Terminology Work with the crossterm Manager

Transcription

1 Terminology Work with the crossterm Manager This document will show you how to create, maintain, and exchange terminology with the Across Translator Edition (ATE). You will learn how to add, find, import, and export terminology. 1

2 Apart from the actual translations that are stored in a translation management system, terminology is doubtlessly the most important language asset for composing high-quality translations. In the Across Translator Edition, the creation and maintenance of terminology takes place in the cross- Term Manager, the terminology component of Across. Tip #1: The easiest way to start the crossterm Manager is to click the respective tile on the start page of the ATE (the Dashboard) or the icon in the toolbar of the ATE. Tip #2: The crossterm Manager always opens up in a separate window. The main window of Across remains open, e.g. to continue working on a translation at the same time. 1) Overview of the crossterm Manager The crossterm Manager is divided into a search area on the left-hand side and the main area on the right-hand side. After opening the crossterm Manager, a start page with basic functions for the terminology work appears in the main area. However, as soon as a term is selected, the respective terminology entry will be displayed instead of the start page. Excursus #1: Concept-oriented terminology system crossterm is a concept-oriented terminology system. This means that terms in various languages are added for a specific concept. Excursus #2: Concept vs. entry A concept is an expression used in linguistics and terminology science. In practical terminology work and thus also in crossterm the expression "entry" is used instead. Creating a New Entry The most important steps for creating a new entry with terms are as follows: The easiest way to start the creation of a new entry is to click the respective item on the start page of the crossterm Manager. First, define the entry, e.g. by adding a definition or image. Then click Add first term in order to add the first term. Tip: The start page can always be accessed by clicking the menu item >>View >>Go to >>Start page. Enter the term and any additional term-specific information in the respective fields. Do not forget to select the correct language for the term. 2) Adding and Maintaining Terminology A terminology entry usually consists of information at entry level (e.g. definitions and images) and one or several terms (in one or several languages) with the associated information at term level (e.g. grammatical details and context examples). Thus, the creation of a new entry also comprises at least two steps: the input of the information at entry level and the subsequent creation of at least one term. 2

3 Finally, click Save and next to add another term or Save and exit in order to finish the entry creation. Subsequently, the new entry will be displayed. Tip #1: New terms can also be added directly from within a translation. To do so, select the corresponding terms in crossdesk and click the icon in the toolbar of the Target Editor. An input dialog for entering the two new terms will open up in a separate window. (By default, the input of entry information is skipped in this case.) Tip #2: Using the "Quick add" function, you can easily add terms and term pairs. The easiest way to start the quick add function is to click the respective item on the start page of the crossterm Manager. 3) Editing and Deleting Entries/Terms To edit an existing entry or term, select it and click entry or Edit Edit term. Make the needed changes and save them. Similarly, to delete an individual term or entry (including all terms it contains), select Delete term or Delete entry. Alternatively, terms and entries even several at a time can be deleted with an item in the context menu of the hit list. 4) Searching for Terminology The most important steps for a terminology search are as follows: 1. Determine the language direction (by clicking the two flag icons ) Tip: Instead of a specific language, you can also select <All languages>, e.g. to display all translations of a term. 2. Enter the search word(s) Tip on "empty search": To search for all terms in the selected languages, simply leave the search field blank. Tip on "asterisk search": By using the asterisk *, which stands for any number of characters, you can search for word stems etc., e.g. arm* (finds words like armchair and army), *arm (finds words like harm and alarm) or *arm* (finds words like farmer and harmony). 3. Select the search type (see below for details) 4. Define filters: Select "Quick filter" and determine the needed filter settings, e.g. to search for terms of a particular subject (to do so, check "System attributes", "Entry level", and "Subjects" and subsequently select a subject). 5. Run the search (simply click the magnifying glass icon ): The search hits will be displayed in a list under the search area. Tip: The search in crossterm is not case-sensitive, i.e. it does not distinguish uppercase and lowercase spelling. Therefore, it does not matter whether you search for IPsec or ipsec. Search types: The most important search types in crossterm are as follows: Term search: Search for particular terms. Fuzzy search: Enables fuzzy/spelling-tolerant searches. Tip: Select the level of correspondence between the word you are looking for and possible search hits under >>Tools >>Fuzzy search similarity threshold. Keyword search in definitions: Search within the definitions of entries. Concordance search: Search in stored translations, e.g. to find out in which context or with which translation the word you are looking for is used. Entry search: Search for entries by the entry ID. 5) Importing Terminology Apart from adding terminology manually, you can also import terminology, e.g. from your colleagues or customers. By means of a terminology import, you can supplement your terminology database with a large number of terms in a short time. For the import of terminology, Across supports the two exchange formats TBX and CSV as well as the tool-specific formats of MultiTerm and TermStar. (Note: These instructions only explain the terminology import in the two tool-independent formats TBX and CSV.) 3

4 TBX is a format developed especially for the exchange of terminology data. CSV is a generic format for the exchange of various kinds of simply structured data. For example, CSV files can be created from Excel spreadsheets. The crossterm Import Wizard will guide you through the individual steps of the terminology import. The easiest way to start the wizard is to click the respective tile on the start page of the crossterm Manager. Tip #1: It is advisable to set up all data categories and the associated values from the import file in crossterm prior to the import. However, missing data categories and values can usually be created even during the import. Tip #2: When importing a CSV file, it is advisable to select descriptive headers for the individual columns prior to the import this will make the import easier. Information on the most important settings for the terminology import: Wizard start page: Here, simply click Next >. (Tip: If you do not want this page to be displayed again, check "Do not show this info again".) Select import file format: Select the required import format. Additionally, you can select an import template under "Use template". (Import templates facilitate the import. Further information is available below.) Select file: - "Select file to import": Click Browse... and select the import file. - "Select import mode": You can import either with or without direct user interaction. In the mode without user interaction, all questionable entries that would necessitate interaction will be written to a separate TBX file that can be imported in one go later on. This mode is recommended especially for extensive TBX imports. Choose separator (CSV import only): Select the separator that is used for structuring the import data (usually semicolon or tab stop). The preview window of the first line helps you to select the correct separator. Select instance: Select the instance to which the terminology is to be imported (usually "Default Across Server"). Background: The terminology repository in crossterm can be divided into subsets referred to as instances. These subsets are self-contained. For example, each instance has its own data categories, templates, etc. Normally, the terminology repository consists of a single instance. Excursus "mapping": Mapping ensures the correct import of the data from the import file to crossterm. For this, the languages, data categories, and values contained in the import file are mapped to the corresponding languages, data categories, and values in crossterm. Specify type of columns (CSV import only): Here, determine what type of information the individual columns of the CSV file contain. This may be terms or information at entry and term level, e.g. definitions, subject information, or grammatical information. Map languages/data categories/picklist values: The languages, data categories, and picklist values contained in the import file will be mapped to the corresponding languages, data categories, and picklist values in crossterm. Tip: If necessary, missing data categories and picklist values can be added via the crossterm Settings button. Important: Information that is not mapped (i.e. not allocated) will not be imported. Map term data categories (CSV import only): The dependencies between the individual columns of the CSV file are defined for the import. In this way, you can especially determine which data categories in the CSV file belong to which terms, e.g. the columns with information on the word type of the English terms to the English terms, the information on the German terms to the German terms, etc. To do so, select a column of the CSV file that contains terms from the list and click Map data categories... Then select the associated data categories and click >. 4

5 Important: Columns of the CSV file that are not allocated will not be imported. Select exclusion file: Entries that cannot be imported for various reasons are written to exclusion files. To create such a file, click Browse... and determine the storage location and the name of the exclusion file. Specify general import parameters: Can be used for adding information not available in the import file, e.g. a particular subject. Tip: You might want to activate the option "Check for already existing terms and show manual correction dialog" in order to prevent the creation of unwanted homographs. - If necessary, create an import template: Import templates store the selected import settings in a special file that can be reused for subsequent imports of data with the same structure. - Finally, click Import to kick off the terminology import. Subsequently, the imported terminology can be screened, e.g. by means of a search with a filter for the current date and be post-edited. 5) Exporting Terminology There are various reasons for exporting existing terminology, e.g. for backup purposes, to exchange the terminology with colleagues and customers, or to edit the terminology externally (for subsequent re-import). For the export of terminology, Across supports the TBX and CSV file formats. The purpose for which the terminology is to be exported determines which of the two formats is more suitable: As TBX is the format that was developed especially for the exchange of terminology data, it is generally suitable for the export. Unlike the CSV format, the TBX format also allows the export of images. By contrast, the CSV format is recommended for the export if the data are to be edited outside Across or processed otherwise. (CSV files can easily be opened and edited in Excel or in a text editor.) The crossterm Export Wizard will guide you through the individual steps of the terminology export. The easiest way to start the wizard is to click the respective tile on the start page of the crossterm Manager. Information on the settings for the terminology export: Wizard start page: Here, simply click Next >. (Tip: If you do not want this page to be displayed again, check "Do not show this info again".) Select the file format to be exported: TBX or CSV Select file: - "Destination file": Click Browse... and determine the storage location and the name of the export file. - "Use export template": Export templates facilitate the export (further information is available below). Select instance: - Select the instance from which the terminology is to be exported (normally "Default Across Server"). Information on instances is provided above. - Option "Export language pairs": If this option is disabled, the terminology will be exported in all languages, including entries with only one term. If this option is activated, only entries that have at least one term each in the selected language pair will be exported. - Option "Export standalone entries": Standalone entries are only used in very specific application scenarios and are therefore not explained in detail in this document. Adjust filters: Unless the entire terminology is to be exported, the selection can be narrowed down with the help of filter settings, e.g. in order to limit the exported terminology to a particular subject or customer ("relation"). Select languages: Select the languages to be exported. 5

6 Select entry and term data categories to export (CSV export only): Select the data categories at entry and term level that are to be exported. Choose separator (CSV export only): Select the separator that is used for structuring the export data (usually semicolon or tab stop). Select additional export options: - If necessary, activate the option for exporting images (TBX export only). - If necessary, activate the option for exporting entire entries. - Select "Across TBX format" or "Official TBX format" (TBX export only): Normally, select the second option for an export to the official TBX format. - If necessary, create an export template: Export templates save the selected export settings in a special file that can be reused for subsequent exports. Then click Export in order to start the terminology export. Across Systems GmbH info@across.net 6