WorldServer - which impact has the restriction of a TM attribute?

We have some TM Entry attributes set up in our environment.  We would like to restrict the access to these attributes. In the Translation Memory Set Up page, we can leave the Attribute Mask as Unrestricted (default)



or one can select Restricted. If you select Restricted, the list of TM Entry attributes will automatically appear in the Available Attributes list:



How does the restriction of the Translation Memory attribute influence the behavior?

If you leave the Attribute Mask Unrestricted, users (unless they are excluded from writing into the TM through the general Access restriction) will be able to view the Translation Memory attributes after opening the TM from Tools > Translation Memories. They will be able to view the TM entry attribute as a column. Also, when opening a TM Entry they will be able to write into it.

If you select Restricted and you leave an attribute in the Available Attributes section, after saving this change the attribute will no longer be visible when opening a TM Entry. It will also not be possible to edit it. It will - however - still be visible as a column if a user adds it to her view.

If you select Restricted and move an attribute to the Visible Attribute section and save the change, that attribute will be accessible normally and can be edited. Only the attributes that are not added to Visible Attribute will be restricted.

The restriction of the attributes has no impact to the export of a TM to a TMX file that includes TM entries where a value has been written into the attributes. As soon as a value as been entered in a TM attribute in any of the TM entries exported, that attribute will be included in the export regardless of whether it is restricted or not. This article proposes two worarounds:

WorldServer - when exporting a Translation Memory to a TMX file, attributes are exported as well although they are restricted


 

This article is relevant:

WorldServer - when exporting a Translation Memory to a TMX file, attributes are exported as well although they are restricted