Working in multilingual systems

By default, when performing a search in a multilingual system the search is run across all data in all available languages irrespective of the selected Data language: if the Data language is English and you search for titles containing the word gift, any record with a title in any language that contains the word gift will be returned.

With an Advanced search it is possible to restrict your search to a specific language.

Details here.

Details about importing data into Collections can be found here.

When importing data into a multilingual system it is important to understand that it is only possible to import data in one language at a time: data is imported in the current data language.

For example, to import data in English and Arabic, it is necessary to have two import files, one for each language. When importing the English data, ensure that the current data language is English; then switch the data language to Arabic and import the Arabic data.

The language used for labels in the Axiell Collections User Interface is changed independently of the language in which your data is recorded:

• The interface language is the language used for all labels throughout the Collections interface, including fields, panels, buttons, dialogue boxes, data sources, pop-up messages, tooltips, and enumerative fields (explained below), all of which are specified and translated in Axiell Designer A tool for designing, creating, customizing and managing Axiell Collections applications and databases, broadly speaking, the Axiell Collections Model Application. As well as managing databases, including user access and permissions, Designer is used for such tasks as translating field labels, tooltips, values in drop lists, etc..
• The data language is the language in which you enter details in all fields (with the exception of enumerative fields).

In a multilingual system it is possible to view and edit data in each available language by selecting a language from the Data language drop list.

Interface language

Select a language from the Interface language drop list to switch the language used for all labels in the Collections interface.

This option is used to switch the language used for all text in the Collections interface that is specified and translated in Axiell Designer A tool for designing, creating, customizing and managing Axiell Collections applications and databases, broadly speaking, the Axiell Collections Model Application. As well as managing databases, including user access and permissions, Designer is used for such tasks as translating field labels, tooltips, values in drop lists, etc., the Axiell Collections administration tool. This includes labels for all menus, fields and panels (in Record details View), buttons, dialogue boxes, data sources, pop-up messages:

as well as tooltips:

A field's system name can be translated in Axiell Designer and the translation will be shown in a tooltip in the current interface language (French in this example):

In the image above you will observe that although labels are French, the tooltip is French AND a value in the Name Type field (Type de nom) is also French, the data language is in fact still English.

The reason why the value in Type de nom is translated is that enumerative fields are read-only drop lists and their values are added and translated in Axiell Designer A tool for designing, creating, customizing and managing Axiell Collections applications and databases, broadly speaking, the Axiell Collections Model Application. As well as managing databases, including user access and permissions, Designer is used for such tasks as translating field labels, tooltips, values in drop lists, etc.: as a user you can select a value in an enumerative field, but you cannot add or translate a value.

In a multilingual system the language in which your record data is displayed and edited is switched with the Data language option in the Main menu. In this example the interface language is French and the data language is English:

Data language

In a multilingual environment it is possible to view and edit data in each available language by selecting a language from the Data language drop list. Selecting a language from the drop list will change the language in which data is displayed and edited in all fields - with the exception of enumerative fields, which are explained above.

As we see above, the Data section of the Field properties box includes an additional value for multilingual fields: Invariant. An invariant value is one that displays for all available data languages when no translation is currently available, ensuring that certain information in a record will display in the absence of a translation. It can also be useful for translators as no matter what language is selected from the Data language drop list, the value to be translated will display until it has been translated.

Note: As soon as a translation is available, the invariant value will no longer display.

The Invariant checkbox in the Field properties box is read-only and cannot be changed here.

Typically, a default Invariant language is set by Application Administrators at the database level across all fields (see Default invariant language in the Axiell Designer Help for details).

It is also possible to set an Invariant language manually on individual fields in the Multilingual Data box by selecting the radio button beside a translation.

Tip: Select Reset Invariant to restore the default Invariant language.

In the example above, the Notes field is multilingual:

• The English (en-US) value is flagged as Invariant.
• A German translation is provided.
• There is currently no French (Dutch, Arabic or Swedish) translation.

When the Data language is switched to French (or any of the other languages without a translation), the Notes field will be populated with the English value:

Invariants in practice

In our example, there is no French translation in the field, and when we change the Data language to French, the invariant English value displays in the field:

To indicate that the value is an invariant and inherited from another language, the value displays in a lighter grey font in Display mode A record is either in Display mode (we view its details) or Edit mode (we add or edit its details). A record enters Edit mode as soon as we create a new record, copy a record in Record details View or edit an existing record.:

As soon as the cursor is in the field, the invariant value disappears ready for the translation:

When the record is saved, the invariant value no longer displays:

When we open the Multilingual Data box now, we find the French value listed: