How to make complex QTO functions easily localizeable?

[Stefan Bender]

Dear developers,

we are adding some qto functions ('ObjectData') to a few of our PIOs. These plug-ins are meant to be used in different countries so they should be easily localizeable.

Some of these QTO functions are a little complex and require more than one parameter.

Some of these parameters must be strings from a given list, like parts of the plug-in or words like "interior" or "exterior".

 

Let's say a function allows three additional parameters

ObjectData('keyword',<param1>,<param2>,<param3>)

and the string in the Opt Desc.vwstrings file would be 

"ObjectData-keyword"      = "Objektdaten('keyword';<param1>;<param2>;<param3>)";

 

A sample would be:

"ObjectData-doorhandletype"      = "Objektdaten('DoorHandleType';<InteriorOrExterior>;<NoOfLeaf>)";

 

How can we make sure that users may use a localized version of 'DoorHandleType' or 'Interior/Exterior' when calling this?
And how can we make sure that they see these localized names in the function description?

And how can we define a list of valid localized options for <param1> and <param2>, in case of the sample the localized versions of "Interior" and "Exterior"?

 

In theory, it is possible to support localized options, but all potential solutions would require more string files and  a manual synchronization between these string files and the  strings in Opt Desc.vwstrings and Opt Desc DB.vwstrings. It is very likely that localizers will fail to do this correctly and thus the localized versions of the PIO will fail or display an incorrect description.

 

So my question is if there is a proposed workflow for such a synchronization, maybe some additional strings in OptDesc.vwstrings or something? I think there should be some sort of universal and localized name for function options and also for each parameter. The localized names should be stored in a localizeable string file and be used by VW when displaying the function descriptions. Or does this sort of workflow already exist?

 

Thanks for any help,

Stefan Bender