Indesign to Excel - Export and Import Translation tool
Thread poster: mp02
mp02
mp02
Local time: 19:55
Nov 21, 2012

Hello,

I wrote software utility which would export all the text content from indesign idml file to excel sheet (or xml). Any one can edit these excel sheets & software will be able to merge it back and create new idml file from it.

Basically its easier to export and import text back in to indesign files.

Here's use case :
1> Take idml file and export all text to excel sheet with just click of a button
2> Send it to translators/proofreaders/ed
... See more
Hello,

I wrote software utility which would export all the text content from indesign idml file to excel sheet (or xml). Any one can edit these excel sheets & software will be able to merge it back and create new idml file from it.

Basically its easier to export and import text back in to indesign files.

Here's use case :
1> Take idml file and export all text to excel sheet with just click of a button
2> Send it to translators/proofreaders/editors
3> When they are done with it - simply merge it back in to original idml file within seconds (without designer spending time on copy-n-pasting in to indesign file from supplied translation document)

This will definitely be low priced than much more established software like SDL Trados n all.

I would like to know if anyone would use this kind of utility.

Thanks.
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DianeVogel (X)
DianeVogel (X)
Name of software Feb 27, 2013

What is the name of the software and were could we get it?
Thanks


 
mp02
mp02
Local time: 19:55
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks Feb 28, 2013

Diane,

This is something that i built whilst helping my wife with her indesign projects.

It can read IDML file and extract text content of it in excel/csv format.

It becomes easier to fill in translations in excel sheet and create translated idml files with less efforts.

Would you be interested in using it?

Mandar


 
Josep Molins
Josep Molins
Spain
Local time: 20:55
Catalan to Spanish
+ ...
I need this! Feb 26, 2015

Hi Mandar
Very interested in your conversion tool to Excel.
I have a nightmare with this as only in-design files are supplied for my last work and I desperately need to have them over Excel.
Is this for Mac or Win?
Thanks in advance
Josep


 
mp02
mp02
Local time: 19:55
TOPIC STARTER
how many files? Feb 26, 2015

Hi,

How many files you have?

Are they IDML file?

Thanks,
Mandar


 
Josep Molins
Josep Molins
Spain
Local time: 20:55
Catalan to Spanish
+ ...
how many files? Feb 26, 2015

Very many thanks for your quick reply

The document is in 4/5 sections (is a large one) but this should be no problem as can be treated as separated independent documents.

IDML
Not now, but it can be saved to idml - normally only use this way if someone has an older version of Indesign to allow opening files created on a more recent version.

Currently on Mac OS plattform

Thanks
J.


 
mp02
mp02
Local time: 19:55
TOPIC STARTER
What exactly you want to do with the text data Feb 26, 2015

Ok

My tool can extract textual data from idml file. At present it spits out data in structured XML format (which can then be easily converted to CSV or excel)

What exactly you want to do with the text data in these idml files?

Mandar


 
Josep Molins
Josep Molins
Spain
Local time: 20:55
Catalan to Spanish
+ ...
Indesing to excel Feb 27, 2015

The goal is to extract text from Indesign (or pdf) into excel in an organized way to be able to use it for a database population
Probably we will need extra editing after extraction before the data is all clean to upload but we count on it.
This is a book published every year so modifications (additions and eliminations plus necessary amendments) would be done in the database and then transported back to Indesign for the new edition.

You may have a look here to see how i
... See more
The goal is to extract text from Indesign (or pdf) into excel in an organized way to be able to use it for a database population
Probably we will need extra editing after extraction before the data is all clean to upload but we count on it.
This is a book published every year so modifications (additions and eliminations plus necessary amendments) would be done in the database and then transported back to Indesign for the new edition.

You may have a look here to see how information is organized: http://pubhtml5.com/vzxv/isyg

I really appreciate your interest. Many thanks
J.
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hakimus
hakimus
Brazil
Local time: 16:55
English to Portuguese
+ ...
I´m interested! Mar 31, 2016

Hi Mp02.

I´m interested in that software.
I have some programming knowledge, and nbeed to tranlsated my own book.
I made some scripts to translate in VBA, now I´m considering to develop something using jave to take de IDML and translaete it.
But if there is a option of exporting to XLS , will be very helpful!

Thanks in advance!


 
CafeTran Training (X)
CafeTran Training (X)
Netherlands
Local time: 20:55
Why reinventing the wheel? Apr 1, 2016

mp02 wrote:

I wrote software utility which would export all the text content from indesign idml file to excel sheet (or xml). Any one can edit these excel sheets & software will be able to merge it back and create new idml file from it.


I think that it's possible to use the (sometimes functionally limited) trial versions of many CAT tools to achieve what you are doing.

For instance: in CafeTran you can import IDML and create a two-column export file that you can translate in Word or Excel, or in CafeTran itself (as long as you don't attach a TM).

However, both solutions don't solve one mayor problem when translating IDML files: the order of exported segments is not per se the 'natural' order in the pages. For better orientation, you can use a PDF of your ID file. Advanced CAT tools (like CafeTran) will allow automatic syncing of the segments to translate with this PDF, something that your Excel solution will not allow.

See also: http://www.proz.com/forum/cafetran_support/300349-create_a_bilingual_word_document_from_an_idml_file.html

[Edited at 2016-04-01 08:42 GMT]


 
agopaul
agopaul
Italy
InDesing to XLSX or XLIFF May 17, 2016

InDesign files are especially tricky to translate, for a number of reasons.
For instance, a CAT tool should preserve InDesign’s own special character and markers, otherwise, you’ll have to fix the file after it has been translated. Also, a lot of them remove kerning, feature and other properties and special chars inside the IDML file (eg. soft-returns, glyphs, etc).

With this in mind, at Redokun, we developed a platform specifically built for InDesign file translation.... See more
InDesign files are especially tricky to translate, for a number of reasons.
For instance, a CAT tool should preserve InDesign’s own special character and markers, otherwise, you’ll have to fix the file after it has been translated. Also, a lot of them remove kerning, feature and other properties and special chars inside the IDML file (eg. soft-returns, glyphs, etc).

With this in mind, at Redokun, we developed a platform specifically built for InDesign file translation.

The tool offers two options to translate InDesign files:
- Export text from InDesign for later import through XLSX or XLIFF files: https://redokun.com/help/indesign-translation-with-excel
- Invite the translators to work inside the easy-to-use integrated translation tool: https://redokun.com/help/web-editor

It also stores translation memories and it maintains the order of the exported segments.
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Indesign to Excel - Export and Import Translation tool






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