Multi language support

[mibosoft]

Hi,
I would like to add multi language support to my application. I searched the forum but didn't find many VFP topics about it. Does anyone have any advise to give me here. I have thought about two methods:

1. Have texts as #defines in an include file.
2. Having a table with one column for each langugae.

The first method has the disadvantage that the language is decided at compile time and the other that the record pointer has to be moved around, perhaps copying to arrays is needed etc.

What other methods are available?

Thanks,
Micael

 

[Mike Gagnon]

normanbates

I have done one dual language application (French and English) and I went with the tables holding the captions for all the labels. I have never considered #DEFINE, table driven application seemed to be right at the time.

Mike Gagnon

If you want to get the best response to a question, please check out FAQ184-2483 first.

 

[johnhodgson]

Micael

When we did this we tackled the problem by having a table where each record was a language and each field corresponded to a label or whatever on the form. The record was selected in the form's init event and the label captions set to

thisform.captionx=table.captionx

 

[Mike Lewis]

NormanBates,

You might want to take a look at Steven Black's INTL Toolkit (

http://www.stevenblack.com),

which is designed specifically to solve that problem.

Mike


Mike Lewis
Edinburgh, Scotland

http://www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk

 

[mibosoft]

Many thank's for the answers!

I will make some tests. It would be nice to have a common table with the texts for the entire application, changeable during run-time. Minimal work in forms, reports etc is a key issue as there are quite a few of them...

/Micael

 

[fluteplr]

I would highly recommend Steven Black's INTL Toolkit as did Mike above. It is pretty cheap and will save you at least 10 times the value in terms of time saved.