Q: How does MainBoss Basic support multiple languages?
When MainBoss executes, it looks at your Regional Settings. (You make these settings through the Windows control panel.) Your regional settings state the language you prefer to use when interacting with the computer. For example, your settings might state that you prefer to interact with software using French rather than English.
Once MainBoss determines your preferred language, it checks to see if it has a message file for that language. A message file lists all the text strings used by MainBoss (e.g. the names of fields, the labels on buttons, diagnostic messages, and so on). Each message file gives translations of these text strings into some language; for example, the French message file gives French versions of all of MainBoss's text strings.
- If MainBoss finds a message file for your preferred language, it loads that file and uses the given text strings in all MainBoss windows.
- If MainBoss can't find a message file for your specific version of a language, it looks for a "generic" message file for that language. For example, suppose you prefer Mexican Spanish, but there isn't a specific message file for that language. MainBoss will look to see if there is a generic Spanish message file, and use that instead.
- If MainBoss can't find a related message file either, it will use the default message file (which is English).
Therefore, if you wish to use MainBoss in a specific language, set your regional settings to that language. If MainBoss supports that language, that's what you'll see the next time you start the program.
Caveats
MainBoss can only translate its own text strings; it doesn't translate user data. For example, if someone creates a work order in English, MainBoss won't translate it into any other language, no matter what your Regional Settings may be.
This applies to all user data. For example, your work categories, unit categories, and work order priorities are all custom-created by someone at your organization. Therefore, MainBoss cannot translate such data. If your work order priorities were defined in English, MainBoss can't translate them even if you prefer French.
Because of this, it is generally impractical for an organization to attempt to operate in multiple languages—while MainBoss software can adapt to multiple languages, user data will not.
Setting a Language on the MainBoss Command Line
In some instances, you might want to override a user's regional settings. For example, if you're writing a batch file or shell script that includes invoking MainBoss, you might want to force the program to use English, whatever the user's settings might be. In this case, you can use the /LANGID command line option. For more information, see "Setting a Language" in the online help or in the MainBoss User Guide.
Creating Your Own Message File
If MainBoss doesn't have a message file in your preferred language, you can create one—see Creating Your Own Message File.
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