Note: The information contained in this article is structured as help information for the System Management Interface Tool (SMIT) and is not intended for use as a procedural or conceptual article.
Your primary language environment combines three elements: a cultural convention or local, language translation, and keyboard map, which determine how the system displays the text in menus and messages on your system.
A cultural convention (also referred to as a locale) deals with collation, character typing, and numeric, monetary, and time-of-day representations that are unique to a specific language territory.
A language translation provides the appropriate system message catalogs that comprise a language (such as English, French, or Japanese).
A keyboard map provides the correspondence between each key on the keyboard and the output generated when the key is pressed.
Your installation media contains all of the supported cultural conventions, language translations, and keyboard maps. During BOS installation, only the three default elements selected are installed. You can change, add, or remove the language environment elements that are set up on your system, add language translations for applications, set up a language preference hierarchy, and convert system messages and files to the appropriate code set.
You must first log off and then log in again to the system for the change to the language environment to become effective.
Your primary language environment combines three elements: a cultural convention or local, language translation, and keyboard map, which determine how the system displays the text in menus and messages on your system.
A cultural convention (also referred to as a locale) deals with collation, character typing, and numeric, monetary, and time-of-day representations that are unique to a specific language territory.
A language translation provides the appropriate system message catalogs that comprise a language (such as English, French, or Japanese).
A keyboard map provides the correspondence between each key on the keyboard and the output generated when the key is pressed.
Your installation media contains all of the supported cultural conventions, language translations, and keyboard maps. During BOS installation, only the three default elements selected are installed. You can change, add, or remove the language environment elements that are set up on your system, add language translations for applications, set up a language preference hierarchy, and convert system messages and files to the appropriate code set.
You must first log off and then log in again to the system for the change to the language environment to become effective.
Your primary language environment combines three elements: a cultural convention or local, language translation, and keyboard map, which determine how the system displays the text in menus and messages on your system.
A cultural convention (also referred to as a locale) deals with collation, character typing, and numeric, monetary, and time-of-day representations that are unique to a specific language territory.
A language translation provides the appropriate system message catalogs that comprise a language (such as English, French, or Japanese).
A keyboard map provides the correspondence between each key on the keyboard and the output generated when the key is pressed.
Your installation media contains all of the supported cultural conventions, language translations, and keyboard maps. During BOS installation, only the three default elements selected are installed. You can change, add, or remove the language environment elements that are set up on your system, add language translations for applications, set up a language preference hierarchy, and convert system messages and files to the appropriate code set.
You must first log off and then log in again to the system for the change to the language environment to become effective.
Displays the screen from which you can view or change the primary (default) language environment for your system. The primary language environment determines the collation, character typing, and numeric, monetary, and time-of-day representations, as well as the language that is used in menu and message text on your system.
The language environment contains three elements:
A cultural convention (also referred to as a locale) deals with collation, character typing, and numeric, monetary, and time-of-day representations that are unique to a specific language territory.
A language translation provides the appropriate system message catalogs that comprise a language (such as English, French, or Japanese).
A keyboard map provides the correspondence between each key on the keyboard and the output generated when the key is pressed.
Each cultural convention is based on a code set (a numerical representation for the set of symbols that is known as a character set). Similarly, the message catalogs that comprise a specific language translation and each keyboard map is based on a code set. The code sets of the language environment elements must be compatible to display the language environment correctly.
You can change your primary (default) language environment to a different primary language environment that uses a set of commonly used language environment elements, or you can create or customize your own set of elements.
Note: During Base Operating System (BOS) installation, your system's primary language environment was selected, and only the packages associated with that language environment were installed. Other language environment elements can be installed on your system using the Add Additional Language Environments option after the initial Base Operating System (BOS) installation selections.
The elements of the previous primary and any added language environments remain installed on your system, and you can use them if you override the primary language environment elements with the chlang command or the appropriate environment variables.
Displays the fields in which you can change your primary language environment to commonly used combination of cultural convention, language translation, and keyboard settings.
The primary language environment determines the collation, character typing, and numeric, monetary, and time-of-day representations, as well as the language that is used in menu and message text on your system.
A language environment is composed of a set of three elements: a cultural convention, a language translation, and a keyboard map. The code sets of these elements must be compatible to display the language environment appropriately.
For convenience, the Base Operating System (BOS) provides several commonly used combinations, or sets, of these elements that you can use as your primary language environment. (You can also create your own set of of language environment elements using the Change/Show Cultural Convention, Language or Keyboard option).
Displays the string containing the current set of primary language environment elements (prefixed with the name of their compatible code set). To see the entire string, you may have to scroll horizontally through the field.
The primary language environment elements determine the collation, character typing, and numeric, monetary, and time-of-day representations, as well as the language that is used in menu and message text on your system.
Use the list to display the commonly used language environment element sets that the Base Operating System (BOS) supports. If you select an element set that is not already installed, the system will install it from the specified input device. (If your input device is a CD-ROM or tape, be sure to insert the correct media in the input device.)
Note: The primary language environment is the default language environment for all users on the system. Individual users can override the default language environment with the chlang command or the appropriate environment variables.
Displays the name of the code set used by all three language environment elements in this set. The code sets of the language environment elements must be compatible to display the language environment correctly.
The code set is a numerical representation for a set of symbols (known as a character set). Each cultural convention is based on the code set, as is each message catalog comprising the language translation and each keyboard map. Some code sets are general industry standards and others are proprietary (that is, owned by an individual or company).
Displays the name of the cultural convention defined in this language environment element set.
The cultural convention (also referred to as a locale) deals with collation, character typing, and numeric, monetary, and time-of-day representations that are unique to a specific language territory.
Displays the name of the language translation defined in this language environment element set.
The language translation provides the appropriate message catalogs that comprise a language (such as English, French, or Japanese).
Displays the name of the keyboard map defined in this language environment element set.
The keyboard map provides the correspondence between each key on the keyboard and the output generated when the key is pressed.
Displays the current software source. If you specified a primary installation device using the Set Installation Device option, then the installation device that you selected is displayed here.
You can enter or select from the associated list other input devices (such as CD-ROMs, tapes, diskettes, or local and remote files and directories) that contain the language environment elements. If you use an input device other than the system, you must be sure that the installation media is inserted correctly or available to you.
Selection of an input device is only required when the cultural convention, language translation, or keyboard map selected is not currently installed.
To enter an input device, specify the full path to a software source or medium, and the system will install the appropriate software for you.
Displays the fields in which you can view and change the individual elements of your primary language environment.
The primary language environment determines the collation, character typing, and numeric, monetary, and time-of-day representations, as well as the language that is used in menu and message text on your system.
A language environment is composed of a set of three elements: a cultural convention, a language translation, and a keyboard map. The code sets of these elements must be compatible to display the language environment appropriately.
Use these fields to make substitutions within the current primary language environment element set. For example, you can change to another cultural convention while keeping the current language translation and keyboard map; or, you can keep the cultural convention and language translation but change to another keyboard map. You can also specify three entirely different elements from the ones in your current primary language environment.
After you make your changes, the system checks the code sets to be sure that they are compatible. The code sets of the language environment elements must be compatible to display the language environment correctly.
Note: The primary language environment is the default language environment for all users on the system. Individual users can override the default language environment with the chlang command or the appropriate environment variables.
Displays the name of the current cultural convention (prefixed with its code set) specified in your primary language environment.
The cultural convention (also referred to as a locale) deals with collation, character typing, and numeric, monetary, and time-of-day representations that are unique to a specific language territory.
You cannot type an entry in this field; instead, use the list to display the cultural conventions that the Base Operating System (BOS) supports. If you select a cultural convention that is not already installed, the system will install it from the specified input device. (If your input device is a CD-ROM or tape, be sure to insert the correct media in the input device).
Specifies the name of the cultural convention for the specified user.
The cultural convention (also referred to as a locale) deals with collation, character typing, and numeric, monetary, and time-of-day representations that are unique to a specific language territory.
You cannot type an entry in this field; instead, use the list to display the cultural conventions (prefixed with its code set) that the Base Operating System (BOS) supports. If you select a cultural convention that is not already installed, the system will install it from the specified input device. (If your input device is a CD-ROM or tape, be sure to insert the correct media in the input device).
Displays the name of the user whose languages you want to set.
Displays the name of the current language translation (prefixed with its code set) specified in your primary language environment.
The language translation provides the appropriate Base Operating System message catalogs that comprise a language (such as English, French, or Japanese).
You cannot type an entry in this field; instead, use the list to display the language translations that the Base Operating System (BOS) supports. If you select a language translation that is not already installed, the system will install it from the specified input device. (If your input device is a CD-ROM or tape, be sure to insert the correct media in the input device).
Displays the name of the current type of keyboard map (prefixed with its code set) specified in your primary language environment.
The keyboard map provides the correspondence between each key on the keyboard and the output generated when the key is pressed.
You cannot type an entry in this field; instead, use the list to display the keyboard maps that the Base Operating System (BOS) supports. If you select a keyboard map that is not already installed, the system will install it from the specified input device. (If your input device is a CD-ROM or tape, be sure to insert the correct media in the input device).
Server Side Support Locales do not have National Language Support for the low-function terminal (LFT) keyboard. The "C [POSIX]" keyboard is set by default for these locales.
Displays the fields that you can use to install language environment elements to use in addition to the default language environment. (The primary language environment sets the default for all users on the system; individual user accounts can override the defaults with the chlang command or the appropriate environment variables.)
During Base Operating System (BOS) installation, your system's primary language environment is selected and only the packages associated with the selected cultural convention, language translation, and keyboard map are installed.
Note: The lists on this menu contain only the cultural conventions and language translations not currently installed on your system. To list the language environment elements currently installed on your system, you can use the lslpp -l command.
Displays the name of a cultural convention not installed on your system (preceded by its code set). The default cultural convention in the primary language environment sets the default for all users on the system; individual user accounts can override this default with the chlang command or the appropriate environment variables.
The cultural convention (also referred to as a locale) deals with collation, character typing, and numeric, monetary, and time-of-day representations that are unique to a specific language territory.
You cannot type an entry in this field. Use the list to view the supported cultural conventions that are not installed on your system.
Note: To list the language environment elements currently installed on your system, you can use the lslpp -l command.
To install a specific cultural convention, select it from the list and be sure you specify the correct path to the installation media containing language environment elements (for example, your CD-ROM drive or a remote directory).
Displays the name of a language translation not installed on your system (preceded by its code set). The default language translation in the primary language environment sets the default for all users on the system; individual user accounts can override this default with the chlang command or the appropriate environment variables.
The language translation provides the appropriate message catalogs that comprise a language (such as English, French, or Japanese).
You cannot type an entry in this field. Use the list to view the supported language translations that are not installed on your system.
Note: To list the language environment elements currently installed on your system, you can use the lslpp -l command.
To install a specific language translation, select it from the list and be sure you specify the correct path to the installation media containing language environment elements (for example, your CD-ROM drive or a remote directory).
Displays the fields you can use to remove language translations and cultural conventions that are installed on your system.
When you remove these elements from your system, the installp command removes them from your system and frees up the disk space they occupied. If you want to use these elements again, you must provide the appropriate installation media in the input device and use the appropriate language environment option (Change/Show Primary Language Environment or Add Additional Language Environments).
Note: If you remove the language translation or cultural convention currently specified as your primary language environment, that cultural convention and/or language translation will no longer be available for use. You should first change your primary language environment using the Change/Show Primary Language Environment option before removing an unwanted cultural convention or language translation.
Provides an entry field in which you can specify the language translation to remove from your system. The language translation provides the appropriate Base Operating System message catalogs that comprise a language (such as English, French, or Japanese).
You cannot type an entry in this field; instead select an entry from the list provided. The list contains all of the language translations installed on your system.
When you remove a language translation from your system, the installp command removes it from your system and frees up the disk space it occupied. If you want to use this language translation again, you must provide the appropriate installation media in the input device and use the appropriate language environment option (Change/Show Primary Language Environment or Add Additional Language Environments).
Note: If you remove the language translation or cultural convention currently specified as your primary language environment, that cultural convention and/or language translation will no longer be available for use. You should first change your primary language environment using the Change/Show Primary Language Environment option before removing an unwanted cultural convention or language translation.
Provides an entry field in which you can specify the cultural convention to remove from your system. The cultural convention (also referred to as a locale) deals with collation, character typing, and numeric, monetary, and time-of-day representations that are unique to a specific language territory.
You cannot type an entry in this field; instead select an entry from the list provided. The list contains all of the cultural conventions installed on your system.
When you remove a cultural convention from your system, the installp command removes it from your system and frees up the disk space it occupied. If you want to use this cultural convention again, you must provide the appropriate installation media in the input device and use the appropriate language environment option (Change/Show Primary Language Environment or Add Additional Language Environments).
Note: If you remove the language translation or cultural convention currently specified as your primary language environment, that cultural convention and/or language translation will no longer be available for use. You should first change your primary language environment using the Change/Show Primary Language Environment option before removing an unwanted cultural convention or language translation.
Displays the screen you can use to view the system language environment hierarchy and to add or change language preferences in the hierarchy.
The system uses the language translation specified in your primary language environment to display menu and message text. When you have language translations listed in a preference hierarchy, the system can use one of the alternate languages for displaying menu and message text if your primary (default) language translation is not supported or installed for an application. For those cultural conventions that do not have a corresponding language translation, the first preference in the hierarchy will already be set to the desired translation.
For example, if you work primarily with German on your system but can also use Dutch and French, you can set up your preference hierarchy with German as your first language translation choice, Dutch as your second choice, and French as your third choice. Then, if you have some applications for which no German translation is provided but for which a Dutch translation exists, the system switches and displays menus and message text in Dutch. If no German or Dutch translation exists but a French translation does, the system switches and displays menus and message text in French.
The default language hierarchy is for all users on the system. You can also change the preference hierarchy for individual user accounts using the chlang command or the appropriate environment variables.
Note: To change the default language translation, use the Change/Show Language Environment option (that is available from the Manage Language Environment screen).
Specifies an alternate language translation that the system uses for displaying menus and messages if the primary (default) language translation is not available.
Enter the language territory abbreviation for the desired translation (for example, enter en_US for English, de_DE for German), or use the list to display the supported language translations and select an option from the list.
Note: You can install additional language translations for the Base Operating System (BOS) using the Add Language Environments option (from the Manage Language Environment menu) and for your applications using the Change/Show Language for Applications menu.
Displays the screen you can use to list the applications for which language translations have been installed, add supported language translations for applications, and remove language translations.
Displays a list of the applications for which a language translation is installed.
Note: You can install additional language translations for the Base Operating System (BOS) using the Add Language Environments option (from the Manage Language Environment menu) and for your applications using the Change/Show Language for Applications menu.
Provides the field in which to specify a language translation. You cannot enter a value in this field. Use the list to display the language translations currently installed on your system and select an option from the list.
The applications installed on your system that are supported by the language translation are displayed in a list that contains:
Displays the fields you can use to determine if the language translations for your language-enabled applications are installed on your system, and to install a language translation if necessary.
For example, if you specify French in the Language Translation field, the system displays a list containing the resident applications supported in French if the French language translation is not installed. If the French language translation is installed and there are resident applications that support French, the list is null or blank.
Note: To install a language translation, supply the path to the installation media in the Input Device field.
Provides the field in which to specify a language translation that may need to be installed.
You cannot enter a value in this field. Use the list to display the language translations currently installed on your system and select an option from the list.
After you process your request, the system displays a list containing the resident applications supported in that language if the language translation is not installed. If the language translation is installed and there are resident applications that support the language translation, the list is null or blank.
Note: To install a language translation, supply the path to the installation media in the Input Device field.
Provides a field you can use to identify the applications that have supported translations you have not installed. The default value is ALL applications.
You cannot enter a value in this field. Use the list to display the language translations currently installed on your system and select an option from the list.
After you process your request, the system displays a list containing the resident applications supported in that language if the language translation is not installed. If the language translation is installed and there are resident applications that support the language translation, the list is null or blank.
Note: To install a language translation, supply the path to the installation media in the Input Device field.
Displays the fields you can use to determine if you have language translations installed that support specified applications and to remove them if they are no longer needed.
Note: If you remove the language translation or cultural convention currently specified as your primary language environment, that cultural convention and/or language translation will no longer be available for use. You should first change your primary language environment using the Change/Show Primary Language Environment option before removing an unwanted cultural convention or language translation.
Provides a field in which to specify the language translation to remove.
You cannot enter a value in this field. Use the list to display the language translations currently installed on your system and select an option from the list.
After you process your request, the system displays a list of the applications that support the language translation (if the language translation is installed).
Note: You cannot remove the language translation specified in your primary language environment. You must first change the language translation in your primary language environment before specifying it as the language translation to remove.
Provides a field you can use to identify the applications that have supported translations you have installed. The default value is ALL applications.
You cannot enter a value in this field. Use the list to display the language translations currently installed on your system and select an option from the list.
After you process your request, the system removes the specified language translation. To use the language translation again, you must install it again (see the Add Additional Language for Applications Already Installed Environments option).
Displays the fields you can use to convert the code sets of system messages or flat files. A code set is a numerical representation for a set of symbols (known as a character set). Some code sets are general industry standards and others are proprietary (that is, owned by an individual or company).
When converting one code set to another code set, the system creates an image of the original code set so that both code sets exist on your system (that is, the system does not write the converted code set over the original; it creates a new file for the converted code set).
The flat file conversion converts only text; it cannot convert special formatting instructions. You can convert code sets of flat (or text-only) files that you send to or receive from other users so your system can use, sort, and display data appropriately.
A special conversion is provided for converting message catalogs because they are typically written in a specific format. The code sets for the message catalogs purchased and shipped with this product are supported. However, you may need to convert the code sets for applications that you add to your system.
Converts a message catalog file from one code set encoding to the code set you specify.
A code set is a numerical representation for a set of symbols (known as a character set). Some code sets are general industry standards and others are proprietary (that is, owned by an individual or company).
A special conversion is provided for converting message catalogs because they are typically written in a specific format.
The code sets for the message catalogs purchased and shipped with the Base Operating System (BOS) are supported. Therefore, in most cases, code set conversion of message catalogs using this option will not be required. However, you can have some other applications for which only a default code set for their message catalogs has been provided and you may need that message to an alternate code set.
Enter the path name of the message catalog file to be converted. You can enter a fully qualified file name or just the file name with no preceding directory name. If the directory name is omitted, it is assumed that the message catalog file resides in the directory
/usr/lib/nls/msg/source_language
where source_language is the value specified in the LOCALE of source message catalog field.
Enter the path name for the converted message catalog file. You can enter a fully qualified file name or just the file name with no preceding directory name. If the directory name is omitted, it is assumed that the message catalog file resides in the directory as the source message catalog, except that any occurrence of the source language/territory abbreviation would be replaced with the target language/territory abbreviation. If no file name at all is entered, it is assumed to be the same name as the source message catalog.
For example, if the source message catalog was located in the file /usr/lpp/abc/msg/fr_FR/def.cat , and you were converting the file from French ISO8859-1 (fr_FR) to French IBM-850 (Fr_FR), then the message catalog name would be assumed to be:
/usr/lpp/abc/msg/Fr_FR/def.cat.
Indicates the language/territory combination (locale) that the source message message catalog is intended to be used with. You can either enter a language territory abbreviation in the field (for example, fr_FR for French ISO8859-1 codeset), or select a value from the list of locales that BOS supports.
Indicates the language/territory combination (locale) that the target message message catalog is intended to be used with. You can either enter a language territory abbreviation in the field (for example, fr_FR for French ISO8859-1 codeset), or select a value from the list of locales that BOS supports.
If no target locale is entered, the locale abbreviation is derived from the locale of the source message catalog by changing the first character from uppercase to lowercase, or from lowercase to uppercase. The case of the first letter usually distinguishes between an industry standard code set and a proprietary code set.
Example:
IBM-932 is a proprietary codeset for Japan that is supported by BOS. The locale abbreviation is Ja_JP.
IBM-eucJP is an industry standard codeset for Japan that is supported by BOS. The locale abbreviation is ja_JP.
Creates an image of the file you specify and converts the encoding in the new file to the code set you specify.
The flat file conversion converts only text; it cannot convert special formatting instructions. You can convert code sets of flat (or text-only) files that you send to or receive from other users so that your system can use, sort, and display data appropriately.
Specifies the file to convert from one code set to another.
Specifies the code set of the file to convert.
Specifies the file name for the image file to convert to the new code set.
Specifies the code set to which to convert the image file.