Fixing tag errors and tag issues

Matecat uses tags for two reasons:

Preserve the structure of the files and avoid conversion issues;
Guarantee that the target files have the same layout and formatting as the source files.

If a tag is omitted, duplicated, or misplaced, a warning symbol appears on the QA icon.

In case of a blocking issue, like a tag error, the symbol is red.

Click on the QA icon to see the segment with issues.

Click on the Tag errors button to check the segment with blocking issues.

Understanding tag issues

Matecat warns about three types of issues:

Tag mismatch
Tag order mismatch
File breaking tag issue

1.❗Tag mismatch

Matecat alerts users when a tag from the source segment is missing in the target segment. This generated a tag mismatch and an error message.

The tag is missing in the target segment.

This kind of error needs to be fixed; otherwise, untranslated content will be generated in the target file.

2. ❕Tag order mismatch

Matecat also alerts users when tags from the source segment are not placed in the same position as the target one. A light orange warning message appears under the target segment.

Tag and in the target segment are placed in a different position than in the source.

Tag order mismatches generally don't prevent the download and don't create formatting issues in the target file.

We do suggest any way to fix order mismatches.

Notice that in some cases the translator would need to change the tag order in the target segment, generating a tag order mismatch, because of the target language grammar or expressive rules.

3. ❗File breaking tag issue

Matecat alerts users when a closing tag is missing in the target segment.

Warning message: File breaking tag issue. Should be <g...>....</g>.

These tag errors, if ignored, will generate untranslated content in the target file.

When you have blocking tag issues in a segment, a "Forbidden" icon will appear next to the target segment.

How to fix tag issues?

There are basically four ways to correct tag issues:

1. ➡️Place the cursor next to the location where the tag is missing and insert the < symbol or use the short cut Alt+t.

A window will open. Click on the tag you need to add to your translation.

2. ➡️Click on the tag in the source segment to select it, then drag and drop it into the target segment;

3. ➡️Press on the

icon to copy the tags from the source to the target segment (the tags are added to the end of the text in the target segment and appear in the same order as in the source).