Multiple Replace

This command 'translates' Visio drawings using a replacement list created with Collect Unique Text command. 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.

To start translating Visio drawings, please refer to the overview of Collect Unique Text command. Otherwise, read on.

How it works?

This command searches a drawing for text objects. If it finds a field whose text matches an entry in the replacement list, it replaces the text of the field with its translation from the replacement list.

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

Multiple Replace 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 'Multiple Replace in 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 with Collect Unique Text, 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 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. Replacement List: The replacement list should be entered here. After you translate the two-column table generated by Collect Unique Text, copy it into the clipboard (only the first two columns, without the header) and click Paste or press Ctrl+V to paste the text from the clipboard.

When the appropriate options have been selected, click Replace All. To exit, close the dialogue.