How do I handle difficult file formats? Thread poster: Fredrik Pettersson
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When I receive a translation job from a customer in a difficult file format, how should I handle this?
If I can find the right software to open this file, then use a software to convert this difficult file format into a MS Word-document, wouldn't the whole problem be solved? Of course, after I've finished the translation in MS Word, I also would need to convert back to the original difficult file format, before I finally return the translation to my customer.
Besides ab... See more When I receive a translation job from a customer in a difficult file format, how should I handle this?
If I can find the right software to open this file, then use a software to convert this difficult file format into a MS Word-document, wouldn't the whole problem be solved? Of course, after I've finished the translation in MS Word, I also would need to convert back to the original difficult file format, before I finally return the translation to my customer.
Besides above procedure, would there be anything else I would need to do? No editing in any file format or something like that? Just open, convert, translate, convert back? ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Define difficult :-) | Aug 23, 2009 |
CAT tools nowadays can handle the most common file types with relative ease. I think that some (if not all) of them offer time-limited trial versions. Take them for a ride and see which one better answers your needs.
Using Word as an intermediate format might not be a good idea - again, exactly how bad an idea it is depends on the file formats you need to handle.
Not much help, I'm afraid
| | | | Fredrik Pettersson 
Hong Kong
Local time: 02:20
Member (2009)
English to Swedish
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TOPIC STARTER | Thank you for reminding me! | Aug 23, 2009 |
Your reply was of more help than you might think actually! I forgot that I just have purchased SDL Trados Studio 2009 and SDL Trados Translator's workbench with MultiTerm Desktop And it seems that SDL Trados Studio 2009 is able to handle a wide range of file formats. Thanks for reminding me!
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 02:20
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
| The important thing | Aug 23, 2009 |
Fredrik Pettersson wrote:
Besides above procedure, would there be anything else I would need to do? No editing in any file format or something like that? Just open, convert, translate, convert back?
The important thing is that the client is aware of what format you'll be delivering the translation, and that the client is happy to receive that format. So it may not necessarily be necessary to deliver the file in the same format as it was received. For most clients, it is sufficient that the client is able to use the translation without the further assistance of a translator.
If you are unable to deliver a file in a certain format, tell the client. Tell the client in what format you are able to deliver the translation -- perhaps he is satisfied with it.
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Jerzy Czopik
Germany
Local time: 02:20
Member (2003)
Polish to German
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| Difficult format | Aug 23, 2009 |
My answer would be: find someone, who can handle that "difficult format". Any converting to Word may end in a disaster.
Handling formats means simply: I have a tool, which can handle exactly that format, that is required. For example you can handle INX files coming form InDesign with Trados, but you will not be able to do more with them than just translate. Everything else must be done witin InDesign itself.
And don't expect yourself to handle files in Framemaker, QuarkXPress or InDe... See more My answer would be: find someone, who can handle that "difficult format". Any converting to Word may end in a disaster.
Handling formats means simply: I have a tool, which can handle exactly that format, that is required. For example you can handle INX files coming form InDesign with Trados, but you will not be able to do more with them than just translate. Everything else must be done witin InDesign itself.
And don't expect yourself to handle files in Framemaker, QuarkXPress or InDesign simply after you just bought such software.
So IMHO you must differ, if you just want to translate "difficult formats" (which is in fact quite easy) or to handle them, what means producing target files in that format (which is in fact a tough job). ▲ Collapse
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