Multilanguage is one of the features now present in the 9.0 version of GeneXus. Now, when a Knowledge Base is created or converted, GeneXus automatically creates a “language object” (a new type of GeneXus object) in the Location directory for each predefined language (English, Italian, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, and Traditional Chinese). When automatic translation is activated, GeneXus builds a list of string constants used in the GeneXus code as objects. By default, these string constants are in the language specified in the  Language Master Model property (File/Edit Model in Design). Once the list is complete and all the string constants are translated by the corresponding person to the selected language, the application will also be translated.

However, starting with this new GeneXus version –GeneXus Rocha-, the multilanguage option will be modified so that, unlike the current feature in the 9.0 version, the language switch may be performed in the runtime mode. At the same time, in Rocha, German will be a Standard language. And this is due to the work of Lorenz Gallmann.

Lorenz has been a GeneXus user for several years and is currently living in Switzerland. “I have been working with GeneXus for 16 years. We do not use GeneXus at work, but from time to time I build an application prototype with GeneXus for study purposes. I came up with the translation because I am currently working in Switzerland and I am testing the trial version. I saw that it is possible to choose among several languages, but German was not included” said Gallmann.

According to Lorenz, “in order to do the translation, I first duplicated the English version in an xml file and from there I started to replace the English texts with the German translation on the duplicate. When I had a doubt I checked with the Spanish text, (for example for words such as  Work Panel that are not translated). In other cases I looked for alternative on the Internet (for example instead of translating refresh as “erneuern” (that means renew), I translated it as“neu laden” (“reload”). There were cases in which I had to choose between the German version and the English version; in Switzerland, more often than in Germany, in many cases the English words are used, even when there is a correct translation. So, whenever possible I used the correct German words”.

“During all the process I had the constant support of Armin Bachmann, María Laura Marrero and Analía Garchitorena of Artech, although the process was not really complicated. XML is very easy to manage and definetely adequate for multilanguage” said Gallmann.

Lorenz Gallman’s initiative led to the creation of a new category in GXopen –called “Localization-Languages”- where any Community member may add translations to different languages. It is important to highlight the fact that it is possible to upload not only language translations but also by industry, since there are surely translations for texts that are used in the fields of finance, pharmaceutics, or even bio-medicine, among others. With this new tool, these texts may now be published in GXopen so that other members of the community can use them, thus saving time and money. But above all, as a proof that team work and the help of the GeneXus Community are  very valuable resources.