This documentation refers to PhraseExpress v17 beta. The documentation for the production version 16 is available here.
Text/bitmap/Excel/CSV files
To import external files into PhraseExpress:
- Open the main program window.
- Highlight the desired target folder in the phrase tree view.
- Click
- Selected the file(s) to import.
Alternatively, drag & drop the file(s) into the desired target phrase folder in the phrase tree view.
Depending on the file type, PhraseExpress shows a selection of following options:
Import Option | Description |
---|---|
Imports the entire file contents as a whole. | |
Splits the source file line-by-line and generates separate phrases for each imported line. | |
PhraseExpress creates a new phrase with a macro function that opens the external file with it's associated default program (defined in the Microsoft Windows settings). Example: If you import a Microsoft Excel .XLS file this way, PhraseExpress will launch Excel and load the Excel spreadsheet. |
Embedding vs Linking
You can either import the content of external source files or alternatively create a dynamic link between PhraseExpress and the source file:
Import
The data is taken from the external data source and stored in your phrase database.
Advantage: The data source is no longer needed by PhraseExpress after import. The imported data travels with your phrase database.
Disadvantage: Later changes in the source file are not updated in the PhraseExpress phrase database. After import, there is no further data connection between the source file and PhraseExpress. To refresh contents, you would have to delete the imported data in PhraseExpress and import it again .
Dynamically Linking
Only references (linking) of the external data are imported into the phrase database. PhraseExpress generates the text modules again from the data source every time it is started.
Advantage: Changes in the source file are updated in PhraseExpress on every porgram start.
Disadvantage: The data source must be available to PhraseExpress at all times. E.g. If you link to a file stored on a network storage, it doesn't work if you are are disconnected from the network.
If you share the phrase database with a team, all users also must have access to a dynamically linked source file.