I've done this, and like any problem, there is more than one solution. The approach we took was to set all text on all pages as variables; using includes or custom tags for the "common" (i.e. header, footer, navigation) will make this task easier. All of the values for those variables were then stored in a database. The default language is set to the native language of the audience, which can be set as a cookie or a session variable (and which the user can change by selecting a new language), which you can then use to query against the database to grab the text values. For performance, you either want to cache the query output, OR you want to set the language variable in the URL and then you can use cfcache.
We also provided our own content management interface to allow the translators to easily translate the text from native language (English) to the other languages. Obviously, it's more complex than this, but that's the general idea. Pete ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "CF-Talk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, January 11, 2002 11:22 AM Subject: Multi-Language Application - Need Advice > Hello all - > > If you were told within the next year your application was going to be put > in 8 different languages, not including languages that use symbols, what > would be your approach. Most, if not all of our entry pages have text > describing what the user needs to do as well as many entry points for the > user to enter information. Im not concerned with multi-language input, > because most of our application the user enters name, address, phone, and > then numbers associated with pay increases. Is there 3rd party software > that can convert any US text on the screen to French, Spanish, etc. OR do > you table drive your entire application putting chunks of text and field > name labels in a database and call the appropriate language. (In this > scenario the user would set a language preference on login and all text > would be called using that preference setting.) What is "best practice"? I > certainly do not want to create a duplicate template for each language, > then if 1 code change has to occur it has to happen in 10 different > templates. > > Your advice/insight is appreciated. > Casey Cook > ______________________________________________________________________ Get Your Own Dedicated Windows 2000 Server PIII 800 / 256 MB RAM / 40 GB HD / 20 GB MO/XFER Instant Activation � $99/Month � Free Setup http://www.pennyhost.com/redirect.cfm?adcode=coldfusionb FAQ: http://www.thenetprofits.co.uk/coldfusion/faq Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/index.cfm?sidebar=lists
