SDL Trados Studio 2009: Preview

Have you, like me, been slow to adopt Synergy? Do you maybe find it a little cumbersome or incomplete? Would you rather just open Workbench and TagEditor and get on with it? Or perhaps do you (or your clients) still find it easier to use Trados in conjunction with Microsoft Words?

Well, this may be about to change!

Earlier today, SDL conducted one of their very informative Webex meetings to announce a new version of Trados: SDL Trados Studio 2009. The release is due in June 2009, although “Trados 2009” is still in the last stages of development, so some of the features might yet change slightly.

The 1-hour short webinar comprised of 2 parts: a features highlight and a rapid but enlightening desktop-sharing software demo. Here is what I thought was worth bringing up to your attention: 
 

Feature highlights

Integration

This is actually quiet attractive and the reason why I brought up Synergy above. SDL seem to have come up with a truly integrated environment for editing, reviewing, terminology management, project management and all the aspects of Trados related work. No need to open a TM in Workbench, load a TermBase, open a TTX in TagEditor, a document in Word, or turn the coffee machine on.

Productivity

• New TM engine: the xml-based RevleX™. Among other things, it revives contextual match by liberating it from comparing old and new TTX files. Context Match works live, within any new document, and between files within a project.
• AutoPropagation™ immediately translates repeated strings within a document once you have translated the first occurrence.



• Searches can easily be run on both source and target segments.
• Multiple TMs lookup is available.
• AutoSuggest™: predictive text which leverages phrases rather than only segments from your TM as you type.



• Real-Time Preview: check final look as you translate, without navigating to a different tab. This seems very good news for those translators who find Trados tends to disconnect sentences from the whole document and lead translated documents to become a collection of sentences rather than a wholesome piece of work.
• QuickPlace™: improves text formatting, tags, placeables, variables management by providing it in-line.
• DTP application support has been updated and PDF can now be edited directly.

Open platform

• New XLIFF-based default format for bilingual files (.sdlxliff). Yes, this does mean the end of TTX files!
• Improved TMX and TBX support.
• Easy access to API for 3rd party applications.
• Customisable User Interface (UI).

 

Software Demo

As I mentioned before, SDL Trados Studio 2009 builds on Synergy. The interface has the now familiar Visual Studio .net feel which we’ve seen in Synergy as well as other CAT tools.

From the point of view of a Trados user, as in a Workbench + TagEditor user, the integrated aspect really becomes more prominent and inevitable, but in a good way!

Tab views

As expected in a Visual Studio.net application, a number of tabs are available at the bottom left of the UI. Some are familiar, some not:

• Start: provides the general overview.
• Projects: has new project status and Task History panels.
• Files: navigation pane has My Tasks and Sent Tasks folders to promote standardised filing.
• Reports: segment status.
• Editor: contains the entire interactive translation environment (more in the dedicated section below).
• TMs: preview, maintenance, update string, search from within the Trados Studio UI.

Editor

• A document can be opened from the main UI by simply clicking Open Document. But there is also a Windows Explorer context menu shortcut, which seems very efficient compared to opening Workbench, then TagEditor like you would most likely do with your current version of Trados.
• The Editor panel now has TM + Bilingual file+ TermBase + Previews all open at once.
• Source and target segments appear in a very clear and tag-free left-right panel view. This immediately seemed much more welcoming than TagEditor.
• Context Matches are flagged with a CM icon – not dependant on having a matching old ttx, also works live within new documents.
• Formatting can still be copied from source to target.
• Placeable and terms are offered in context (drop down like predictive text). No need to use arrow icons at the top of the UI (keyboard shortcuts still work).
• AutoPropagate seamlessly pre-translates further occurrences of strings you have just translated. They are marked as Unconfirmed 100% (orange instead of green).



• Full terminology functionality is also integrated, including adding to termbase.
• A Review mode allows to filter by match type (e.g. display only Unconfirmed 100% matches within a document for batch review and sign off).
• Editor can edit PDFs (but deliverable output isn’t PDF).

Project view (for PMs)

• Project templates can be saved with a high level of customisation.
• QA Checker is now in version 3.0.
• TM options can be edited from here.
• Dictionaries for AutoSuggest can be added.
• Tasks can be assigned to users during project creation. This information is then included when packages (i.e. translation kits) are created.
• Files can be merged, which creates a single .sdlxliff file out of potentially several file types.



• Batch processing: TM tasks are processed simultaneously (analysis, pre-translate etc.)
• Project package contents:
  
  • Can include Main (or Master) TM.
  • Can include an existing Project TM in a main package or create separate Project TMs if multiple packages (.sdlppx) are distributed.
  • Can link-up with Outlook to send automatically populated Handoffs emails.

  

• TMs view:
  • Can search through source and target.
  • Can upgrade existing TM.
• Requires all participant to be using Studio 2009

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