Before data translations can be created, it is necessary to select the main language of data. This determines which language variants will be stored in the main object type table and which variants will be regarded as 'supplementary languages' and saved in the object type 'Translations' table.

Main language of data is set in Valuemation Global Settings.

To select the main language of data:

1. Open 'Global Settings' from the 'Settings' menu of Valuemation Rich Client.
2. Locate the 'Multilingual Support' page.
3. Select one of the languages as the main language of data.

Switching between main languages of data

The page is also used to change the main language of data after another language has been used. This is usually the case when the starting point is a USU standard database (English) and the customer main language of data is not English.

When a new main language of data is selected in the 'Multilingual Support' page, then clicking the 'OK' button displays a 'Switch the Main Language of Data to ...' window. It contains automatically generated script which can be used to update the database tables. The script does the following:

1. Original translated values (English, in case of a switch from the standard database) are copied into new records in the translation tables.
2. Translated object type attributes are updated with values in the intended new main language taken from the translation tables.

   If a value in the new main (originally supplementary) language does not exist, the original main language value is preserved in the translated attribute.

3. Records in the original supplementary language (which has now become the main language of data) are deleted from the translation tables.

The script can be executed in the same way as described in the 'Generating the Database Support' topic, i.e. three possible scenarios exist:

• If the current user has the necessary permissions (administrator permissions with the sql console enabled), then the 'Switch the Main Language of Data to ...' window provides an 'Execute' button which can be used to commit the sql script without the need to use any external database tool.
• If the 'Execute' button is not available but the user has access to a database administration tool and the corresponding database permissions, then the script can be copied or saved as an sql file and used in the database tool.

• If neither of the above applies, then the script needs to be saved as an sql file and handed over to the database administrator.

All Valuemation users must log out before he script is executed.

Note that the script is applicable only if the new main language is supported by the database character set. If mapping from unicode (used in the translation tables) to the database character set (used in the translated tables) is not possible, then the database either replaces unconvertible characters with a predefined symbol or returns an exception.