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Multi-Language versions of an item

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Multi-Language versions of an item
I'm not sure whether this has been discussed, but here goes.
I would like to talk about having multiple (language) versions of the information on a item in the database.
Having worked on large web sites using technologies like Vignette I must stress how versatile this product is (that I have invested in and do in no way regret).
Also even though the comparison is fairly difficult with products like Vignette, the type of project I was working on was fairly close to what I would like to use Links SQL for (and am near to succeeding in doing so).

This question however covers an area I feel could be improved/modified. More and more web sites will be opening up to the world, and will require localisation efforts. One of the first measures is to provide existing information in the local language. Although this may be seen as a more database structure requirement it also requires in my view a slightly different approach of the Links SQL product itself. I must stress the word slightly because there really do seem to be numerous ways to deal with providing multi-lingual versions of a same item (just in case you perl cracks thought I was saying the opposite).
I think the default database structure should be multi-lingual rather than set up for only one langauge, but maybe two database structures should be offered and the initial setting up of the database requires the user to indicate whether he/she would like to use more than one language. However most users will probably agree that changing from multi-lingual to one language would be a nightmare from a database point of view.

I would be interested to know what other users of LinkSQL think of this or if other users have modified their database structure in order to accomodate multi-lingual versions of an item in their database.

Jag

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Re: Multi-Language versions of an item In reply to
Hello Jag,

I needed the dutch language in LinksSQL so i had to translate the whole program, because the language is not only inside the template's .. But that is in version 1.11.... Don't know about the new one?....

I must see i really say i like your idea, and i also have ask them if they can do it. But that was only a translation table.. english -> [language you want]

It sound's good to me ! GS what do you think ? Or is it allready in the new version ? Smile...

Regards Startpoint.

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Re: Multi-Language versions of an item In reply to
The new version will have a language file that will go in your templates directory that control all language not already in the templates.

The admin won't be like that, only the user side.

Cheers,

Alex

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Gossamer Threads Inc.
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Re: Multi-Language versions of an item In reply to
Thanks for your responses, I'm still wondering whether there is some way to set up Links SQL for example in the case of a directory of web sites for several languages. In this case having two titles, one in German, one in English, two descriptions, one in German one in English etc. Obviously Alex's language file will deal with a big problem of text displayed on the pages. I suppose you could do a mod to pick up one language file in one case and another file for another version of the site with page.cgi. Wouldn't the different versions of a description require a change in the Database design model however ?

Jag

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Re: Multi-Language versions of an item In reply to
In Reply To:
The admin won't be like that, only the user side.
Grrrrrrrrrrrr........... you are joking eh ? Why not put all the code text above in the files with strings... ? and put the strings where the text was .....

Men you must know it taked my really really many days (eh weeks!) to translate the whole program and test it .... 1 letter wrong oh no all links in down...

Also if you have a mod/plugin from other person with text in it you can figure out how easy it is if you don't have to translate it again... And so many other reason to also make admin variable...

I know it will take you some time but he everyone can wait now :) and you can make many people happy with this option also in admin ......

Well Alex what do you think ?

Regeards Startpoint....

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Re: Multi-Language versions of an item In reply to
Keep in mind that SQL functions and some Perl codes cannot be translated...But it should not be that hard to translate error messages, links, etc. in the admin.cgi script into other languages.

Regards,

Eliot Lee

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Re: Multi-Language versions of an item In reply to
In Reply To:
Keep in mind that SQL functions and some Perl codes cannot be translated...
LOL... or where you serious ? then sorry :).....

In Reply To:
But it should not be that hard to translate error messages, links, etc. in the admin.cgi script into other languages.
No it's not hard it's only cost so many time... If you will only have 1 version it's ok but if you have more believe me this will cost big time. So if they put all the text together it's would be great !!

Thanks for the reply Eliot, eh btw did they finally pay you for your hard work in this forum ?:)..!

Regards Startpoint.

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Re: Multi-Language versions of an item In reply to
In Reply To:
LOL... or where you serious ? then sorry :).....
I was definitely serious...If you change something like SELECT to something in your foreign tongue, then the queries will be screwed up.

In Reply To:
No it's not hard it's only cost so many time... If you will only have 1 version it's ok but if you have more believe me this will cost big time. So if they put all the text together it's would be great !!
Unfortunately, I don't think a word to word translated version will do you or anyone any good. Look at how Babelfish translates words...word to word...It does not account for local dialects, customs, and cultural values of words.

In Reply To:
Thanks for the reply Eliot, eh btw did they finally pay you for your hard work in this forum ?:)..!
They have by being one of the best CGI/Perl/MySQL script providers in the Web. Wink

Regards,

Eliot Lee


Regards,

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Re: Multi-Language versions of an item In reply to
In Reply To:
Unfortunately, I don't think a word to word translated version will do you or anyone any good. Look at how Babelfish translates words...word to word...It does not account for local dialects, customs, and cultural values of words.
Argh.. don't blow this up ! ... I mean really plain text only text that is displayed on screen when you use admin.cgi for example. Plain text and error message and that sort of stuff. Put that all in top of each file so it's easy to located all text that is used ....

So then it's easy to translate and you can do it quick. Also it will spare some bytes because some text lines in admin.cgi are sometimes use like 5 times. That's a good argument for you all english users eh ?

So me happy you happy, 1 big family... Smile.

Regards Startpoint.