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Overview: Importing and exporting translation memory data

You can import data into a translation memory and you can export data from a translation memory into a file. This import or export data includes the translation units and all of their associated fields and values. Studio performs translation memory imports and exports in the Translation Memories view.

Importing Translation Memory Data

Importing into a translation memory enables you to load data from previous translations into a new translation memory. This allows you to exchange translation memory data with third-parties or between different players in the translation supply chain who may use different product versions. You can also import data from bilingual documents or alignment result files (*.sdlalign) which contain both the source text and translated text.

You use the Import Wizard to import data into a translation memory. Imported data contains translation units with their associated fields.

Supported import Files

  • Translation Memory Exchange Documents ( *.tmx, *. tmz.gz)
  • SDL XLIFF Bilingual Documents ( *.sdlxliff)
  • TRADOStag Documents ( *.ttx)
  • SDL Edit Documents ( *.itd)
  • Alignment Files (*.sdlalign)

When you import data, you can apply a filter so that only translation units that match the conditions of the filter are imported. Filters are based on the field values assigned to the translation units that are being imported.

You can assign field values to translation units that are imported. For example, you may want to assign a context type value to imported translation units, for instance, Software or Online Help.

If imported translation units have fields associated with them that are not part of the translation memory there are several different options on how to import those translation units. For example, you could specify to only import translation units that contain the same fields as the translation memory or you could add the fields to the translation memory.

For more information on the importing options, click Import Wizard > TMX Import Options.

Exporting translation memory data

The export feature allows you to export some or all of the contents of a translation memory to a *.tmx or *. tmz.gz file. You may want to export in order to:

  • Exchange translation memory data with third-parties or between different players in the translation supply chain who may use different product versions. For example, you may want to export data to a TMX format that can be used in Trados 2007.
  • Create a secure backup of you translation memory data. SDL recommends that you perform weekly exports to back up the data from your translation memory.
  • Repair/re-index translation memories.
  • Reverse the translation memory source and target languages.

To export data from the translation memory use the Export Wizard. Data is exported from the translation memory in the form of a Translation Memory Exchange *.tmx or a *. tmx.gz (compressed *.tmx) document. When exporting translation memory data you are exporting translation units with their associated fields.

Filters

You can apply a filter to the export so that only translation units that match the conditions of the filter are exported. Filters are based on the field values assigned to the translation units.

Exporting for use in Trados 2007

When exporting TM data, you can choose to export that data to a format that is optimized for use in Trados 2007. This format ensures that text fields and attributes in the TMX file can be imported correctly into Workbench in Trados 2007. Select the Export to Workbench-optimized TMX format for use in Trados 2007 option in the Export wizard to format the data of the TMX file in this way.