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Importing TM data

You can import data into translation memories (TM) to reuse your current resources. You can only import supported file types.

About this task

The imported data consists of translation units (TUs) and their associated fields. If you want to import a number of files, place them all in a single folder so that you can import the folder.

What gets imported

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

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

When updating server-based TMs with new TUs via import operations, the new TUs will be available for lookup, but the TU count will be updated after 60 minutes.

Supported import files

  • SDL XLIFF Bilingual Documents ( *.sdlxliff)
  • Alignment Files (*.sdlalign)

Support for legacy TMs

If you want to use translation memories from legacy applications, for example, SDL Trados 2007 and SDLX), install the Trados Compatibility and Migration Power Pack from the RWS AppStore. This free app adds the Upgrade Translation Memories ribbon option to the Translation Memories view and ads the infrastructure required to work with legacy files in Trados Studio 2021 and later.

Use the Upgrade Translation Memories wizard to create a new TM that can then be opened in Trados Studio.

Additional files support for legacy files

To open and work with files created in legacy Trados Studio versions, first install the Trados Compatibility and Migration Power Pack app from the RWS AppStore. This free app adds the infrastructure required to work with the following legacy files in Trados Studio 2021 and later:
  • SDL Edit Documents (.ITD)
  • TRADOStag Documents (.TTX)
  • Translation Memory Exchange Documents (.TMX, .TMX.GZ)

To install the app, go to the Add-Ins tab > RWS AppStore or visit https://appstore.sdl.com.

Filter-based imports

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

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

Procedure

  1. Do one of the following:
    • Go to the Translation Memory view and, in the navigation tree, select the TM you want to import data into.
    • Go to the Translation Memory view. If the TM does not appear in the navigation tree, select File > Open > Open Translation Memory.
  2. Go to the Home tab and select Import.
  3. In the Import Files page of the Import wizard, add the files to be imported:
    • If you want to select a single file, select Add Files.
    • If you want to select a folder, select Add Folder.
    Continue selecting files until the list of files to be imported is complete.
  4. Select Next.
    • If you have installed the Trados Compatibility and Migration Power Pack and you are importing *.tmx files, complete the TMX Import Options page. Go to step 5.
    • If you are importing *.xliff, *.ttx or *.itd files (bilingual files), complete the Bilingual Document Import Options page. Go to step 6.
    • If you are importing *.sdlalign files, complete the Alignment Import Options page. Go to step 7.
  5. On TMX Import Options page:
    1. Use the Filter section if you do not want to import the entire TM, but only filter the wanted translation units (TU). Select Edit to display the Filter dialog where you create a filter to exclude the unwanted TUs. Only TUs that match the filter are imported.
    2. Under Unknown Fields, specify how you want the import to handle fields that exist in the TUs being imported, but not in the TM to which you are importing:
      • Add to translation memory - When this option is selected, the TU and the unknown fields are added to the TM. The field is added to the TM settings and becomes available for all TUs in the TM.
      • Ignore - When this option is selected, the TU is added to the TM, but the unknown fields are not imported.
      • Skip translation unit - When this option is selected, TUs containing unknown fields are not imported. Skipped TUs are not counted as errors in the import statistics.
      • Fail translation unit import - When this option is selected, TUs that have unknown fields are not imported. Failed TUs are counted as errors in the import statistics.
    3. Under Please select the scenario that applies best to you specify what data associated with the TU is removed or retained in order to optimize the leverage from the imported data. Data created from other TM engines might have applied and stored data associated with a TU differently than Trados Studio. Therefore, in order for data imported into the current TM to work correctly in Trados Studio, you can eliminate some differences between the TUs imported into this TM with the current TUs.
      OptionDescription

      The imported data will be primarily used with new, native source files or files processed only with Trados Studio

      This option imports a version of the *.tmx file that has had some formatting-related data removed. You might want to do this, for example, if you are a translator and you receive files in their original (native) format with a legacy *.tmx file. In this case, removing the formatting-related data associated with the TU will increase the leverage.

      The imported data will be primarily used with presegmented legacy SDL Trados ITD files and TTX files

      This option imports a version of the *.tmx file that retains the legacy TU data. You might want to do this, for example, if you are a translator and you receive a pre-segmented legacy bilingual file with a legacy *.tmx file. In this case, retaining the data associated with the TU will increase leverage.

      The imported data will be primarily used in mixed scenarios

      Imports two versions of the TU, one where the data associated with the TU will be removed and another one where it retains the data. You might want to do this if you want to permanently upgrade the *.tmx file to the new TM format, you are using legacy bilingual files and using bilingual files from Trados Studio. Selecting this option will maximize the TM leverage in all situations.

    4. Go to step 8.
  6. On the Bilingual Document Import Options page:
    1. Include or exclude TUs from the import based on their translation status.
    2. Go to step 8.
  7. On the Alignment Import Options page, specify the settings and go to step 8.
  8. On the General Import Options page specify your settings for importing data into the TM:
    1. Specify the settings:
      OptionDescription

      Apply Field Values

      If the TM you are importing into has custom fields, you can specify what values should be placed in these fields for the imported TUs.

      Select Edit to display the Field Values dialog. For each field, specify or select a value and select OK.

      Import translation units as plain text

      When selected, all formatting in the import file is ignored and the TU content is imported as plain text.

      This may be useful if you are importing TUs from an application that handles tags differently to Trados Studio as the imported tag information would not display correctly in Trados Studio.

      Exclude language variants

      When selected, TUs for variants of the selected source and target language will not be imported.

      For example if you are importing into an English (United Kingdom) / German (Germany) TM and you select this option, any English (United States) / German (Germany) TUs in the import file will not be imported.

      Export invalid translation units

      When selected, TUs that do not match the selections you have made on this page are not imported; they are saved to a *.tmx file. The *.tmx file can be imported later if you want.

      Select Browse to specify a location and name for the file.

    2. Under If target segments differ:
      OptionDescription
      Add new translation units

      This option imports the new TUs as additional entries. The TM fields of the new TUs are merged with those of the existing TUs.

      Overwrite existing translation units

      This imports the new TUs and overwrites the existing TUs. The TM fields of the existing TUs are also replaced with the TM fields of the new TUs. The only fields that Trados Studio keeps from the existing TUs are those fields that do not have a correspondent in the new TUs.

      Leave translation units unchanged

      This keeps the existing TUs and their TM fields and does not import the new ones.

      Keep most recent translation units

      This keeps the most recently changed TU and its fields. Trados Studio imports a TU whose source segment is identical to that of an existing TU only if the imported unit is newer than the existing one. If the change date of the TU for import is older than the change date of the existing one, Trados Studio does not replace the existing TU.

  9. Select Finish when you are ready to start the import. On the Importing page, you will see the status of the import:
    OptionDescription

    Show Error Details

    If any data failed to import, select this to view the error details. The details are displayed in the Error dialog. Save the error details to a file so that you can look at those TUs later.

    Cancel

    Select this option while the import is running to cancel the import. The Cancel button is then disabled while the import process is being canceled and becomes enabled again when the cancellation is complete.

    Close

    When the import is finished, select this option to close the Import wizard.

  10. When the import has finished, the items on this page are listed as Complete. Select Close.