This video shows how to convert files in the SDLTM (translation memories used by SDL Trados Studio) and SDLTB (term bases created by SDL MultiTerm) formats to TMX (for translation memories) and CSV (for termbases), without having to use SDL Trados Studio or SDL MultiTerm. The converter (WfConverter) is written by Jean-Philippe Odent and it can be downloaded from the Wordfast site. It also converts Wordfast translation memories to TMX, and vice-versa.
A third-party DLL (not included with the converter) must be copied to the same folder as WfConverter.exe, unless SQLite is already installed on your computer.
WfConverter is an alternative to Thomas van Nellen’s script for SDLTM files and to Gerhard Kordmann’s GlossaryConverter for SDLTB files. Because it is a compiled program, WfConverter is much faster than the script. Unlike GlossaryConverter, it works even if MultiTerm is not installed on your computer.
Download links:
WfConverter: http://wordfast.net/zip/WfConverter.zip
Required DLL: http://sqlite.org/download.html (file to download: sqlite-dll-win32-x86-*.zip)
Related videos:
Convert SDLTM from SDL Trados Studio to TMX without Studio
Convert SDLTB to Excel with GlossaryConverter plugin
Excellent and just what I’ve been looking for – thanks for posting!
Thank you very much indeed for this very useful blog entry!
Cheers
Tim
Hi, I have a question, I do everything as in the video, but if I press start it stays on 0% and when I want to load the TMX in Wordfast, it says that there are no right TU.
What can I do?
Thanks
Hi Martijne,
Try opening the TMX in a text editor (eg. Notepad): what does it look like? If it’s empty, you could try to send a copy of the .sdltm to the author of the converter (his address is listed inside the converter). He only had access to a very small and limited .sdltm when writing the converter, so there could be room for improvement.
Cheers,
Dominique
Thank you very much Dominique and Jean-Philippe! Just what I needed!
This is a great tool in theory but I advise some caution. I ran a test converting the same SDLTM files using Trados Studio and WfConverter and noticed that the leverage for the WfConverter TMX was quite lower. Checking the TMX files i found that some inline tags were interpreted as breaking tags. I will send an email to the author about this and I hope he can adjust this, as the tool is really great in all its simplicity!
Très clairement expliqué et documenté. Merci beaucoup pour ces informations.
It’s very interesting, thank you Dominique. But I can not find your “Translate SDLXliff files in memoQ” that you mention at the end of your (video) presentation.
Hi Victor! It happens quite a lot: I have an idea about a next video, but I then decide to do something else
. Actually, I think you will find good information about translating SDLXLIFF files on other blogs (eg. Kevin Lossner’s), on Kilgray’s knowledge base etc. And I believe translating an SDLXLIFF in memoQ isn’t that different from translating any other supported file type. Also: not a single client of mine is asking me to translate SDLXLIFF files or SDLPPX package (am I not a lucky guy!), so I have no real-life experience with them. Hope you can find the information you need!
OK Dominique, no problem, and thank you again.
Great info, it worked!!! Thanks so much for sharing.
Many thanks for video and download files.
I tried to convert one sample file of Trados Studio 2011 (Sample.sdltb-3.36MB) with WfConverter but I only receive file Sample.csv of 25 bytes without any terms while converting (*.sldtm) is successful. Kindly advise.
Regards,
TuanDzung
MultiTerm termbases (.sdltb) are much more complex than Studio TM’s (.sdltm). The developer of WfConverter only had access to very limited termbases when writing the converter. You may want to contact him (his e-mail is displayed inside the program) and send him one of your .sdltb, so that he can make improvements to the program.