The components of a form which can be language-dependent are
the initial values of fields and the field edit rules. The text
is fixed in a single native language by the forms designer. The
native language ID number determines the context for data editing,
conversion, and formatting. There are two native language IDs assigned
for each forms file. The FORMSPEC language controls the context
when the forms file is designed. The forms file language controls
the context when the forms file is executed.
Setting the Native Language ID Numbers |
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The forms designer sets both native language ID number values
for the forms file via the FORMSPEC Terminal/Language Selection
Menu. NATIVE-3000 is currently the only selection available for
FORMSPEC language. This means that initial values and processing
specifications must be defined with the month names and numeric
conventions of NATIVE-3000.
The native language ID for the forms file language defaults
to 0 (NATIVE-3000) if no native language ID number is specified
on the Terminal/Language Selection Menu. On this menu, the forms
designer can assign or change the native language ID for the forms
file language at any time. The value specified must be a positive
number or a zero for a single native language application. If the
value specified is acceptable, but the native language is not configured
on the system used for forms design, FORMSPEC issues a warning message
but does not reject the native language ID number. Instead, the
designer is prompted to confirm the value or change it.
For applications that are used with multiple native languages,
the forms designer specifies the international language ID number -1. The international language ID number allows the
intrinsic VSETLANG to be called at run-time to select the actual
native language ID number for the forms file. If an application
uses an international forms file without calling VSETLANG, it is executed in the default, NATIVE-3000. If VSETLANG is called for an unlocalized or language-dependent
forms file, an error code will be returned.
The designer has three options in designing an application
to work effectively with multiple languages:
Develop several language-dependent
forms files.
Create one international forms file.
Produce a combination of language-dependent files
and an international forms file.
If the text needs to be in the native language, unique versions
of a forms file are required for each native language supported.
VGETLANG may be used to determine whether a language-dependent
forms file or an international forms file is being executed. If VGETLANG indicates an international forms file, VSETLANG must be called to select the actual native language.
Refer to the VGETLANG and VSETLANG intrinsics in Section 6.
