NLS and Locale stanzas

The [NLS Config] stanza of the .ini file contains parameters related to the location and processing of Message Catalog (.cat) and Message Pool Resources (.mpr) files. These settings are held in a separate stanza because they are processed earlier in image startup than settings processed using the Preferences Settings Framework. This is done in order to have translated messages available as early as possible in the startup sequence.

ignoreCache= true | false

Value type: Boolean
Default value: false
Installation value: not specified
Setter: NlsImageStartUp class>>#ignoreCache:

Messages read from Message Catalog (.cat) and Message Pool Resource (.mpr) files may be cached in the image to reduce startup time. To force reading of messages every time the image is started, set this parameter to true.

The NLS Tools->Rebind Image Strings in the Tools menu makes use of this capability by temporarily setting the value to true and then forcing all (Sub)Applications to relocalize themselves.

defaultMessagesLocale=<language>-<territory>-<characterSet>

Value type: String
Default value: The value answered by Locale class>>defaultLocale or AbtLocale class>>defaultLocale (if this class is loaded)
Installation value: not specified
Setter: EsImageStartUp class>>#defaultMessagesLocale:

language: The value answered by Locale current language (comes from the operating system)
territory: The value answered by Locale current territory (comes from the operating system)
characterSet: The value answered by (CgLogicalFontDescription name: CgDisplay default defaultFontStruct name) characterSet or iso8859-1 if that value is nil. Refer to ignoreCatalogAliasing= below for additional information.

nlsPath= Directory names

Value type: Array of directory name strings
Default value: empty array (#())
Installation value: $TARGETDIR\nls
Setter: Locale class>>#nlsPath:

This parameter specifies a search path for catalog (.cat) files, message and pool repository (.mpr) files, mapping (.win and .x) files, and the like. The system searches first in the startup directory, next in the first directory specified in the NLS path, next in the second directory specified in the NLS path, and so on.

The [AbtNlsKernelApp] stanza of the .ini file contains parameters related to handling of the default message locale.

ignoreCatalogAliasing= true | false

Value type: Boolean
Default value: false
Installation value: not specified
Setter: AbtNlsCoordinator class>>#nlsIgnoreCatalogAliasing:

The AbtLocale class overrides the default value of defaultMessagesLocale (above). It transforms the characterSet to an alias preferred by VA Smalltalk (for example, iso8859-1 becomes ibm-819). This behavior is believed to be rooted in the OS/2 origins of VA Smalltalk. By setting this parameter to true, the original Locale behavior (above) is restored.

The [NLS Recognition] stanza of the .ini file provides contains parameters supporting certain languages, territories, and platform IDs not otherwise supported by the product. A statement such as:

specifies the following:

VA Smalltalk reads the statement from back to front. Thus, it first reads japan, then japanese, and so on. You can generally use a dash (-) as a separator. However, if the platform ID contains a dash, you should use a different separator, such as a semi-colon (;), instead.

The [Locale Overrides] stanza of the .ini file provides the capability to set language, territory, currency, and other Locale parameters in an image. For example, to specify that the German language be used in an image, you include the following in the .ini file:

To see what settings are available, examine the Locale and AbtLocale classes. The AbtLocale class>>getActionTable tells you whether a setting takes a string or a boolean; and methods in the Abt-Locale Settings category provide additional information.