Installation
The installer for Idiom can be found in the folder here \\stpfiles.file.core.windows.net\tech\Installers\Idiom WorldServer Desktop Workbench. Follow the instructions in the .txt file. After installing the tool, it's ready to use with no licencing or activation needed.
Opening an .xlz package
Idiom projects come as "packed" .xlz files that contain the files for translation and any TMs and termbases. They are extracted for translation, and then exported into a "packed" version again for delivery.
Simply double-click an .xlz file to start importing it into Idiom Desktop Workbench (or launch Idiom, go to File > Open, browse to find the .xlz kit, select it and click Open).
Idiom will now prompt you to import the file and resources to default folders located in My Documents\Idiom:
- My projects (.wsprj)
- My TDs (.wstd)
- My TMs (.wstm)
You can select other target folders to save the file and resources (or connect to existing resources) but usually importing to the default folders is ok.
You will usually have the Create a new translation memory option selected. Only use the Add entries to existing translation memory if you have a previous TM and have been asked to use that. Repeat again for the Term Database.
Once you are ready, click OK.
Saving and reopening a project
Note that every change that you make in the files will be automatically saved in the wsprj file, you do not need to save the project specifically.
You must NEVER load/launch the same project in Idiom by opening the .xlz file more than ONCE, i.e. only the first time you load the project. If you do that without changing the location of the project files, you will overwrite the translation files created the first time round and lose your work.
If you have to stop translating and close Idiom Workbench while working on a project, e.g. if a job spans over two days, you have two options when it comes to carrying on where you left off the last time you closed Idiom Workbench.
- You open Idiom Workbench via the start menu or desktop, i.e. by clicking the application icon that starts the program. You then get a blank application window with no project loaded. You then load your most recently processed project via the File menu, where it will be listed as project 1 in the list of recent projects at the bottom of the File menu.
- You make sure to export your project before you shut down the Idiom Workbench application, which enables you to launch the project again to carry on working by double-clicking the exported project file.
File Analysis
Go to Tools > Scoping to analyse your files. The scoping function is quite similar to Trados analysis function, it displays the number of ICE matches, 100%, fuzzy, etc. You can choose between characters, words, segments and placeholders to perform the analysis. This analysis does update itself as you translate.
Translation Process
Translating a segment
The files loaded into the project display in the Project Navigator on the right-hand side. You can select and translate one file at a time, or open all files in the project simultaneously by double-clicking on the top project level. The source appears on the left, target on the right, and any TM and termbase matches along with information on TM match attributes at the bottom.
Put your cursor in the first target segment on the right-hand side, and start translating. Use CTRL + DOWN ARROW to save the segment in the TM, propagate any identical matches elsewhere in the document, and move to the next segment. In order for the auto-propagate function to work, you will need to have the Auto Propagate and Auto Send to TM functions enabled in Translation > Automatic Translation.
See the Quick Reference Card for an explanation of list of keyboard shortcuts, segment icons and colours. Idiom Desktop Workbench uses ICE matches (In Context Exact); they basically correspond to Trados Xtranslated segments, and do not usually need to be checked or touched.
Using TM matches
Matches from the TM and termbase come up automatically when a segment is active. If the TM suggests a translation you have two options:
- Do not use it: translate from scratch and a green indicator appears when you go to the following segment.
- Use it: press CTRL and the number corresponding to the match you selected if there are more than one. If only one match is displayed, use CTRL + 1 to insert it in the translation.
If you wish to pretranslate the files you are working on, go to Translation > Pretranslate before you start working on the file. A dialog opens. Tick the box "Accept only 100% matches" and launch the pretranslation. If not all the 100% matches from the file are in the TM, you can use Shift + F12 to send the project segments to the translation memory.
If you are getting matches from the TB, use CTRL + E to insert them into the target segments.
Filtering and sorting segments
Normally, it's recommended to have "All" selected in the segment filter. This selection will display all text in the files.
If you wish to view certain segment types only during translation, you can filter on the segment type in this drop-down list (ICE and/or 100% matches, non-translated, repeated segments and repetitions etc.). For projects where there are a lot of ICE matches (= context matches or XUs) or 100% matches, you might want to start the translation by filtering on non-translated segments before displaying all segments for revision.
You can also filter for segments containing a specific term. Highlight the term in the source segment, right-click and select Filter on selection. This will bring up all segments with that term. You can also select the filter Matching text and type or paste a term into the prompt that appears. In this prompt, you can also select to filter for target terms.
There is only one way to sort segments in Idiom, and that is alphabetically. You can do this in View > Toggle Sorting or by clicking the source language header above the segment list. When the sorting is toggled on, you can see a small triangle in the source language header. When you want to sort the segments in their correct numerical order again, click on the source language header again until the small triangle disappears.
Splitting and merging segments
If a project has been set up to allow splitting or merging segments, you can do it in the Edit drop-down menu. To split a segment, place your cursor in the source segment into the position where you want to cut the segment in half and select Split Segment. To merge segments, select the two source segments you want to join and select Merge Segments. Do note that the segments you want to merge need to be two consecutive segments from the same file, otherwise you won't get the option to merge them.
Keeping track of your progress
You can keep track of your progress with the segment counter in the lower right-hand corner or by checking the updated word counts under Scoping.
How to deal with repetitions
Idiom makes a difference between repeated segments (first occurrence of a segment) and their repetitions (any subsequent occurrences of the same segment). The repeated segments appear with a solid grey indicator on the left-hand side, and hashed box on the left. You can use the segment filter to view Repeated and Repetitions together or separately. View > Toggle sorting will arrange the segments in alphabetical order.
If you have Auto Send and Auto Propagate selected from Translation > Automatic Translation > Auto Propagate/Auto Send, your translations will be sent to the TM and all repetitions for the segment automatically propagated when you press CTRL + DOWN ARROW after translating the segment. Once they have been translated, the first occurrence (repeated) will appear as a Manual translation and the repetitions of that segment will appear with a different colour, as 100% match propagated. Do note that if you edit and confirm any of these propagated repetitions, Idiom will only update the repetitions that come after that segment - so not the repetitions that appear before the segment you edited.
You must also be very careful when revising the translation. Using CTRL + DOWN ARROW again on an already translated segment will send the translation to the TM but it will not re-propagate the previously propagated repetitions. These will need to be changed manually. Make sure that you change all occurrences.
For all Repeated/Repetitions changes and any global term changes, it's also a good idea to use the Filter on selection function. Highlight the term to be changed, right-click and select Filter on selection. This will bring up all segments with that term.
Placeholders management
Make sure to display the tags as you are translating. To do so, go to View > Display Tags.
WorldServer Desktop Workbench hides virtually all formatting elements. Only if it is necessary to maintain formatting within a segment will you see placeholders in the text. These consist of curly brackets that surround a number -- {001} -- and are write-protected. All you need to do is place them at the same relative position in the target (e.g., if the source says "The {001}cat{002} is black" the word that corresponds to "cat" in your language needs to be enclosed with these placeholders). To do so, you can right click and select copy next placeholder (or press F8). This will automatically integrate the following tag into your target segment. If you forget to add a placeholder, WorldServer Desktop Workbench will remind you by adding a stop sign at that particular segment.
Main keyboard shortcuts
Below is a very short list of the main keyboard shortcuts. See the
Quick Reference Card for more.
Description |
Shortcut |
Analysis |
Tools > Scoping |
Concordance |
CTRL + L |
Copy source to target |
F5 |
Merge segment |
Edit > Merge Segment |
Get placeable |
F8 |
Get match from TM |
CTRL + Number in TM Auto Search window |
Get match from termbase |
CTRL + E |
Save translation into TM, move to next one |
Ctrl + DOWN |
Show Whitespace |
View > Invisible Characters |
Split Segment |
Edit > Split Segment |
Pre-translate current segment |
Ctrl+R |
Useful options
Translation > Propagate in current asset/Propagate to all assets propagates the current translation to all repetitions in the segment in the file (asset) you are translating or all assets (files) in the project.
See in context (F6) can be used to display the current translation segment in its original context. With the segment you want to view, go to Asset > See in context. The segment you are in is displayed in red.
Placeholders will usually be displayed as the original tag.
Auto-assemble
Translation > Assemble builds a translation of your segment from parts of segments that are in the TM, at sentence fragment level. If you do not wish to have this function suggesting assembled matches automatically, disable it in Translation > Automatic Translation > Auto-Assemble.
Pending Review - a first draft has been written but the translation is not definitive.
Reviewed - the translation is definitive but you can go back to it and edit it.
Locked - the translation is supposed to be final.
To define a segment status, right click on the segment and select the appropriate one. Even if a segment is locked, you can edit the translation by doing a right click > Reset segment status.
You can insert comments by clicking the comments field next to the segment (if this field is not displayed, you can display it through View > Columns > Comments). You can also press CTRL + M or right-click a segment and select Add comment. Note that this function is not available once the segment locked. If you want to use it, you have to first reset the segment status. Please only use comments during the translation process and do not leave any in the files on delivery unless specifically requested.
You can change font settings such as size of the font in Tools > Options > Display.
TM Content and Multiple TMs or TBs
Generally when you are updating or revising existing translations, the new translation replaces the existing one in the TM for a particular segment. Sometimes, though, you may see multiple TM entries for a segment. Here is a summary of when new entries are created versus when existing entries are overwritten:
- The TM entries that were packaged in the original WorldServer translation kit are never overwritten. A duplicate TM entry is always created. (You can, however, edit these entries locally using the TM editor if necessary.)
- TM entries with the status Reviewed are never overwritten.
You can use multiple TMs and termbases with a project. Go to Project > Configuration and select Databases:
The translation memory (and termbase) circled with red is the one where searches are run first and where all translated segments are saved. You can Add and Remove TMs and termbases using the Add… and Remove buttons, and change their order using the up and down arrows on the side.
How to Repair Mistakes?
- How to delete a segment created by mistake?
You can empty the segment and then join it to the next one. However, there is no deleting function and the button "Undo" does not work in this case.
- If you open the project, start translating and realize later on that you did not open any TM, is it possible to attach one without closing the project?
Go to Project > Configuration > Add Memory database.
Browse to select the TM you want to apply, click OK and apply your preferred settings. Then, click on add project to TM and the memory will be automatically populated.
- If you delete a placeholder, you will get a red warning symbol that reminds you that a placeholder is missing, has been added or edited.
To copy the next embedded codes:
Press F8 or right-click on the target text box to bring up the context menu and click Copy Next Placeholder.
To copy all the embedded codes:
Press Alt+F8 or right-click on the target text box to bring up the context menu and click Copy All Placeholders.
Revision
There are no tracked changes in Idiom. Revision can be carried out in Idiom, in which case the reviser should finalise.
When starting a revision, make sure to use the latest version of the Idiom project. The translator should export the finished translation as a WPZ file and this file should be used for revision.
Printing
- Export segments
File > Export > Segments exports all the segments into a .txt file, which you can pull into Excel, scale and remove unnecessary columns to create a printable Excel file with source and target columns and a match column if necessary.
- Off-line preview
This option is available with .xml and .html formats and can be used with the keyboard shortcut CTRL + F6 or by going to Asset > Offline Preview. Settings for the offline preview can be found in Tools > Options > Offline preview. You can view both source and target at the same time or choose to view only one. To close the off-line preview, double-click on the file you are translating in the explorer or click on one of the two tabs that appear at the bottom of the screen. You can print from the Offline Preview window by clicking the Print button. You can only view and print one file at a time.
Pre-Delivery Checks
The following checks should always be done before delivering a project:
- Placeholders – Translation > Check Placeholders or CTRL + SHIFT + C
- Spellcheck - Tools > Spelling... or F7
- QA checking - Can be done either using Apsic Xbench and loading the .wsprj file in Xbench as a DejaVu/Idiom file, or using the consistency check in Idiom (Translation > Check Consistency > Check All Segments or CTRL + SHIFT + F8). Xbench is preferred as the internal check in Idiom is quite cumbersome and time-consuming.
The project is automatically saved in the wsprj format when you close or interrupt the application. There is no need to clean the translation before exporting/uploading it.
Exporting a project for delivery
The translated project can be sent to the client as a Workbench Packed Project or ready to be uploaded to Idiom WorldServer - check with the client or PM which format they need.
Workbench Packed Project (.wpz)
Save the translation as a .wpz kit from File > Export > For Desktop Workbench
Idiom WorldServer XLIFF export (.xlz)
Save the translation as an .xlz kit from File > Export > For WorldServer
Resetting the menus
Idiom is old software and there are a few quirks related to using Idiom on recent operating systems. One is that the menu bar can actually disappear!
To reset the menu settings, close Idiom and delete the file MenuLayout.en-US.xml located here:
C:\Users\your username\AppData\Roaming\Idiom Technologies, Inc\Idiom WorldServer Desktop Workbench\9.0.1.49\
When you start Idiom again, all menus (and shortcut buttons) will be restored to default.