Translating a help file in Trados? Thread poster: Gillian Searl
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Hallo everybody,
I have been sent an HTML help file for translation in Trados (originally they wanted transit). I can open it when I double click it but can't open it in Tageditor (actually I am not 100% certain that I should be able to).
Is it possible to edit this file in Tageditor? Do I need a special settings file(INI)?
Thanks for any advice you may have.
Gillian
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Please, tell us the file format so we can better assist you. If it is a regular HTML file, TagEditor should be able to open it - but you would need to set the HTML DTD to work with it. However, since TagEditor doesn't seem to knwo what to do with it, I have a hunch maybe the file extension isn't .htm or .html, or has wicked formatting.
If you right-click on the file in question and choose properties, you will most likely get some useful information, which you could pas... See more Please, tell us the file format so we can better assist you. If it is a regular HTML file, TagEditor should be able to open it - but you would need to set the HTML DTD to work with it. However, since TagEditor doesn't seem to knwo what to do with it, I have a hunch maybe the file extension isn't .htm or .html, or has wicked formatting.
If you right-click on the file in question and choose properties, you will most likely get some useful information, which you could paste here. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Gillian Searl 
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:27
German to English
TOPIC STARTER | compiled html file | Aug 22, 2008 |
It's a complied HTML file and should be opened with Microsoft HTML help.
Does that help?
Gillian
| | | | | Yes, that helps | Aug 22, 2008 |
The file you are preparing to work on is a .chm file, if I am not mistaken. If that is the case, then you would first need to extract the plain HTML files from it in order to be able to use TagEditor to translate them as HTML files.
Once you are done translating these HTML files and have saved the target, you then need to compile the CHM file to get the original CHM file in the target language.
You can use Help Workshop (also from Microsoft) to extract the HTML f... See more The file you are preparing to work on is a .chm file, if I am not mistaken. If that is the case, then you would first need to extract the plain HTML files from it in order to be able to use TagEditor to translate them as HTML files.
Once you are done translating these HTML files and have saved the target, you then need to compile the CHM file to get the original CHM file in the target language.
You can use Help Workshop (also from Microsoft) to extract the HTML files. It's a free download here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=00535334-c8a6-452f-9aa0-d597d16580cc&displaylang=en
You can also use Help Workshop to compile the translated HTML files into a CHM again.
Here are extracts from the Help Workshop help files:
Decompiling a help file
Decompiling a help file involves copying the files in a compiled help file to a directory that you specify while leaving the compiled help file intact. This procedure is useful for reconstructing individual HTML source files from a compiled help file. It is also useful when you want to use the source files contained in the compiled help file in a browser that does not support compiled help files.
To decompile a help file
1. On the File menu, click Decompile.
2. In the Destination folder box, enter the name of the folder where you want the decompiled files to be copied.
3. In the Compiled help file box, enter the name of the compiled help (.chm) file you want to decompile.
To compile a help project file
Open a project (.hhp) file, and then click Compile HTML File.
In any case, I would check with the client to see if they have any preference or suggestion for third party tools, just in case.
If you do ultimately use this solution, I recommend you decompile your CHM file first, open one of the individual HTML files in TagEditor, translate a few segments, save and then compile the HTML files back again to obtain a preliminary CHM file. This way, you can see right away if you can work with this software. It would be a shame if you used this solution and then realized the day the translation is finished that you can't compile the CHM file as required.
All the best!
[Edited at 2008-08-22 18:37] ▲ Collapse
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Olaf (X)
Local time: 14:27
English to German
| You cannot re-compile a decompiled help without the .hhp file | Aug 22, 2008 |
Viktorias tips are, as usual, dead-on, however, you won't be able to re-compile the decompiled help file without the original .hhp file which is usually not stored in the .chm file and is therefore not extracted when the .chm file is decompiled with HTML Help Workshop.
You'll probably need a third party tool such as Keytools (Freeware) which can re-build the .hhp file from the .chm fil... See more Viktorias tips are, as usual, dead-on, however, you won't be able to re-compile the decompiled help file without the original .hhp file which is usually not stored in the .chm file and is therefore not extracted when the .chm file is decompiled with HTML Help Workshop.
You'll probably need a third party tool such as Keytools (Freeware) which can re-build the .hhp file from the .chm file: http://www.keyworks.net/keytools.htm
However, this is not recommended because the original .hhp file might have contained custom entries that third party tools cannot recover. It would be better to ask the client to provide the original source files.
Olaf ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Yes, that should help | Aug 22, 2008 |
Olaf wrote:
However, this is not recommended because the original .hhp file might have contained custom entries that third party tools cannot recover. It would be better to ask the client to provide the original source files.
Of course, if the client needs a turnkey CHM file, then as Olaf points out, you would need the .hhp file as well. I wasn't sure if Gillian had / is expected to work with the .hhp file and/or if her client was going to compile the .chm themselves.
Of course, if you have to fiddle too much with different types of files, that's a different service. Unless you are selling "value-added translation", you may want to charge for the time spent extracting, compiling and all that.
| | | | Selcuk Akyuz
Türkiye
Local time: 15:27
English to Turkish
+ ...
| Any other programs? | Aug 23, 2008 |
Olaf wrote: Viktorias tips are, as usual, dead-on, however, you won't be able to re-compile the decompiled help file without the original .hhp file which is usually not stored in the .chm file and is therefore not extracted when the .chm file is decompiled with HTML Help Workshop. You'll probably need a third party tool such as Keytools (Freeware) which can re-build the .hhp file from the .chm file: http://www.keyworks.net/keytools.htm However, this is not recommended because the original .hhp file might have contained custom entries that third party tools cannot recover. It would be better to ask the client to provide the original source files. Olaf
I use HTML Help Workshop and Keytools, and no problem so far. However, I would like to hear about other good programs (freeware or not).
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Another free program to rebuild the .hhp file is HHP_Builder.exe
See http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=rb_66260
[Edited at 2008-08-23 21:07]
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So, Gillian, did you try any of the above? How did it work out? Please, tell us.
I've never professionally done such a job, and would like to know how things go in practice when a client wants one of those neat little CHM files.
Did it go through? Did they provide you with complete source files or did they prefer to compile the CHM on their end?
[Edited at 2008-08-27 04:30]
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Gillian Searl
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:27
German to English
TOPIC STARTER | I decompiled and quoted | Aug 27, 2008 |
Hi Viktoria,
I decompiled it using the Microsoft help file, analysed it in Trados and quoted. Waiting to hear back from them...
I got back from Basle about 1 am and its only 5.30 am. Why aren't I sleeping????
Gillian
| | | | Gillian Searl
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:27
German to English
TOPIC STARTER | I decompiled and translated | Sep 17, 2008 |
in TTX and converted back to HTML. Not sure how to take the next step though. I guess the client has he missing file I need to recompile it, right?
Gillian
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