VBLM's export options extend its ability to work with 3rd party programs that do not support clipboard translation. By giving you control over LMX file format, the options allow you to create files that, with minimal editing on your part, can be loaded into these programs, translated, and then imported back into a language table. This topic steps through an example.

Let's say we want to create a German language table using Translate It! English/German from TimeWorks International. Translate It! cannot translate the clipboard; instead, it has an input edit box that you either load a file into or paste text into from the clipboard. When you command it to translate, it fills an output edit box with the translated contents of the input text box. You can then save this text as a file, or copy it to the clipboard. In the following example, we'll use the clipboard.

First, extract the strings from the VB project you wish to translate and instruct VBLM to create a German language table. When the LTE pops up, select Export from the file menu and you will be presented with the export options window:

Set Format to Sections, so that all original strings are together in a block in the LMX file.

Leave Use Quotes unchecked, but check Remove Ampersands to make the exported strings more comprehensible.

Set Content to All, so that all original strings are included in the block.

Set Order to whatever you want; it doesn't matter.

Set Spacing to Double, because experience with Translate It! shows that it sometimes has trouble finding the end of distinct sentences.

When the options are set, click OK, give VBLM a name for the export file, and VBLM will perform the export.

Now that you've got the file:

Start up your favorite Windows text editor;

Load the export file and find the [Originals] section below the [ExportFile] header;

Select the entire block of original strings; and

Copy it to the clipboard.

Now that all strings are on the clipboard:

Start Translate It!

Select New File / English-German on the file menu to open up the pair of edit boxes;

Select the input edit box, and paste in the strings;

Select Translate All, wait for Translate It! to do its thing; and

Select the entire contents of the output edit box and copy it to the clipboard.

Now that all translated strings are on the clipboard:

Return to your text editor;

Select from the first line in the [Translations] section to the end of the file (there will be as many blank lines as there are lines in the [Originals] section);

Paste the translations;

If necessary, insert carriage returns after each translation so that each one is exactly the same number of lines from [Translations] as the original is from [Originals]. This is VERY IMPORTANT, because this is how VBLM links them. Failure to do so will result in severe problems when you try to import the file.

Finally, save the file to disk.

And now that the LMX file is complete:

Return to the German language table in VBLM;

Select Import from the file menu, and

Select the LMX file you just finished.

You're done!