WikiIslam:Instructions for Translators
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This page aims to provide step-by-step instructions for new translators at WikiIslam; from creating an account to announcing a completed translation on the main page.
Stages
Initial Steps
This section covers everything needed prior to beginning a translation.
Creating an Account
Because most translations are initially hosted on the English language version of WikiIslam, it is essential that prospective translators create an account prior to starting any work. IP edits to translations will usually be reverted on the English language version of WikiIslam in order to minimize vandalism. This will obviously not be the case if and when a dedicated sub-domain is opened in any particular language.
To create an account, new users should click on the Create account link at the top right of the page. They will need to provide a username and password, as well as answer a visual "anti-spam" test. Those who already have an account, should login using their details.
Choosing an Article
Once logged in, new translators should decide on what article to translate. There are many recommended articles to choose from on the "WikiIslam:Translations" page. These select articles serve as a showcase for the general quality the site aims for.
Alternatively, an article from the topics listed on the site map can be chosen. However, before beginning translation work on an article not in the "recommended" list, it is advisable for new translators to leave a message on the Translation Project's forum page mentioning what they would like to translate. This allows administrators to make sure a project that is difficult to complete or is not optimal in some way is not started.
It is also recommended that new translators check that their article of choice has not already been translated into that particular language. All translations can be accessed via the sidebar to the left, under the "Translations" heading.
Islamic Sources
Translating Content
This section covers everything needed for the actual translation process.
Alterations in Translations
Translations should always remain faithful to the original English work, retaining their scholarly tone and information. If for localization purposes an editor thinks there should be some slight alterations made, they must first be discussed with others on the talk page.
Switching on WikEd
WikEd is a full-featured MediaWiki-integrated text editor. It adds enhanced text processing functions, such as highlighting the WikiIslam syntax, so editors are able to focus more easily on the text itself. To turn this feature on, translators should go to "Preferences", click on the "Gadgets" tab, then check mark "WikEd".
Retaining Wiki Formatting
When translating articles, all of the wiki formatting should be retained, for example <ref>, <br> or <BR> (translators may find WikEd useful in this regard).
Blue-colored links ([[Linked pages's name|Visible text]]) to English-language pages can also be retained unless translations for those same links are already available. Blue-colored links should never be replaced by red-colored links to pages that do not exist.
References and Footnotes
References and footnotes are found between <ref> and </ref> tags. English-language references to English-language books, websites, etc., may be left untranslated but any explanatory notes or quotes taken from these sources and provided as footnotes should be translated.
Steps for a Translation
- Go to Help:Contents. Type the translated title of the chosen article into the "Create Page" box. If any of these characters exist in the title, avoid using them: brackets, commas, colons, semi-colons etc. These can be added into the title later by using {{Page title|Desired page title}}.
- After clicking "Create page" you will see a blank page.
- Open another window. Then go to the chosen article and click the 'Edit' button. You will now see the text and all the wiki-formatting of the target article.
- Copy and paste the entire thing into the blank page you created. In Windows, Select all text and then CTRL-C; CTRL-V to paste.
- Now start the translation. Delete the English text as you go. You can also keep another window open which has the original article in a regular view (non-editable).
- After the translation is complete, you can preview and save the page.
- To find what you have been working on, click the 'My contributions' link at the top right.
Intermediately Saving Progress
The "Saving your Work" section on the Help page provides advice on how to make sure no work is accidentally lost. Translators can simply 'copy' all of the text once the translation is finished, or perform intermediate saves if their work is interrupted or to avoid possible browser crashes, power outages, etc.
Leaving a Message
If translators find any of the "Steps for a Translation" difficult to follow, they can leave a message on the Translation Project's forum page with the name of the English article and its new translated title. An administrator will then create a page using the new title and fill it with the existing English text so that it is ready to be translated.
Post-Translation
This section covers everything needed once the translation process itself is complete.
Templates for Other Languages
Replacing Categories
Categories, for example [[Category:Muhammad]] or [[Category:Qur'an]], can be found at the bottom of pages. All of the English categories should be deleted and replaced by a sole category for the translated language, for example [[Category:العربية (Arabic)]] or [[Category:Türkçe (Turkish)]].