How XLIFF/XLF Files are Handled as Source Files in XTM Cloud

Introduction

This article provides information about how XTM Cloud handles XLIFF/XLF files.


XLIFF/XLF files in XTM Cloud

XTM Cloud processes source XLIFF files in accordance with the XLIFF 1.2 Specification. This means that, when an XLIFF source file is being read in XTM Workbench, the following can be imported:

  1. The State attribute of a target element in a trans-unit is imported as a segment state in XTM Workbench. By default, signed-off is imported as completed. Other State attributes are imported as incomplete, but other mapping is possible.

  2. The State-qualifier attribute of a target element in a trans-unit can be used to show which TM match type has been used to translate the segment. Supported values:

  • leveraged-inherited → for Repetition.

  • fuzzy-match → for a Fuzzy match.

  • leveraged-tm → for a Leveraged match.

  • x-fuzzy-forward → for a Fuzzy repetition.

  • exact-match → for an ICE match.

  • mt-suggestion → for a Machine translation match.

  • x-alphanum → for a Non-translatable alphanumeric segment.

  • x-numeric → for a Non-translatable numeric segment.

  1. TM matches from alt-trans elements, with their quality from the match-quality attribute and match type from the extype attribute. Supported values:

  • The match-quality attribute takes a percentage value (e.g. "95%"):

    • If it is missing, XTM Cloud assumes a 100% match.

    • If it is below 75%, XTM Cloud increases it to 75% as it is the lowest value displayed in XTM Workbench.

  • The extype attribute takes one of the following values:

    • leveraged-inherited → for a Repetition.

    • fuzzy-match → for a Fuzzy match (it will be shown as 100% match in XTM Workbench if no match-quality is set).

    • leveraged-match → for a Leveraged match.

    • fuzzy-forward → for a Fuzzy repetition (it will be shown as 100% match in XTM Workbench if no match-quality is set).

    • exact-match → for an ICE match.

    • MACHINE-TRANSLATION → for Machine translation, but it is also possible to add the state-qualifier attribute with themt-suggestion value to the <target> element of a<trans-unit>.

  1. Comments from the note element in a trans-unit.

  2. Length limitation from the maxwidth or minwidth attributes of a trans-unit element.

  3. Segment IDs and additional custom columns can be created, with additional configuration.

If the source XLIFF files store some metadata in elements such as iws:segment-metadata, it is not read by default. The XTM International Support team can try and create a configuration to extract these attributes as custom columns, to make them visible to Linguists.

Additional information about TM matches cannot be displayed possible, as custom columns are extracted per segment and it would not be possible to see which TM match the information is for if there was more than one TM match present.

A segment in an XLIFF file is only excluded from translation if the translate attribute is set to no. An alternative approach would be to use the state attribute that would cause the segment to be marked as Completed in XTM Workbench.


XLIFF files from other CAT tools

  • Trados files are for the most part not recognizable in XTM Cloud.

  • .sdlxliff and .sdlproj files are analyzable in XTM Cloud.

  • .sdlppx, .mdf, .mtf, and .sdltm file formats are not supported in XTM Cloud.