Smartling search and filters in the translation memory allows you to locate translation units in your translation database.
Translation Unit Search
There are three search options:
- Keyword: a standard search
- Character: search for a TM entry with an exact character match
- RegEx: search for TM entry using regex (contact your CSM to enable this search type)
Smartling will only return the first 10,000 unit results. This limit also exists in the API.
Keyword
Keyword search is a standard search. The keyword search for “running”, for example, will return results that include “running”, “run”, “runner”, and other variations of the search term.
You can further refine your keyword search by including double quotation marks ("") around the keyword.
Character
Character search returns units that include the exact characters in the search text, including punctuation, HTML tags, etc. A search for “running” would only return units that include “running” and would not return units that include “runner”, “run”, or other variations.
Regular Expression (Regex)
Regex is a powerful system for defining search patterns. With the Regex tab, you can enter a Regular Expression for either source or translation. Smartling will use the provided Regex search pattern to return results. For example, you could search for units that begin with “Running” by entering “^Running”, units that end with “Running” by entering “Running$”, and anything in between! You can find a quick overview and cheat sheet for Regex here.
Regex search is asynchronous. Please allow some time for your search results to be returned. A search progress bar will display across the top of the results section. See limitations for more information.
Searching with RegEx also includes a progress indicator to highlight the progress of the search return. If you change a searched character or filter value mid-search, you will be asked if you would like to stop the existing search and start a new one.
If you open a new tab and attempt a new search in parallel, this will stop the initial search.
Tip: For a simple guide to using RegEx search, read How To Use RegEx In Your Translation Memory Search.
Search Limitations
Limit One Simultaneous Search Per User
Because performing a search on large TM's, can be very intensive, there is a limit of one active search per user. If you have a search running and begin a new search in a separate tab, the original search will stop automatically.
Limit Two Simultaneous Search Per Account
There is also a limit of five active searches per Smartling account to prevent performance issues. If five other users in your account are already running searches, but depending on the size of your TM's and the currently running searches, you’ll see an error message. However, you should be able to retry relatively quickly.
Search Link Expiration
To prevent re-running complex searches, Smartling search results via a search UID in the URL. This URL can be shared between Account Owners and Project Managers without having to wait for lengthy searches to complete. Smartling will clear these cached search results every seven days. If you visit the URL of a search that is no longer cached, Smartling will rerun the search. However, bear in mind, the search results returned may be different after seven days.
Search Multiple TM's At Once
You can search multiple translation memories at once. When you select a TM, you'll see on the left-hand side of the page that there's a Translation Memories dropdown menu where you can select all TM's or just certain ones from which to search.
If there are TM's containing different source languages that are being searched, the Move and Export actions will not work. For example, if you're attempting to move or export units from an English (USA) TM to an English (UK) TM. Of course, if all TMs have the same source language, then Move and Export are possible.
Filters
There are several ways you can search or filter for a translation unit:
- Translation Memories: choose one or multiple TMs
- This filter is persistent, meaning it will "remember" your previous search activity in the TM.
- To remove the existing filter, simply click the X in the search field.
- Target Language: choose one or multiple target languages
- This filter is persistent, meaning it will "remember" your previous search activity in the TM.
- To remove the existing filter, simply click the X in the search field.
- Source: choose to search for source keyword, character or RegEx
- Search is not case-sensitive, by default. Choose to make the search case-sensitive by selecting the Case Sensitive checkbox
- Translation: choose to search for translations by keyword, character or RegEx
- Search is not case-sensitive, by default. Choose to make the search case-sensitive by selecting the Case Sensitive checkbox
- Project: choose one or multiple projects
- Authorizer: choose one or multiple users who authorized the string for translation
- Date Authorized: set a date range to find strings authorized for translation after or before a certain period of time
- Translator: choose one or multiple translators who worked on the string
- Work includes saving and submitting the translation at any step of the workflow, even if it was published and revised by another translator
- Choose to refine this to the person who translated the string first by selecting the First translated by checkbox
- Date Translated: set a date range to find units translated after or before a certain period of time, to find units with any translation record according to other filters applied. Use the toggle on the right-hand side above the date input field to choose between the following options:
- Any: this is the default setting. “Any” searches all Translation Dates in the activity log for each unit.
- Earliest: this searches only the earliest (or oldest) Translation Date in the activity log for each unit.
- Most Recent: this searches only the most recent (or newest) Translation Date in the activity log for each unit.
Note: The Date Translated filter does not search the Activity Date, only the Translation Date. If you have imported TMX files without configuring a Translation Date, or if you have made direct edits in the TM without propagation to projects, those units are not included in the results of this filter.
- Variant: insert a variant (if unsure, this can be found in the String Details)
- Key: insert a string key identifier (if unsure, this can be found in the String Details)
- Hashcode: insert a string hashcode (if unsure, this can be found in the String Details)
- Locate translation units that the translation is the same as the source (typically due to a copy-source-to-target workflow), by selecting the Target matches Source checkbox
- File: insert a filename
- URL: insert a URL (for strings translated via the GDN)
- TMX File: insert the uploaded TMX file name
Note: The "Reset" button clears your existing search terms from all fields except "Translation Memory" and "Target Language."
Example search: Want to find content translated by a certain user in a specific date-range? Use the Translator and date translated filters. Refine the search further by filtering by target language and project name.