About Termbases

Features and benefits of termbases in Lingo include the following:

multiple termbases

You can have different termbases for different customers.

example

Let's say you are creating a new project and have already created a few TM databases previously. In the Start New Project wizard, you might see something like this:

local or server Termbase (sqlite or sql express)

You must have SQL installed to take advantage of server translation memory (TM) and termbases in Lingo. The following types of SQL are supported: SQLite and SQL Express. If you are new to Lingo, TM, and termbases, you probably want to use SQLite, purely because of its simplicity. See Creating Termbases.

sqlite (local)

This is a self-contained relational database system that is in the public domain. In Lingo, SQLite is intended for local TM databases and termbases, not those that reside on an external server. SQLite is easier and faster, just not quite as robust as SQL Express.

SQLite is automatically installed during the process of installing Lingo. For more information about this database system, see www.sqlite.org.

By default, the location for SQLite databases is in Documents\Lingo Translation Memories on your computer. However, you can choose a different location if you like.

sql server express (server)

SQL Server Express is designed to be used on a server with Lingo. To download and install the latest version of SQL Server Express, go to http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/.

filter and concept/language grid

The top section of the Termbase Editor contains a filter and a grid listing the terms in each language.

filter

When you use the Filter field, the list shortens accordingly to show only the terms that match the search criteria.

example

Lets say you have a termbase that looks like this:

You want to see only the rows containing the word "Motorcycle." So you type that term into the Filter field and click .

The grid changes to show only the row that contains that word.

When you are finished, you click to empty the Filter field and return the grid to its previous list.

concept/language grid

The grid shows all of the terms and their corresponding languages in the termbase.

Each cell may contain multiple terms. And the entire row of terms and languages is called a "concept."

Note: The idea of a concept in a termbase should not be confused with the concept files that you may import from Flare project.

term and language information

The lower-left corner of the Termbase Editor displays information about the terms from the selected row in the grid above.

There is a tab for each language with the term. The information in that tab is unique to that term in that language.

You can add a new term by clicking . You can remove a term by selecting it and clicking . And you can add a term in a new language by clicking the plus tab.

concept information

The lower-right corner of the Termbase Editor displays information about the concept (i.e., row of terms) selected in the grid above. The information in that tab is shared for all terms and languages in that concept.

terms—add in batch

You can use a button in the local toolbar to add multiple terms to a termbase via a batch. For example, you might need to add a list of corporate terms from an email. The quickest way to do this is to use the Batch Add Terms to Termbase dialog to enter all of those words and their translations in the target language. See Adding Concepts and Terms to Termbases.

termbase exchange

You can import and export TermBase eXchange (TBX) files. TBX is an open, XML-based standard used for exchanging structured terminological data. It has been approved as an international standard by the Localization Industry Standards Association (LISA) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). One difference between a TBX file and a Translation Memory eXchange (TMX) file is that a TBX file handles multiple languages, whereas a TMX file handles only two languages. See Importing Termbase Files and Exporting Termbase Files.

Note: Lingo supports TBX-Basic files (not the Full version).

CSV and XLS Import

In addition to importing a termbase from a TBX file, Lingo allows you to import a termbase from a CSV, XLS, or XLSX file. This feature is helpful if the person building or maintaining your termbase does not use Lingo.

• CSV CSV is a plain text file format that uses line breaks to separate characters. It is supported by common applications such as Microsoft Excel. While a TermBase eXchange (TBX) file is the standard for compiling termbases, you can use a program like Excel to build and maintain your termbase, and then import it to Lingo using CSV.
• XLS and XLSX XLS and XLSX are spreadsheet files supported by Microsoft Excel. While a TermBase eXchange (TBX) file is the standard for compiling termbases, you can use a program like Excel to build and maintain your termbase, and then import it to Lingo using XLS or XLSX.

See Importing Termbase Files.

Following are the basic steps for using a termbase in Lingo:

1. (Optional) Create Translation Memory Database Installing a translation memory (TM) database is necessary only in order to integrate your termbase with the suggestions feature. It is not necessary to have a TM installed to complete tasks such as creating a termbase or adding words to it via the Termbase window pane. See Creating a Translation Memory Database.
2. Create Termbase You can create as many termbases as you need. For example, you might use one termbase for Client A, a different termbase for Client B, and yet another for Client C. When you create a termbase, it can be used in any of your Lingo projects. See Creating Termbases.
3. Add Termbase Creating a termbase is different from adding a termbase. Whereas creating a termbase generates a new, empty termbase, adding a termbase takes an existing termbase on your computer or server and adds it to the list of available termbases so that you can associate it with your Lingo project. See Adding Termbases.
4. Choose Termbase You need to choose which termbases you want to use for a particular project. You can choose one or more termbases per project. See Choosing a Termbase.
5. Add/Edit Concepts and Terms After you add a termbase, you can add translated concepts and terms to it. You can also edit terms, adding advanced information about each one. See Adding Concepts and Terms to Termbases and Editing Termbases.
6. Insert Termbase Translations Select View>Termbase, or click in the Standard toolbar. The Termbase window pane opens by default on the right side of the interface. As you click on segments or highlight words in the Translation Editor, the Termbase window pane displays translated terms that match those words. See Inserting Terms from a Termbase.

Important: Please note that some languages contain multiple dialects. Projects and TM databases must be mapped with the same language designations in order to be used together.