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Does Across allow setting up a list of variables?
Thread poster: Enrique Chi
Enrique Chi
Enrique Chi  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 06:11
Member (2015)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Nov 28, 2016

Hello:

I regularly translate documents related to software that deals with several control units, which are identified by acronyms, such as ECU, VDU, PSC, PTP, and so on. These typically remain untranslated. Now, there are many segments that are nearly identical between the descriptions of one control unit and the next control unit, in which the only difference between segments is the acronym of the control unit. For example:
One segment: PTP 001 - Unit ID
Segment in ne... See more
Hello:

I regularly translate documents related to software that deals with several control units, which are identified by acronyms, such as ECU, VDU, PSC, PTP, and so on. These typically remain untranslated. Now, there are many segments that are nearly identical between the descriptions of one control unit and the next control unit, in which the only difference between segments is the acronym of the control unit. For example:
One segment: PTP 001 - Unit ID
Segment in next file: PSC 001 - Unit ID
Segment in another file: VDU 001 - Unit ID

In SDL Trados you can set up a list of variables that the software can recognize and automatically substitute one for another. My question is, can this be done in Across? I have not seen anything in the program documentation that answers in the affirmative, but I'm wondering if any of you know a way to accomplish this.

Thanks for your help,
Enrique ▲ Collapse
 
AAV
AAV
Local time: 18:11
Convert to placeable Nov 28, 2016

You can probably make use of "Placeables" feature. Check point 4 (Protection of Product Names and Trademarks with Regular
Expressions) in What's new in 6.3:
ftp://ftp.across.net/documentation/whats_new_v63_en.pdf
 
Enrique Chi
Enrique Chi  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 06:11
Member (2015)
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Great idea, but does not work for me Nov 28, 2016

Converting the strings in question to placeables would definitely work if I were setting up the translation environment with the original source files, etc. I work for an agency that sends me the Across package after they have set them up, so I don't see the original file, and they don't grant me the privileges needed to modify system settings, so I can't add placeables. The best I can do is suggest that they add placeables to their template, but something tells me they're not going to help much... See more
Converting the strings in question to placeables would definitely work if I were setting up the translation environment with the original source files, etc. I work for an agency that sends me the Across package after they have set them up, so I don't see the original file, and they don't grant me the privileges needed to modify system settings, so I can't add placeables. The best I can do is suggest that they add placeables to their template, but something tells me they're not going to help much.

I see this as another instance in which Across, for all its power and myriad of settings, overlooks some very simple functions that would make it much more translator-friendly.

Thanks!
Enrique ▲ Collapse
 
AAV
AAV
Local time: 18:11
Guess they are trying to avoid errors... Nov 29, 2016

I afraid this is exactly why companies want to use Across - they want to have more control over what translator does. In the case you described, auto-copy of acronyms might look error prone for them.
Otherwise they would probably do this to save their money, actually (since such sentences will be auto-translated with 100% matches).
 
Enrique Chi
Enrique Chi  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 06:11
Member (2015)
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
I can see what you're saying... Nov 29, 2016

AAV wrote:

I afraid this is exactly why companies want to use Across - they want to have more control over what translator does. In the case you described, auto-copy of acronyms might look error prone for them.
Otherwise they would probably do this to save their money, actually (since such sentences will be auto-translated with 100% matches).


In the particular job I'm doing, it would literally save me hours of work if there was a way for me to autosubstitute acronyms. I suppose I'm happy to get paid for the extra work, but it feels frustrating because I know I could finish so much faster.

Thanks for the input!

Regards,
Enrique
 


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Does Across allow setting up a list of variables?






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