Re: Using button bitmaps in text

Subject: Re: Using button bitmaps in text
From: Kirsty -dot- Taylor -at- mincom -dot- com
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Date: Mon, 3 Sep 2007 09:14:19 +1000

Hi Ben,

Our standard used to be:
Click <button bitmap>. If it was an icon (no words on it), then we would
add the 'name' of the icon in angle brackets after its use.

A few people had issues with this standard over the years, but we stuck to
it.
A new manager with experience in translation, and the addition to the
group of a bunch of experienced translation staff, has meant we're getting
rid of this standard. Apparently, images in-line with text cause fewer
text matches with translation memory tools like Trados. I'm not sure if
we've decided how we're still going to keep the buttons/icons that are
more obscure (the Commit icon is an engagement/wedding ring ...), but they
won't be inline with text, they'll need to be in a separate glossary table
or something like that.

I would think that adding the bitmap after the hard return breaks up the
bitmap from the text for your translation memory tool, and that's why
having the bitmap at the end of the sentence is incorrect.

Hope this helps,
KT

Kirsty Taylor
Project Manager - Technical Writing
kirsty -dot- taylor -at- mincom -dot- com
Mincom. The People. The Experience. The Vision.
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Ben <baj357 -at- gmail -dot- com>
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01/09/2007 07:14 AM
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Subject
Using button bitmaps in text






Hello Everyone.

Has anyone heard about the style guideline that suggests putting button
bitmaps on a new line rather than in line? For example:

Correct:
Click the xyz button.
<button bitmap>

Incorrect:
Click the xyz button. <button bitmap>

I have not seen that guideline in the MSFT Style Guide and have no luck
with Google. But, I have heard that this guideline makes translation
easier, though I'm not sure how.

Also, what if the sentence does not end with the button? For example:

Click the xyz button
<button bitmap>
to open something.

I know I can easily re-write it to put the button at the end, but would
I do that every time?

Thanks for your help!


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