Month: December 2010

Categories
Felix tools

Version 0.3 of XLIFF Translator released

I’ve just released version 0.3 of XLIFF Translator.

Get the latest version here.

Here are the main improvements:

  • “Review Mode” interface with side-by-side source and translation, and “note” field (see relevant manual entry)
  • “Auto Translate” and “Auto Translate to Fuzzy” functions implemented
  • Easier navigation through segments (see relevant manual entry)

Click here for the online documentation.

About XLIFF Translator

XLIFF Translator is a free tool for generating and translating XLIFF files. It’s made to work with the Felix translation memory system, but can also be used as an XLIFF editor/creator.

XLIFF Translator screen shot
XLIFF Translator
Categories
Felix resources

New documentation for scripting API

I’ve just published new documentation for the Felix scripting API.

Go to the online API docs.

These new docs are updated and go into a fair amount of detail.

You can also download the docs in Microsoft Help format. If clicking the link doesn’t download the file for you, then right-click the link and select “Save Link As…” Also note that Windows may block the content because it’s from the Internet. To release the block, right click on the file on your computer, and from the Properties dialog, click the button to unlock it.

What is the scripting API?

The scripting (automation) API is a COM interface for controlling Felix. It lets you write macros/scripts to control the behavior of Felix, and automate repetitive tasks. This API is available for all Felix installations.?

Categories
Felix tips

Getting data into Felix

Translation data can come in a wide range of formats; this is especially true of glossaries. Felix supports a variety of translation-memory and glossary formats, and by using the Felix import features in Excel, you can get data in many different formats into Felix.

Below are some of the many file formats that you can get into Felix.

Translation Memory Formats

Format How to Open
FTM .ftm is the native Felix translation memory format. You can open it by selecting File >> Open from the Felix Memory window, or dragging and dropping the file into the Memory window.
Felix XML Felix translation memories are XML files. Felix TMs saved with the .ftm and .xml extensions have the same structure, and can be opened in the same way.
TMX Felix supports both the 1.1 and 1.4 TMX standards. To open a TMX memory, select File >> Open from the Felix Memory window, and set the file type to “TMX,” or drag and drop a TMX file into the Memory window.
Trados Text Trados memories can be exported as a special text format. You can also open these TMs in Felix.
To open a translation memory in Trados text format, select File >> Open from the Felix Memory window, and set the file type to “Trados Text,” or drag and drop a Trados text file into the Memory window.
CSV You can import translation memories in this format by going through MS Excel. Open the file in Excel, and if necessary, arrange the columns so that the translation column is the next column to the right from the source column. If there is a context column, make sure that is to the right of the translation column. Next, select the source cell of the top row, and from the Felix menu, select Add Memory. See the relevant section of the manual for details.
Tab-separated Text The process for importing translation memories in this format is the same as for CSV files, above
Other XML Any translation memory in a tabular/table format can be imported into Felix via Excel. The process for importing translation memories in this format is the same as for CSV files, above

Glossary Formats

Format How to Open
FGLOSS .fgloss is the native Felix glossary format. You can open it by selecting File >> Open from the Felix Glossary window, or dragging and dropping the file into the Glossary window.
Felix XML Felix glossaries are XML files. Felix glossaries saved with the .fgloss and .xml extensions have the same structure, and can be opened in the same way.
Multiterm Multiterm is a Trados text-based glossary format. Felix can open both versions 5.x and 6.x of Multiterm text files.
To open a Multiterm glossary, select File >> Open from the Felix Glossary window, and set the file type to “Multiterm,” or drag and drop a Multiterm file into the Glossary window.
Tabbed Text You can open glossaries in tabbed-text format in Felix. To do so, select File >> Open from the Felix Glossary window, and set the file type to “Tabbed Text.”
CSV You can import glossaries in this format by going through MS Excel. Open the file in Excel, and if necessary, arrange the columns so that the translation column is the next column to the right from the source column. If there is a context column, make sure that is to the right of the translation column. Next, select the source cell of the top row, and from the Felix menu, select Add Glossary. See the relevant section of the manual for details.
Other XML Any glossary in a tabular/table format can be imported into Felix via Excel. The process for importing translation memories in this format is the same as for CSV files, above

In addition to the formats listed above, any tabular/table-based file that can be opened in Excel can be imported into Felix. For example, you can download a glossary in HTML format from the Internet, open it in Excel, and from there import it into Felix.

If you have an existing translation and original, and want to create a translation memory from it, then I suggest using the free Align Assist tool.

If you have the need to import a file format that’s not supported now, please let me know in the comments, or from the contact page.

Categories
Felix release

Version 1.6.4.1 of Felix released

I’ve just released version 1.6.4.1 of Felix

You can download the latest version here.

This is a minor bug-fix release. The main improvements are as follows.

  1. Bug fix: Saving results as TMX or Trados text saved entire translation memory
  2. Translation memories and glossaries can be saved in tabbed text format
  3. Bug fix: All details became visible in Edit mode

1. Bug fix: Saving results as TMX or Trados text saved entire translation memory

Saving search results in the Search Window in TMX or Trados text format caused the entire translation memory to be saved.

Back to top

2. Translation memories and glossaries can be saved in tabbed text format

You can now save translation memories (TMs) and glossaries in tabbed-text format. For now, it’s not possible to select which fields are saved; it will be possible to select the fields (and whether a header row is output).

Back to top

3. Bug fix: All details became visible in Edit mode

When switching to Edit mode (Ctrl+E), all detailed record information became visible. This information now stays hidden.

Back to top

Categories
Felix tips

Felix tip: Use a macro to give Felix focus

The latest version of Felix (1.6.4) has an expanded COM API. One of the new things you can do with this API is control the size and focus of the memory and glossary windows.

As an example, here is a Word macro that will raise Felix to the top of your screen, while keeping the keyboard focus in Word. This is useful if you return to Word after an internet search, etc., and don’t want to go searching around for the Felix window.

Sub ActivateFelix()

    Dim felix As Object
    Set felix = CreateObject("Felix.App")
    felix.Visible = True
    Call felix.app2.MemoryWindow.Raise

End Sub

Now if you assign a keyboard shortcut for this (in Word 2010, it would be File >> Options >> Customize Ribbon >> “Customize” keyboard shortcuts button, then select Macros >> ActivateFelix >> “your keyboard shortcut”).

You could also create a “document changed” event handler, so that every time Word gets focus, Felix is raised to be visible. The code for this is a bit too involved for this blog post, but you can see the Microsoft documentation for how to write document event handlers.

In a future release of Felix, I plan on making functionality similar to this (also remembering the widow sizes and positions) available as a Felix option.

I’ll be updating the API documentation soon with all the new stuff, but for the meantime, here are the APIs for the memory and glossary windows:

App.App2.MemoryWindow:

  • Raise (method)
  • Left (int)
  • Top (int)
  • Width (int)
  • Height (int)

App.App2.GlossaryWindow:

  • Raise (method)
  • Left (int)
  • Top (int)
  • Width (int)
  • Height (int)
Categories
Felix release

Felix version 1.6.4 released

I’ve just released version 1.6.4 of Felix.

Download the latest version here.

The main fixes and improvements are as follows.

  1. Bug fix: Felix was failing to load corrupt TMs
  2. “Details” links for Felix matches
  3. Simple glossary view
  4. Expanded COM API
  5. Default context
  6. Memory Manager: Undo action added for deleted records
  7. Search Window: Searches are now faster
  8. Search Window: Delete search results
  9. Search Window: Able to search by TM/glossary name
  10. Excel: Hidden cells are skipped
  11. PowerPoint bug fix: Could not cancel from “Next Slide” dialog

1. Bug fix: Felix was failing to load corrupt TMs

Felix would sometimes fail to load corrupt TMs. This was fixed so that the user has the option of discarding the corrupt/invalid entry and continuing.

Back to top

2. “Details” links for Felix matches

There are now “Details” links ([>>] in glossary windows) to view details about translation and glossary matches. Click a link to view information such as the date the record was created, who created it, and how many times it has been used.

Back to top

3. Simple glossary view

You can now choose a streamlined glossary view, with only the minimum information displayed. This allows more matches to fit on the screen, and makes it easier to check glossary matches.

To toggle between full and simple view, select View >> Simple View.

Back to top

4. Expanded COM API

The COM interface has been expanded considerably. Now it is possible to load and save TMs/glossaries, set TM/glossary properties, iterate through records, and more.

Back to top

5. Default context

You can now set a default context entry for all new translations you add. To do so, go to the Memory Manager (Tools >> Memory Manager), and click “Edit” for the desired TM/glossary. Next, enter a context value and click Submit.

Note that default context values are for that TM/glossary only, and only apply for the current session. This will be improved in a future release.

Back to top

6. Memory Manager: Undo action added for deleted records

It’s now possible to undo a deleted entry from the Browse page.

Back to top

7. Search Window: Searches are now faster

The searches in the Search Window are now considerably faster if you have a large TM/glossary.

Back to top

8. Search Window: Delete search results

There is now an option to delete all matching results in the Search Window. This is useful when you want to delete many entries at once. It is also useful for splitting TMs/glossaries: if you first save the search results to a separate TM, and then delete them from the current one, you have split your TM.

Back to top

9. Search Window: Able to search by TM/glossary name

You can now use the “mem:” or “gloss:” tag to search in a specific TM or glossary. In the Search Window, click “Search Help” to get a full list of available tags, with examples.

Back to top

10. Excel: Hidden cells are skipped

Hidden cells are skipped in Excel when using the “Look up Next” action, auto translation, or register glossary/memory action

Back to top

11. PowerPoint bug fix: Could not cancel from “Next Slide” dialog

Clicking Cancel in the Next Slide dialog would just bring that dialog up again until you made a choice and clicked OK. It’s now possible to cancel.

Back to top

Categories
Felix tips tools

Using Analyze Assist with MS Office 2007/2008 format

The current version of Analyze Assist can’t recognize the new “.docx”/”.pptx”/”xlsx” file extensions in MS Office 2007/2010 by default. I will be adding these definitions in the next release of Analyze Assist, but in the meantime, you can configure Analyze Assist to recognize these file formats.

Analyze Assist uses something called “segmenters,” and you can add the “-x” extensions to the various segmenters to make Analyze Assist recognize them.

To do this, from the Tools menu, select Options. The following dialog appears.

Screen shot of the Options dialog in Analyze Assist

As shown in the screenshot above, add “;*.docx”, “;*.pptx”, and “;*.xlsx” to the respective fields, and click OK.

Analyze Assist will now recognize the “-x” formats.