Using Multiple Languages

A single QAD database can be set up with multiple domains, each with a distinct language. With a Unicode database, languages with different code pages can be supported in the same database. Defining a Unicode database is an installation option described in the relevant installation guide for your system.

Unicode is a data storage and display protocol—essentially a combination of a code page and collation table. The QAD Unicode database uses the UTF-8 code page, which includes all characters from all languages; the collation table sets the sort order for those characters for display or reporting. The advantage of Unicode is that one database can contain as many languages as you require. Without Unicode, a single database can include only languages that share the same code page—such as French, German, and Spanish—or languages with compatible code pages—such as English and Chinese.

Each user is also assigned a language. A user logging in through the .NET UI can access any domain in a Unicode database regardless of their associated language. The character client, however, does not support Unicode. A user logging in through the character UI must log in to a domain with a code page that is compatible with the language they are assigned, as defined in Domain Create (36.1.1.1.1). For more information on domains, see QAD Financials User Guide.

Example: A database includes three domains: French, Chinese, and English. John is assigned the Chinese language. John can log in to all three domains in the .NET UI. When using the character UI, John cannot log in to the French domain; an error displays if he tries to do this.

All single set of r-code can be used with all supported languages. Language-specific data is loaded during installation. Based on the language associated with the user, screen labels, menus, messages, and field help is displayed in the appropriate language.

Labels, menus, and messages are stored in the production database. Field help is in the field help database, mfghelp.db.To retrieve data in multiple languages, each of these types of information is stored once in each language.

Most orders include comments, which often must be in multiple languages. These can be stored in multiple languages and retrieved by language ID. You can also customize menus and messages and assign a language ID so the system knows which entry to display.

Standard programs support only a limited amount of data that is stored and displayed by language ID. This data is defined in Language Detail Maintenance (36.4.2). However, component-based functions provide extended translation features. You can provide your own language translations for descriptions of shared data such as accounts, sub-accounts, and cost centers. For more information on the Translation Option, see Introduction to QAD Enterprise Applications User Guide.