Multilingual choice fields

Applies to version: 2019.1.x and above; author: Jacek Język

Introduction

WEBCON BPS platform allows you to manage business applications in multilingual environments. Particular parts of the form were designed in such a way, that you can provide translations to any language that is used by the users while creating the workflow. From version 2019.1.2 on multilingual choice fields are complimentary to forms created with multilingual usage in mind. This functionality allows you to define choice dictionaries so that the text displayed in them  is coherent with a language in which the form is presented to the user. 

Data sources for multilingual choice fields

Handling multiple languages in form' choice fields requires preparing a data source with which form field will be fed. The source must return multilingual text that includes translated values. 

To make it possible, use a predefined format that allows for setting a default name and its translations for specific languages. 

Data format

The format in which data has to be returned by the source has the following pattern:

DEFAULT_NAME$$LANG_CODE$$LANG_NAME$$ LANG_CODE $$ LANG_NAME …

It is possible to provide an unlimited number of translations, the only limit being the column size in the database to store translatable values.

Example

Below you can see an example of a phrase with a default value „Kolor” for which three translations were made – in English, German and Italian:

Kolor$$EN$$Colour$$DE$$Farbe$$IT$$Colore

Form field configuration

Handling multilingual names was introduced for the Choice field form field and item list columns of "Dropdown", "Popup search window" and "Autocomplete types". This functionality can be used in forms of both Classic and Modern types. For this functionality to work correctly, data sources feeding the form field must be appropriately prepared (as in the previous description) to return translated phrases from the data source in the proper format.  

Selecting the Support multi language names option allows you to activate this functionality and appropriate display of available translations on the form by the specified presentation language. 

Fig. 1. The "Support multi language names" option

Storing values in the database

Values chosen in form fields that handle multilingual names are saved in the database. Values are stored as text in the ID#NAME standard format, however the NAME includes translations of all languages returned by the data source at the time of saving the form. This approach allows values on the form to always be displayed accordingly with the presentation language. It also has some consequences which are important to remember while using the multilingual functionality:

• Limitations of the size of the data stored in the base – values of fields and choice columns saved in the database can be 1000 characters long. This limits the phrase length and the number of the translations themselves which together cannot be longer than 1000 characters.
• Translation changes in the data source are not taken into account for the saved value until the form was saved with the new translation.