Collect unique text

This command extracts text from Visio drawings and creates a replacement list in Microsoft Excel. Combined with Multiple Replace, it will dramatically improve your translation speed and quality when dealing with Visio drawings like organisation charts, engineering drawings, newer versions of drawings you translated before, etc.

How it works?

This command processes selected drawing sheets and extracts all unique text from text objects. All this text is then output into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet as a replacement list. After you finish translating the second column of the replacement list (manually or using CAT software), you use Multiple Replace command to merge the translation back into the drawing.

Important notes

If the text blocks on your Visio drawing have internal formatting (i.e. some words are formatted differently than other words in the same text block), this formatting will not be retained after you import the translated replacement list into the drawing with Multiple Replace command. Support for internal text formatting should be added in future versions of TransTools for Visio. In the meantime, it is recommended to restore such formatting manually.

Running the command

Collect Unique Text is launched from TransTools menu at the top of Microsoft Visio application window. In order to launch it:

1. If you don't see TransTools menu at the top of Microsoft Visio application window, open TransTools for Visio.vsd (by default, this file is located under 'My Documents\TransTools' folder). If you already have Microsoft Visio running, you can do this by double-clicking this file in Windows Explorer or opening it with File -> Open. This will add'TransTools' menu at the top of the application window.
2. Open Visio files you would like to process (unless they are already open). You should do it from the same application window – double-click files in Windows Explorer or open with File -> Open... (note - do not start another session of Microsoft Visio by selecting it from Windows Start menu or double-clicking its Desktop icon).
3. Switch to TransTools for Visio.vsd by selecting it from Window menu.
4. Select 'Collect Translateable Text from Files' from TransTools menu.

Tips for CAT software users:

While TransTools for Visio will cut down your translation time by letting you translate unique, non-repetitive text, there is another way to make it even faster. This is CAT software like SDL TagEditor, Wordfast, DejaVu, etc. Follow this step-by-step procedure:

1. After the Excel replacement list is generated, remove the table header and all columns except the 1st column.
2. Save the file. This will be your original replacement list.
3. Translation:
   • [Option 1] If your CAT software supports translation of Excel files, translate the document and generate a NEW target file.
   • [Option 2] If your CAT software works through Microsoft Word (like Wordfast Classic), copy the translateable text from the Excel file into a new Word document (as a table). Translate this table and clean it.
4. After you finish translation, copy the cells from the generated Excel document (option 1) or Word table (option 2) into the 2nd column of the original Excel replacement list. Your replacement list is now ready and you can use Multiple Replace command to merge the translation into the original file.

Options:

1. Files to process: This list will contain every sheet of every file opened in Microsoft Visio. Select sheets of individual drawings that you want to extract text from. You can also click All / None to select / de-select all sheets in the list.
2. Word: If this option is selected, a new Word document with the replacement list will be created.
3. Excel: If this option is selected, a new Excel spreadsheet with the replacement list will be created.
4. Print file and page name: Check this option to print the file name and page name of the current drawing at the top of the generated Word or Excel document.
5. Print file path: Check this option to print the file path of the current drawing at the top of the generated Word or Excel document.
6. Print column headings and instructions: Check this option to print column headings and additional instructions at the top of the generated replacement list.

When the appropriate options have been selected, click Continue. To exit, click Cancel.