Importing TMX Files

TMX is the common exchange format for translation memories.

Import steps

1. Open the 💾 TMs tab.
2. Click 📥 Import TMX and select your .tmx file.
3. Choose Create new TM from this TMX, or Add to existing TM and pick the TM from the list. Click Import.
4. For a new TM, enter a name (see TM names below). The Select Language Pair dialog then opens: check the source and target language (see Language direction below) and click OK. When you add to an existing TM, its own language pair is used.

Note

Import your TM(s) before batch translation to maximize reuse. A new TM only gives matches in a project once its Read box is ticked for that project – see Creating & Managing TMs.

Language direction

The Select Language Pair dialog lists the languages found in the TMX file. Since v1.10.372 it pre-selects as Source the language the TMX file itself declares as its source language, and says which one that is (“The file says its source language is en-GB.”). The other language is pre-selected as Target.

Check the pair before you click OK, and use 🔄 Swap to turn it round if needed. If the file doesn’t declare a source language, the languages are offered in alphabetical order, so look twice.

Caution

Earlier versions always offered the alphabetically first language as the source, so an English (en-GB) → German (de-DE) TMX was offered as German → English. If you imported TMX files with an older version, check the Languages column in the 💾 TMs tab.

When you add to an existing TM, the TMX languages must match the TM’s languages. If they differ only in the regional variant (for example en-GB in the file, en-US in the TM), you’re asked whether to import by matching the base languages.

TM names

TM names must be unique. The name box suggests the TMX file name, or a free variant of it such as “client (2)” if that name is already taken – for example when you import the same file a second time. If you type a name that is already in use, Supervertaler tells you so and lets you pick another. To add the entries to the TM that already has that name, choose Add to existing TM instead.

Tips

• Import TMs before batch translation to maximize reuse.
• If matches don’t show up, see TM Matches Not Appearing.

Troubleshooting

”Failed to create TM metadata”

Versions before v1.10.372 showed this bare error when you imported a TMX under a name that was already taken. Update, or choose a different name.

The same versions could also put the imported entries into the wrong TM when the new name differed from an existing one only in spaces, hyphens or capitals (for example “Client TM” and “client-tm”): the new TM was created, but the entries went into the older one. If a TM’s entry count looks wrong, check both TMs.