CAT-Tools/DéjàVu X/What sets DVX apart from other CAT-tools?

Pros

Superb maintenance of memory/terminology databases

Importing/exporting from/to other formats, like CSV files, Excel files, Word files, TMX files, Trados WB files, etc., is an absolute breeze. What makes DVX really different is the fact that you can maintain the databases using SQL. This is for pretty advanced users, but it can be done. Here you can read more about using SQL in DVX databases and projects.

Support for Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007

Atril Software says that in February 2007, a new version of DVX will be launched, which will offer full support for Windows Vista and Office 2007.

Handling hundreds of files at once

Contrary to many other tools, DVX was tailored to freelance translators and not project managers. It will actually speed the translation process up, instead of down. A famous example is the fact that in DVX, there is no need to glue and unglue documents using unreliable tools. If you want to import 863 HTML files, 266 Excel files, 287 Word files and 875 txt files in one single project, it can be done. You can then 'switch' between individual files and the whole project with one mouse click. If the text behaves like one project, you can auto-propagate one translation through all 863+266+287+875 files. The same goes for other functions, like sorting, search and replace, etc. Press your mouse button once and you're back at individual file level again. No other TMA can do this, while it is an absolute must for translating larger websites.

Example Based Machine Translation

DéjàVu is probably the only CAT tool offering Example Based Machine Translation (EBMT).

Suppose you translated:
English: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
Dutch: De snelle vos springt over de luie hond.
In your Translaton Memory or Dictionary there is an entry for 'very' (Dutch: zeer).

Now you have to translate:
English: The quick brown fox jumps over the very lazy dog.

DéjàVu will note the inserted word 'very' and insert its translation (from the Memory or Dictionary) in the Dutch translation:

Dutch: De snelle vos springt over de zeer luie hond.

AutoAssemble

AutoAssemble (AA) is closely related to EBMT. It not only inserts all translations for terms and fragments of text into the target box but also takes care of differences between matching segments stored in the Memory and the segment you are translating.

Very knowledgeable and helpful user community

If you have any problems with or questions about DVX, you can always ask your questions on the main DVX mailing list (http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/dejavu-l/). Before you ask a question, do not forget to check the group’s archive (http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/dejavu-l/msearch_adv) or that other great resource http://www.necco.ca/dv/

Cons

Export to RTF for translating Word documents

In order to translate documents created in Microsoft Word, these documents have to be converted into the RTF format. This can either be done manually or handled by DéjàVu during import.

Alas the RTF filter that Atril wrote is very slow (compared to e.g. MemoQ's RTF filter) and causes sometimes a lot of trash (codes that break up a word, also known as Rogue Codes).

Another big disadvantage of the RTF conversion is that the position of floating images in (poorly designed) Word documents is lost. The binary Word filter that Transit XV offers, doesn't have this disadvantage (and it is very fast).

First tests with the new docx filter show ... that by handling files with floating images via xml the positions are maintained.

Alignment

Aligning old translations is a tedious and time-consuming process compared with more recent tools such as Similis.

Mediocre official support

The official support for DVX, which used to be among the best in the world (Emilio Benito, the founder of Atril Software, was notorious for answering e-mails sent on Sunday 4:00 AM within 5 minutes), has now unfortunately regressed to be on a par with most other software support services. This is made up, however, by a very knowledgeable user community (this particular website was made by them, too) and actually, for the vast majority of the questions you won't need official support at all.