How to Import/Export to Trados
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Published by SDL International (http://www.sdlintl.com).
© Copyright SDL International. All rights reserved.
Documentation for SDLX2004™.
Microsoft® and Windows® are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other trademarks are
acknowledged as belonging to their respective companies.
Documentation produced April 2004.
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How to Import/Export to Trados
Contents
Recommendations for transfering files between SDLX and Trados................................................... 4
What pre-translated Trados files can you import into SDLX? ...................................................... 4
How to work with pre-translated Trados RTF files in SDLX ............................................................... 4
What does a pre-translated Trados RTF file look like?................................................................ 4
How to import a partially translated Trados RTF file into SDLX................................................... 5
How to export translated ITD file to a Trados RTF ...................................................................... 6
How to work with pre-translated Trados TTX files.............................................................................. 6
What are pre-translated Trados TTX files?.................................................................................. 6
How to import a partially translated Trados TTX file into SDLX ................................................... 7
How to export / save a partially translated Trados TTX file ......................................................... 7
How do you format paint imported Trados files when source and target formatting do not
match? ......................................................................................................................................... 8
What is the SDL Export to Trados Filter? .................................................................................... 8
Preparing tagged files in SDLX for exporting to a Trados TM ..................................................... 9
Preparing RTF files in SDLX for exporting to a Trados TM........................................................ 10
Preparing MIF files in SDLX for exporting to a Trados TM ........................................................ 10
Exporting individual ITD files to Trados ..................................................................................... 11
Exporting multiple ITD files to Trados ........................................................................................ 12
Creating a Trados TM from your exported txt ............................................................................ 12
How to create an SDLX TM from a Trados TM ................................................................................ 14
Preparing Trados to work with TMs created in SDLX....................................................................... 16
Originating TTX files in SDLX for translation in Trados .................................................................... 17
Exporting the file to TTX ................................................................................................................... 18
Harvesting a TTX file ........................................................................................................................ 18
How to enable translators to view source differences when a Trados TM is to be applied to pretranslated Trados files in SDLX? ............................................................................................... 19
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Recommendations for transferring files between SDLX
and Trados
The recommended way to transfer files between SDLX and Trados is by importing and exporting pre-segmented files.
Using any method other than this will result in reduced leverage. Importing pre-segmented Trados files ensures that
segmentation and formatting are synchronised between the tools. This method is particularly useful if you are a project
manager who has a client that insists that you work in Trados but you do not have enough copies of Trados available
to do the translation. In this situation you also need to produce Trados word counts for initial quotes.
The next best method for producing Trados TMs from SDLX is to export translated ITD files. This function is
performed through the "File list to Trados" option. The export file produced, using this method, includes the native file
formatting. This action can be performed on both single and multiple ITD files. The resulting TM from these files will
achieve less leverage in Trados than importing and exporting pre-translated Trados files but will achieve more than if
you import or export directly from a TM
You can export or import directly from a TM using the “Import/Export from Trados” option on the TM menu of Maintain.
This method should only be used when the other two methods are not possible. Due to differences between the
design and structure of Trados and SDLX TMs, including the way formatting information is held in each, using this
method will achieve reduced leverage from the resulting TM.
You can also export or import directly from / to a Trados TM using the Import/Export TMX option. SDLX and Trados
comply with the TMX standard at different levels. This prevents them from being completely compatible with each
other. Therefore TMs produced using this method will give you a text only leverage.
What pre-segmented Trados files can you import into SDLX?
There are two types of pre-segmented Trados files that can be imported into SDLX. These are, RTF files including
STF files created in S-Tagger and TTX files created for use with Tag editor. Both of these file types can be presegmented using Trados Workbench. To pre-segment files in Trados, specifically to import into SDLX, create an
empty TM in Trados Workbench / select the Translate option from the Tools menu. (Make sure you have the
“Segment unknown segments” option checked) and translate the files you want to import into SDLX. If you are using
an existing TM in Trados it is important that you only apply 100% matches.
How to work with pre-segmented Trados RTF files in SDLX
What does a pre-segmented Trados RTF file look like?
Pre-segmented Trados RTF files are MSWord format files. They show the source and target segments in the
document. The source and target of each translation unit is separated by the match statistics, which Trados has
generated. The RTF also contains the language definitions for the file. SDLX uses all of this information when you
create an ITD.
View of an unclean Trados RTF file
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How to import partially translated Trados RTF files into SDLX
Pre-segmented files can be imported into SDLX as a group. Use Project Wizard and select the RTF filter.
Alternatively you can import individual files in SDL Edit, using the method outlined below:
Launch SDL Edit / From the File menu choose New Translation
Use the browse button to select your pre-segmented Trados file as the source
Check that the file type is set to
RTF and that both source and
translation languages and the
encoding are the same as that of
the imported Trados RTF.
When importing pre-segmented
Trados files, the segmentation
rules can be left as default. This
is because the segmentation has
already been set in Trados
Choose OK when ready to proceed and the file will open with any 100% matches from a previously applied Trados TM
marked in gold. Any non translated segments will be unmarked ready to translate
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How to export a translated ITD file to a Trados RTF
Save the ITD and use the Create Translation option, from the File menu to export an individual translated file. You
can export a group of files, through the Project Wizard in the usual way
The file will export in the same format as the source pre-translated Trados RTF with your translations added. The file
can be translated further In Trados if necessary and used to update a Trados TM using the Clean up Function
How to work with pre-segmented Trados TTX files
What are pre-segmented Trados TTX files?
You can open pre-segmented Trados TTX files created from HTML, JSP, ASP, XSL, XML, and SGML files directly in
the SDLX Edit module. TTX is an XML-based file format that can be opened in Tag Editor. Once pre-translated the
source and target of each translation unit is separated by the match statistics, which have been generated by Trados.
The TTX file also contains the language definitions for the file. SDLX automatically reads this information when you
open the file in the Edit module. However it is important that you immediately save the file as an ITD once opened in
SDLX. This is necessary to ensure that confirmed segments maintain their blue confirmed marking. If a translator
continues to work with the file in TTX format each time the file is saved and opened the segment status will return to
that which was exported from Trados.
A pre-segmented TTX file
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How to import a partially translated Trados TTX file into SDLX
Pre-translated TTX files are opened in SDLX individually. It is not possible to import batches of TTX files through
Project Wizard.
Launch SDLX then choose Edit / File / Open
Select TTX from the Files of Type dropdown list and browse to the folder containing your TTX file
Once open the TTX file will look like a standard ITD except the file name in the top left hand corner will retain the ttx
extension
Before you edit the
document you must
save it as an ITD.
You do this by choosing
Save As from the File
menu.
You need to manually
change the file extension
from TTX to ITD
How to export / save a partially translated Trados TTX file
Once the translation process is complete you need to save the file by selecting
File / Save As and choose TTX from the Save as type dropdown list. You need to replace the ITD extension with
TTX.
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How do you format paint imported Trados files when source and target formatting do not
match?
Trados files can contain different display formatting in the source and target sides of the same segment. SDLX files do
not. When this situation occurs different format painting colors will appear in the source and target sides of the same
segment. This can cause confusion as the translator may not immediately know where the formatting needs to be
placed. This can be seen in the following example.
Segment 12
shows different
display formatting
in the source and
target segments
With pre-translated Trados files you do not need to completely match the source formatting to the target. However you
may need to match and know where to place the formatting from the source segments. To help with this you can view
the initial Trados translation in the source side.
You achieve this by
selecting the format
paint icon. Once this
icon is selected
segment 12
immediately shows the
same display formatting
in the source and target
segments.
As long as format painting is activated you can view the initial Trados formatting
Please note it is important that only 100% matches are imported into SDLX in pre-translated files. Any Fuzzy matches
applied in Trados that include differences in formatting tags between the source and target sides of a segment can
not be rectified in SDLX. If the discrepancy is not resolved in Trados the result will be a corrupt final file when viewed
in its native format. Importing only 100% matches is also the correct way to enable a translator to see source
differences from a Trados TM. Pre-translate your files at 100% in Trados, import the Trados TM into maintain the
translator will be able to lookup fuzzy matches from the imported TM in Edit. Full instructions on this follow later in the
document.
What is the SDL Export to Trados Filter?
The SDL Export to Trados Filter is a tool that simplifies the process of exporting SDLX ITD files that are ready for use
in the creation of Trados Translation Memories. This method exports native file formatting that is missing when you
export an SDLX TM to Trados. Thus helping you to achieve a higher leverage from a resulting TM.
Export to Trados. This option
exports an individual ITD that you
have open into a Trados format txt
file ready for use in creating a
Trados TM
Export File List to Trados. This
option exports a group of ITDs into
a single Trados format txt file
ready for use in creating a Trados
TM
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Preparing ITD files for use in creating a Trados TM
If you are unable to acquire pre-translated Trados files, but need to deliver a Trados TM at the end of your project you
can achieve higher leverage in Trados by preparing your ITDs with the correct options. As each Trados module has
slightly different segmentation rules the preparation in SDLX is different for different file types.
Preparing tagged files in SDLX for exporting to a Trados TM
Import the HTML files through Project Wizard in the normal manner. When you reach the Project Import
Options page you need to set the following options
Gluing the HTML files is
optional. It will not affect
leverage in Trados
You need to set the
segmentation Rules to TagEditor Default
Set the Segmentation rules
to Tag-Editor Default by
choosing the Segmentation
rules button.
Highlight the Tag-Editor Default Rules and click the Set
Active button
The Tag-editor Default rules become the active rules
displayed at the top of the Segmentation rules dialog
box
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Preparing RTF files in SDLX for exporting to a Trados TM
Import the RTF files through Project Wizard in the usual manner until you reach the Project Import Options page.
Here you need to set the active segmentation rules to Trados Style Default
Preparing MIF files in SDLX for exporting to a Trados TM
Import the MIF files through Project Wizard. On the Mif Options dialog set Index entry splitting option to Split at colon
and semi colon.
Select OK and continue through the import wizard until you reach the Project Import Options page.
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Here you set the segmentation rules to S-Tagger style default
Exporting individual ITD files to Trados
Once you have completed the translation of an ITD file you can export it into a Trados compatible .txt file that can be
imported into a Trados TM Open the ITD file and choose File / Trados / Export to Trados. Name and place the
export files in the correct folder
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Exporting multiple ITD files to Trados
There are two options for choosing the
multiple ITD files to export to Trados.
You can either select the files you need
using Add Selection or you can add all
ITDs within a folder structure using the
Add with WildCard.
Before you can export you need to
confirm the following options
Folder structure selected
Source and Target languages
Selection option buttons
Placement of export file
The resulting txt file is ready to import
into a Trados TM
How to create a Trados TM from your exported txt
Launch Trados Workbench
From the File menu choose New
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From the Create Translation Memory dialog confirm that the Source and Target Languages are the same as your
exported file and select any other options you require. When complete choose the Create… button
Browse to where you want to place your Trados TM / Name the file and select Save when ready
Return to the File menu and choose Import
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From the Trados import options
Select the Large Import File (with
Reorganization) option (indexes the
file)
Select the Add to Setup option for new
fields (this will include all the fields
created in SDLX. including system and
user defined fields
Define how you want duplicates to be
handled during the import.
Select the correct import file and choose the Open button to begin the import
Select the Check Matching SubLanguages option if you do not wish to
import translation units whose sublanguage codes are different to those
of your current source and/or target
languages
Once your import is complete you will see Analysis details of the import at the foot of Translators Workbench. These
include how many Translation Units were read, how many were updated and if any were invalid.
How to create an SDLX TM from a Trados TM
Launch SDLX Maintain / From the TM menu choose New and create a new SDLX TM. From the New Translation
Memory dialog name and place the new TM
.
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Import the Trados file from the TM menu by choosing Import \ Trados
From the Import Wizard – Files dialog select the Trados Txt file(s) that you previously exported and choose the Next
> button
On the Import Wizard – Languages and Encodings dialog set the languages and encodings to those of the TM you
exported from Trados or else use the Analyse import files for available languages option - choose Next > when ready
to proceed
From the Import Wizard – General Options dialog choose the way you wish SDLX to handle any duplicates and
choose Finish when happy
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Check that the correct languages were imported. Choose which languages you want to index and choose the OK
button.
When the indexing is complete, confirm the languages SDLX has imported and the Translation Memory import will be
complete and the TM ready to use
Preparing Trados to work with TMs created in SDLX
If your TM originated in SDLX you can improve the leverage you achieve in Trados through preparing the files that will
be translated appropriately
Working with Mif files in Trados
Before you convert the Mif files in S-Tagger launch Word > Choose Tools \ AutoCorrect \ and the AutoFormat as you
type tab - then uncheck the "Straight quotes" with ”smart quotes” check box on the Replace as you type menu
Also choose the AutoFormat tab uncheck the "Straight quotes" with "smart quotes” check box on the Replace menu
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Launch S-Tagger for FrameMaker and ensure the Settings tag matches the following
Have marker
Placeholders
set to Don't
Insert
Set the correct source and target languages. Once you are satisfied with the settings continue with converting
your Mif files.
Working with HTML files in Trados using a TM originated in SDLX
Launch TagEditor and set the breaking element by
Tools \ DTD settings \ Default HTML settings \ Select the edit button \ Select the elements tab and scroll to the BR
element and set it to internal
Note for working with XML or SGML files:
When working with XML or SGML files and a TM that
originated in SDLX you can ensure that you have a Trados ini
file that is identical to the SDLX anl file used to create the TM.
This is important for achieving the best possible leverage.
Saving the SDLX ANL as a Trados ini, is an option that can be
found in the SGML and XML import options of Project Wizard.
To save an SDLX anl file as a Trados ini file
Create an anl file using the XML or SGML filters
Open the anl file in the SGML or XML filter using Options > File
> Open > Once open choose File > Save as Trados ini. Here
you will be asked for the Doctype (root element) of the file and
the descriptive name for Trados.
Once the file has been saved it can be used in Trados Tag
editor or Workbench with the TM created from SDLX
Originating TTX files in SDLX for translation in Trados
You can create TTX files in SDLX for translation in Trados. You can do this with any of the tagged format files that we
support (HTML, XML, and SGML etc) and from which Trados can produce a ttx file. This action can only be performed
on single files.
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Exporting the file to TTX
Create an ITD from HTML, XML, ASP, JSP, or SGML files. If you will be applying a TM to the file in Trados use the
TagEditor style default segmentation rules. Open the ITD and choose File / Trados / Export to TTX format
TTX files exported from SDLX can be opened in Trados TagEditor and manually translated or else a Trados TM can
be applied to it in Workbench. These TTX files are not suitable to be cleaned up into a Trados TM as they may contain
non translatable text which is allowable in an SDLX but not in Trados.
Harvesting a TTX file
Once you have translated and saved the TTX file in Trados you can harvest the translations back into SDLX using the
Harvest TTX option
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This is what a harvested TTX file looks like in SDLX. Segments 3, 4 and 6 were translated in Trados
The translated segments are ready to confirm and update into an SDLX TM
How to enable translators can view source differences when a Trados TM is to be applied to
pre-translated Trados files in SDLX?
When importing pre-translated Trados files, for which there is a Trados TM, the following procedure enables
translators to view source differences in SDLX:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Apply the TM to the files in Trados Workbench at 100%
Import the pre-translated files (The 100% matches will import in gold)
Import the Trados TM through Maintain to create an SDLX one
The translator will now be able to view source differences button when needed.
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