Language Dependent Files

The text and the images that are required to be localized, must be defined in language-specific resource and icon files. You must specify the filenames and path of the resource files in the PKG file, for the resource files to be installed on the Symbian device. Based on the parameters specified in the PKG file, the resource files that are specific to the supported languages on the Symbian device are installed or the resource files for the language selected by the Symbian device user are installed.

This section explains the ways of specifying resource files, based on the requirement for installing resource files for languages supported on the Symbian device, or language selected by the Symbian device user, during installation.

• Specific to the languages supported by the Symbian device

• Specific to the language selected by the Symbian device user

• Specific to the languages supported by the Symbian device or language selected by Symbian device user

Specific to the languages supported by the Symbian device

Specify each of the language-specific resource files within an IF conditional block and set the SUPPORTED_LANGUAGE parameter to a TLanguage numerical value, as shown in the following code snippet:

if supported_language=01 
    "HelloWorld.r01"          -"!: \ resource\apps\HelloWorld.r01"
endif

if supported_language=02 
    "HelloWorld.r02"          -"!: \ resource\apps\HelloWorld.r02"
endif

During installation, the languages supported by the Symbian device are matched with the languages supported in the SIS file. The result is based on the following two conditions:

• If an exact match is found, the files corresponding to that language are copied to the Symbian device.

  For example, if the SIS file specifies UK English(01), French(02) and Zulu(98), and the Symbian device supports only UK English(01) and French(02), during installation, only the files related to UK English(01) and French(02) are copied to the Symbian device. The files for Zulu(98) are not copied to the Symbian device.

• If an exact match is not found for any of the device supported languages, the files for all equivalent languages (supported by the SIS files) corresponding to each of the device supported languages are copied to the Symbian device.

  For example, if the SIS file supports UK English(01), French(02) and International English(47), and the Symbian device supports only American English(10) then during installation, as an exact match for American English is not found, the files for UK English and International English (both equivalent match) are copied to the Symbian device.

Important:

Language-specific resource files must have filenames with language-specific extensions. For example, the resource files for UK English(01) must have the filename as Filename.r01.

If you use the .rsc file extension, as shown in the following code snippet, and if both the languages are supported on the Symbian device, the resource files of UK English(01) are overwritten by resource files of French (02) language during installation.

if supported_language=01 //UK English
    "HelloWorld.r01"          -"!: \ resource\apps\HelloWorld.rsc" //do not use this extension format
endif

if supported_language=02 //French
    "HelloWorld.r02"          -"!: \ resource\apps\HelloWorld.rsc"
endif

Specific to the language selected by the Symbian device user

You can use one of the following formats:

• Format1

• Format2

Format1

Specify each of the language-specific resource files within an IF conditional block and set the LANGUAGE parameter to a TLanguage numerical value, as shown in the following code snippet:

if language=01
    "HelloWorld.r01"          -"!: \ resource\apps\HelloWorld.r01"
endif

if language=02
    "HelloWorld.r02"          -"!: \ resource\apps\HelloWorld.r02"
endif

During installation, Symbian device user is prompted to select a language. Based on the selection, the resource files for the selected language are installed.

For example, if the SIS file specifies UK English(01) and French(02), Symbian device user is prompted to select UK English or French language for installation. Based on the selection, the resource files for the selected language are copied to the Symbian device.

If the Symbian device supports only one language, the resource files for only that language are installed. In this scenario the Symbian device user is not prompted to select a language for installation.

Format2

The syntax is as follows:

{"source-filename1", "source-filename2", ...} - "destination-filename"[, install-options]

For example:

{
"examples\HelloWorld\HelloWorld.ruk"
"examples\HelloWorld\HelloWorld.rfr"
"examples\HelloWorld\HelloWorld.rzu"
}-"!:\resource\apps\HelloWorld.rsc"

For a description of each argument, see Language-Neutral Files.

• The opening brace denotes the start of the block of language-dependent files.

• The order of the files must be the same as the order in which the languages are specified in the languages line.

• The number of files specified must be the same as the number of languages supported.

• Install options can be specified after the destination name, for example, FT to display a language specific dialog.

• Language dependent file blocks, and other conditional blocks are evaluated at the end of the installation. For example, the executables launched using FILERUN or FILEMIME statements must not depend on conditionally installed or language-dependent files in the same package file.

This format is commonly used to specify lists of resource files. Resource files are installed to \resource\apps.

If a resource file is to be accessed only by the application, it can be installed to the application's private directory, \private\<process SID>\. The SID (secure ID) is normally the same as the UID3, which is specified in the MMP file.

An application registration (resource) file is an exception. The applications built into the ROM must provide their registration file in the z:\private\10003a3f\apps and applications installed through Software Installer must locate their registration file in \private\10003a3f\import\apps.

Also, ECom registration resource files for ECom plug-ins must be installed in \resource\plugins\.

Specific to the languages supported by the Symbian device or language selected by Symbian device user

Specify each of the language-specific resource files within an IF conditional block and set the SUPPORTED_LANGUAGE and LANGUAGE parameters to a TLanguage numerical value separated by an OR condition, as shown in the following code snippet:

if supported_language=02 or language=02
    "HelloWorld.r01"          -"!: \ resource\apps\HelloWorld.r01"
endif

if supported_language=98 or language=98
    "HelloWorld.r98"          -"!: \ resource\apps\HelloWorld.r98"
endif

Important: Language-specific resource files must have filenames with language-specific extensions. For example, the resource files for UK English(01) must have the filename as Filename.r01.

If the SIS file does not include the Symbian device supported languages or its equivalent, the Symbian device user is prompted to select a language. Based on the selection, the files for the selected language are installed.

For example, if the SIS file supports French(02) and Zulu(98), and the Symbian device supports UK English(01) and German(03), the Symbian device user is prompted to select French or Zulu language for installation. Based on the selection, the files for the selected language are installed.