Target file formatting issues

Question

Hi everyone, 
 I'm using Trados 2015 and I've been struggling with the format of my target file, I'm hoping someone might be able to help me! 
 The source file is a fully editable .doc with plenty of different columns and section/column/page breaks. The problem comes when I generate the target file, the columns are misplaced and there are format issues throughout the file (messed up tables, alignment and columns). Also, I've noticed some of the section/column/page breaks have been removed. 
 I could try to fix the format manually but it's a really big file and it would take me hours. I thought I might have failed to add the tags in editor mode but it doesn't look like I have. Any thoughts on what the cause might be/how to fix it? 
 Thanks a lot in advance! 
 Ana

Ana Martínez · Accepted Answer

Hi again, 
 
Just wanted to let you know that I managed to fix it! Frankly, I'm so relieved :) 
 
It turned out to be super simple! Saving the original .doc as a .docx file. There, that was it. I run it through Trados and the final target file looked like the source text. Phew! 
 
Thanks again to both of you :)

Jesse Good · Answer

Hi Ana, It sounds like the text length in the target side has caused all the tables to look displaced. For example, try importing the file again and generate the target file with the target side blank. If everything looks okay, the issue is due to the text length changing. I recommend selecting all the text and changing the font size to something really low to see if that fixes all the tables. Hope that helps. Jesse

Jerzy Czopik · Answer

Sorry to hear that. 
 But this is really not a problem of any tool you used to translate (so neither Studio nor any other CAT would be to blame). The only thing responsible for this is crappy formatted original. 
 Please try the following: 
 Press CTRL+A, then CTRL+D. Go to "Advanced" tab. In the first empty field enter 98 and press Enter. Then repeat CTRL+A CTRL+D, and use again the advanced field. Using the small arrow pointing down in the middle field set a value of -0,2. 
 It should then look like this (here is the German GUI)

If this does not help, try to select a font size smaller by 0,5 points. 
 Or change from Arial to Arial Narrow or use Times New Roman. These are very narrow fonts.

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Target file formatting issues