MadCap Flare uses several file formats that are relevant to the translation and localization process. Understanding these formats helps project managers plan their workflows and set appropriate expectations for turnaround and cost.
The primary content files are XHTML-based topic files with the .htm extension. These contain the actual documentation content along with MadCap-specific XML attributes for conditions, cross-references, and styling. Snippet files (.flsnp) contain reusable content blocks that may appear across multiple topics — translating these once ensures consistency throughout the project.
When using MadCap Lingo (Flare's companion translation management tool), the standard exchange format is XLIFF (.xlf). Lingo exports translatable strings into XLIFF packages that can be processed by any modern CAT tool including SDL Trados Studio, memoQ, and Memsource. This is generally the cleanest workflow for translation agencies, as XLIFF is an industry-standard format that preserves segmentation and inline formatting.
Flare projects also include several supporting files that may contain translatable content: table of contents files (.fltoc), browse sequence files (.flbrs), variable definition files, and skin files that define the UI strings for HTML5 output (such as search labels, button text, and navigation elements). These are often overlooked during scoping, which can lead to partially translated outputs.
At Opticentre, we inventory all translatable file types during preflight and provide a comprehensive word count that covers topics, snippets, TOC entries, variables, and skin strings. This prevents surprises during production and ensures complete localization of the end-user experience across all output formats.
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