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Behavior Differences

When you work with files in a WorldServer project package, you need to recognize some differences in behavior between SDL WorldServer and SDL Trados Studio, including the following:
  • Segment Comments
  • Segment Status
  • Segment Locking
  • Word Counts and TM Leverage
  • Inline Tags
  • Preview Capabilities
  • Due Dates

Segment Comments

 SDL Trados StudioSDL WorldServer
Comment ScopeFile, segment, and range comments Segment comments. WorldServer converts range comments to segment comments, and ignores file comments
Comment SeverityComment Severity Level[Not available]
Comment GroupingComments stored individually and tagged with user, date and timeAll comments for segment saved in one text block. Each is preceded with a separator that contains user, date and time

Segment Status

SDL Trados Studio and SDL WorldServer use different values to identify translation segment status. When you open a WorldServer project package or create a WorldServer return package, segment status values are converted as follows:

When you export a translation kit (WorldServer project package) from WorldServer
SDL WorldServerSDL Trados Studio
No Status (empty target)Not Translated
No Status (non-empty target)Draft
Pending ReviewTranslated
ReviewedTranslation Approved
RejectedTranslation Rejected
When you import a translation kit (WorldServer return package) from Studio
SDL Trados StudioSDL WorldServer
Not TranslatedNo Status
DraftNo Status
TranslatedPending Review
Translation ApprovedReviewed
Translation RejectedRejected
Sign-off RejectedRejected
Signed OffReviewed

Segment Locking

In WorldServer, a workflow step may lock target segments whose translations it retrieves from TM. WorldServer supports two types of segment locks:
  • Dynamic locks allow you to unlock and modify segments
  • Static locks do not allow you to modify segments
SDL Trados Studio does not distinguish between these lock types.

When you edit a file with locked segments in the Studio side-by-side editor, you will see a lock icon in these segments. While Studio allows you to unlock and modify a locked segment, WorldServer will not accept any changes to the contents of segments that it locked with static locks. If you attempt to modify a static-locked segment, the Editor displays a warning message.

However, depending upon your WorldServer user privileges, you may be able to add or edit comments associated with static-locked segments. To do so, unlock the segment and add or edit the comment. When you confirm that segment, if the lock is a static one, you will have one of two options:
Commenting allowed on locked segments
The Editor displays a warning message to inform you that WorldServer will accept changes to the comments, but not to the segment translation
Commenting prevented on locked segments
The Editor displays a warning message to inform you that WorldServer will not accept either your comment changes or any segment translation changes

A similar issue occurs in the Editor if you modify and then lock a segment that is not locked in WorldServer. When you confirm the segment, the Editor displays a warning message to warn you that WorldServer will not honor this segment lock.

Word Counts and TM Leverage

You may find differences in word counts and translation memory match scores (leverage) between SDL Trados Studio and SDL WorldServer, since they currently use slightly different approaches to segmentation and leverage. The differences should not be significant.

SDL Trados Studio will correctly display fuzzy match percentages after opening a translation kit from WorldServer.

Inline Tags

SDL WorldServer and SDL Trados Studio both show nontranslatable markup within segments as numbers enclosed within braces, such as {1}. WorldServer does not distinguish among different types of these inline tags; it refers to all of them as "placeholders."

In each segment, placeholders in the target must match placeholders in the source. You can move placeholders within a segment, but must not add or delete them. If placeholders are missing, or there are more placeholders in the target segment than in the source segment, you cannot create a WorldServer return package.

Preview Capabilities

The preview feature of SDL Trados Studio (View > Preview) displays assets contained in SDL WorldServer packages that have text, HTML, and XML formats. The preview is available for the original file format associated with the following MIME types:
  • Text
    • text/plain
    • text/x-java-properties
    • application/x-javascript
  • HTML
    • text/HTML
    • application/x-jsp
    • text/x-asp
  • XML
    • text/xml
    • text/xsl
    • txt/x-idiom-dcr+xml

Project Package Due Dates

The task step due dates in SDL WorldServer are used for SDL Trados Studio project packages, but only when the due date for each task in the project is the same. Otherwise the due date in Studio is set to null.