Data object definitions for localized string values

Data Lake objects may contain localized string values.

The values can be queried by the Data Lake JDBC driver for Birst and by Compass queries.

The localization functionality works in conjunction with the Data Catalog Locale Selection function. The Locale Selection function is used to define the locales that supported the source application. Or the function is used for defining the locale codes for the localized values in the Data Lake “payload” objects.

The term “payload” denotes the actual DSV and JSON objects that are stored in the Data Lake. The source application sends data objects, with the localized values, to Data Lake. The query matches the locale selections to the localized strings in the Data Lake data. The query returns localized values into numbered position columns. The positions, and the main and substitute locale codes for each position, are defined in the Locale Selection.

For Data Catalog Locale Selections, see the Infor ION Desk User Guide.

For example, the source application supports these locales:

  • en_US
  • fr_CA
  • es_ES

The Data Catalog locale selections are position 1 for en_US, position 2 for fr_CA and position 3 for es_ES.

The locale in the first position is used as the default locale. When a query selects a localized value, the driver retrieves the en_US value for table column 1. The fr_CA value is retrieved for table column 2 and the es_ES value for table column 3. The column name does not include the locale code. With the numbered position columns, you can specify which locales are used.

Compass queries and the JDBC driver for Birst support two string localization methods. Both methods use the data object’s property metadata, stored in Data Catalog Object Schemas.

The query reads the source Data Lake objects for a match to the Data Catalog’s Locale Selection “Locale Code Search List”. The search list must include the locale code first and can be followed by one or more locale codes to use as substitute locales. For example, if a value for en_US is not found in the data, and the next code in the list is “en”. The driver returns the “en” value.

The matching process between the query, the Locale Selections and Data Lake data occurs each time the query runs. The data object localization definitions are explained later.

For query processing using the JDBC driver for Birst, see these sections:

  • Data Lake JDBC driver for Birst
  • Data Selection for Localized String Values

For query processing using Compass queries, see these sections:

  • Data Lake Compass queries
  • Queries for localized data