CafeTran

Jane has troubles with processing RTF files that she received from a client (see my posting in the Mac section). It is not clear to me of what kind these files are. Is this RTF an exchange format of mQ server? If so, can the client also provide mqxliff? Igor writes (see previous posting in this forum for source): 1. Open it in Ms Word or LibreOffice. 2. Save it as a .docx file (Word) or .odt file (LibreOffice). 3. Translate the file in CafeTran. 4. After the export, save back as RTF in Word or LibreOffice. // This may well ruin the RTF file of Jane, since for instance certain info is lost that Word cannot interpret. // Does this mean that CT should get the same third-patty RTF conversion module that e.g. Wordfast Pro and mQ use? This would making ct bigger and more expensive. So the answer to that isn't simple and I'm glad that I don't have to decide on this. // How about looking for an alternative workflow, e.g. via an external review table created in mQ? Or even better: get the originating data. Are they xml? Created by an authoring system/cms? Greetings from the former Hauptstadt der DDR!

Hans CafeTran Wiki: Is this RTF an exchange format of mQ server?

 

RTF is rich text format, it's as old as Methuselah, it used to be the project file format for a number of CAT tools, including DV3, and there's no problem converting it to .docx or .odt as Igor described. And like when you convert .doc to .docx, nothing will get lost.

H

I know what RTF is ;). I'm asking whether it is used as an exchange format. Regarding the lossless conversion, read the interoperability section in the Wikipedia article on rtf. How can we be sure whether mQ's rtf can be handled lossless in Word? Only by trying, I guess. // There are several different revisions of RTF specification and portability of files will depend on what version of RTF is being used.[7][10] RT

Hans CafeTran Wiki: I know what RTF is

But yes, of course.

I'm asking whether it is used as an exchange format.

As I mentioned above, it was used as a project file format by several CAT tools, whereas .doc wasn't. So yes, it is/was used as an exchange format.

Like Igor, I never heard of any issues in this respect.

H.

When I used dv 2 I had big troubles wth German word files version 6 and rtf conversion. Formatting destroyed. I admit this was when I didn't have any grey hairs.

I never had any problems with the conversion from Word files to RTF for DejaVu and back, and I started using it in 1997 (DV2).

H

It were the files created with the German WinWiord 6 and 2. Often based on Word 5 DOS legacy files. My god am I blessed that I do not have to cope with those anymore. There IS progression in life after all.

Before speculating more about .RTF (as a format, its history, etc.), we need to see the actual file Jane Ellis is talking about. I posted a question about this on her blog (http://translationswithchemistry.com/2015/10/27/a-smorgasbord-of-cat-tools-trados-memoq-and-now-cafetran/comment-page-1/).

So young and already so wise ;)

MB: ...we need to see the actual file Jane Ellis is talking about

Not necessary.

H.

@woorden: of course we need to see what is in it before we can tell her how to translate it in CT. An .rtf file could contain anything. memoQ stuff, tables, no tables, old Trados stuff, etc. We all know that a simple e.g. Dutch text in an .rtf file poses no problem. Just convert it to .docx and translate it. But that doesn't seem to be the issue here. 

Nope. RTF is a standard, a proprietary standard (MS at that). You can't copulate around with it. Not even the samsung of CAT tools.

H.

I am starting to think I am going crazy here. Hans, memoQ exports its bilingual tables as .rtf files, but it isn't the fact that it is an .rtf file that matters: but the form of the data inside the file. Not the underlying code, but merely the file's contents. How hard is this to understand?

This is an example of a memoQ bilingual file:

They just happen to use RTF, but it's basically the same concept as the bilingual tables that can be exported in CafeTran, SDL Studio, DVX, etc.

Michael

What the samsung does is completely irrelevant. Jane was sent an .rtf file, and CT can handle it if converted to .docx or .odt.

H.