues
Designer developer team
designer-help@chrr.osu.edu

Problems/Comments about this page: contact WebMaster



Glossary of Terms Used

The following terms will be used throughout the training session. If you are not familiar with these terms now, please take the time to become familiar with them as soon as possible.

CAPI Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing.

CAPI Designer — Former name of the survey application used by interviewers and respondents. Created by the Center for Human Resource Research (CHRR). See, Designer.

CAPI Translator — Former name of a feature of the CAPI Designer which allows translators to translate question text created with the CAPI Designer. See, Translator.

CHRR (Center for Human Resource Research) — A division of the Social Sciences Department at OSU (The Ohio State University) responsible for research in human capital.

Cohort — A group of Rounds and Instruments — also a Cohort study, a form of longitudinal study used in social science.

Helps — A folder containing help information for questions in a survey. The information is question-specific, that is, if help is available for a particular question, an interviewer can click on a help icon within that question and receive clarifying information in a pop-up box.

Instrument — A survey or questionnaire.

Interviewer — The person conducting the survey.

Literal Strings — Textual strings used in symbols and conditions that you will be translating as you translate questions or picklists. For example, in the following symbol, SYMBOL({HHIDROPS_PEOPLE_PERSON)= "Is this person"=CHAR, {HHIDROPS_PERSON_SOMEONE}="the person"=CHAR), there are two "literal string"s that need to be translated: that are contained between double quotes: "Is this person" and "the person". Often enclosed in double quotes (" ... ").

Picks (or picklists) — A list from which an interviewer or respondent can choose a 'category' or response to each question, such as "yes" or "no". ("Select one" question type.) In some cases the interviewer or respondent can choose mulitple responses from the list. ("Select all that apply" question types.)

Question or (qtxt) — The questions that display in the survey for the interviewer to read.

Round — A group of instruments in a longitudinal survey. We may create a new instrument modify it slightly these instruments are included under the same round node) (Marge, I do not get the jist of this explanation for Round!)

Roster — A table of information. A roster is a set of data elements (cells) that are organized, defined and stored as horizontal (rows) and vertical (columns). Each row is a separate entity such as a person in a household, and each column is an attribute of the entity, such as a name, gender, age, etc. A roster has a specified number of columns or fields, but can have any number of records or rows.

Respondent — The person selected to answer the questions in a survey.

Section — a group of questions in a survey with a similar theme. For example, household questions, education questions, employment questions, etc.

Symbol — An agent used to insert variable information into a question's text, a variable. The syntax for a symbol is: {SymbolName}. Note the use of curly braces ( {...} ). For example, in this question,

{ChildsName} is a symbol and it is used to insert the name(s) of each child into the question. Notice the apostrophe 's' ('s) at the end of the symbol. In English, this is how the possessive (genitive) form is rendered. Wherever you see curly brackets with text inside, you should not translate it. Just copy the curly brackets and the text within into your translation. You may have to render the genitive form in the translation differently. For example, the above question in French might be rendered as:

Designer — The name of the survey application used by interviewers and respondents, since its migration to a Web application. Created by the Center for Human Resource Research (CHRR).

Translator — The name of a feature of the Designer which allows translators to translate question text from a remote location outside of the CHRR network. Created by the Center for Human Resource Research (CHRR).



Troubleshooting

1) Nothing happened when I clicked on the Translator Link or I got the error message below.

Diagnosis: You may not have Java Runtime Environment 5 or higher.
Solution(s):

Internet Explorer
This should not be a problem, it will open automatically and install itself.

Firebird

  1. Click on Open in the dialogue box.
  2. The download and installation will be automatic.

Other Operating Systems


2) I am ready to translate and I only see squares!

Diagnosis: You do not have the proper font installed on your PC.
Solution:

In some cases you may be asked to insert your Windows System Disk. For images of the above explanation, see, Keyboards, language specific.


2) I got a "Connection Refused" message.

Diagnosis: The servers at CHRR are down.
Solution: Please contact us immediately or email your immediate supervisor.
We will contact you when our servers are up and running again.