Trados TXT export TM file

Problem

Wordfast (Classic, Pro or Anywhere) cannot open a TXT memory supplied by a client. Wordfast will typically report:

C:\... filename.txt is a Trados Text TM, not a Wordfast TM. (Wordfast Classic)

Failed to connect. Translation memory header is invalid. (Wordfast Pro)

Cause

Although the TM is a text file with the TXT extension, just like a Wordfast TM, it has a different structure because it was exported from Trados. If one opens the file in a text editor (e.g. Notepad), its opening lines will read:

Solution

Use ApSIC Xbench to convert the Trados TXT file to the TMX file format. Any of the Wordfast tools can open TMX TMs.

To do this with With ApSIC Xbech, follow these two steps:

1. To open the Trados TXT file in ApSIC Xbench, select Project > New > Add, set File type to Trados Exported Memory, and navigate to the Trados TXT file.
2. To export the file from ApSIC Xbench to TMX, select Tools > Export items and set Output to TMX.