Fields and objects Wordfast Classic

An Ms-Word document can contain fields or objects like hypertext links, buttons, graphics etc. Normally, fields (to the exception of hyperlinks) should not be translated (unless specifically required by your client, like index fields, for example), but copy-pasted into the translation. Note that the display options in Tools/Options/View can toggle the two views of fields: either the result of the field (a field is an instruction processed by Ms-Word, usually resulting in some displayed text - the result), or field codes, which look like { DATECREATION \* FUSIONFORMAT }. I recommend using the icon that toggles the two views (use the View/Toolbars/Customise menu, click the Commands tab, then View in the list, then drag-drop the {a} icon into the toolbar of your choice), or the Alt+F9 Ms-Word shortcut.

To graphically understand this concept, set your current View mode to "Normal" or "Draft" with the View menu in Ms-Word. Press Alt+F9 right now a few times to grasp the concept behind fields (this manual's table of contents is a TOC field), and the two ways to look at fields (result or code). The following "Today's date" field 26/09/2017 should toggle between the two views. This manual's Table of Contents is actually a TOC field. If you were to translate this manual, you would not translate the Table of Contents, but merely update it by having the cursor anywhere in the Table of Contents and pressing Ms-Word's F9 shortcut once the entire manual has been translated and cleaned-up.

When fields are present in the source text and no proposition comes from the TM, you may consider using WFC's Copy source icon to copy the source segment into the target segment, and translate by overwriting it, leaving fields or objects unchanged. Otherwise, individual fields and objects should be carefully copy-pasted into the target segment's translation, at the appropriate location.

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