[Tshwanelex-l] How to use cross-references in tlTerm?

[David Joffe]

Hi Michael,

Hmm .. good question. Technically, TLex's cross-reference system is 
not directly applicable for tlTerm terminology databases because 
cross-references intrinsically work differently between dictionaries 
and 'true' terminology databases. For example in a dictionary one 
would typically have separate entries for the lemmas 'dog' and 
'hound', with cross-references between the two entries. 

Terminology is concept-centric, so both 'dog' and 'hound' would 
belong to the same 'concept' and therefore be on the same entry, as 
two synonyms:
Entry: 'concept of dog'
	English: dog
	English: hound

When generating alphabetical *output*, eg exporting to Word, tlTerm 
will (if the option is turned on) for these cases *automatically 
generate* little cross-reference entries from eg 'hound' to the main 
entry 'dog'. (E.g. if one clicks the little green configuration 
spanner above the Preview Area, there's a menu item that says 
something like 'Display second synonym onwards as a cross-reference' 
... there are a few related options, e.g. to change the style of 
arrow etc. at the automatically generated reference.)  

Because of this difference, we therefore don't enable the *TLex* 
smart-references system for terminology databases ... tlTerm needs 
something. different  

So that said, there *do* exist terminology databases that genuinely 
have 'normal' cross-references within the data. They internally work 
a bit differently to the TLex ones anyway (eg TLex's 
smart-references generate the target entry's 'headword'/lemmasign - 
but concept-centred terminology databases don't have a 'main 
headword' - just a hub and spoke model with translations plus 
synonym terms underneath the main entry.)  

So we're still busy working on improving this and adding support for 
more proper tlTerm cross-references. I can't remember offhand the 
current state of the development of this ... I'll have to have a 
look to refresh my memory. In other words we have to do some extra 
programming to support a new extension to the cross-references 
system tailored for terminology, where the cross-referenced node 
would probably have to be a special 'Term' node. Alternatively, I 
think we can use inline references (but that's not ideal, one wants 
the advantage of smart references).  

I remember we started working on this, but I can't remember how far 
we got ... I'd have to look at the source code to go see where we 
are with this.  

 - David





On 27 Apr 2020 at 18:38, Michael Beijer wrote:

From:	Michael Beijer <michael at beijer.uk>
Date sent:	Mon, 27 Apr 2020 18:38:00 +0100
To:	tshwanelex-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject:	[Tshwanelex-l] How to use cross-references in tlTerm?

> 
> I am trying to add/use (smart) cross-references in tlTerm.
> 
> In the TLex Suite User Guide it says:
> 
> "To add cross-references, right-click on the “Lemma” element or on a
> “Sense” element in the Tree View and select “Add: References”. A
> “References” element will be added, and the cross-reference editor dialog
> (shown below) will appear. This dialog allows you to add cross-references
> to lemmas, or to particular senses within lemmas, by selecting them from a
> list of all the current lemmas and senses in the dictionary database."
> 
> However, there doesn't seem to be a 'cross-reference editor dialog' in
> tlTerm...
> 
> Am I missing something?
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Michael
> 
> --
> Michael Beijer
> Dutch-English technical translator
> Hastings, United Kingdom
> Tel.: 447475771720
> Email: michael at beijer.uk
> Website: beijer.uk
> 
>