Chris Barella

Do I understand correctly that the target text does not fit into the text frames that the source text was in? That is perfectly normal if the target language is less compact than the source language, say, EN-FR or EN-DE. Trados won't adjust the layout.

Daniel

Thanks for confirming Daniel, I had assumed that because it recalibrates layout with a Word file, it would do it with an IDML file. 

Chris Barella

Microsoft Word is a word processor, InDesign is a layout program. They are very different. Unless you do something really unusual with Word (put your text in text boxes or so), the text just flows and flows. There is not really a layout. In InDesign, text has a space specified by the designer of the document. If people anticipate translation of their content they might allot enough space for a more voluminous language to fit. But that is rare. Normally, the translator will return the file with target text and original layout, and the designer will adjust the layout.

Daniel

Thanks Daniel but I don't agree that Word is straightforward. I have produced mechanical user manuals of 60 pages plus of diagrams and Trados has coped with the formatting in many different languages. If the programme can do it for Word, with images, how can it not do it for IDML.

@Chris Barella 

Sorry Chris, but Daniel is right. I am not familiar with *.idml files, but I can tell you that you face the same problem with *.pptx files  Whenever a piece of software accomodates sentences, paragraphs in text boxes and you must translate these sentences into a bulkier language, you will have to manipulate these text boxes in order to send a perfect target file... or let the client do the job

Chris Barella

Daniel is completely right... you simply cannot compare Word to InDesign.  Studio has a pseudo-translate feature that is there to allow project managers to estimate the amount of DTP work required after translation prior to the work being done; possibly even editing the source document prior to translation if appropriate to speed up the overall delivery of a quality localization.

Thanks for responding Gerard

Understood Paul.