Import TM files wizard

Use this wizard when you need to import two or more files into translation memories.

How to get here

From a local or online project:

  1. From the Dashboard, open a project.
  2. In the left-side menu, click Translation memories.

  3. In the list, select a translation memory where you need to import the file.

    When you need to import into one or more new TMs, you can select any TM in the list, it does not matter which one.

  4. On the Translation memories ribbon, click the Import button. The Import TM files wizard window opens.

From the Resource Console:

  1. In the list, select a translation memory where you need to import the file.

    When you need to import into one or more new TMs, you can select any TM in the list, it does not matter which one.

  2. Under the list, click the Import link. The Import TM files wizard window opens.

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What can you do?

On the first page, choose Import all selected files to the selected TM. (Normally, this option is chosen when the window opens.) Click the Next button. The Review import settings page opens.

On the first page, choose Import all selected files into a new TM.

To create a local translation memory, choose My computer. To create an online translation memory (on the server you started the import), choose Remote.

Click the Next button. The Create a new translation memory page opens.

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Choose a name and languages for the translation memory

Under Translation memory properties, type a name in the Name box. The name must be unique on your computer - or on the server where you're creating it.

In the Source language and the Target language dropdowns, choose the languages of the translation memory.

If you started the import from a project, the dropdowns will show the project's languages. Change them only if needed.

Do not change the Path box: This box appears if you create a local translation memory. It shows the full name of the folder where the translation memory will be stored. memoQ has a standard place for resources like TMs. You should not change it because it will be more difficult to make a full backup of your system. If you need to store your resources elsewhere, make your choice right after installing memoQ. Change the locations in the Options window, under Locations.

Continue with Step 2: Translation memory settings.

On the first page, choose Import each selected file into new TMs,

To create a local translation memory, choose My computer. To create an online translation memory (on the server you started the import), choose Remote.

If your import contains CSV files: Choose their source and target languages from the two dropdowns:

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Click the Next button. The Create new translation memories page opens.

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Choose a name and languages for the translation memory

Under Translation memory properties, you cannot edit the Name, Source language, and Target language fields: Each new translation memory will have the name and the languages of its imported file. The names must be unique on your computer - or on the server where you're creating the TMs.

Do not change the Path box: This box appears if you create a local translation memory. It shows the full name of the folder where the translation memory will be stored. memoQ has a standard place for resources like TMs. You should not change it because it will be more difficult to make a full backup of your system. If you need to store your resources elsewhere, make your choice right after installing memoQ. Change the locations in the Options window, under Locations.

Continue with Step 2: Translation memory settings.

A translation memory gives you an exact match if the segment you are translating is found in the database in the exact same form. However, you can be more certain about a match if you know that the context of the segment is also the same. If you need to reconstruct the translation of a document from a translation memory, you need the context matches. They are also useful if you need to update the translation for a new version of the source document, and there is little difference between the two versions.

The translation memory will give you a context match if both the segment and its context is the same in the translation memory.

memoQ knows about two types of context:

  • Text flow context: This works when the source document contains running text. In a text flow, the context is the previous and the next segment.
  • ID-based context: This works when the source document is a table or a structured document where each entry has - or can have - an identifier. In this case, the context is the identifier, and memoQ returns a context match if both the segment and the identifier is the same in the translation memory.

    The match rate of a context match is 101%.

memoQ also knows about double context. Double context is possible in documents that have running text and identifiers at the same time. In this case, memoQ can check both in the translation memory. A double-context match has a match rate of 102%.

To return context matches, a translation memory needs to store the context.

Normally, a translation memory stores the simple context. It is either based on the text flow or on identifiers. This is the recommended setting.

If you plan to translate documents that have running text and identifiers: Click the Double context radio button. Then the translation memory will be able to return double-context (102%) matches.

Do not choose No context: You can also create a translation memory that does not store any context. Do not do this - unless you plan to use the translation memory for reference only, and you plan to import translation memory files from a different translation tool.

Never save translations in a no-context translation memory: If a translation memory does not store any context, do not make it the working or the master translation memory in a project. When you confirm segments, memoQ will always try to save the context. In fact, if you confirm segments into a no-context translation memory, you will lose information.

Decide this when you create the translation memory: You cannot change this setting after the translation memory is created.

Do not use multiple translations: memoQ can store several translations for the same source-language segment. Do not use this - unless you are importing a translation memory from a different translation tool, and there are several translations in the file you import. When two translations are different, there is a reason for it - in most cases, the context is also different. If you use context in a translation memory - as is recommended -, there is no use for multiple translations. Make sure that the Allow multiple translations check box is cleared.

Decide this when you create the translation memory: You cannot change this setting after the translation memory is created.

Normally, a translation memory will be reversible. This means that memoQ can look up segments in both the source and in the target language. In other words, you can use the target language as a source language in another project.

However, memoQ knows that the source language matters. When you have a project in the opposite language direction, the name of the translation memory will appear in italics - but it will be there.

You cannot make a translation memory a working or a master translation memory in a project that has the languages the other way round.

If you do not want to make the new translation memory reversible: Clear the Allow reverse lookup check box.

Decide this when you create the translation memory: You cannot change this setting after the translation memory is created.

When you confirm a segment in the translation editor, memoQ will save the name of the document together with the segment and its translation. This may be interesting when you are reviewing translations - or you need to decide how much to trust the translation.

If you do not want the document names in the translation memory: Clear the Store document name check box.

If there are at least two different documents that have the same name: This is possible if you work on documents imported from various folders. To make sure that the stored names are different, check the Store full path check box.

You can turn it back on: To do that, open the Properties window for the translation memory.

This setting may be interesting if you have a slower computer, or when you want to lower the strain on a memoQ server.

Normally, memoQ returns as many matches as it can. However, you can tune it so that it will return fewer fuzzy matches - but it will return the matches much faster.

If you use a translation memory mostly for exact or context matches, you can safely do this.

To tune the new translation memory down, use the slider on the right that says More fuzzy hits and Faster lookup. You can move the slider towards Faster lookup.

The slider has three stops. Normally, memoQ offers the maximum number of matches. There is a middle setting, which gives balanced results. The setting at the bottom returns a minimum number of hits, but it is the fastest.

You can change this later: To do that, open the Properties window for the translation memory.

In the Meta-information section, enter the project's usual metadata (Project, Client, Domain, and Subject), and add a Description as needed. You can also change your name in the Created by field.

If you started the import from a project, these fields will show the project's metadata. Change them only if needed.

To return to the previous wizard page: Click the Back button.

To close the wizard without importing: Click the Cancel button.

To continue the wizard, click the Next button. The Review import settings page opens.

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This page lists the files you selected for importing, grouped by file type.

To sort the list by file name, source language, or target language: Above the list, click a column header.

To change import settings for one file: In the file's row, click the Change settings link. The Translation memory CSV import settings or Translation memory TMX import settings window opens.

You need to do this for CSV files so that memoQ knows which columns contain the source and target segments.

No link for SDLTM files: The import happens automatically, without options.

To change import settings for two or more files: Select the files (or check their check boxes), and under the list, click the Change import settings of selected link. The Translation memory batch CSV import settings or Translation memory batch TMX import settings window opens.

To remove files from the list: Check their check boxes, and under the list, click the Remove selected link.

When you finish

To return to the previous wizard page: Click the Back button.

To start importing: When you fixed all the errors on the page, click the Import all button.

To close the wizard without importing: Click the Cancel button.