Problem importing bilingual DOC/DOCX files Thread poster: James McVay
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James McVay 
United States
Local time: 09:51
Russian to English
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I'm stymied.
I have a customer who sends me bilingual DOC and DOCX files to edit. I would like to be able to import them into memoQ in order to take advantage the rather extensive TM I've built for this customer. I've scoured the memoQ help files without luck. I'm hoping someone can advise.
The files look like this. There is a header row that runs across the entire width of the table. Beneath that, there are four columns. The first column simply numbers the rows. The se... See more I'm stymied.
I have a customer who sends me bilingual DOC and DOCX files to edit. I would like to be able to import them into memoQ in order to take advantage the rather extensive TM I've built for this customer. I've scoured the memoQ help files without luck. I'm hoping someone can advise.
The files look like this. There is a header row that runs across the entire width of the table. Beneath that, there are four columns. The first column simply numbers the rows. The second column contains the segmented source text. The third column contains the target text. The fourth column is used for comments.
As far as I've been able to tell, memoQ expects bilingual files either to be Excel files, text files with columns deliminated by commas or tabs, or exports from another CAT tool, such as Trados. The files I get from my customer don't fall in any of those categories.
I have had some success copying the source and target columns into an Excel sheet, importing that sheet into memoQ, then copying those two columns from the exported Excel sheet back into the Word document when I have finished editing. The problem is that this sometimes messes up the format in ways that are almost impossible to fix in Word. Also, it's kind of labor-intensive.
I have tried converting the table into text, saving it as a TXT file, deliminating columns with tabs, or commas, or semicolons and then importing that into memoQ. But there are two problems with that. First of all, that is very labor-intensive. Secondly, Cyrillic doesn't always survive this process.
Has anyone else encountered this problem and, hopefully, solved it? Any help would be appreciated. ▲ Collapse
| | | | gfichter
United States
Local time: 09:51
English
+ ...
You may have tried this already, but I'll offer it anyway.
MemoQ likes bilingual RTF files. RTF is an ancient and inefficient file format, so I for one always convert them to .docx. But in order to re-import a translated bilingual Word doc, you need to save it as RTF.
This time, import the file as "Table RTF memoQ bilingual". MemoQ is expecting the same format you mention, if I'm not mistaken.
Good luck,
George
| | | | James McVay
United States
Local time: 09:51
Russian to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Already tried that | Mar 9, 2020 |
Thanks, George, for your suggestion. But it didn't work. BTW, there is no filter called "Table RTF memoQ bilingual." I think what you're referring to is "Bilingual DOC/RTF."
When I try using that on a bilingual RTF table, I get an error message that reads, "Index was out of range. Must be non-negative and less than the size of the collection. Parameter name: index”
I have no idea what that means, but memoQ won't import the file using the filter. Unless I'm mistaken, ... See more Thanks, George, for your suggestion. But it didn't work. BTW, there is no filter called "Table RTF memoQ bilingual." I think what you're referring to is "Bilingual DOC/RTF."
When I try using that on a bilingual RTF table, I get an error message that reads, "Index was out of range. Must be non-negative and less than the size of the collection. Parameter name: index”
I have no idea what that means, but memoQ won't import the file using the filter. Unless I'm mistaken, this is intended to reimport a translation that was exported by memoQ as a bilingual file. In this case, the original file was not bilingual but has been exported as a bilingual RTF file for editing. When it is reimported, memoQ recognizes it for what it is and handles it accordingly.
Unless my customer sends me a bilingual file that memoQ has been used to export, I can't import it as a bilingual file. It simply won't work.
I have found a workaround that I can use, however. Here is the sequence of steps that I follow:
o Import the customer-provided bilingual file in the usual manner.
(I have the Grid set to show source segments in the left column and target subjects in the right. When a two-column table is imported, all of the cells appear in the left-hand column of the memoQ Grid. Pre-translation will insert any TM matches in the target column.)
o Click the Preparation tab and then Copy Source to Target Where Empty.
(This will populate the Target column with both source and target segments from the original bilingual table. The target segments from the table will appear immediately below the source segments in the Grid.)
o Ignore the left hand column in the Grid and work only with the target segments from the original table that have now been inserted in the Grid’s right-hand column.
(They will appear immediately below the corresponding source segment from the original file. Appropriate matches from my TM that have been inserted in the Grid cells containing the source segments from the original table can be copied and pasted over the target segments from the original file. Alternatively, I can simply clear all TM matches from the Grid’s target column before clicking Copy Source to Target Where Empty, then refer to the Translation Results for possible TM matches.)
o Export the completed translation as usual, i.e., not as a bilingual file.
It sounds complicated, but it’s fairly simple in execution, certainly quicker and easier than the way I've been trying to do it.
[Edited at 2020-03-09 17:06 GMT]
[Edited at 2020-03-09 17:07 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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This is probably so obvious that you have already tried, but have you asked the client if they couldn't simply send you an xliff? MemoQ supports sdlxliff (Trados) and also in practice accepts mxliff (Memsource).
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James McVay
United States
Local time: 09:51
Russian to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
The whole issue of using CAT tools and discounts hasn't come up with this particular client. I'd rather not even mention it.
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... for such job:
1. Copy the SOURCE column ONLY. Remember to omit all line/segment numbers, title bars, headers, footers, comments etc.
2. Save that column as a new DOC or RTF file (whatever you prefer).
3. Use that file as the source for your MemoQ job. Translate acc. to your knowledge. Use your TM. Use the client's target segments as far as usable (just copy from Word and paste into MemoQ target column).
4. Once the translation is finished, copy the TARGET column ONL... See more ... for such job:
1. Copy the SOURCE column ONLY. Remember to omit all line/segment numbers, title bars, headers, footers, comments etc.
2. Save that column as a new DOC or RTF file (whatever you prefer).
3. Use that file as the source for your MemoQ job. Translate acc. to your knowledge. Use your TM. Use the client's target segments as far as usable (just copy from Word and paste into MemoQ target column).
4. Once the translation is finished, copy the TARGET column ONLY.
5. In Word, add a new column to client's table and paste your target into it. You will be able to show to your client as well as yourself the extent and volume of your work.
6. Back to MemoQ, you can generate your final output file.
I haven't tried this method but think that, having got rid of all the 'ballast' (see item 1), you won't have to fight the unnecessary format issues. All in all, the work should be quicker and easier.
Awaiting your comment.
HTH ▲ Collapse
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