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Application Translation

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    Application Translation

    Hi Guys,

    Did anyone of you ever had the wish to translate your ready application into another language ?
    Then you will have asked yourself these questions too:

    1- Is it possible to get a complete list of all text elements in an Alpha Five application, including xdialog boxes, buttons, browse columns etc.etc.

    2- Wouldn't it be a great feature to have such a list, with multiple entry possibilities for several languages all triggered by one Main Language Setting ?

    As for now, I do not know of any other way to translate then to create a complete new translated application for every language you want. I do not see that as an optimal situation.

    What are your idea's or visions about this?

    Greetings,

    Marcel

    #2
    RE: Application Translation

    Marcel, I have requested a similar capability for the web version, although for different reasons.

    In the desktop application, you can go a long way now by setting up field labels as array variables. Then create a label table. In my vision, the label table contains the language title, then all the labels in that language with each label as a field. The second row would be the next language, and so on.

    At the start of the applicaiton, the user selects a language, and the labels are read into an array. As the forms display, the array variables will contain the labels in the proper language.

    There is still the question of messages, but these could be memo fields inthe language table.

    That would also allow changing language "on the fly".

    It's a lot of work to keep tract of labl(22) = first name, but it would save having to receate all forms, etc.

    In my case, I want to have the web component labels be an array varaible. Unfortunately, that's probably a future version....

    Pat
    Pat Bremkamp
    MindKicks Consulting

    Comment


      #3
      RE: Application Translation

      Hi Marcel,

      You know my ideas. I hope Cal Locklin is reading this, he's a kind of specialist in accessing the objects on forms, buttons, etc. Maybe he has some good ideas.

      Regards,

      Marcel
      Marcel

      I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
      ---- Confusius ----

      Comment


        #4
        RE: Application Translation

        Hi Marcel,

        I posted this message because it can hardly be that I am the only one with this problem. Maybe this thread can evolve into a solution that is benefitual to all who are dealing with this problem.

        If you can spare the time, it might be a good idea to ventilate your ideas here too, as I think they are maybe valuable to all ?

        Kind regards,

        Marcel

        Comment


          #5
          RE: Application Translation

          Hi Pat,

          Thanks for responding.
          I can see the advantages of dealing with the field labels in this way.

          Unfortunately, there is more to it then that, as forms exist of buttons with text, browses with column headers, tabbed forms with tab-texts, xdialog boxes, etc.

          And then there are the reports, operations with dialogs, etc. etc.

          I have discussed this with Marcel Kollenaar already, who also came up with interesting ideas on how to do it.

          I think this problem requires an Alpha effort to completely solve.

          It probably depends on how much they value foreign customers....

          Kind regards,

          Marcel

          Comment


            #6
            RE: Application Translation

            I need this too for german applications. It�s easy to build an language file, like we do this with our software. there are so many thinks in a5 that can�t be translated, like memo field thinks, right click menues on some places, dialogbox and so much more, that it is very hard to build an application in other languages. in germay thera are no alternative to a5 if it comes in translation capabilities.

            .kai

            Comment


              #7
              RE: Application Translation

              I also have this issue as Canada is bilingual and I live in Quebec where there are at least two languages in use on most desktops.

              I really do not think the issue is whether the people at Alpha value foreign customers. I really truly believe they value all their customers and that their actions prove it.

              The matter is economic: what is the cost of providing multingual support and how many buyers need it. We all know that too many features can kill a small team.

              May I ask if anyone has explored the dimensions of the multilingual support option in settings. I have not and would be interested in hearing from those who have.

              Bill
              Bill Hanigsberg

              Comment


                #8
                RE: Application Translation

                Hi William,

                Mulilingual Support might be a feature for English language users, but it is not a feature for non-english language uesrs. For them it is part of the essential questions if they even are able to use the whole product!

                I have had contacts with several German potential users who could not use the product for this very reason: no support for other languages. There was even no support for German type keyboards. This may come as a shock to you, but with over 60 million people Germany is one of the largest European countries. So compared to America this may not look like more then a city, for Europe it is economically probably the largest power in the EU that is given absolutely no attention at all for its specific needs regarding Alpha Five.
                So please now tell me how you think Alpha values the German customer......

                Greetings,

                Marcel

                Comment


                  #9
                  RE: Application Translation

                  "This may come as a shock to you, but with over 60 million
                  people Germany is one of the largest European countries."

                  Please Marcel, I wouldn't want to shock you either but in fact I attended high school and even a bit more and although I am American I do not currently live in the United States and I have even been to Europe a few times.

                  I know there are people there and that they are a potential market which is not being served. My point concerned the ability of a small company to service an international clientel. This is a serious point and with the greatest of respect I must say that your response was not.

                  For the reasons I outlined I actually think Alpha should do more in this area and that you should continue to request that they do so. However, I would suggest that broadcasting unwarranted inferences about why they have not done so is no way to make your wish come true.

                  Bill
                  Bill Hanigsberg

                  Comment


                    #10
                    RE: Application Translation

                    This may come as a shock to you, but with over 60 million people Germany is one of the largest European countries. *

                    I think Alpha does what they can. Unfortunately, universal language support is not one of the issues that they have tackled. It would probably require a major effort on their part.

                    Cheers,
                    Peter

                    *My USA high school graduating class had 444 students! (BTW: I'm German too, Marcel)
                    :)
                    Peter
                    AlphaBase Solutions, LLC

                    [email protected]
                    https://www.alphabasesolutions.com


                    Comment


                      #11
                      RE: Application Translation


                      Marcel also forgot to mention all the Swiss and Austrian people which bring the total of german speaking prospective customers to about 80 Million!

                      So much for education :-)

                      But I know, that Alpha Software does know this and I am pretty sure, that they will address this question as soon as time and money permit. I've rarely seen a software company which is as customer oriented as Alpha is. So this is definitely not an issue of not paying enough attention to a specific customer segment but one of having to assign ressources (time, money, people) in a wise manner.

                      Greets from Switzerland!

                      Charles
                      SwissCharles
                      Between the Alps and a comfy place

                      Comment


                        #12
                        RE: Application Translation

                        Hi Bill,

                        It was not my intention to offend you. I see that I however did so. My appologies for that. Being not a native English speaker it is difficult to create the right atmosphere in your postings. Maybe another proof for the reason to get multi language support..... :-)

                        I understand that this may not be the best way to get the wish realized. Maybe this action came from the thought it will not be realized either way as there is no serious effort made to do so, neither in product development as in marketing efforts.

                        Of course it is a question of resources.
                        That may very well have been the reason for a lot of German customers to buy products from the large competitors who can meet their wishes.

                        And best of all is, I am not even a German..... I just have been in contact with some frustrated Germans who really loved Alpha Five but had to part from it for just this very reasons. And that is a little bit sad I think.

                        Furthermore, and that is the last I will criticise, when a company has sold over 1 million software products, as is stated on the website, at an average turnover of let us say $200, this makes following a simple calculation, $200 million dollar turnover. What does that tell you ?
                        Of course resources are always limited. However limited resources in this case do not seem to set the boundaries. It is more a question of what you do with it and whether you regard it as resources.

                        This is a question of decisionmaking. What do you want to produce and for whom. It is not like "we wanted to do it, but we did not had the resources". 200 million dollars can buy a lot of resources....

                        Greetings, and another appology,

                        Marcel

                        Comment


                          #13
                          RE: Application Translation

                          Marcel,

                          No apology is necessary but thank you all the same. I believe that in the medium term Alpha will do more in this area. I certainly hope so.

                          Bill
                          Bill Hanigsberg

                          Comment


                            #14
                            RE: Application Translation

                            Hi Marcel,

                            Take a look at:

                            http://www.eurocitysoftware.com/

                            They have 'Software Translator for Windows' to translate any Windows application 100% correct from one language to another without access to, or affect on, the translated application's source code.

                            Regards,

                            Marcel
                            Marcel

                            I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
                            ---- Confusius ----

                            Comment


                              #15
                              RE: Application Translation

                              Somehow I don't think they have $200M. But even if your math is right, it would be 200M/15-years?(however long Alpha has been in business) = 13M per year?

                              HHHmmm...I'm not sure about that.
                              Peter
                              AlphaBase Solutions, LLC

                              [email protected]
                              https://www.alphabasesolutions.com


                              Comment

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