Sep
20
Posted by:
Vicenç Masanas
9/20/2005
Building a language pack DNN involves a couple of steps.
Here is a detailed guide of the best approach I've found to create them and in fact this is the procedure I use to localize DotNetNuke. If you need more information on the DotNetNuke localization framework you can read more about it on the "DotNetNuke Localization" document in the official DotNetNuke documentation.
This blog post is the first in a series where I'll discuss the most common procedures in DotNetNuke localization.
Preparation
In order to build a clean and ready to distribute language pack you should do all your translations on a "clean" installation. Here "clean" installation refers to a DotNetNuke installation where you nave not modified or added anything. This includes adding extra modules or changing any core feature. So it's always a good idea to have a dedicated, separate installation of DotNetNuke(*) for your translation purposes. This is to be sure your generated language pack (the final step of this process) only contains the desired items (resource files), and that all of them are based on the DotNetNuke original resource files.
(*) For more details consult the DotNetNuke Installation Guide.
The process of translating DotNetNuke can have three different approaches depending if you are
A/ doing a full translation to a new language
B/ customizing an existing language
C/ upgrading an existing language to a more recent version of DNN
A. First time DNN translation
Note: All of the following steps should be done as the "host" user
The interface to localize DNN is found on the "Languages" page in the "Host" menu.
Here you can see the languages that are currently installed in your DotNetNuke instance.
The firs step is to create a new entry for your desired new language:
- select the language in the provided list and click "Add"
Now that we already have the language defined in DNN we can proceed to translate all base resource files.
So click "Language Editor" to open the translation interface and proceed with it.
This page consists of two parts:
- left hand resource navigator
- right hand resource editor
On the resource navigator you can find all the resource files that contain texts available for localization. Click any of the files and it will open on the right, on the resource editor.
The editor uses a straightforward interface to translators: you can see and edit all items that each resource file contains, change the default value to a correct sentence/phrase/word for the destination language, and save the changes when you're done.
To edit the correct file you need to choose the destination language on the provided dropdown list. Be sure not to modify the base resource files - English (en-US).
In certain cases the textbox will not be long enough to see the whole text to be translated, or maybe you need a richer interface to edit the text (in order to add html tags). You have an option to edit the text using the builtin DNN HTML/Text editor: click the arrow icon next to the text box and a full screen editor will open (be sure to save your changes before opening the full text editor or you will loose your modifications).
At this point it is just a matter of clicking every file on the left and localize all entries on the right hand side resource editor.
On the main Languages page there's another entry available for localization: Timezones. Here you can provide a localized list of names for all worldwide time zones.
Verification
Once you have all the base resource files translated it's a good idea to verify the whole process. There's an option on the "Languages" page called "Resource File Verifier". This will give a report of all existing languages and their current status.
Create the language pack file
Once you're happy with your current resource files it's time to build the actual language resource pack that you can later distribute to other users and/or use in other portals.
On the Languages page select "Create Language Pack". There you'll be able to select the desired language and create the final language pack zip with a simple click on "Create".
Continue to:
DotNetNuke Language Pack Creation (2): customizing an existing pack
DotNetNuke Language Pack Creation (3): upgrading to a new DNN version
15 comment(s) so far...
Re: DotNetNuke Language Pack Creation (1)
Hi,
Its really helpful to create Languare Pack. Now the question arrises that how to implment this pack for DNN?
I think, since I have created language pack on my DNN installation so I need not to upload that pack, am I write?
So can you please tell me how can I change localization, for my portal.
I tried to change web.config file and restart IIS.
My web.config setting is::
but still I am not getting my localize setting in portal.
Please help me.
By sachingedam on
9/21/2005
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Re: DotNetNuke Language Pack Creation (1)
Outstanding resource! Thanks so much for this very helpful tutorial!!!
By ripple on
10/15/2005
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How to create HEBREW edition of DNN?
Hi,
I would like to translate DNN to HEBREW.
There is no HEBREW pack in DNN and there is no
any web site in HEBREW about DNN.
What are the steps i should accomplish to upload HEBREW DNN web site
which offers the visitor to download local version of DNN?
These are the steps i can think about:
1. Create language pack (resource files, etc.) using DNN built-in languge
pack creator.
2. Use fresh installation files of DNN 3.1 and add the hebrew pack inside.
3. Define the default skin to be some custom local design.
I will create custom local skin design,
but where should i define in the installation files that this skin
is the default skin?
4. What else?
Thanks.
By johnyG on
10/19/2005
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Re: DotNetNuke Language Pack Creation (1)
hey - i can not see any "Add new Local" within the "Languages" Page - what can be the reason ? ? ?
By orenizri on
11/4/2005
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Re: DotNetNuke Language Pack Creation (1)
that's my question too: how to create a language pack for a language that isn't within da Language List? E.g how to add a 'new' language to the Language List?
By nicnatf on
1/7/2006
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Re: DotNetNuke Language Pack Creation (1)
nicnatf,
you cannot add a language to that list. This is the list of languages supported by the asp.net framework, and this is something we cannot change. Take a look at this site for a full list of available locales:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/kx54z3k7(en-us,VS.80).aspx
By vmasanas on
1/9/2006
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Re: DotNetNuke Language Pack Creation (1)
I have exactly that problem. Greenlandic is not on the list and that truly sucks. What are we supposed to do? My plan is to use another language like Galego and exchange the languageselection text with a flag, but what to do in the Multilanguage modules? Here it isn't possible to change the the selector... Is it possible to hard-code stuff in DNN so the backend is processing Galego as the selected language, but shows it on screen as Greenlandic?
Help is much appreciated...
By kultman on
1/9/2006
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Re: DotNetNuke Language Pack Creation (1)
Please all, use the Localization forums on this site for support questions and/or any issues related to localization. Conversation will be much more easier.
By vmasanas on
1/9/2006
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Re: DotNetNuke Language Pack Creation (1)
i started to create a new lang pack for TR Locale...
but i cant make a fresh install of DNN
for example: my SQL installation collation is Turkish CI_AS but database cannot accept that collation for DNN so i created LATIN1_General_CI_AS this time some modules work succesfully but some of them gives tons of errors...
What is the correct installation for a Turkish Locale??????
Pls inform me about true settings
Do i have to change my Regional Settings to United States????
tx....
By greenflash on
1/22/2006
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Re: DotNetNuke Language Pack Creation (1)
where can i find a unicode language pack
By robel on
3/1/2008
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Re: DotNetNuke Language Pack Creation (1)
Robel, I don't think unicode is a language...
By vmasanas on
3/1/2008
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Re: DotNetNuke Language Pack Creation (1)
Dear Vicenç Masanas
I create an arabic Lebanon full core language pack ,So Kindly can you create a category for Arabic-Lebanon where i can upload
My ResourcePack.Full.04.08.02.ar-LB.zip
Sincerely
Oussama Ghanem
ARABIC-LEBANON Category for language pack request
By samgh on
6/29/2008
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Re: DotNetNuke Language Pack Creation (1)
Re: Oussama Ghanem
Done.
By vmasanas on
6/29/2008
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Re: DotNetNuke Language Pack Creation (1)
This excellent example demonstrates creation of Language Pack for DNN 4.x.x, do we have such example/blog on creation of Language Pack for DNN 5.6.x or better ?
Thanks
By Jaydeep Bhatt on
3/21/2011
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Re: DotNetNuke Language Pack Creation (1)
Jaydeep Bhatt, the process in DNN 5x is nearly the same. The screens have changed slightly but the process is basically the same.
By Vicenç Masanas on
3/21/2011
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