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Definitions

This section describes what SIDs are and the different types.

What are Segment Identifiers (SIDs) and how are they used?
  • SIDs, in general, define the context for translatable content.
  • SIDs are marker tags that define segment boundaries. The tags are placed around source content within source documents. Content between an opening and a closing SID marker is considered a single segment.
  • SIDs help identify translation pairs. During the leverage process, SIDs are used to locate the best TM match for the SID segment.
  • SIDs help define translation pairs. During the TM update process, SIDs are stored with the associated TM entry, thus allowing it to be used in subsequent SID-based leverage processes.
Types of SIDs
There are essentially two types of SIDs.
  • Non-Unique SIDs (NUSIDs)

    An SID that is not necessarily unique, and can be associated with multiple translation pairs. It defines the context for translating the given content only. In such cases, the combination of the SID and the segment source text collectively resolve to a single translation pair. This is the less restrictive type of SID. No unique constraint needs to be enforced on the SID column. Regarding TM matches, the SID alone does not resolve into a single TM match. The SID (which defines context) needs to be combined with text to get a single TM entry. WorldServer supports this type of SID.

  • Unique SIDs (USIDs)

    An SID that is globally unique, and thus can be associated with a single translation pair. This is the more restrictive type. A unique constraint needs to be associated with the SID column. In this case, SIDs define both the context and content. The idea is that a single SID should resolve into a single TM match. WorldServer does not support this type of SID.