Trimming Multiterm termbases
Thread poster: FarkasAndras
FarkasAndras
FarkasAndras  Identity Verified
Local time: 12:19
English to Hungarian
+ ...
Mar 29, 2009

Some questions for the Multiterm savvy (version 7.0.2):

- Is it possible to remove some languages from a multilingual termbase? Say, I have English, German, French, Italian and Hungarian in my TB and only want English, Italian and Hungarian.

- What's the best way of removing duplicates? I guess exporting and importing should work but what does the cryptically named "source contains synonyms" filter do? I'd only want to remove duplicates where ALL fields (terms in all la
... See more
Some questions for the Multiterm savvy (version 7.0.2):

- Is it possible to remove some languages from a multilingual termbase? Say, I have English, German, French, Italian and Hungarian in my TB and only want English, Italian and Hungarian.

- What's the best way of removing duplicates? I guess exporting and importing should work but what does the cryptically named "source contains synonyms" filter do? I'd only want to remove duplicates where ALL fields (terms in all languages of the entry and all other fields it may have) are exactly the same.

- Why do Multiterm programmers hate us with such burning passion? All they needed to do was create a working tab delimited txt export/import feature and this thing would be ten times more usable.
Collapse


 
Vito Smolej
Vito Smolej
Germany
Local time: 12:19
Member (2004)
English to Slovenian
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER
my 2c of experience Mar 29, 2009


- Is it possible to remove some languages from a multilingual termbase? Say, I have English, German, French, Italian and Hungarian in my TB and only want English, Italian and Hungarian.

Given the fact, the export is practically useless, the only common sense way out of it is to leave it as is (sg). I have looked once at the innards of the underlying Access files and I decided pretty soon to keep my finders off it.
- What's the best way of removing duplicates? I guess exporting and importing should work but what does the cryptically named "source contains synonyms" filter do? I'd only want to remove duplicates where ALL fields (terms in all languages of the entry and all other fields it may have) are exactly the same.

The best way I found was to keep everything around as import XLS, so I can always reconstruct.
The second best way (Im not kidding) is removing manually.
- Why do Multiterm programmers hate us with such burning passion?

Suffer, baby, suffer:(

[Edited at 2009-03-29 17:50 GMT]


 
Claudia Alvis
Claudia Alvis  Identity Verified
Peru
Local time: 06:19
Member
Spanish
+ ...
That should be a sticky! Mar 29, 2009

FarkasAndras wrote:

- Why do Multiterm programmers hate us with such burning passion? All they needed to do was create a working tab delimited txt export/import feature and this thing would be ten times more usable.


Why oh why!


 
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 12:19
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Why would you remove languages? Mar 29, 2009

I think that information could be useful in the long run!

1. Ok. You want to remove them. Now, I think the best might be to export, create a new termbase definition with the information you want to keep, and then import again. I would save the termbase definition of the source termbase (Termbase > Save termbase definition as...), then close the source termbase and create a new termbase (In the Create termbase wizard,
... See more
I think that information could be useful in the long run!

1. Ok. You want to remove them. Now, I think the best might be to export, create a new termbase definition with the information you want to keep, and then import again. I would save the termbase definition of the source termbase (Termbase > Save termbase definition as...), then close the source termbase and create a new termbase (In the Create termbase wizard, use the option "Load an existing termbase definition file") from the original definition but making sure you delete the fields you don't need. Then you import again. I have never tried this, but it should work in theory.

2. Unfortunately I cannot think of any way of doing it. You might have to do it manually.

3. Multiterm's developers don't hate us: we are just trying to use their tool for things it was not really meant for. I mean that yes, we all sometimes need to use simple lists of source and target terms and want to be able to use them during our work with Trados, and Multiterm more or less allows us to do so, but Multiterm is a terminology tool, and it does that job beautifully. It should however have more management tools for termbase cleanup, maintenance and restructuring.
Collapse


 
FarkasAndras
FarkasAndras  Identity Verified
Local time: 12:19
English to Hungarian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
thanks Mar 29, 2009

Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote:

I think that information could be useful in the long run!

1. Ok. You want to remove them. Now, I think the best might be to export, create a new termbase definition with the information you want to keep, and then import again. I would save the termbase definition of the source termbase (Termbase > Save termbase definition as...), then close the source termbase and create a new termbase (In the Create termbase wizard, use the option "Load an existing termbase definition file") from the original definition but making sure you delete the fields you don't need. Then you import again. I have never tried this, but it should work in theory.

2. Unfortunately I cannot think of any way of doing it. You might have to do it manually.

3. Multiterm's developers don't hate us: we are just trying to use their tool for things it was not really meant for. I mean that yes, we all sometimes need to use simple lists of source and target terms and want to be able to use them during our work with Trados, and Multiterm more or less allows us to do so, but Multiterm is a terminology tool, and it does that job beautifully. It should however have more management tools for termbase cleanup, maintenance and restructuring.


Thanks for that suggestion. Importing using a different definition should work - I think.
This is a TB that I received complete, with 8 or so languages of which I only speak four... the rest just gets in the way. One of the "languages" that shows up in the list is not even a language, just some information on the sources of the TB that got misread as a language during some import process in the past.


I can't believe there is no way of removing duplicates... that would be a joke. I made that particular TM myself so I have the source: an assortment of Excel files. So I can use some woodoo magic to get it sorted, but a terminology application as advanced as Multiterm is supposed to be should be capable of doing that with a handful of clikcks...


As to Multiterm programmers, I have no explanation other than hate or ineptitude of epic proportions for the way txt export "works" in MT.


 
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 12:19
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Simple in Excel Mar 30, 2009

FarkasAndras wrote:
I can't believe there is no way of removing duplicates... that would be a joke. I made that particular TM myself so I have the source: an assortment of Excel files. So I can use some woodoo magic to get it sorted, but a terminology application as advanced as Multiterm is supposed to be should be capable of doing that with a handful of clikcks...


In that case I would take the Excel files and redo the termbase. To remove the duplicates, I would sort the table in the language containing the duplicates, and would add a new column with a formula in each cell from row 2 onwards (assuming column C contains the duplicates) like the following =if(C2=C1;"******";"-"). The field separator could be a comma in your language; in Windows in Spanish it is a semicolon. The word "if" could be different in your language if your copy of Excel is in Hungarian, for instance. Look in the help for the right formula (a condition).

Copy the formula down to the bottom. That will mark with "******" all rows containing duplicates (the hyphen in the other clause is just to mark that the cell contains the formula). Then copy that whole column and do Paste special with only values, thus removing the formula. You can then sort by that column and delete all rows containing the asterisks.

That is what I sometimes do in this situation. It's quick and simple.


 
S_Angel (X)
S_Angel (X)  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 12:19
German to Italian
+ ...
"Search for duplicate terms" option Mar 31, 2009


I can't believe there is no way of removing duplicates... that would be a joke.


Sorry if this is obvious, but have you already tried the "Search for duplicate terms" option? (in the Entry menu)
That would give you a list of all duplicate entries, then leaving you the choice of merging or deleting them. Unfortunately it still has to be done manually, but it saves you the time of searching.

[Modificato alle 2009-03-31 16:12 GMT]


 
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 12:19
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
+ ...
It was obvious indeed... Mar 31, 2009

S_Angel wrote:
Sorry if this is obvious, but have you already tried the "Search for duplicate terms" option? (in the Entry menu)
That would give you a list of all duplicate entries, then leaving you the choice of merging or deleting them. Unfortunately it still has to be done manually, but it saves you the time of searching.


Oh my!! It was so obvious indeed. It was helpful to know!! Thank you!

(In my Multiterm it appears in the Search menu though.)

It must be noted though that this function is not case sensitive, and would classify as duplicates things like:
"MPa" (for Megapascal) and "mPa" (for Millipascal)
"MW" (for Megawatt) and "mW" (for "Milliwatt")

[Edited at 2009-03-31 17:59 GMT]


 
Vito Smolej
Vito Smolej
Germany
Local time: 12:19
Member (2004)
English to Slovenian
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER
I do a Pivot table (!) Mar 31, 2009

Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote:
. It's quick and simple.

It's quicker and simpler.


 
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 12:19
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Can you explain how? Mar 31, 2009

Vito Smolej wrote:
Or do a pivot table


Can you briefly explain how?


 
FarkasAndras
FarkasAndras  Identity Verified
Local time: 12:19
English to Hungarian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
well if we're going to compete in this... Mar 31, 2009

Vito Smolej wrote:

Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote:
. It's quick and simple.

It's quicker and simpler.

... I select the data in question, click Data/Filter/Special filter, check only show unique records and click OK.
This hides the rows where all the fields match exactly with another row, even if they are not near each other.

I think it's quicker and simpler : )


 
FarkasAndras
FarkasAndras  Identity Verified
Local time: 12:19
English to Hungarian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks Mar 31, 2009

S_Angel wrote:


I can't believe there is no way of removing duplicates... that would be a joke.


Sorry if this is obvious, but have you already tried the "Search for duplicate terms" option? (in the Entry menu)
That would give you a list of all duplicate entries, then leaving you the choice of merging or deleting them. Unfortunately it still has to be done manually, but it saves you the time of searching.

[Modificato alle 2009-03-31 16:12 GMT]


It wasn't obvious... Thank you for that one. Still not what I wanted, but at least now I know for sure that Multiterm can't give me what I want.


 
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 12:19
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Absolutely! Mar 31, 2009

FarkasAndras wrote:
... I select the data in question, click Data/Filter/Special filter, check only show unique records and click OK.
This hides the rows where all the fields match exactly with another row, even if they are not near each other.
I think it's quicker and simpler : )


Hm... Indeed! Quicker and simpler! I must admit I should devote more time to checking all the little functions in Office!

Thanks for the hint!


 
S_Angel (X)
S_Angel (X)  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 12:19
German to Italian
+ ...
Search menu Apr 8, 2009

Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote:
Oh my!! It was so obvious indeed. It was helpful to know!! Thank you!

(In my Multiterm it appears in the Search menu though.)


It wasn't obvious... Thank you for that one. Still not what I wanted, but at least now I know for sure that Multiterm can't give me what I want.


My mistake, the option is indeed in the Search menu.
I'm glad I was able to help, although it wasn't the perfect solution for the issue discussed.

The other proposals were really interesting! Thank you guys for sharing


 


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:


You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Trimming Multiterm termbases







TM-Town
Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business

Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.

More info »
Trados Business Manager Lite
Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio

Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.

More info »