When translating the document into Chinese Traditional, you need to translate the index markers with a special code, so when the localized index is generated, it will automatically sort each entries into the stroke groups.

English source index marker looks like:

FrameMaker file STF file
Storage:how images are stored Storage

how images are stored

When this is translated, without considering the sort, it will look like:

FrameMaker file STF file
儲存:影像的儲存方法 儲存

影像的儲存方法

When the index is generated with above translation, all the entries will be sorted by character code order, with all the entries starting in Chinese characters sorted after ones starting with English alphabets.

To overcome this, you need to insert a command called sort order. This is done by placing a Chinese number for the strokes in front of the first level index text, between the brackets in FrameMaker, or after the <:so> command in STF file.

Read Also: How to translate the index markers in FrameMaker for Chinese Simplified

Translated index text with correct sort order will look like:

FrameMaker file STF file
儲存:影像的儲存方法[十七畫 儲存:影像的儲存方法] 儲存<:so>十七畫 儲存

影像的儲存方法<:so>影像的儲存方法

For the first level index text, characters “十七畫” is placed in front of “儲存”, so “儲存” will be placed under “十七畫” in the generated index. Then you copy the index text into the sort order. There is a single byte space between “十七畫” and “儲存”. Nothing will be added to lower level index text, just copy the contents. The project manager for each project will define maximum number you can use for stroke count. If the maximum number is decided to be 17, any character with 17 or more character will have “十七畫” added.

This will be done for all the index markers with first level text starting with Chinese character or any double byte character. If the first level index text starts with an alphabet, number, or single byte symbols ($, #, @, ect) do NOT put in the sort order. Just translate the index as in second table.

With all the index markers translated as above format, index will generate in correct sort categories.

Take a look at how we helped our client by localizing their project for Chinese language. Click here to read the complete case study