integrated translation environment

handoff/handback guide
translating memoQ handoff packages in other tools

2004-2010 Kilgray Translation Technologies.

All rights reserved.

memoQ handoff/handback guide

Contents

Contents
Contents ...................................................................................................................................... 2
1 Handoff and handback in memoQ .............................................................................................. 3
1.1 Setting up the project and distributing handoff packages ........................................................ 3
1.2 Working with a handoff package: import, process (translate), and deliver ............................. 3
1.3 Receiving the handback package on the project managers end .............................................. 4
2 Using a memoQ handoff package in other tools.......................................................................... 4
2.1 Anatomy of a memoQ handoff package ................................................................................... 4
2.2 Unpacking a memoQ handoff package and using its contents ................................................. 5
2.3 Packing up the translated XLIFF files in a memoQ handback package ..................................... 5
2.4 Updating the master project from translations performed in other tools ............................... 6
2.5 Troubleshooting handoff/handback problems in memoQ ....................................................... 7

This guide covers memoQ version 4.2. It contains text items from the English user interface of the program. These items are under constant verification and are subject to change without prior notification.
If you are viewing this document in an electronic form for example, in Adobe Reader , web addresses are clickable, and take you to the page described in the text.
This document assumes that you are familiar with the memoQ translation environment, so it does
not list every step of the procedures. For more information on performing specific actions, refer to
memoQ Help.

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memoQ handoff/handback guide

1 Handoff and handback in memoQ

1 Handoff and handback in memoQ

In the project manager edition of memoQ, it is easy to create projects for teams of translators. After
you create a local project, you can write a name next to each document, and then ask memoQ to
create task packages or handoff packages for each translator in the project.
The best tool to process handoff packages created in memoQ is memoQ itself. However, memoQ
uses standard file formats when putting together the handoff package. memoQs handoff packages
can be processed in other translation tools as well. This document gives a short summary of the handoff/handback workflow in memoQ, and explains how the handoff or handback packages can be disassembled in order to process their contents in other tools, or troubleshoot potential problems.

1.1 Setting up the project and distributing handoff packages

Here is how a project manager can set up a project for multiple translators and distribute it:
In the project manager edition of memoQ, create a local project. Add all documents that need to be
translated.
1. In the Translations pane of Project home, write a name next to each document (in the Translator
column). You can write any name in that column, but after you fill in at least one such field, you
can also choose from the previously assigned names.
2. Navigate to the Overview pane of Project home. Click Check project now, and then click Create new
handoff. memoQ starts the Handoff wizard, and creates handoff packages for each participant of
the project.
A handoff package contains the documents to translate, the necessary translation memories, term
bases, and further resources if there are any. memoQ will pack up all local translation memories and
term bases that are added to the master project. If the project uses a memoQ server, the handoff
package also contains references to server-based translation memories and term bases as well.
For details on creating handoff packages, see the Reference guide section of memoQ help.
memoQ creates one handoff package file for each project member. The files have the .mqout extension. The project manager needs to send these files to the project members in e-mail.

1.2 Working with a handoff package: import, process (translate), and deliver
When the translator receives the handoff package (the .mqout file), she needs to open it in memoQ.
The translator needs the translator pro edition of memoQ to do that.
1. Start memoQ, and click the Import handoff package link in the Dashboard. Specify the .mqout file
you received from the project manager. From the contents of the handoff package, memoQ will
create a new local project for you.
2. Translate the documents in the same way as you would do in a local project that you create.
3. When the documents are translated, navigate to the Translations pane of Project home, and then
click the Deliver link below the document list.

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2 Using a memoQ handoff package in other tools

memoQ creates a handback package from the documents in the project, and saves the package in a
file with the .mqback extension. You need to e-mail this file back to the project manager. The .mqback
file contains the translated documents only.

1.3 Receiving the handback package on the project managers end

If a team uses the project manager edition of memoQ for a project, the project managers computer
will be the hub. This computer stores the master copy of the project where all documents are
present, and where the project manager can monitor the progress of the project.
Each time the project manager receives a handback package (.mqback file) from a translator, the
project manager needs to update the master project. Here is how she can do that:
1. Open the master project in memoQ, and navigate to the Overview pane of Project home.
2. Click the Handoff/delivery tab, and then click the Receive delivery link. Specify the .mqback file you
received from the translator. memoQ will automatically update the documents in the master
project from the handback file.

2 Using a memoQ handoff package in other tools

2.1 Anatomy of a memoQ handoff package

A memoQ handoff package (.mqout) file is a zip file in disguise. If you unzip it, it will reveal the following folder structure:

The three most important subfolders are the following:

Translation Documents: Contains the documents to be translated. memoQ saves the documents in

the XLIFF format. XLIFF is a standard bilingual document format that stores all aspects of a document regardless of the format of the original source document. An XLIFF file can accommodate
any types of source documents: Word documents, Excel spreadshets, HTML files, InDesign files,
XML files etc. From an XLIFF file in a .mqout package, memoQ can create the preview of the file,
and it can also export the translated document. However, these documents are still completely
standards compliant, which means that they can be translated in any translation tool that supports XLIFF documents.

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2 Using a memoQ handoff package in other tools

TM: Contains the translation memories used in the project. The translation memories are in-

cluded in the form of TMX files. TMX is a standard exchange format for translation memories between different translation tools. Practically, any translation tool can import a translation memory from a TMX file.

TB: Contains the term bases used in the project. The term bases are saved in the CSV (comma-

separated values) format. This is not exactly standard, but it is the most generic way of storing
tabular data (i.e. spreadsheets or tables). Practically, any translation tool that can manage terminology can also import term bases from such files.
The handoff package can contain other subfolders too, but they are specific to memoQ, and are not
very useful in other translation tools.

2.2 Unpacking a memoQ handoff package and using its contents

Follow these steps to process a memoQ handoff package in a different translation tool (such as SDL
Trados, Heartsome, Swordfish etc.):
1. Unpack the contents of the .mqout file. You can also use the Compressed folders feature of Windows. You might need to rename the file from .mqout to .zip. However, for most compression
programs, this is not necessary.
2. Load the TMX files into your translation tool. See the documentation for your translation tool to
do this.
3. Load the term base files (the CSV files) into your translation tool (if it supports term bases). Some
tools accept Excel (.xls) files but not CSV files. To use the term bases in such tools, open the CSV
files in Excel: start Excel first, and then use the Open command to import the CSV file. Excel will
lead you through a wizard where you can specify the delimiter of your CSV file: it will be either a
comma (,) or a semicolon (;).
4. Load the XLIFF files into your translation tool. If the translation tool is project-based, create a
project with the XLIFF files, and add the translation memories and term bases to the project.
5. When you finish the translation, save the XLIFF files. After this, you can pack the files up so that
memoQ can treat them as a handback package. For details, see Section 2.3.
Do not attempt to export the translated document in the original format. The XLIFF files contain the
formatting data in a memoQ-specific form. This means that the original document format can only be
reconstructed by memoQ.

2.3 Packing up the translated XLIFF files in a memoQ handback package

When you have finished translating the XLIFF files, be sure to save them in a new, empty folder. Preferably, name this folder ProjectName.YourName. Then follow these steps:
1. In the original handoff package that you unpacked in Section 2.2, there is a file called HandoffPackageInfo.xml. Copy this file to the new folder, and rename the second copy to DeliveryPackageInfo.xml.
2. Open the new DeliveryPackageInfo.xml file in a plain text editor such as Notepad.

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2 Using a memoQ handoff package in other tools

3. Delete almost all lines from the file, but do not delete these:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<HandoffPackageInfo xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
<HandoffVersion>version</HandoffVersion>
<UserName>username</UserName>
<HandoffRole>handoffrole</HandoffRole>
<MasterProjectGuid>project_identifier</MasterProjectGuid>
<MasterProjectName>project_name</MasterProjectName>
</HandoffPackageInfo>

The parts in italics can change from project to project.

4. In the file, change <HandoffPackageInfo to <HandoffDeliveryPackageInfo. Change <UserName to
<User.
5. Save the file.
6. Create a zip file from the contents of this folder. (It should now contain the translated XLIFF files
and the DeliveryPackageInfo.xml file.) If no archiving program is installed on your computer, use
the method built into Windows: select all files in the folder, right-click, point to Send to, and then
choose Compressed (zipped) folder.
7. The result will be a file with the .zip extension. Rename the file so that is called ProjectName.YourName.mqback.
8. Send the file to your project manager. The project manager will be able to update the master
project the same way as she would when she received a handback package directly from memoQ.

2.4 Updating the master project from translations performed in other tools
If the documents in the handoff package were translated in a translation tool other than memoQ, the
project manager might receive XLIFF files in the delivery.
Important: If you receive a delivery package (an .mqout file), use the standard method to update your project: go to Project home Overview, click the Handoff/delivery tab, and then click
Receive delivery. Then you can locate and select the .mqout file you received.
If the other translation tool processed the XLIFF files correctly preserving all meta-information in
the XLIFF file that was originally included by memoQ , memoQ will be able to update the documents
in the master project from the XLIFF files handed back. Here is how you can update the master
project from XLIFF files:
1. Save the XLIFF files from the e-mail in a folder on your computer.
2. Open the master project in memoQ, and navigate to the Translations pane of Project home.
3. Below the document list, click the Import/update bilingual link. In the Open dialog, specify the
XLIFF files you received.

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2 Using a memoQ handoff package in other tools

memoQ should be able to identify and update the corresponding documents from the XLIFF files.
However, all is not lost if memoQ cannot update them. Here are two troubleshooting tips:
(1) If memoQ complains that it cannot find the corresponding documents in your project, you always
have the option to add the XLIFF files to the project as new documents. You can then confirm the
contents of these new documents to the primary translation memory of the project, and then
use the Pre-translate command to bring the contents of the original documents up to date.
Alternatively, you can export the translated documents from the new documents, and remove the old documents from the project. Be careful when doing this: first, always make sure
that you can export the translated document in the original format from the new documents.
(2) If memoQ finds the corresponding documents but cannot update them, the best practice is to
create a new project, and import the newly received XLIFF files there. Use the same primary
translation memory in this project as well. Confirm the translations into the translation memory.
Then, open the original master project again, and use Pre-translate to bring the document contents up to date. Alternatively, you can export the document contents from the new project as
well (if the export data were preserved in the XLIFF files by the other translation tool).

2.5 Troubleshooting handoff/handback problems in memoQ

Even when the team uses memoQ exclusively, there is a great benefit in having the handoff and
handback files in an open format.
If memoQ complains that it cannot update your project from a handback (.mqback) file, you can
have a workaround. Handback files are also zip files undercover, containing the translated documents only (in the XLIFF format).
Unzip the handback file in a folder on your computer. Then, try updating your project from the individual XLIFF files after all, this is what the Receive delivery command does. For troubleshooting, refer to the options at the end of Section 2.3.

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