Send to Translation in Workflow (Auto activity) not sending in-workflow version

Question

I need [1] to push in-workflow versions of content to a translation process.

At the moment we have a set-up whereby, in the Event system, we

• get to an activity in the workflow,
• suspend the activity,
• create a translation {workflow} bundle and
• send the items for translation
• on returning we complete the workflow bundle (to get the desired status)
• un-suspend the parent workflow process

In the 'send items for translation; step we've found that the Translation Manager doesn't appear to be workflow aware and there's nothing I see in the API or the Workflow Bundle management docs to state how to send the minor version and not the last full version of the content to the Translation Service.

Is this possible? Has anyone achieved this?

Thanks for any ideas/comments - in the meantime I'm reading more and seeing what I can do in the code (rather than re-design the process) so any comments would be great.

[1] Releases are very controlled and batched at (generally) monthly intervals. The content is signed off early in the process and the language variant must be released with the English; even if multiple translation cycles are a result.

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UPDATE

The code iterates through the parent bundle and adds items that are translatable (and fit other criteria) to the translation job and workflow bundle created dynamically in the Translation publication.

Tridion 2013SP1 HR1 > Translation Manager Plugin > World Server

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UPDATE (2)

The activity I'm trying to get the Translation step in is an Automatic Activity and I eventually realised that I can just re-assign the task to the user that the Translation Service runs under (not least as it the NT AUTH user). So

• updated the Workflow Service to run as the same user (MTSUser in fact) running the translation service

I still see item being checked in by the correct user and then being checked in by the workflow process - unfortunately it's still the major version form the parent item.

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UPDATE (3)

Simplified case added / respective question (from a 'manual' perspective) Send to Translation in Workflow (Manual activity) not sending in-workflow version

Answer 1

(same answer whether this is automatic or manually sent)

From SDL Tridion Support

We did not support translating items in workflow in 7.1

...

we did bring it into 8.1 fully supported - and also addressing a couple of issues that will be in 7.1 if it is "forced" to send minor versions for translation

Further to this I'm testing the code to confirm if the item being sent for translation is being done so by workflow and then telling TM to get in the in-workflow version if it has access. I'm sure I'll have questions elsewhere in TREX when it breaks other bits!

Answer 2

Translation Manager should pick up the minor version if it is in a step assigned to the user the Translation Manager service run as. If it is not assigned to this user, Translation Manager will only have access to the last major version.