Introduction to
MetaTexis
MetaTexis
Designed and developed by:
Hermann Bruns
www.metatexis.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MetaTexis/
MetaTexis-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Goals:
I would like to show MetaTexis as a CAT tool
characterized by the following three principal features:
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Simplicity
●
Versatility
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Configurability
They are of particular importance for free-lance
translators, who do not specialize exclusively in IT-related
texts.
What is a CAT tool?
A Computer Aided Translation program creates a database (Translation
Memory) containing translation units, that combine a source segment
(usually a sentence) with the corresponding target segment. In other
words, a TM is a list of bilingual pairs of sentences.
During translation, a CAT tool searches the database for similar
segments (sentences or their parts). If there are any, they are displayed,
so that the translator can select the best match and edit it, if need be.
A CAT tool also provides the functionality of a dictionary or
terminology database, that is searched during translation for possible
matches with formerly defined terms.
A CAT tool can function as a bilingual text database, a kind of
linguistic corpus, a contextual dictionary.
What can a CAT tool help you do?
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●
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Avoid re-translating repeating fragments of text.
Maintain consistent terminology in a large body of
texts.
Search for the context of a term or phrase.
Note:
A CAT tool does not translate texts. It is not an automatic
translator.
Possible applications and
advantages
●
●
●
●
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Translation of long or multiple documents that
require absolutely consistent terminology.
Translation of highly repetitive documents, such as
technical documentation or specifications.
Translation of highly-specialized texts with
difficult terminology that is provided in the form
of a bilingual text file.
A CAT tool can be used as a “contextual
dictionary”.
Translation of texts provided in the form of tagged
documents.
Requirements & versions
•
•
Operating system: Windows 98®, Windows ME®, Windows
NT®, Windows 2000®, Windows XP®
Microsoft Word 2000® (Service Release 1a), Microsoft Word
XP®, Microsoft Word 2003®
MetaTexis versions:
MetaTexis Lite
(basic functions)
MetaTexis Pro
(advanced functions)
MetaTexis NET/Office (MS Office import,
network)
SIMPLICITY
MetaTexis in MS Word
All the most commonly used commands are available in the tool bar, visible
in the editor. They can also be triggered with shortcuts. All the
commands are available in the menu.
One needs to learn three shortcuts (Alt+Down to get to the next segment,
Alt+Shift+Enter to select a segment from the database and Ctrl+Alt+T to
display the main translation memory) to speed up considerably the
process of translation.
As the operations related to formating are already known to MS Word users,
a user new to MetaTexis starts his/her work in a well-known environment.
The strong/weak points of MS Word are also the strong/weak points of
MetaTexis. For instance, if there is a need for a functionality, a userdefined macro can be launched when a segment is opened/closed.
MetaTexis in MS Word
●
●
●
All MetaTexis commands
are available in the menu,
that is added to regular
editor menus.
Commands are logically
grouped to facilitate their
use.
All important shortcuts are
provided in the menu as
well.
BASICS
●
●
Preparation of documents for translation
The process of translation
–
–
–
●
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Document navigation
Searching databases
Handling search results
Final version
Statistics and cost calculation
Preparation of documents for
translation
Step 1:
Defining the type of the document to be translated.
[Mostly automatic]
Preparation of documents
Step 2:
Defining the source and target languages
Obligatory, yet...
Preparation of documents
Step 3:
Creation of a database (Translation Memory)
Important for the levarage effect
Preparation of documents
Step 4:
Creation of a dictionary (Terminology DataBase)
Useful, yet not obligatory
Preparation of documents
Step 5:
Defining the information about the translator
Not obliagory, but it may be useful to provide the data.
Preparation of documents
Step 6:
What should be done, once the document is prepared
The original document is left intact. MT works on a new
document, named DocumentName [MetaTexis].doc
The process of translation
●
●
●
How to move through a translated document?
How to handle the results of automatic database
searches?
How to manually search translation memories and
terminology databases?
The process of translation
All commands used during the process of translation can be executed
by means of:
tool bar buttons,
●menu commands,
●key combinations (shortcuts).
●
Tip: It is best to gradually learn the shortcuts of the most common
commands and use them during translation, as they considerably speed
the entire process up.
Trados/Wordfast users can easily adjust the shortcuts according to their
personal preferences and habits.
Document navigation
●
●
●
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Opening/closing translation units
Searching for units to be revised
for formal reasons
– segment length
– numbers
– watch list items
Displaying hidden text
Activating dialog mode
Apart from the navigation commands,
the menu contains an advanced
Search for text command — very
useful in case it should be
necessary to verify whether
terminology is consistently used.
Document navigation
●
●
●
●
Go to the next segment (Alt+Down).
TM search will be carried out
automatically.
If only one TM search result is
available, edit the translation and
press Alt+Shift+Enter
If there are more TM search results,
place the cursor in the translation box
with the best match, edit the
translation, and press
Alt+Shift+Enter.
The new translation unit is ready to
be saved in the TM, which is done by
pressing Alt+Down again.
Note: Search results show the matching
subsegments and their order.
Document navigation
Menu:
MetaTexis |
Navigation |
Search for text
(Alt+Shift+I)
Copying and deleting
●
●
Copying source text
Management of special
text elements:
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–
–
–
–
–
●
footnotes
comments
fields
hyperlinks
images
tags
Deleting translation
Copying and deleting
●
●
If the entire source text should be
copied into the translation box,
press Alt+Shift+C.
If there are special objects, e.g.
inline images, place the cursor in
the place, where the object should
appear and press Alt+Shift+Y (for
inline images) to insert the object.
–
–
●
Note: Each type of special
objects is copied with a separate
command.
Objects are copied in their
original sequence.
If the selected TM search results,
the entire translation or copied
text should be deleted, press
Alt+Shift+Delete.
Segment manipulation
●
●
Segment manipulation
– Expanding/shortening
text
– Combining/dividing
translation units
(Re-)segmentation of the
entire document
These options are particularly useful,
when the results of automatic
segmentation do not correspond to
the logical segmentation of a text
portion.
Searching in translation memories
(TMs)
●
●
●
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If the default search options are
checked in the Start Assistant,
translation units are saved and the
TM is searched automatically.
However, it is occasionally necessary
to search a TM for a phrase. To do so:
– select the searched phrase
– press Ctrl+Alt+T
The Database Center displays the list
of translation units containing the
phrase.
The selected unit is displayed in the
right section (where it can be edited)
The translation of the selected unit
can be taken over by pressing the
Take over button (at the bottom).
Searching in terminology
databases – dictionaries (TDBs)
●
●
●
●
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If the default search options are
checked in the Start Assistant, TDB is
searched automatically.
However, it is occasionally necessary
to search a dictionary for a term. To
do so:
– select the searched phrase
– press Ctrl+Alt+G
The Database Center displays the list
of found terms.
The selected term pair is displayed in
the right section (where it can be
edited)
The term can be taken over by
pressing the Take over button (at the
bottom).
Preparing the final version
Update TM:
Useful, when the document was edited
after translation, e.g. during proofreading.
The TM shall contain the approved
translation.
Segment whole document:
Recommended
to
make
sure
segmentation is correct and no text has
been skipped.
Create Trados document:
This option automatically exports
translation into a Trados-style document.
Preparing the final version
Post-production allows you to:
– remove unnecessary
characters [e.g. double
spaces] from translation
– streamline quotations
– ensure consistent formal
characteristics of the
translated text
The option allows one to avoid
carrying
out
manually
some
burdensome operations aimed at
ensuring proper formal characteristics
of the text.
Statistics and cost calculation
●
Word count
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Character count
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Time statistics
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Segment statistics
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Cost calculation
SIMPLICITY
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●
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Document preparation is automatic and quick.
Basic database configuration is automatic.
Document navigation and the selection of database search
results require one to learn two shortcuts: Alt+Down (to
go to the next segment) and Alt+Shift+Enter (to select
translation). The less-frequently used operations can be
triggered by means of tool bar buttons or menu
commands.
The final version is prepared with a single command.
Documents edited during proofreading can be used to
update TMs during the preparation of the final version,
so that the TM can always contain the best translation,
which is important if it is to be used extensively in the
future.
CONFIGURABILITY
ADVANCED OPTIONS
●
Configuration of MetaTexis – General Options
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Configuration of TMs and TDBs – Document
Options
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Export and import of documents and databases
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Alignment
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Multi-document projects
Configuration of MetaTexis –
General Options
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Options affecting the entire program:
– Interface language
–
–
Dialog/document mode
–
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personal habits can be retained
External programs launched from MetaTexis
–
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especially important in the translation of interfaces [in rc files]
Shortcuts
–
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important for those accustomed to work in Trados or Wordfast
Quality control
–
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English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Czech,
Chinese, Polish
Cooperation with external dictionaries and translation machines
Color coding of search results
–
easy recognition of the match percentage
General Options
General Options - Shortcuts
General Options – External
programs
General Options – the “looks”
Colors and frames
●
●
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Colors defined in this tab “code” the percentage of
similarity of the translated text with database
search results.
It is also possible to define colors for identical
subsegments and the indexes indicating their order.
The color “coding” facilitates orientation in
database search results. Important data start to be
transmitted in a “subliminal” manner.
Document Options
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Miscellaneous tab:
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Definition of the source and target languages;
Showing segmentation marks — important, if a
document is to be proofread by someone, who does not
have MetaTexis;
Access to documents included in the same multidocument project;
Translator's data;
Watch list — a very important and useful function:
–
–
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helps preserve the coherence of translation
helps ensure consistent terminology usage in a verified text that
contains erroneous or misleading terminology
Watch lists can be stored in *.txt files and imported, when
needed
Document Options
Document Options
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Segmentation tab allows to:
–
define (a set of) segmentation marks;
–
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indicate styles that should not be segmented/translated;
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Important when translated text contains numerous elements that
should be left as they are, e.g. formulas, commands of a
programming language, etc.
define a list of abbreviations that should not be
segmented;
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Important to reduce “expand segment/combine segments” operations
Important to reduce “expand segment/combine segments” operations
decide how numbers should be treated.
–
Important to reduce “expand segment/combine segments” operations
Document Options
Configuration of TMs and TDBs –
Document Options
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Databases tab allows to:
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fine-tune the operation of the search engine on
translation memories and dictionaries:
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indicate additional, secondary translation memories
and dictionaries (theoretically, up to 254):
–
–
useful when an “inherited” TM is not to be changed or there is a
need for separate TMs for different, yet similar projects
define the manner of displaying TM/TDB search
results:
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threshold percentage of similarity
ignoring internal tags
saving/inserting formatted text
the number of alternatives to be displayed
the manner of displaying/inserting terminology
cross-link TMs and TDBs.
TM - Configuration
Saving tab
➢
➢
➢
➢
Saving a translation unit
automatically ensures the
leverage effect is
achieved.
Saving RTF text allows
one to avoid most tasks
related to formatting.
Saving alternatives
provides flexibility.
Inverse saving of
translation units allows the
TM to be searched in both
directions
TM - Configuration
Search 1 tab
➢
➢
Automatic search — the
translator can concentrate
on selecting the right or
most helpful translation.
Language classes allow
the search engine to treat,
for instance, UK and US
English as one language
(no matter how strange it may sound for
the speakers of these languages).
TM - Configuration
Search 2 tab
➢
➢
➢
➢
The number of results found
in the TM depends on the
minimum similarity threshold
for entire segments and
subsegments.
Search results are better, for
some purposes, if index
fields/internal tags are
ignored.
TM can be used as a
dictionary.
TM can be searched both
ways.
TM - Configuration
Results 1 tab
➢
➢
➢
100% matches can be
inserted automatically.
The number of found
segments can be adjusted
according to current needs.
Marking of identical subsegments and their order is
very helpful, as both the text
to be translated and its place
in a segment are clearly
visible.
TM - Configuration
Results 2 tab
➢
If and identical segment
with different numbers are
found, MetaTexis uses the
found segment and tries to
intelligently change the
numbers.
TDB - Configuration
Search 1 tab
➢
➢
Automatic search for
terminology that can be
inserted or just displayed.
Language classes allow
the search engine to treat,
for instance, UK and US
English as one language.
TDB - Configuration
Search 2 tab
➢
➢
If there is a 100% match,
there may be no need for a
terminology search.
However, it may also be
important to search the
dictionary if the TM can
contain incorrect
terminology.
The dictionary can also be
used as a TM.
TDB - Configuration
Results 1 tab
➢
➢
The results can be
displayed in the source
segment in the form of
pairs of words. Such
segment can be copied and
overwritten.
The results can be
displayed in a separate
terminology section.
TDB - Configuration
Results 2 tab
➢
➢
➢
The terminology can be
marked, for convenience.
The marks can later be
useful during
proofreading.
They can also be deleted
(in most cases, it is better
to check this option).
CONFIGURABILITY
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●
●
➔
Comprehensive options for configuring:
– Translation Memories:
– similarity thresholds, search direction
– Terminology DataBases:
– flexibility of displaying terminology
– Segmentation rules
– Logical and semantic segmentation takes precedence
over automatic segmentation prepared by the program.
A wide range of options is available for defining the manner of
displaying TM search results.
Personal habits can be respected, as the interface is flexible:
– Program shortcuts can be defined by the user
– The tool bar can be customized
The user (and his habits) takes precedence over the program.
VERSATILITY
&
Compatibility
Export and import
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Export/import of Trados/Wordfast documents
Import of tagged documents – preparation for
translation
MS Office documents:
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–
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Export/import of Translation Memories
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Excel
PowerPoint
Formats: tmx, txt, mdb
Export/import of Terminology Databases
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Formats: tmx, txt, mdb
Export/import: Trados/Wordfast
documents
●
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Trados documents are
recognized in the Start
Assistant and
automatically prepared for
translation in MetaTexis.
A document can easily be
exported to
Trados/Wordfast format.
Export/import: tagged documents
●
●
Tagged documents are
recognized in the Start
Assistant and automatically
prepared for translation in MT.
Supported formats include:
– HTML
– PageMaker
– Frame_Maker
– Interleaf
– Ventura
– Quark Express
– XML
– OpenTag
– XLIFF
Export/import: tagged documents
The import of tagged documents, e.g. HTML, can be finetuned automatically or customized to particular needs by
anyone, who knows the relevant language structure (HTML,
XML, etc.). If done well, it ensures better segmentation.
Export/import: tagged documents
It is also possible to define
➢
➢
the meta-character set of
the source document
the meta-character set of
the target document
MetaTexis works in
Unicode, but it may be
important to ensure the right
encoding (other than
Unicode) in the documents
to be published on the
Internet.
Export/import: tagged documents
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Tagged documents are
automatically exported to the
native format, when the final
version is prepared.
It is possible to automatically
encode special characters in
the final version.
If some segments have been
overlooked, there appears a
warning.
Export/import: MS Office
documents
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●
MS Excel and MS PowerPoint files can be
translated directly in Metatexis.
A data sheet or presentation is imported into a
MetaTexis document and, once translated, it is
exported back to the original file.
Export/import: Translation
Memories & Dictionaries
Menu:
MetaTexis | Import/export | Import/export TMs
The dialog box allows the user to select an existing TM, create a
new TM, view an existing TM and export (or import) it to a
selected format.
An identical dialog box is used to perform all the actions for
dictionaries (TDBs).
Translation Memories — Export
TMX
●
●
If TMX is the target
format of the database,
the basic structure is
created automatically.
The user can create
here a consistent
database for the
translation in the
opposite direction as
well.
Translation Memories — Export
TXT
●
●
If TXT is the target
format of the database,
it is necessary to
define:
– the field separator
– the content
delimiter
– the fields to be
exported
It is possible to change
the order of languages
in the exported
segments as well.
Translation Memories — Export
Access
●
●
If MDB is the target
format of the database,
it is possible to define
certain options, that
facilitate further
processing of the TM
in MS Access.
The fields to be
exported can also be
selected.
Translation Memories — Import
Highly configurable import procedure
Translation Memories — Import
TXT
●
If TXT is the
source format of
the database
(e.g. Wordfast
TMs), the user
can select the
appropriate field
separator and
content
delimiter, to
ensure the
database
structure is
copied correctly.
Translation Memories — Import
TXT
●
The user can
select and
assign the
fields to be
imported to the
fields of the
target
MetaTexis
database.
Translation Memories — Import
TXT
●
The user can
also define
how the
imported fields
are to be
treated.
TMs — Export/Import
●
●
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Export/Import formats:
– txt [the format used by Wordfast]
– tmx [universal exchange format]
– Mdb [MS Access database format]
Flexibility of field assignment
– Possibility of selecting the data, that are needed.
– The user can be sure the database structure is correctly
mapped from the source file / onto the target file.
TXT and MDB formats allow the databases to be easily
processed in MS Excel or MS Access, which facilitates
greatly the tasks related to database maintenance.
Terminology Databases:
Export/Import
Options and dialog boxes analogous to those, that control
export/import of TMs:
●The same flexibility of field assignment:
➔ Possibility of selecting fields to be imported/exported
●Possibility of exporting to Access databases, that can further
be processed.
➔ Easy database maintenance
●Possibility of exporting to/importing from *.txt files (e.g.
Wordfast databases or *.csv files)
●It is possible to export a dictionary into a txt or xls file,
process it and re-import into MT.
➔ Easy maintenance if Access is not available.
VERSATILITY and compatibility
●
Files in multiple formats can be prepared for
translation in MetaTexis:
–
–
●
●
HTML, PageMaker, Interleaf, Ventura, Quark Express,
XML, OpenTag, XLIFF, Trados document, Trados
TagEditor, Windows resource files
MS Excel, MS PowerPoint
It is possible to export documents to Trados RTF
format and Wordfast documents.
Import/export of TMs and TDBs from/to *.tmx,
*.txt and *.mdb formats.
➔
➔
Possibility of flexible selection and assignment of
fields to be exported/imported.
High compatibility with Trados and Wordfast.
Other advanced options
●
●
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Alignment
– Preparation of Tms from separate texts (source and
translation).
Projects
– Sets of documents, that are treated as an entity. Searching,
indexing and statistic calculations are carried out for all the
documents.
Batch processing
– The option allows the user to pre-translate a set of
documents (e.g. to prepare documents for other translators)
or save all translation units in a set of documents in a TM
(e.g. after proofreading, to obtain an updated TM).