OmegaT

for translation, reconciliation and adaptation

OmegaT

for translators

Translation

  • Input: the source text
  • Output: the translation (or target text)

Adaptation

  • Input: both the source text and the target text.
  • Output: modified translation. Your task consists of adapting the target text to your specific requirements (regional use, etc.).

Reconciliation

  • Input: the source text and 2 translation proposals
  • Output: the reconciled translation

https://capstanlqc.github.io/omegat-guides

Is OmegaT  installed and correctly configured?

Contents

  • Unpacking / exporting / packing
  • GUI and editor
    • Project files, segment properties, notes, comments
  • Matches
    • Assessing, inserting, replacing
  • Repetitions
    • Auto-propagation, alternative/multiple transl.
  • Tags
    • Inserting, moving, fixing
  • QA checks
    • Spell checking, completion, LT, tags, glossary

shortcuts save a lot of time

Clicking is handy but...

Ctrl+S

to save

Ctrl+C

to copy

Ctrl+V

to cut (copy and remove)

Ctrl+X

to paste

Build some muscle memory

We propose just a few shortcuts to remember:

  • Ctrl+U
  • Enter / Ctrl+Enter
  • Ctrl+L
  • Ctrl+J
  • Ctrl+Space
  • ...

Grabbing
the project

Un/pack
Open/Close
Download

Team projects are online

The project is downloaded directly from OmegaT

OmegaT will sync translations directly with the repo

Download a team project

Download a team project

Importing credentials

Download a team project

The local project folder

Please download the project to a dedicated folder where you only save OmegaT team/online projects, e.g. 

 

 

C:\Users\Jane\Work\program_batch_locale_omt

your user folder or HOME directory

Download once, then re-open

You only need to download a team project once. After that, you can re-open it from the list of recent projects. 

Unpacking a project

  • Project > Unpack project from OMT file...
  • Browse to where you downloaded the package
  • Open the package

  • Interface

  • Editor

  • Panes

The user interface

Glossary

translated

active

auto-populated

untranslated

repeated

auto-pop/locked

Alternative translations

Segment properties

Matches from TMs

Editor

(none in this project)

Segment colors

Target text:

  • Pink = pretranslated
  • Orange = pretranslated and locked
  • no background color = regular translation
     

Source text:

  • Green = active
  • Blue = untranslated
  • Grey = translated

Segment properties

  • File name
  • ID (if set)
  • Duplicate status
  • Resource name
  • Notes
  • Author of the first translation
  • Date/time of the first translation
  • Author of the last edit
  • Date/time of the last edit
  • Match type

source text

target text

Match type

Duplicate status

Project Files pane

filename of each file

segment counts

progress tracking

Project Files pane

This dialog will always tell you in which file you are.

Ctrl+L

to show the list of files

Moving through the project

 

Enter

     Ctrl+Enter

Forward/backward keys:

Go-to functions / shortcuts

  • Ctrl+U
    • Go to next untranslated segment
    • When you are translating
  • Ctrl+Shift+U
    • Go to next translated segment
    • When you are reviewing (but not all is translated)
  • Ctrl+J
    • Go to a specific segment by its number
  • Ctrl+Shift+P (previous) / Ctrl+Shift+N (next)
    • Back/Forward in history
    • Very useful if you go back to where you were

If you don't remember a shortcut, you may check the Go To menu.

Ctrl+U

go to next untranslated segment

Ctrl+J

go to specific segment by number

Create

translated

documents

Generate target files / export

  • If you need to preview the target version.
  • Ctrl+D
    • Generate all target files in the project
    • Easy to remember
    • Slow if you have many files or if files are big
  • Ctrl+Shift+D
    • Generate current target file
    • Faster, so more practical

Ctrl+D

create translated documents

Ctrl+Shift+D

create current translated document

Matches

What is a match?

Differences are conveniently shown in diff mode.

Types of matches

  • Exact match



 

 

  • Fuzzy match

Strongly agree. <segment 0009>
-------------------------------------------------
Strongly agreedisagree.
<50/50/75%>

Strongly agree. <segment 0001>
-------------------------------------------------
Strongly agree.
<100/100/100%>

  • In-context exact (ICE)

Match similarity metric

  • Three percentages:
    • Stemmed without stopwords
    • Inflected form without stopwords
    • All tokens (inflected forms and stopwords)

Differences are conveniently shown in diff mode.

Match leverage / insertion

  • A reference match (of any score)
    • Must be inserted manually
  • Auto-populated match (exact)
    • It is inserted automatically when the project loads...
      • ... as long as the segment is not translated
  • An enforced match (exact)
    • It is inserted automatically when the project loads...
      • ... replacing any text in the segment. 

Automatic leverage

Manual leverage

Carrying over matches

A match must be activated so that it can be carried over.

  • Ctrl+# (or doble-clicking)
    • Activates the match numbered with #

The active match (or the selected part) can be carried over to the translation by inserting it.

  • Ctrl+i (or from menus)
    • Inserts the active match or the selected part of it
    • It can be used to replace in combination with Ctrl+A

.

Carrying over matches

Note:

  • Inserted text can be assembled with a translation draft.
  • Or, in combination with Ctrl+A, the inserted text can replace the existing translation draft.

The whole active match (or the selected part of it) can be inserted in the translation by different means:

  • Ctrl+i
    • ​It inserts from the active/selected match
  • Right-click on the match
  • Edit > Insert Match or Selection

.

Insertion+update strategies

  1. Insert whole match, update later

Insertion+update strategies

  1. Insert whole match, update later
  2. Select part of the match, insert selection, then update

Recommended steps

  1. Activate the match you want to insert
    • The first match is the one active by default
  2. Select the part of the match that you want to insert
    • (if you don't want to insert the whole match)
  3. In the target segment, do one of these:
    • Assemble fragments: Move the cursor to the position where you want to insert the match/selection to assemble fragments
    • Replace: Select the part of the existing translation draft that you want to replace with the match/selection (or select the whole of it with Ctrl+A)
  4. Press Ctrl+i

Updating matches

  • Some matches must be leveraged manually:
    • Exact matches: probably do not require updates
    • Fuzzy matches: probably do require updates
  • Updates:
    • Inserting full match
      + editing/overwriting
      invalid part
    • Selection of valid part 
      + insertion
      + complete + editing
    • Automatically!

Updating matches

  • Some matches must be leveraged manually:
    • Exact matches: probably do not require updates
    • Fuzzy matches: probably do require updates
  • Updates:
    • Inserting full match
      + editing/overwriting
      invalid part
    • Selection of valid part 
      + insertion
      + complete + editing
    • Automatically!

Carrying over matches

A match must be active so that it can be carried over.

  • Ctrl+#
    • Activates the match numbered with #

An active match can be carried over to the translation in 2 ways.

  • Ctrl+R
    • Replaces the translation with the match or the selected part
  • Ctrl+i
    • Inserts the match or the selected part
    • It can be used to replace in combination with Ctrl+A

Ctrl+i

insert match or selection
[also available upon right-clicking on the match]

selects the match by its number (1-5)
[= double-click on the match]

Ctrl+#

Ctrl+i

insert match or selection

Ctrl+R

activates segment by number (1-5)

Ctrl+#

replace with match or selection

Tags
(placeables)

Tags stand for codes/markup

  • Structural markup/codes define the different parts of the document and how they are arranged together. Parts can be paragraph, list, table, footnote, title, etc.
    • Some of those parts contain text. Text might contain some embedded elements, like icons, buttons, etc.
  • Formatting markup/codes define how the text is styled or decorated. Styles include bold, italics, underlining, font-family, colour, size, etc.
    • These codes embed the formatted text, which can be a whole sentence or part of a sentence.

Tags: what are tags?

Click Play to see it in action.

Click <strong>Play</strong> to see it in action.

Click <g1>Play</g1> to see it in action.

Tags stand for inline codes, they are not translatable text but need to be replicated in the translation.

Paired tags generally apply some formatting to a fragment of text.

Tags: what are tags?

repeat {{number}} times

repeat <x1/> times

Standalone tags stand for some code that does not contain translatable text.

This is what it looks like when you add  the file to the OmegaT project.

Tags: standalone vs paired

Tags need to be placed in the translation.

You have several options to insert tags:
 

  • Ctrl+Space
    • Auto-completer, recommended!
    • It can be used to insert other things
       
  • Ctrl+T
    • Inserts the next missing tag
    • Easy to remember

Auto-completer:
Insert paired tags

The auto-completer allows you to insert paired tags in the right position around the text that needs to be formatted.

  • Selected the text to be formatted
  • Press Ctrl+Space
  • Use the arrow keys to select the row that applies
  • Press Enter to insert the tag pair

The auto-completer allows you to insert standalone tags 
in the right position within the target text.

  • Position the cursor in the insertion point
  • Press Ctrl+Space
  • Use the arrow keys to select the row that applies
  • Press Enter to insert the tag

Auto-completer:
Insert standalone tags

You're free to produce your translation first and insert tags later OR to insert tags as you type your translation.

The cursor is already in the right place, the rest is the same:

  • Press Ctrl+Space
  • Use the arrow keys to select the row that applies
  • Press Enter to insert the tag

Auto-completer:
Insert tags as you go alone

Ctrl+Space

to launch the Auto-Completer

Ctrl+T

to insert next missing tag

Inserting tags: next missing

Ctrl+T

  • Inserts the next missing tag.
    • During translation...

 

 

    • During editing (on a given translation)...

Inserting tags: auto-complete

Ctrl+Space

  • Allows you to insert any missing tag...

 

 

 

 

  • Or to inserts any tag pair to create an embedding...

Fixing tags: position

Drag & Drop:

  • Double-click to select the tag
  • Drag it to its new position
  • Drop it

or Cut & Paste:

  • Double-click to select the tag
  • Cut the tag (Ctrl+X)
  • Click on the new position
  • Paste the tag (Ctrl+V)

Repetitions

Repetitions

 Repetitions

Repetitions and auto-propagation

Email message
Subject:
Fw: Summer Streets
Dear Subscriber
... ...
Library Catalog Catálogo bibliotecario
genetically modified food
Food for the world
Subject:
biotechnology
Modern farming

files/editor

working TM

file 1

file 2

Library Catalog Catálogo bibliotecario

Tema:

Subject:

Tema:

Subject:

Auto-propagation (1)

Email message
Subject:
Fw: Summer Streets
Dear Subscriber
... ...
Library Catalog Catálogo bibliotecario
genetically modified food
Food for the world
Subject:
biotechnology
Modern farming

files/editor

working TM

Library Catalog Catálogo bibliotecario

Tema:

Subject:

Tema:

Subject:

Tema:

Tema:

Tema:

Auto-propagation (2)

Email message
Subject:
Fw: Summer Streets
Dear Subscriber
... ...
Library Catalog Catálogo bibliotecario
genetically modified food
Food for the world
Subject:
biotechnology
Modern farming

files/editor

working TM

Library Catalog Catálogo bibliotecario

Subject:

Tema:

Subject:

Tema:

Tema:

Tema:

Auto-propagation (3)

Email message
Subject:
Fw: Summer Streets
Dear Subscriber
... ...
Library Catalog Catálogo bibliotecario
genetically modified food
Food for the world
Subject:
biotechnology
Modern farming

files/editor

working TM

Library Catalog Catálogo bibliotecario

Subject:

Tema:

Subject:

Context determines meaning

Tema:

Tema:

Tema:

The subject field of a book

The topic of an email

Email message
Subject:
Fw: Summer Streets
Dear Subscriber
... ...
Library Catalog Catálogo bibliotecario
genetically modified food
Food for the world
Subject:
biotechnology
Modern farming

files/editor

working TM

Library Catalog Catálogo bibliotecario

Subject:

Tema:

Subject:

Alternative translations

Tema:

Tema:

Tema:

Create alternative translation

Asunto:

Subject:

Asunto:

\}
Email message
Subject:
Fw: Summer Streets
Dear Subscriber
... ...
Library Catalog Catálogo bibliotecario
genetically modified food
Food for the world
Subject:
biotechnology
Modern farming

files/editor

working TM

Library Catalog Catálogo bibliotecario

Subject:

Tema:

Subject:

Alternative translations

Tema:

Tema:

Create alternative translation

Asunto:

Subject:

Asunto:

prev: Email message

next: Fw: Summer Streets

\{

Alternative translations are like crossing the street.

If you proceed with caution you should be fine ;)

Create alternative translations

  1. Create alternative translation
  2. Modify the text
  3. Save (Ctrl+S)

Steps:

In-context exact (ICE) match

  • Alternative translations rely on a context-wide match
    • Source text
    • Previous and next source texts
    • File name

Not very robust if other repetitions have the same context.

ID-bound match (XLIFF)

  • Alternative translations based on stricter kinds of context
    • Source text
    • Segment ID
    • File name

For formats that allow it (e.g. XLIFF), we can use segment IDs to create a unique context.

Create alternative translation

A default translation exists.

Right click the segment and select "Create Alternative Translation"

Edit the translation, then press Ctrl+S to save.

When you save, the new alternative translation will appear in the Multiple Translations pane.

Restore default translation

An alternative translation exists.

Delete the alternative translation, then Ctrl+S to save.

When you save, the default translation appears in the segment.

And the alternative translation disappears from the Multiple Translations pane.

Search

Search is a powerful feature

The Search dialog (Ctrl+F) can help you:

  • Find concordances in the working or reference TMs
    • (what doesn't appear in the Matches pane)
  • Find any text in reference files
    • (in any folder, not necessarily in the project)
  • Find segments with some particular property:
    • An identifier
    • Edited in a time range or by someone in particular
  • Filter by certain results:
    • Useful to focus on one particular aspect.

Search...

Filtering:

Ctrl+F

to launch the search dialog to  find things

QA

QA checks: last but never least

Some QA checks are automated:

  • Tags
  • Spelling mistakes
  • Adherence to glossary (terminological consistency)
  • LanguageTool issues

Some QA checks are not automated:

  • Completion
    • Statistics: zero remaining segments

All tag issues should always be fixed! (manually)

QA checks: last but never least

Preview and delivery

Preview

Offline:

  1. Project > Create Target Documents
  2. Go to the Target folder
  3. Open the file in question

Online (platform):

  1. Project > Commit Target Files
  2. Access previewer

Special characters

Special Characters

Special characters are any character for which your keyboard doesn't have a key, e.g.

Special Characters

You can use auto-text to insert special characters:

  • << >> → «   »
  • \times or \x → ×
  • \sub2 → o₂
  • \sup2 → o²
  • etc.

If you don't remember a shortcut, you can check the list of special characters and their shortcuts in:

  • the OmegaT preferences
  • the OmegaT guides

Ctrl+Space

to launch the Auto-Completer

  • Cursor flag
  • Bidi control characters
    • Marks
      • Can be used to change the direction/position of a single character
    • Embeddings
      • Can be used to change the direction of a whole text run
  • Script "Remove bidi marks"

  Edit > Insert Unicode Control Characters

Bidirectionality (LTR+RTL)

If you need help with OmegaT:

Please can contact cApStAn's OmegaT Helpdesk:
omegat-helpdesk@capstan.be 

Please do not struggle!

If you find a problem in OmegaT

Please let us know at cApStAn's OmegaT Helpdesk on http://odoo.capstan.be/helpdesk

We will strive to find a solution.

(if you tell us about the issue)

https://slides.com/capstan/omegat-for-tra-rec-ada