| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Reject a job based solely on possible technical problems? Thread poster: Elisabeth Maurland
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Elisabeth Maurland
United States
Local time: 22:58
Member (2013)
English to Norwegian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | They don't seem to understand the problem | Nov 22, 2016 |
I asked the agency to send me "properly formatted Word files", and they sent me the "original" Word file, which is no better than what they sent me the first time. So I am guessing the original is a DTP file.
They initially sent me a PDF file, but I don't know if it's editable or not. I can't edit it right now, so does that mean it's not editable, or can a special tool do it? If it's not editable, maybe they can send me an editable version, but then I would need to get a tool, such ... See more I asked the agency to send me "properly formatted Word files", and they sent me the "original" Word file, which is no better than what they sent me the first time. So I am guessing the original is a DTP file.
They initially sent me a PDF file, but I don't know if it's editable or not. I can't edit it right now, so does that mean it's not editable, or can a special tool do it? If it's not editable, maybe they can send me an editable version, but then I would need to get a tool, such as Infix or Adobe Acrobat, in order to edit, right? And does this involve a learning curve?
The file, which I have looked at more closely now, does contain quite a few tags. But I have not been able to find a code killer that works on a Mac. I do not have MemoQ, so that method wouldn't work either.
One option would be to split the text into smaller parts, but I have concerns about the Table of Contents, which would then not correspond to sections in the smaller, split off files.
I am leaning towards copying the text piece by piece into a new document, only using regular pages and no column or section breaks, and leave the left margin straight and not the right margin, perhaps leave the pictures out and put them back in afterwards, or let the client's DTP expert deal with it. But again, about the TOC – are there any special concerns I need to consider if I do it this way?
[Edited at 2016-11-22 11:00 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Some pointers... I hope | Nov 22, 2016 |
Elisabeth Maurland wrote:
I asked the agency to send me "properly formatted Word files", and they sent me the "original" Word file, which is no better than what they sent me the first time. So I am guessing the original is a DTP file.
I get the impression that it was a file created with a DTP app, printed, scanned from hard copy, and then OCR-ed to get a Word file. Now they expect you to re-create the DTP using Word.
Elisabeth Maurland wrote:
They initially sent me a PDF file, but I don't know if it's editable or not. I can't edit it right now, so does that mean it's not editable, or can a special tool do it? If it's not editable, maybe they can send me an editable version, but then I would need to get a tool, such as Infix or Adobe Acrobat, in order to edit, right? And does this involve a learning curve?
This is easy. I hope you are familiar with Windows, so you can replicate the process using a Mac.
Though I started in computing with an Apple II, I have never used a Mac in my life. I am so puzzled at the idea of having ONE mouse button as Americans used to come to Brazil and see that all (not any more!) our rental cars had three pedals, while all of us have only two feet.
Open the PDF using Acrobat Reader. Double-click anywhere on text in a page, and you'll get a blue selected area. Copy (Ctrl+C) it, and paste (Ctrl+V) it on the Notepad. If you see text, it is editable. Game over. If not, paste it on the pasteboard of some graphic editor (Photoshop & alikes). If you see a picture of your selection, it's an image, not editable text.
Elisabeth Maurland wrote:
I am leaning towards copying the text piece by piece into a new document, only using regular pages and no column or section breaks, and leave the left margin straight and not the right margin, perhaps leave the pictures out and put them back in afterwards, or let the client's DTP expert deal with it. But again, about the TOC – are there any special concerns I need to consider if I do it this way?
If the client has a DTP expert AND the DTP files, the usual procedure is the client requesting that DTP operator to extract plain text from the file, and assemble a two-column table on Word, or a one-column spreadsheet on Excel with that text, segmented. You'll provide the translation beside each segment on that table, and the DTP operator will take care of implementing it. Maybe they'll ask you to review the finished laid-out publication.
This should be far more efficient than you painstakingly trying to fix the layout on a Word file, and then they'd have the DTP operator transfer it to the DTP app.
| | | | Elisabeth Maurland
United States
Local time: 22:58
Member (2013)
English to Norwegian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | This seems the best solution | Nov 22, 2016 |
José Henrique Lamensdorf wrote:
Open the PDF using Acrobat Reader. Double-click anywhere on text in a page, and you'll get a blue selected area. Copy (Ctrl+C) it, and paste (Ctrl+V) it on the Notepad. If you see text, it is editable. Game over. If not, paste it on the pasteboard of some graphic editor (Photoshop & alikes). If you see a picture of your selection, it's an image, not editable text.
OK, it's editable. But my WordFast Pro won't take it. However, I told them what you said here:
José Henrique Lamensdorf wrote:
If the client has a DTP expert AND the DTP files, the usual procedure is the client requesting that DTP operator to extract plain text from the file, and assemble a two-column table on Word, or a one-column spreadsheet on Excel with that text, segmented. You'll provide the translation beside each segment on that table, and the DTP operator will take care of implementing it. Maybe they'll ask you to review the finished laid-out publication.
This should be far more efficient than you painstakingly trying to fix the layout on a Word file, and then they'd have the DTP operator transfer it to the DTP app.
It seems the best solution. Now I am just waiting for their response. Thank you so much for taking the time to explain all this, José.
| | | | Lianne van de Ven 
United States
Local time: 23:58
Member (2008)
English to Dutch
+ ...
| If all else fails... | Nov 22, 2016 |
... I'd be happy to zap the file for you.
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Elisabeth Maurland
United States
Local time: 22:58
Member (2013)
English to Norwegian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | You would?? :) | Nov 22, 2016 |
Lianne van de Ven wrote:
... I'd be happy to zap the file for you.
I haven't heard from them yet, but I would love to take you up on it if they can't accommodate me. Thank you!
| | | | Lianne van de Ven
United States
Local time: 23:58
Member (2008)
English to Dutch
+ ...
Once I receive your file, it will take less than a few minutes to run the zapper. I will do it this time and anytime in the future
| | | | Elisabeth Maurland
United States
Local time: 22:58
Member (2013)
English to Norwegian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Received an answer... | Nov 23, 2016 |
Lianne van de Ven wrote: Once I receive your file, it will take less than a few minutes to run the zapper. I will do it this time and anytime in the future
The answer was that they have now accepted MY price for the translation, and they want me to "do my best" on the layout. So I guess my translation price above their offer ($100) is supposed to cover my time on the layout (174 pages).
It won't do, so since all else have failed, I would love to take you up on your offer, Lianne!
| | | | Elisabeth Maurland
United States
Local time: 22:58
Member (2013)
English to Norwegian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Change of tactic | Nov 24, 2016 |
If I get help with the code zapping (and yes, it has – finally– occurred to me that it's Thanksgiving ), there are still the section breaks and page breaks and column breaks to contend with. The client does not seem to care about the layout that much, the important thing is to get it translated. I wonder if I can get rid of all these odd breaks (preferably in one fell swoop) without causing major upset in the text? I thought I ... See more If I get help with the code zapping (and yes, it has – finally– occurred to me that it's Thanksgiving ), there are still the section breaks and page breaks and column breaks to contend with. The client does not seem to care about the layout that much, the important thing is to get it translated. I wonder if I can get rid of all these odd breaks (preferably in one fell swoop) without causing major upset in the text? I thought I would just try it and check, but so far I have not had any luck removing section breaks. I've googled it (Mac), but I can't get it to work yet. I will keep trying, but before I spend too much time on it (I have a lot of other work today), I wonder if it would be a reasonable option, when keeping the layout is not important. Or would other problems arise?
I would be fine with turning the job down, but since I did the translation on the original document, I have the TM, which covers more than half the revised document. So I am trying my best, but I feel out of my depth (which, granted, is not very far in).
Elisabeth ▲ Collapse
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| If the layout is irrelevant... | Nov 24, 2016 |
Elisabeth Maurland wrote:
IThe client does not seem to care about the layout that much, the important thing is to get it translated.
If the client has someone "sesquilingual" in the language pair involved who can copy text chunks on the original file and fix the layout, the free Acrobat Reader lets you "Save as Other | Text", and then you may translate the TXT file so generated.
| | | | Elisabeth Maurland
United States
Local time: 22:58
Member (2013)
English to Norwegian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | I suppose that would work, but... | Nov 25, 2016 |
José Henrique Lamensdorf wrote:
If the client has someone "sesquilingual" in the language pair involved who can copy text chunks on the original file and fix the layout, the free Acrobat Reader lets you "Save as Other | Text", and then you may translate the TXT file so generated.
Hmm... I think maybe they want a *little bit* more layout, so they can recognize the text (fonts, headlines, etc). They are going to send me XLIFF files now. Not sure how that will make it better...
| | | | | Sounds like Infix | Nov 25, 2016 |
Elisabeth Maurland wrote: José Henrique Lamensdorf wrote:
If the client has someone "sesquilingual" in the language pair involved who can copy text chunks on the original file and fix the layout, the free Acrobat Reader lets you "Save as Other | Text", and then you may translate the TXT file so generated. Hmm... I think maybe they want a *little bit* more layout, so they can recognize the text (fonts, headlines, etc). They are going to send me XLIFF files now. Not sure how that will make it better...
Previously Infix exported tagged XML or TXT files for translation, and tagged the PDF for importing the translated file afterwards. Their latest development in this direction is the option of exporting XLIFF files online for translation, getting them back to translate, and then importing the translation to fix layout issues (first 50 pages free).
A sesquilingual DTP operator is okay. While I translate both ways EN-PT, I speak IT+FR+ES, but don't translate them. This has enabled me to do DTP and finish (time-spotting & burning) subtitled video with translation by colleagues without a hitch.
It should definitely work.
| | | | Lianne van de Ven
United States
Local time: 23:58
Member (2008)
English to Dutch
+ ...
Elisabeth Maurland wrote: If I get help with the code zapping (and yes, it has – finally– occurred to me that it's Thanksgiving ), there are still the section breaks and page breaks and column breaks to contend with. The client does not seem to care about the layout that much, the important thing is to get it translated. I wonder if I can get rid of all these odd breaks (preferably in one fell swoop) without causing major upset in the text? I thought I would just try it and check, but so far I have not had any luck removing section breaks. I've googled it (Mac), but I can't get it to work yet. I will keep trying, but before I spend too much time on it (I have a lot of other work today), I wonder if it would be a reasonable option, when keeping the layout is not important. Or would other problems arise? I would be fine with turning the job down, but since I did the translation on the original document, I have the TM, which covers more than half the revised document. So I am trying my best, but I feel out of my depth (which, granted, is not very far in). Elisabeth
Hi Elisabeth,
You sent me a message and I replied to just mail me the download link for the word doc. Did you not get my message?
Lianne
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Elisabeth Maurland
United States
Local time: 22:58
Member (2013)
English to Norwegian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | No, I didn't | Nov 26, 2016 |
You sent me a message and I replied to just mail me the download link for the word doc. Did you not get my message?
No, I didn't... Did you send me an email?
[Edited at 2016-11-26 06:34 GMT]
| | | | Lianne van de Ven
United States
Local time: 23:58
Member (2008)
English to Dutch
+ ...
Elisabeth Maurland wrote:
You sent me a message and I replied to just mail me the download link for the word doc. Did you not get my message?
No, I didn't... Did you send me an email? [Edited at 2016-11-26 06:34 GMT]
Yes, and I just re-sent it.
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