Resource Console: Translation memories
A translation memory is a database that contains pairs of segments. One of them is in the source language, and the other is the translation in a target language. When you use a translation memory in a project, memoQ will offer matches for the segments you are translating. When there is a segments in the translation memory that is the same or very similar to the segment you are translating, memoQ can offer the stored translation - so that you do not have to translate the segment from scratch.
Translation memories are bilingual: A translation memory has a source language and a target language. Some translation memories are reversible. When you create a translation memory from a project, it will contain the source language and the selected target language of the project. If the project has two or more target languages, you must choose one target language first. If you create a translation memory from Resource Console, you can pick the two languages.
How to get here
- At the very top of the memoQ window - in the Quick Access toolbar -, click the Resource console (ring binder) icon. The Resource console window opens, with the Translation memories pane.
- Under Resource, click Translation memories. The Translation memories pane appears.
What can you do?
- At the bottom, click Create new.
- The New translation memory window opens. Because you are not working on a project, you may choose the source language and the target language of the translation memory.
- Type a name for the translation memory.
- In the middle of the New translation memory window, you can choose how memoQ will use the translation memory. You can create a reversible translation memory. You can allow or prohibit multiple translations for a single source segment. You can choose whether or not this translation memory will store context.
To learn more: See Help about the New translation memory window.
- At the bottom of the window, you can fill in other details if your organization uses them.
- Click OK.
On your computer or on a server? memoQ will create the translation memory at the location shown at the top, in the Server URL box. At first, it is My Computer: memoQ will create the new translation memory on your computer. However, you can select a server at the top, in the Server URL box. In that case, memoQ will offer to create the translation memory on that server - if you have the permission to do so.
- In the list of translation memories, find and select the translation memory.
- At the bottom, click Clone. The New translation memory window opens.
- Type a name for the translation memory.
- In the middle of the New translation memory window, and on the Custom fields tab, check the settings of the translation memory. They will be the same as those of the selected translation memory: memoQ will copy the settings from that.
To learn more: See Help about the New translation memory window.
On your computer or on a server? memoQ will create the translation memory at the location shown at the top, in the Server URL box. At first, it is My Computer: memoQ will create the new translation memory on your computer. However, you can select a server at the top, in the Server URL box. In that case, memoQ will offer to create the translation memory on that server - if you have the permission to do so.
Normally, memoQ will show translation memories from your own computer. However, you can manage online translation memories from memoQ servers that you have access to.
To view the translation memories from a memoQ server or from a memoQ cloud:
- At the top of the Resource console window, there is a Server URL drop-down box. Type or choose the address of the memoQ server.
- After you type or choose the address of the memoQ server, click Select.
You may need to log in to the memoQ server: If you have not used the server before, the Log in to server window opens. Type your user name and password for that server, and click OK.
- memoQ will show the translation memories from that server and from your computer (those never disappear).
Online translation memories have the cloud icon, and the server is shown next to them:
You must have permission for the translation memories: It is not enough to have access to the memoQ server. To use a translation memory, you need at least Lookup permission over the translation memory itself. If you are not sure, contact the owner of the memoQ server.
Now you can create, clone, edit translation memories on the server, or perform other actions on them. You need permissions over the translation memories to do so.
Normally, memoQ shows online translation memories only if their server is selected in the Server URL box.
Hovewer, if you frequently use a translation memory, you can pin it to the list. To pin an online translation memory to the list, click the empty cell at the left of its row:
When a translation memory is pinned to the list, it shows a pin in that cell:
When you select another server or My Computer in the Server URL box, the pinned translation memory remains on the list.
If you do not have a reliable internet connection, or you need to work offline for another reason, you can check out an offline copy of a translation memory.
You need to have permission to do this.
- In the Server URL box, choose the server. Click Select. Log in to the server if necessary.
- In the list, find the translation memory you need to check out. Select it.
- At the bottom, click Synchronize offline.
memoQ will add a new item to the list. Practically, the copy of the online translation memory will appear separately. These items will have the computer icon like local translation memories do, but with a red background.
To update your local copy, click the local copy, and click Synchronize offline again.
If there are too many translation memories on the list, you can filter the list. At the top of the Translation memories pane, there are filter controls:
- The most efficient way to filter the list is to type a word or two in the Name/description box. It will narrow the list immediately to those translation memories that have those words in their names or descriptions.
- You can filter the list for translation memories with a certain source language and/or a target language.
- You can also choose from the basic details (Project, Client, Domain, Subject - if they are filled in for all or most of the corpora), and the from the languages in the TMs. For example, you may be interested in translation memories that contain documents for the client called 'memoQLtd', have translations into French, and the word 'Legal' is in their names.
When you make a selection in one of the boxes, memoQ filters the list immediately.
To sort the list by a detail or another: Click the column header of the column you need. For example, to sort the list by name, click the Name header at the top of the list.
You can export an entire translation memory into a TMX file. TMX stands for Translation Memory eXchange, and it is a standard format. If you export a translation memory in a TMX file, it can be imported into other translation tools.
To export a translation memory:
- In the list, select the translation memory you need to export.
- At the bottom, click Export to TMX. A Save As window opens.
Or: Right-click the translation memory. From the menu, choose Export to TMX.
- Find a folder and a name for the file, and click Save. memoQ will export all details from the translation memory in the file.
You can import a TMX file in an existing translation memory. The translation memory does not have to be empty. You can import several TMX files on top of the same translation memory.
No context from foreign TMX files: You may receive TMX files from different translation tools. You can import them into memoQ translation memories, but the entries you import from foreign TMX files will not have context. This means that the translation memory will not be able to return context (101%) matches or double-context (102%) matches from these entries.
To import entries from a TMX file into a translation memory:
- In the list, select the translation memory where you need to import the TMX file.
- At the bottom of the Translation memories pane, click Import from TMX/CSV. An Open window appears.
- Select one TMX file. Click Open.
- The Translation memory TMX import settings window opens. If the TMX file comes from another copy of memoQ (no matter which version), simply click OK. The entries will be imported without loss. If the TMX file comes from a different translation tool, you may have to set options to convert tags, or import custom fields. memoQ cannot convert segment context from other translation tools.
To learn more: See Help about the Translation memory TMX import settings window.
You can also import entries from a spreadsheet - a CSV file. To do this:
- In the list, select the translation memory where you need to import the CSV file.
- At the bottom, click Import from TMX/CSV. An Open window appears.
- Select one CSV file. Click Open.
- The Translation memory CSV import settings window opens. In this window, you need to choose which columns go into which fields in the translation memory. When you finish, click OK.
To learn more: See Help about the Translation memory CSV import settings window.
A translation memory may become corrupted. This is very unlikely, but system errors can happen on a server.
In most cases, memoQ can repair a corrupted translation memory.
You can see that a translation memory is corrupted when there is a lightning bolt in the second column - next to the check box, instead of the green tick mark.
To repair a translation memory:
- In the list, click the translation memory.
- At the bottom, click Repair resource.
- The Background tasks window opens, showing the progress of the repair. In most cases, it finishes in a few minutes or even sooner.
If memoQ fails to repair the translation memory: Check your hard drive for errors. If your drive is in order, but the translation memory is still unusable, contact memoQ support.
To view the properties of a translation memory:
- In the list, select the translation memory.
- At the bottom, click Properties. The Translation memory properties window opens.
In the Translation memory properties window, you can change the basic details of a translation memory. You can't change the way the context is stored or if the TM is reversible - these are decided when the translation memory is created.
To learn more: See Help about the Translation memory properties window.
You may need to review the contents of a translation memory: replace terms, correct errors, or remove unnecessary entries. You can search for and remove duplicates from a translation memory.
To do all this, you need to edit the translation memory.
To edit a translation memory:
- In the list, select the translation memory.
- At the bottom, click Edit. The contents of the translation memory appear on another editor tab.
- Make changes to the translation memory. Do not forget to save (Commit) your changes. Close the translation memory editor tab when you finish.
To learn more: See Help about the translation memory editor.
You need permission to edit an online translation memory: If you edit a translation memory from a server, you need the Modify or the Admin permission to do that. If you cannot edit an online translation memory, contact the owner of the memoQ server.
While you edit a translation memory, it is locked: While you are editing a translation memory, you cannot use it in the translation editor. If you are editing an online translation memory, no-one can use it until you finish editing.
Editing online translation memories may take long: When you open an online translation memory for editing, memoQ will download part of it from the memoQ server. It may take up to one or two minutes to open an online translation memory for editing.
After you put together a translation memory on your computer - by confirming segments or exporting aligned documents into it -, you can share them on a memoQ server that you have access to.
- In the Server URL box, choose the server. Click Select. Log in to the server if necessary.
- Find the local translation memory on the list. Select it.
A local translation memory is marked by a computer icon.
- At the bottom, click Share on Server. The Share resource on server window opens.
- You may choose a different name for the online copy of the translation memory, and you may also delete the local translation memory after it is shared. Make your choices, and click OK.
memoQ will copy the translation memory to the selected server, and make it available there, with the default permissions.
To remove a translation memory from a server:
- In the Server URL box, choose the server. Click Select. Log in to the server if necessary.
- In the list, find the translation memory you need to remove. Select it.
- At the bottom, click Remove from server. The Remove translation memory from server window opens.
This command will not simply remove the translation memory from the server: it will copy the translation memory to your computer.
- You may choose a different name for the local copy of the translation memory, and you may also keep the online translation memory after it is "removed". Make your choices, and click OK.
memoQ will copy the translation memory to your computer.
Online translation memories are normally published. This means that they are accessible through the memoQ server.
However, you can unpublish a translation memory:
- In the Server URL box, choose the server. Click Select. Log in to the server if necessary.
- Find the translation memory on the list.
- Right-click the translation memory, and choose Unpublish.
After you unpublish a translation memory, it will still be stored on the server, but it will not be accessible. Users cannot use it in projects. To publish it again, right-click it, and choose Publish.
Admin permission needed: To change the permissions over a translation memory, you need the Admin permission over it.
To change who can do what with an online translation memory, do this:
- In the Server URL box, choose the server. Click Select. Log in to the server if necessary.
- Find the translation memory on the list. Select it.
- At the bottom, click Set Permissions. The Permissions window opens.
- Choose the users or groups who can access the translation memory, and set their access levels. Add an expiry date to each permission if necessary. Click OK.
This works for local translation memories.
Each translation memory is a group of files in a folder. To see what folder it is, right-click the translation memory, and choose Properties. The Properties window shows the folder in the Path box.
If you have a translation memory in a folder like this, but you do not have it on the list, you can add it.
- In the Server URL box, choose My Computer.
- At the bottom, click Register Local. An Open window appears.
- Find the folder of the translation memory. Open it. Double-click the .mtm file in it.
memoQ will add the translation memory to the list.
When you finish
To work with another type of resource: Under Resource, choose another category.
To return to your work: Switch to the memoQ main window. Press and hold down Alt, and press Tab, until you get to the memoQ main window. Or, on the Windows taskbar, click the memoQ icon, then click the memoQ main window. The Resource Console stays open.
Or, you can close the Resource Console: Click Close.
If you opened a translation memory, a term base, or a LiveDocs document for editing: Switch to the memoQ main window (or close the Resource console), and then go to the editor tab.