Adding a FR-EN XLIFF file for reference in translating a EN-FR file

Question

Hi, 
 I am translating from English to French and I was given a XLIFF file for reference, which contains the translation for most of my file. To be precise: I am translating a 3-column table and the reference files has the translation for 2 of the columns. I need to translate from English to French using the same wording for the 2 columns. However, this ref file was translated from French to English and when I try and add it as a reference file in the project, Trados Studio displays an error message stating that "The source language of the file (French (France)) is different from the project source language." and so refuses to add it. 
 Is there a way to add a file with the inverted combination as a reference file? 
 Hoping my question is clear, 
 Thank you 
 Lison

Paul Filkin · Accepted Answer

Hi Lison Calvet 
 
Perhaps the way to tackle this as it's a bilingual file is this: 
 
1. Create a TM from the XLIFF (open it in Studio and update it into an SDLTM) 
2. Add the SDLTM to your project using AnyTM (maybe penalise it so you know it's a reference TM) 
 
This way you can really make better use of the file as a reference for your work as it will be searcheable which it won't be if you just add it as a reference file.

Greta Magyar · Answer

Hello Lison Calvet , 
 
Your question is absolutely clear. We are looking into it. 
 
In the meantime, however, do you have any specific reason to have the file in Studio? For example you can open the XLIFF file in Excel (as read-only workbook) and use the content from there as reference, or if you have the reference file in both languages, you could align them in Studio to add the content to your translation memory. 
 
Do you think these options could work for you?

Best wishes, 
 
Greta Magyar 
Customer Success Representative - SDL

Trados Studio > 1. Trados Studio

Adding a FR->EN XLIFF file for reference in translating a EN->FR file