The iFIX WorkSpace provides you with the ability to set and change the language of a picture as it opens in run mode. As the picture opens, the WorkSpace reads a target language file and substitutes the picture's text strings with the translated strings. However, it does not do the translations for you; you must provide the translated text strings yourself.
Translating text is limited to replacing text captions, button captions, object descriptions, the Alarm Summary object, and certain properties in charts. You cannot switch the language for overall system text such as dialog box titles, menus, error strings, and so on.
IMPORTANT:
- If you change the regional settings in Windows, you must restart iFIX and your computer after you make your changes.
- If iFIX is running on a computer under English regional settings (or regional settings for another western language such as French or German) , you can only display translated text strings for western languages (for example: English, French, and German) in your pictures.
- In order to display translated text for non-western languages (such as Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or Polish), regional settings must be configured for the specified language that you want to display. To change the regional settings, be sure that you select the correct language (for example, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or Polish) in all of the applicable drop-down lists from the Control Panel's Regional and Language Options dialog box: in the "Standards and Formats," "Location," and "Languages for non-Unicode programs" fields (the "Languages for non-Unicode programs" field is located on the Advanced tab). For double-byte languages such as Japanese or Chinese, you additionally need a Japanese or Chinese operating system; more specific details for working with double-byte languages are outlined in some of the bullets below.
- You cannot switch translations between multiple non-western languages (such as Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or Polish) without changing the regional settings. For example, you cannot switch on-the-fly between Chinese and Japanese, or Chinese and Russian.
- If you want to display both Japanese and English (or Japanese and another western language such as French or German), you must set the regional settings to Japanese. You cannot display other non-western languages, such as Chinese or Russian, in your pictures; you can only display Japanese and western languages (for example: English, French, and German).
- If you want to display both Chinese and English (or Chinese and another western language such as French or German), you must set the regional settings to Chinese. You cannot display other non-western languages, such as Japanese or Russian, in your pictures; you can only display Chinese and western languages (for example: English, French, and German).
- If you are using double-byte languages, (for example, Chinese or Japanese), you must be running iFIX on a computer with a native operating system (for example: a Chinese or Japanese operating system) and have the appropriate regional settings configured. On the Advanced tab of the Regional and Language Options dialog on Control Panel, do not forget to configure the Languages for non-Unicode programs field with the target language. You must also make sure that you set the applicable font on the Shape Preferences tab on the User Preferences dialog box.
- If the translated text for a single-byte language displays as a series of ????, you must configure the Languages for non-Unicode programs field with the target language and select the applicable font. However, you do not require a native operating system for single-byte languages.
- For pictures created in iFIX 4.0 that include Alarm Summary objects, you need to export your language file again, so that the Alarm Summary information is included. The Alarm Summary object originally was not included in iFIX 4.0 language translation files.
- It is recommended that you only use either global picture translation or individual picture-level translation in your pictures. If you mix both settings, your users could get undesirable results when opening pictures in different languages.
- Use caution when using this feature with iFIX WebSpace. It is recommended that you set the language at the individual picture-level in the iFIX WorkSpace, instead of using the global configuration. That way, you can ensure that only certain pictures open in a specified language (and not the same language settings for all users and all pictures). For an example of the picture-level settings and how you might want to use them with the iFIX WebSpace, refer to the second example in the Examples of How to Switch Between Languages section.
- The iFIX WebSpace Server should match the regional settings and native operating system language of the iFIX SCADA Server.
This feature is very useful if you develop your picture(s) in one language (in configure mode), but want to provide the text in a different language for operators viewing the picture (in run mode). Using this feature, you can have the same picture available in multiple languages.
This feature is also useful for changing the language of the text that appears in a picture in configure mode. You can export text strings, translate them, and import the translated text back into your original picture so that your picture's default text strings now appear in the translated language in configure mode. For instance, use this feature if you want to translate the text for the Tag Status, Quick Trend, and Tag Control Panel pictures. For more information on these picture types, see Using Tag Status and Quick Trend Pictures.
NOTES:
- Only the iFIX WorkSpace supports changing the language of the displayed picture text.
- Font colors are not available for translations.
The Translation Toolbar is available to support these features. This toolbar allows you to export or import all of the text from a picture into a language specific .CSV file. You can then add translations and font requirements to these .CSV files to use when you open the corresponding pictures. For more information about the Translations Toolbar, refer to Manipulating Objects Using Toolbars. For more information on how to use the toolbar to export or import a .CSV file, see Exporting and Importing Language Files.
IMPORTANT: If list separator is comma in your local regional settings, you can use Microsoft Excel to edit your .CSV files. Otherwise, it is recommended that you use Notepad to edit your .CSV files. It is important that you use the proper text editor, so that the list separator, a comma, gets saved properly using your operating system's native regional settings. If you are unsure of your settings, use Notepad to edit your .CSV files.
Global Picture Language Settings
Global picture language settings are used when opening pictures in run mode. However, you must create language files for your pictures and translate the text strings for this feature to work. For example, you develop the configure mode pictures in your native language of French so that you can update and troubleshoot them. But, the operators want to display all run mode pictures in German. A German language file with translated text must exist for each picture you want the operators to view in German from the WorkSpace run mode. If no language file exists, the default language (in this case French) appears.
When you change the language in run mode using the global language setting, all pictures that you open from that point on will open in the specified language, as long as there is a language file for that language. If you change the global language setting, pictures that are opened from that point forward open in the new language, but previously opened pictures do not change to the new language. You must close and reopen those pictures for the new language to take effect. The language changes only when opening the picture in run mode.
NOTE: If a language file does not exist, the picture text appears in the picture's default language; that is, the language in which it was created.
User Preference for Global Language Settings
To configure the global picture language settings, select the Translate Picture on Open check box on the Picture Preferences tab of the User Preferences dialog box. When you select this check box, the Language list is enabled and you can choose the language that you want the text strings to appear in when the picture opens in run mode. You can also use the SetLanguage global subroutine in VBA.
TIP: While in the User Preferences dialog box, you may also want tp confirm that the applicable font is set on the Shape Preferences tab and change it, if necessary.
NOTE: When the Translate Picture on Open check box is selected, the TranslateOnOpen and LanguageDesired properties in the Properties window for individual pictures cannot be changed.
Individual Picture Language Settings
Individual picture language settings are also used when opening pictures in run mode; however, you can change the displayed language for a single picture rather than all pictures. As with global picture language settings, you must create language files for your pictures and translate the text strings for this feature to work.
For example, you have pictures that only administrators look at and these pictures are displayed in French in run mode. You have another group of pictures that only operators look at and you want to display these pictures in Spanish when in run mode. All of the pictures were developed in English, in configure mode. In this case, each picture can have specific language settings. French and Spanish language files with translated text must exist for the appropriate pictures the administrators and operators will view in run mode.
TranslateOnOpen and LanguageDesired Properties in Individual Pictures
To configure the language settings at the picture level, use the TranslateOnOpen and LanguageDesired properties on the active picture. You can access these properties on the Properties window in the iFIX WorkSpace or from a VBA script while in configure mode. Be aware that in order to set these properties, the Translate Picture On Open check box on the Picture Preferences tab of the User Preferences dialog box must be cleared. If this check box is not cleared, the global picture language settings override the individual picture settings.
You can also use SwitchLanguage to change the language programmatically in VBA.
NOTE: When you use the individual picture language settings, opening a picture in run mode for the first time is slower than it would normally take without caching enabled. If you enable picture caching, after the picture has been opened and cached, the next time you open it in run mode there is no delay. For more information about picture caching, refer to Using Picture Caching.
