We are starting the process of internationalizing our software. To do this we will be writing a series of filters to convert all of our different resource files (resx, text, java resource, etc) into a common format. We will then be outputting xliff files for translation. After translation the process will run in reverse.
We would like to keep the central store updated with any changes that developers make to the resource files ideally using ant during the build process, maintaining knowledge of which branch or version of the software is using which resources. We’d also like to keep track of which version of software the resources were taken from which are sent for translation, the dates when the files were sent and received back and also who translated them.
The idea then being we apply the translations to the correct branch, we can take diffs of the central store in future to send partial resources for translations and we can report on quantity of translation at a point in time.
We are considering storing all of this data within the svn repository as a tree of xliffs, perhaps branched in a mirror of the main code repository. Is this sufficient or would we be better off just using a database to maintain this information?
I would use database or some other means of Translation Memory. If you want me to write more details, please ask this question on Programmers.