How to: Autotranslate files in Microsoft Helium

Autotranslating files in a Helium project is fairly straightforward, but here’s a tip that might save you some time.

Preparing autotranslation in Helium

In your open Helium project you must attach a glossary/TM to the project by selecting Tools > Options > Lookup > Add. Keep the remaining settings as default, and close the dialog.

Autotranslation in Helium

Even if the customer has already autotranslated the files in the project I usually autotranslate the files with one or more of my own TMs if I have a TM from a similar project (the customer TM might not be as recent as your own, or they have left it to you to do the autotranslation.)

Autotranslating 100% matches in the files makes it faster to proofread the files after finishing the translation.

I always autotranslate 100% matches only. Autotranslating fuzzy matches can result in a mess that takes longer to fix.

In addition I set the status for autotranslated strings to Review, so that I can distinguish them from Reviewed strings and from repetitions. And remember, you are still 100% responsible for a 100% match.

How to autotranslate:

1. Select Translate > AutoTranslate Files
2. Select the files to be autotranslated in the Files section
3. Select Term and Sentence and check 100% Matches Only in the Lookup Options section
4. Select Review on the drop down Set the Term Status on “long” 100% matches to.

This is where most people accept the files as being autotranslated, but in some cases you can optimize this.

The reason you can get more out of the proces is that the TM can contain strings with and without tags. If the TM contains strings with tags only then the first autotranslation will only autotranslate strings with the same tags in the new strings. But often files contain for example headings both with and without tags – especially if a file contains a TOC.

So to get more out of this you should export the autotranslated strings to the TM to ensure that it contains all strings both with and without tags and then run the autotranslation one more time.

How to export translations:

1. Select Translate > Export Glossary
2. Select the relevant files in the Files section
3. Click Browse in Export Glossary File, and select your TM
4. Select all options in the Export Term with States except for Non-Edited
5. Select Both in the sections Export Options and Export Tags in Terms
6. Click OK.

Go through the steps or autotranslation as described above in How to autotranslate.