| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3 4] > | Wordfast for dummies Thread poster: Kim Metzger
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Samuel Murray 
Netherlands
Local time: 11:22
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
| The nature of Wordfast | Apr 24, 2006 |
Kim Metzger wrote:
Since the purpose of using a CAT tool is to make translating new texts easier (using the translations that I already have), it seems to me that the first thing I need to do is to program Wordfast to recognize what I already have in MS Word.
A CAT tool like Wordfast is basically a database that queries your existing database of previous translations. You'll have to create a database before the program can find results from the database.
As for detecting MS Word, well, no you've got it all wrong. Wordfast is not an independent program, but a macro written in MS Word's macro language. You don't run Wordfast alongside MS Word. You run Wordfast *inside* MS Word.
| | | | Nicolette Ri (X)
Local time: 11:22
French to Dutch
+ ...
| Alignment of old material is not very useful | Apr 24, 2006 |
I use Wordfast for four years now. In the beginning there was a period where some translations were done in Wordfast, others not, and I lost the TMs in my computer. It is important to take some decisions and to work carefully. For instance: "As from 01.05.06 I translate everything with Wordfast, except XX" (XX may be a client, or a certain type of translations). I don't think it is important to align old material, because it slows down considerably the start-up of a new project (I tried to do so... See more I use Wordfast for four years now. In the beginning there was a period where some translations were done in Wordfast, others not, and I lost the TMs in my computer. It is important to take some decisions and to work carefully. For instance: "As from 01.05.06 I translate everything with Wordfast, except XX" (XX may be a client, or a certain type of translations). I don't think it is important to align old material, because it slows down considerably the start-up of a new project (I tried to do so, but it was not efficient). You'll have to learn working with Wordfast first. Just begin with a new translation and a new TM. Use Wordfast only for its basic functions: translations and context search (Ctrl +Alt +C). Create one TM for each end client and each type of work, for instance "A legal", "A technical", "A menus", do the same for end client B. Later on you can always combine TMs, but it is difficult to split them up. Put all these TMs in the same directory – later on you can always create different directories. Save these .TXT files from time to time on a memory stick (they are your working capital – after one or two years there is no need anymore to keep paper copies in your filing cabinet).
Learning the basic functions of WF should take about two hours. Work slowly and take care of not mixing up different TMs: EACH translation begins by choosing the appropriate TM or by creating a new one. Alignment problems, glossaries, translating Excel and Powerpoint files in Wordfast and Trados compatibility are specific problems that can wait for the moment.
[Edited at 2006-04-25 07:24] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Dan Marasescu
Romania
Local time: 11:22
Member (2003)
English to Romanian
+ ...
| Training sessions | Apr 25, 2006 |
A good solution for those who want to start using Wordfast but don't have enough time to go through all the documentations is the training. Wordfast authorises certain trainers to organise sessions in different parts in the world. You can find a list at www.wordfast.net, under Community/Training. Feel free to contact them.
Good luck with your learning. I do not share Benno's view, as I think learnin... See more A good solution for those who want to start using Wordfast but don't have enough time to go through all the documentations is the training. Wordfast authorises certain trainers to organise sessions in different parts in the world. You can find a list at www.wordfast.net, under Community/Training. Feel free to contact them.
Good luck with your learning. I do not share Benno's view, as I think learning a new Wf feature is, in most cases, a step forward. ▲ Collapse
| | | | LRS Translation Services (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:22
German to English
+ ...
| How to do alignments of old translations using Wordfast | Mar 16, 2010 |
I realise this response is very late but it might be useful to others.
Alignment is the name for matching up source and target segments from previous translations. I agree that this is one of the most sensible things to do when you first purchase a CAT tool.
Unfortunately Wordfast doesn't make the process very intuitive - and indeed whatever basic rules they use to automatically align previous texts can result in some strange alignment results.
In my experience I’ve found t... See more I realise this response is very late but it might be useful to others.
Alignment is the name for matching up source and target segments from previous translations. I agree that this is one of the most sensible things to do when you first purchase a CAT tool.
Unfortunately Wordfast doesn't make the process very intuitive - and indeed whatever basic rules they use to automatically align previous texts can result in some strange alignment results.
In my experience I’ve found that it doesn’t do well with numbered paragraphs and try to avoid any formatting, such as Bold, tabs, strange spacing in your texts.
I don't know if the new Pro Plus version has a better alignment function, but from what I’ve seen of its graphic interface it seems to make the process more intuitive.
Back to the point at hand: below are some instructions on how do start aligning your previous translations – I think it's necessary because although the Wordfast manuals are helpful there is very little information online about what tools you actually need in the first place to do some fairly fundamental tasks.
- You need to download an extra programme called 'Plus tools' to do alignment. It is free.
- It can be downloaded from here. http://www.wordfast.net/index.php?whichpage=plustools&lang=engb
- PlusTools is ingeniously simple. You activate it by installing a template Word document. In Word click Tools/Templates & Add Ins. Click add and select the file Plustools.doT
If you have any problems installing it, refer to Plusttools.doC which is included in the download.
- To align previous translations Open Word (close any open document, or default blank document that opens). Open your source and target documents.
- Click the PlusTools button
- Click the +Align tab along the top of this screen.
- Wordfast will ask you to specify which document is the source and which is the target document.
- A table will be created and you should manually work your way down through the table, copying, deleting and pasting cells to make sure that the correct paragraphs line up. [The blue instructions at the top of your document explain exactly what to do if you want to take a break and what to do when you are finished.]
- When finished you need to create a TM from your table by clicking the PlusTools button in Word, +Align and click the button to Create a TM.
You should select the correct Code for source and target language. A list is available in the Wordfast user manual. EN-EN and DE-DE for example for English to German translation.
Your TM will be displayed and you should save it as a .txt file.
Once you have done this, you will be able select to use this TM while you're translating new work and you can also combine it with an existing TM or export it to TMX format which is the standard for sharing translation memories. I hope this helps.
The alignment process can be time consuming depending on how well the +Align tool works, but if you spend a few hours aligning the right type of documents you will have a useful TM to help you get your head around using a real TM in your translation process.
As others have suggested here though, as you work you will naturally grow a good TM so don't focus too much on aligning at the outset. ▲ Collapse
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NMR (X)
France
Local time: 11:22
French to Dutch
+ ...
| A small addition | Mar 22, 2010 |
TranslationDesk wrote:
- A table will be created and you should manually work your way down through the table, copying, deleting and pasting cells to make sure that the correct paragraphs line up. [The blue instructions at the top of your document explain exactly what to do if you want to take a break and what to do when you are finished.]
- When finished you need to create a TM from your table by clicking the PlusTools button in Word, +Align and click the button to Create a TM.
1) It is better to leave +Tools after aligning (save the document), then restart it before hitting the Create a TM button.
2) If you already have a bilingual table (for instance coming from Excel), you can hit the Create a TM button directly (skip the first step).
| | | | PT Translati (X)
United States
Local time: 02:22
Japanese to English
| Wordfast for dummies | Nov 7, 2010 |
Please kindly answer like you're talking to a five yr old as I just started using Wordfast today, lol. I'll try to keep it short.
Dummy Problem:
I set up a new TM (my only one), made sure it was being applied to this file, and started manually translating a new document to build up my TM. There are lots of repeated words but NOTHING is showing up in my target column. What I mean is this:
In sentence 1, I translated word "A" from the source on my own.
... See more Please kindly answer like you're talking to a five yr old as I just started using Wordfast today, lol. I'll try to keep it short.
Dummy Problem:
I set up a new TM (my only one), made sure it was being applied to this file, and started manually translating a new document to build up my TM. There are lots of repeated words but NOTHING is showing up in my target column. What I mean is this:
In sentence 1, I translated word "A" from the source on my own.
In sentence 3, word "A" shows up again in the source. Shouldn't there already be a translated word "A" in my target column?
Even when I hit the TM lookup button, it says "no results", but I just translated it. Shouldn't word "A" already be in my TM?
BTW I'm doing JPN into ENG.
**HERE IS A SCREEN CAP OF WHAT I MEAN http://livedoor.2.blogimg.jp/gurentai_pt/imgs/9/1/913e0d53.jpg
[Edited at 2010-11-07 20:45 GMT]
[Edited at 2010-11-07 21:02 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Ulf Samuelsson
Mexico
Local time: 03:22
Member (2007)
English to Swedish
+ ...
| In the TM, but not in glossary? | Nov 8, 2010 |
As far as I understand, you want Wordfast to translate singular terms.
That isn't what the translation memory is for - the translation memory is for proposal of whole segments (each numbered row in Wordfast) that are sufficiently similar to already translated segments or for finding translated terms in the memory (but you have to first mark the term in the source column and then run a memory search).
What you might want is the glossary function, but you have to first ad... See more As far as I understand, you want Wordfast to translate singular terms.
That isn't what the translation memory is for - the translation memory is for proposal of whole segments (each numbered row in Wordfast) that are sufficiently similar to already translated segments or for finding translated terms in the memory (but you have to first mark the term in the source column and then run a memory search).
What you might want is the glossary function, but you have to first add each term you want to have translated automatically to a glossary. Then those specific terms will be translated automatically by Wordfast, with the correct setting applied (Preferences > Terminology > Copy only target glossary terms). ▲ Collapse
| | | | Jeff Whittaker
United States
Local time: 05:22
Member (2002)
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Term glossary | Nov 8, 2010 |
To translate entire duplicate sentences, you have to turn on auto-propogate (see manual).
To translate duplicate terms, you first have to enter the term and the translation into the term base (see manual). Then, the term will be highlighted/underlined in the source text and you can click on it and paste the corresponding target term into the target field. It does not do this automatically because the computer does not automatically know which target word you type matches which source word ... See more To translate entire duplicate sentences, you have to turn on auto-propogate (see manual).
To translate duplicate terms, you first have to enter the term and the translation into the term base (see manual). Then, the term will be highlighted/underlined in the source text and you can click on it and paste the corresponding target term into the target field. It does not do this automatically because the computer does not automatically know which target word you type matches which source word because word order, etc. is different for each language.
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| Terminology Propagation presentation | Nov 8, 2010 |
Ulf Samuelsson wrote:
What you might want is the glossary function, but you have to first add each term you want to have translated automatically to a glossary.
Here is first part of a Terminology Propagation presentation:
http://www.condak.net/wf_pro/terminologie/cs/obr.html
One glossary is from Web (Glo2), one glossary (Glo1) is new one.
I have no time to create my standard presention now. I hope that pictures are clear.
Milan
Czech Wordfast Trainer
| | | | Ronald van der Linden (X)
Mexico
Local time: 03:22
German to Dutch
+ ...
Kim Metzger wrote:
Hello - I'm totally new to CAT tools but decided to see if I could figure out how to use one. I downloaded Wordfast 5 and am using MS Word 2002.
Why did you download a CAT tool?
1) Do you currently have a specific project where a manual is being upgraded, and you have translated the previous version of that manual? Please keep in mind that the demo mode of Wordfast has a maximum of 500 segments (sentences, phrases, words, etc.) per translation memory and translating a manual would go beyond that maximum!
2) Or is it out of general interest to try out a CAT tool? Then the 500 segment maximum is not relevant at this point.
General advice is to try out a CAT tool for smaller projects first in order the get the idea of how a CAT tool works and what additional processes are involved (e.g. cleaning a document, database maintenance, etc.)
In the case of situation # 1 where you already have translated a manual, let's say version A, and now a year later you're asked to update the manual to version B, I can imagine you are interested in the alignment procedure, as your databases have zero content at this time.
I found this link, maybe it helps? (although former versions are used)
http://www.wordfast.net/index.php?whichpage=knowledge&Task=view&questId=39&catId=15
I think the alignment process requires downloading the "plustools" software (free):
http://www.wordfast.net/index.php?whichpage=downloadpage&lang=engb
Again, if the reason is situation # 1, I would discourage the idea of using a CAT tool at this point. Start with small (new) projects first.
Good luck.
| | | | PT Translati (X)
United States
Local time: 02:22
Japanese to English
Milan Condak wrote: Ulf Samuelsson wrote:
What you might want is the glossary function, but you have to first add each term you want to have translated automatically to a glossary. Here is first part of a Terminology Propagation presentation: http://www.condak.net/wf_pro/terminologie/cs/obr.html One glossary is from Web (Glo2), one glossary (Glo1) is new one. I have no time to create my standard presention now. I hope that pictures are clear. Milan Czech Wordfast Trainer
Dear Milan,
Thank you for the detailed explanation! Much appreciated, I tried as you suggested and I'm starting to get it slowly. Will keep playing around with it. Looks like a patience+diligence game with this software, but I can already see the benefits. I do a lot of technical translation so I want to begin building up my TM asap.
Thanks again!
| | | | PT Translati (X)
United States
Local time: 02:22
Japanese to English
Ulf Samuelsson wrote:
As far as I understand, you want Wordfast to translate singular terms.
Thank you, but no. I knew TM was for mainly for whole segments, just was wondering why that word didn't show up in the same document immediately after translating it + automatically. I just need to be more patient and learn the settings, I'm sure things will start to click.
Thanks again, though. Much appreciated!
[Edited at 2010-11-09 03:23 GMT]
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Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 10:22
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
| Just bear this in mind | Nov 9, 2010 |
Heinrich Pesch wrote:
No translation tool knows more than what you have put into it yourself previously.
This thread has been revived after several dormant years so I think it's a good idea to revive this quote, as it's the one thing we all need to bear in mind.
This is not an early machine translation tool (I've heard recent ones are better but I'm not sure) where every word is assigned an equivalent in the target language. And a good thing too!
Wordfast is an AID - it can't replace YOU
| | | | | Alignments of old translations using Wordfast & Plustools : problem | Dec 4, 2010 |
I've downloaded and installed Plustools.
However when I click on the PlusTools button in Word I get an error message : "Compile error in hidden module : WordTools."
I'm using Mac and Word for Mac 2011
Thanks in advance for your help
| | | | John Di Rico
France
Local time: 11:22
Member (2006)
French to English
| Not updated yet for Mac | Dec 6, 2010 |
The latest public version of PlusTools came out in 2009, long before Word 2011 for Mac. Probably needs to be updated to run on this configuration.
Cheers,
John Di Rico
Wordfast Trainer
www.wordfast.fr
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