Setting a rule for translating only a multilingual XML file in Trados 2019/2021

Question

I have received a multilingual XML file from a client.

In the CDATA, it looks like this:

<excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[[:en]Here is the English text.[:de]Hier ist der deutsche Text.[:]]]></excerpt:encoded>

I am supposed to translate the English text to a third language (Norwegian).

As I understand, I cannot add a third language in SDL Trados, so what I am planning to do is to ask my client for a new XML-file which contains a copy of the English text which I can overwrite with the translation. Like this:

<excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[[:en]Here is the English text.[:de]Hier ist der deutsche Text.[:no]Here is the English text again for translation.[:]]]></excerpt:encoded>

My question is (based on this exact code structure with [ ] brackets etc.): How do I tell SDL Trados Studio that only the chunks between [:no] and [:] shall be translated?

(I have already gone through the process of creating a custom file type for XML. Now I want to set the rule for this specific case and I don't know how to do it.)

PS: I am currently using Studio 2019, but have already purchased 2021 (in case there is a new relevant functionality.)

Paul · Answer

Lisa Arnold

I've seen some crazy ideas for localizing files before but this possibly takes the biscuit! It's fun trying to solve these problems, but really these guys need some serious education on how to prepare files for localization!

Lisa Arnold said:
As I understand, I cannot add a third language in SDL Trados

Not just in Trados. I doubt you'll find a translation environment for professional translators anywhere that will add a new language to an XML file like this.

Lisa Arnold said:
My question is (based on this exact code structure with [ ] brackets etc.): How do I tell SDL Trados Studio that only the chunks between [:no] and [:] shall be translated?

Based on this:

<excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[[:en]Here is the English text.[:de]Hier ist der deutsche Text.[:no]Here is the English text again for translation.[:]]]></excerpt:encoded>

I think you'll need to use the embedded content processor to block out the bits you don't want and leave the Norwegian for translation. Extracting the Norwegian will be too difficult so it's easier to tackle it the other way around. So if I use a file like this for example:

Fullscreen no.xml Download

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<norwegian xmlns:excerpt="www.w3.org/.../">
<excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[[:en]Here is the English text.[:de]Hier ist der deutsche Text.[:no]Here is the English text again for translation.[:]]]></excerpt:encoded>
</norwegian>

I would normally see this:

Screenshot of Trados Studio showing two segments with English and German text marked not for translation.

But with a couple of rules applying to the CDATA sections I can see this:

Screenshot of Trados Studio displaying a segment with English text marked for translation to Norwegian.

The settings for embedded content being this:

Screenshot of Trados Studio options menu with 'Embedded Content' selected and 'Default by name' option visible.

The embedded content processor (plaintext) settings being this:

Screenshot of Trados Studio showing 'Inline tags' settings with opening and closing actions for placeholders.

The rules were just these:

\[:(en|de)\][^[]+

\[:((no\])|\])

Simple enough and you could probably tidy them up if needed.

Paul Filkin | RWS Group

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Paul · Answer

Lisa Arnold 
 Probably a bit late ;-) And you didn't respond to the last response anyway... but this new filetype on te AppSTore may be helpful as you can not only handle a multilingual XML, but you can also add new languages into the target file: 
 https://community.rws.com/product-groups/translationproductivity/w/customer-experience/6039/multilingual-xml-filetype

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Setting a rule for translating only a multilingual XML file in Trados 2019/2021