FrameMaker 2022 Translate with XML file

[DejanBGD]

Since recently we have been using FrameMaker 2022 to create prepress files of the user manuals we receive from the client - the original English FrameMaker files together with the XML files. Our job is to localize them to the Serbian language, which seems quite simple if you use File > Translate > Export to XLIFF 1.2 and on the end File > Translate > Import (the whole process is described in detail on the Adobe YouTube channel).
However, our translators require original XML files to work with in their translation software.
However, when they return the translated XML files, we can't use them to translate the original FrameMaker files because we don't know how to do that 😞
Can someone share some steps to solve this?

[Stefan Gentz]

It’s unclear to me what you mean with “the original English FrameMaker files together with the XML files”. Can you explain that a little bit more? I do not understand why you have both FrameMaker AND XML files.

Also, I do not understand why your translators insist on translating the XML files, instead of XLIFF? I’m not aware of ANY professional translation tool, that does not support (and prefers) XLIFF. Also, it does not matter if you workflow is FrameMaker-files-based or XML-files-based – in both scenarios a modern translation workflow should always be XLIFF-based.

[DejanBGD]

This is what the client sends us (screenshots attached). I don't know why translators ask for a XML file, but that's their requirement. On the other hand, we have a big problem with KLIF files, I posted in another discussion - 14126824

[Stefan Gentz]

What is the relationship between the FrameMaker files and the XML files? Do they contain the same content?

Are the FrameMaker files structured FrameMaker files? Do they "load" the XML files into templates? We will need more information from you to get a better idea.

[DejanBGD]

Yes, FrameMaker and XML files are the same... in fact, XML files are original English texts prepared for Trados software, in which translators work and after recording the translated files they deliver to us - with a simple change, the English text should be replaced with Serbian, while the original structure of the document remains the same (with all images, references, ...)