Translation Process Steps

Define Language and Dialects

To begin the translation process, you must define the language or dialect. U.S. English is provided as the first language on the Language Definition form. Defining the language and dialect creates a translation hierarchy.

Define and name the language translation and, if necessary, define and name the dialect in the Language Definition utility (langdef) or the Language Definition form. For more information, see Defining Languages via the Web-based Form and Defining Languages and Dialects via langdef.

Language Translation (first option)

Use the Language Definition utility or the Language Definition web-based form to translate phrases, messages, titles, value lists, and Help text. For more information, see Translating Individual Items via Web-based Tools and Translating Individual Items via langdef Utility.

Text File Translations (second option)

A set of utilities is provided that allow you to create an ASCII text file containing phrases, messages, and titles in the source language for translation. You use a word processor or translation program to translate the source language, and then reload the file into a Infor Lawson System Foundation Environment as a translation of a specific language. For more information, see Translating via Text Files

Generate the Foreign TranMap

When a form is accessed the first time using a language or dialect translation, Lawson Portal automatically runs the Generate Foreign TranMap utility (genformap). This may cause a slight delay for users in loading the form. To ensure that language translations are applied to forms, run genformap in batch mode after creating your language translations. For more information, see Generating the Foreign TranMap

Define the Language in Locale Definition

Language translations and dialects are attached to a locale, which is then assigned to several users. You must define a locale before it can be assigned to a user profile. The Locale Definition utility (locdef) and the Locale Definition form in Lawson Portal also lets you define form data display attributes. For more information, see Defining a Locale via the Web-based Form and Defining a Locale via locdef

Assign the Locale to a User Profile

Languages or dialects are assigned to a locale in the user profile. You can assign a locale to the user profile through the Environment Information form in the Lawson Security Administrator.

Validate Install Status

Confirm that the "installed" status in langdef is "yes" or that the Language enabled check box is selected in the Language Definition web-based form.

Translation Reports

There are also reporting utilities to assist you in the translation and dialect creation and maintenance process. You can create reports for phrases that have not been translated, phrases that have been translated, the source language only, or both the source and translation languages. For more information, see Translation Reports