C H A P T E R 2 0
Localizing Newton Applications
20-2
About Localization
Figure 20-1
The Locale settings in Preferences
The most important of these settings is the Country pop-up menu. Every Newton
device contains a number of frames for tailoring the system's responses to match
the conventions of a specified location. These frames are called locale bundles. At
any time, one and only one of these locale bundles is active; that is called the active
locale bundle. The user can change the active locale bundle by using the Country
pop-up menu from the Locale panel.
device contains a number of frames for tailoring the system's responses to match
the conventions of a specified location. These frames are called locale bundles. At
any time, one and only one of these locale bundles is active; that is called the active
locale bundle. The user can change the active locale bundle by using the Country
pop-up menu from the Locale panel.
The values in a locale bundle specify a variety of items, such as locally popular
formats for displaying currency values and other numbers.
formats for displaying currency values and other numbers.
Each Newton device may contain different locale bundles:
Every Newton device contains locale bundles in its ROM, which vary depending
on what ROM the device has. For example, the German version of the Newton
MessagePad does not have the same built-in locale bundles as the English
version.
on what ROM the device has. For example, the German version of the Newton
MessagePad does not have the same built-in locale bundles as the English
version.
Applications can add locale bundles to provide locale settings for additional
countries, or to override built-in locale bundles. For information on how to do
this, see "Adding a New Bundle to the System" (page 20-8).
countries, or to override built-in locale bundles. For information on how to do
this, see "Adding a New Bundle to the System" (page 20-8).
Locale and ROM Version
20
Newton devices are sold with ROMs in different versions, such as an English ROM
and a German ROM. However, it is the active locale, rather than the ROM version,
that controls localized information.
and a German ROM. However, it is the active locale, rather than the ROM version,
that controls localized information.
How Locale Affects Recognition
20
As you change settings in the Locale panel, the set of dictionaries used for word
recognition does not change. However, altering the locale changes the set of
system lexical dictionaries and change the recognizable formats for dates, times,
and numbers.
recognition does not change. However, altering the locale changes the set of
system lexical dictionaries and change the recognizable formats for dates, times,
and numbers.
For entering dates, times, and numbers, you can think of the entry process as
consisting of three stages:
consisting of three stages:
Recognizing the handwriting. This uses the recognition lexical dictionaries.
Understanding what the recognized text means. This uses the system lexical
dictionaries.
dictionaries.