Configuration Multilanguage Fields Support (OP)

To support multilanguage fields, LN must be installed in Unicode mode. You can choose the Unicode character set in the LN Installation Wizard.

For more information on the prerequisites for a Unicode installation, see the Technical Notes.

Before you start the configuration of Multilanguage Fields Support, it is recommended you create a backup of the application data. For example, you can extract your application data through the Create Sequential Dump of Table (ttaad4226m000) session, or you can create a backup through the backup tools in your RDBMS.

Step 1. Enable support for Multilanguage Fields

To enable support for Multilanguage fields:

  1. Start the Parameters Multi Language Support (ttadv4106m000) session.
  2. Configure Multibyte and Unicode, and perform the required steps for this configuration. See the instructions displayed in the session's window.
  3. Select the Multi Language Fields Support check box.
  4. Save the changes and close the session.
Step 2. Define data languages

To define data languages:

  1. Start the Data Languages (ttaad1111m000) session.
  2. Define the desired data languages. A data language consists of an ISO 639-1 language code and, optionally, an ISO 3166-1 country code. You can zoom to the ISO 639 Languages (ttaad1512m000) session and the ISO 3166-1 Countries (ttaad1513m000) session.
  3. Define the base language: Select a data language and, on the appropriate menu, click Make Base Language.

    Note: The base language is used as a fall back language. Application data is displayed in the base language if both of the following scenarios occur:

    • No data language is defined in the user data of an LN user.
    • No data language is linked to the user's software language.
  4. Convert the data languages to the runtime data dictionary. On the appropriate menu, click Convert Data Languages to Runtime. The conversion process generates the $BSE/lib/data_langs file.

    Important:

    • Only perform this step if you are sure you no longer want to change the base language. See the restrictions listed in the online help of the Data Languages (ttaad1111m000) session.
    • During the conversion to runtime, all users must be logged off.
    • When the conversion to runtime has finished, you must restart the LN environment.
  5. Close the session.

Data Languages have a status that is used to control their life cycle. For details, refer to "Life cycle of a data language" in the online help of the Data Languages (ttaad1111m000) session.

Step 3. Link data languages to software languages

You must link data languages to the corresponding software languages.

To link a data language to a software language:

  1. Start the Software Languages (ttaad1510m000) session.
  2. To start the Software Languages (ttaad1110s000) session, double-click a software language. In the Data Language field, enter the desired data language.

    Note:

    • You can zoom to the Data Languages (ttaad1111m000) session.
    • You can only select data languages with status "Base Language" and "Available".
    • If you leave the Data Language field blank, LN displays the application data in the data language defined in the user data of an LN user, or in the base language.
  3. Save the changes and close the sessions.

To ensure that application software and application data are displayed in the same language, link the data languages to the software languages.

Step 4. Register Multilanguage Tables and Table Fields

Register the tables and table fields that must be multilanguage enabled.

For all package combinations you want to be multilanguage-enabled:

  1. Start the Registered Tables with Multi Language Fields (ttadv4137m000) session.
  2. Select a package combination.
  3. Add the tables you want to be Multilanguage Enabled.
  4. Double-click a table. The Registered Multi Language Fields (ttadv4138m000) session starts.
  5. For each field you want to be multilanguage enabled, select the Enabled check box.
  6. Save the changes and close the sessions.
Step 5. Convert to runtime

To convert the multilanguage settings to the runtime data dictionary:

  1. Start the Convert to Runtime Data Dictionary (ttadv5215m000) session.
  2. Select the Tables check box and the Reconfigure Tables check box.
  3. For package combinations, packages, and tables, specify the appropriate selection ranges.
  4. Click Convert to Runtime

  5. Optionally, start the User Data (ttaad2500m000) session, and define a data language per user. The data language specified in the user data takes precedence over the data language linked to a software language. For more information, see "Language types" in Multilanguage application data (OP).