Localizing the Smart Client Programs

Step 1: Download the Visual Studio Smart Client Localization Project

To localize the Smart Client programs, you must download the Smart Client Visual Studio (VS) project from Archibus Allbound ( https://eptura.allbound.com ). You can find the file in the Software Downloads section, under the "Localization" title for the desired version release.

If the Software Downloads section for a particular version does not contain this file it is because there are no new strings for this version. A file from a previous version can be used.

If you are translating for the first time and your version does not have a file to download, you can use the file from a previous version. For example, SmartClient V.25.3 does not have any new strings. If you are translating for the first time and have Archibus V.25.3, you can use the V.25.2 localization file.

Step 2: Extract translatable strings from the .resx

In this step, you use the Web Central Localization application to read the translatable strings from the .resx and store them in the localization tables.

Locate the English .resx in the Smart Client Visual Studio project, and place them in the ...\archibus\projects\users\ai\localize\ folder, where “ai” is the username that you use to log into Web Central.
In Web Central, go to Technologies / Localization / Localization / Read or Write Translatable Files .
Select the target Language.
Choose “Include All Applications…”.
Check “Resource files (.resx)”.
Click on “Read Files”. The localization kit extracts the translatable strings for the Smart Client.

Step 3: Export the translatable strings to a spreadsheet

After extracting the translatable strings, follow the normal process for obtaining translations by exporting the strings to a spreadsheet. Your translator can use the spreadsheet to enter the required translations.

In Web Central, go to System / Localization Manager / Export or Import Localization Extract Files .
Select the target language from the Language list.
Select "Include all strings" or "Only strings requiring translation" (to include only strings that have not yet been translated into the target language).
Select the file format.
Click Export Extract Files.

The links to the extracted files appear in the Exported Files section of the screen. These files contain the translatable strings. Your translator can add translations to this spreadsheet.

Step 4: Import the translated strings

Once you have received the spreadsheet back from the translators, you import the file back into the localization tables.

In Web Central, go to System / Localization Manager / Export or Import Localization Extract File s.
Select the target language from the Language list.
Click Import or Compare Extract Files.
Follow the instructions from the wizard to import the files with the translated strings. If more details are needed, see Importing Localization Extract Files .

Step 5: Create the translated *.resx

After translations have been obtained and you have imported the translated strings into the localization tables, you are ready to create localized Smart Client files.

Place the English .resx into the . ..\archibus\projects\users\ai\localize\ folder, where “ai” is the user name that you use to log into Web Central.
Go to System / Localization Manager / Read or Write Translatable Files .
Select the target Language.
Choose “Include All Applications…”.
Check “Resource files (.resx)”.
Click on “Write Files”. The localization kit will create translated *.resx with locale suffix (that is, Resources.fr-FR.resx) based on the English file (that is, Resources.resx).

Step 6: Build the language-specific Resource DLLs

To build the language-specific Resource.DLLs:

You must install .NET Framework.
To add the resource files to a project, you have to use Visual Studio (VS). If you do not have Visual Studio installed, then download and install the express version of VS 2010, using the following URL:
http://www.microsoft.com/visualstudio/eng/products/visual-studio-express-products

Note : Visual Studio is needed for the convenience of adding resource files to the project. If you have VS 2008 installed and want to build the project using it, you must also install VS 2008 SP1.
Under the C: drive, create a folder and name it Localization.
Log in to Archibus Allbound (https://eptura.allbound.com), download the VS Smart Client Localization Project, and copy the downloaded SmartClient folder into the Localization folder you created in Step 3.
In the downloaded SmartClient folder, copy the newly localized resource files into the corresponding projects.
Your localized .resx files must follow .NET naming convention and should be named in the following format: <filename.xx-XX>.resx , where xx indicates the country and XX indicates the locale or national variant. For example, following the NET conventions, the resource file for German language is - MainForm.de-DE.resx.
Open VS and add the new resource files to the corresponding projects. Save all the changes.
Start the build.
As an alternative to building the project using VS, you can use the .NET compiler. To do so, create a file with the extension of .bat or .cmd, and copy and paste the following context, being sure to use the directory name that corresponds to the version of .NET:

Set SLN_PATH= C:\Localization\SmartClient\ Localization.sln
Set LOG_PATH=C:\Localization\Logs\rs_log.txt
del /q “%LOG_PATH%”

C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\vXX\msbuild.exe “%SLN_PATH%” /t:Rebuild /p:Configuration=Release /fileloggerparameters:LogFile=“%LOG_PATH%”
Once the build finishes, you can find the newly built resource dll’s in the C:\Localization\SmartClient\SmartClient.DLL\xx-XX folder. The xx-XX name represents the .NET language convention.
Put the newly build resource dll’s into the xx-XX folder which is located beneath the SmartClient installation directory.
If the xx-XX folder already exists, then copy the build resource dll’s into that folder. If it does not exist, then you have to copy the folder from \Localization\SmartClient\SmartClient.DLL\xx-XX into the SmartClient installation directory.

The following shows the Smart Client localized project structure:
Test the UI of your localized Smart Client program.