NLS provides MPE XL intrinsic
features in COBOL II/XL, FCOPY, IMAGE, KSAM, QUERY, SORT-MERGE, and
VPLUS. NLS features in these subsystems provide
the tools to design local language applications.
The subsystems themselves are not localized.
The application end user, not the programmer or subsystem user,
sees the localized interface.
MPE XL Native Language Support intrinsics provide the means to
implement NLS features of the subsystems. This means that
native language definition is consistent within all the subsystems.
Collating sequence is a good example of consistency within MPE XL
and in the subsystems. The collating sequence defined for a
specific native language can be used in MPE XL by calling the
NLCOLLATE and NLKEYCOMPARE intrinsics. The same collating sequence is used by SORT-MERGE in ordering records, by
KSAM in ordering keys, and by IMAGE in ordering sorted chains
when these subsystems are dealing with sorted character strings
that are associated with the same native language.
The MPE XL operating system and its subsystems function independently
of native language features configured on the system.
NLS features are optional and must be requested.
This means that existing application software and stream
files operate as they did before the introduction of NLS.
