Managing localized Web reports

Managing preconfigured localized reports

Localized Web reports are installed by the applications and you do not need to make changes. This section describes how they are configured. To localize a Web report created outside of AR System with the BIRT report tools, you can localize separate copies of the report definition file, or use a single report definition file and localize the related properties files.

To localize separate copies of the report definition files

• Create an entry for the localized Web report in the Report form. In particular, set the following fields:

  • Report Definition File—Attach the localized report definition file in this attachment field.
  • Locale—Enter the locale code, for example, fr for French.
  • Report Set Name—Use the same report set name for localized versions of the same report. The combination of the report set name and locale must be unique.

  Do not enter anything in the Instance ID field. 

When you save the entry, workflow stores the attachment in a new entry in the Report Definition form, and populates the Instance ID field (Report form) and Report Definition GUID field (Report Definition form) with a matching GUID. The matching GUID links different localized versions of the same report.

To use a single report definition file with localized properties files

1. Create a report library.
2. Add all the localized property files to the library.
3. Compile the library as a .zip file and add it to the AR System Resource Definitions form.
4. Create the Report form entry.

To prepare a single Web report definition for multi-locale use

1. Use the BIRT report tools and your localization tools to create a report library and localized property files for Web reports.
   The library file structure must adhere to the following guidelines:
   • Use a resource directory and make sure it has a unique name. For example, use the report name in the directory name.
   • Give the properties files unique names. For example, use the report name in the properties file names as well.
   • Make the names of the locale-specific properties files match the main properties file. For example, if the primary property file is named messages.properties, then the locale-specific ones must be named messages_language.properties, for example, messages_de.properties, messages_fr.properties.
2. Add the library and property files to a .zip file. The .rptlibrary must be at the top level of the zip file, with the subdirectories containing properties files directly below it, for example:
   mylib.rptlibrary mylib_resources/ mymessages.properties mymessages_de.properties mymessages_fr.properties
3. In the AR System Report Definitions form, create a new entry and attach the .zip file to it.
   • Set the type to BIRT Library
   • Leave the locale field blank
4. In the Report form, create and save an entry that contains the report definition file as an attachment.
   When you save this entry, the workflow creates a corresponding entry in the Report Definition file and generates a GUID.
5. Create additional Report form entries for each locale. In particular, set the following fields:
   • Use the same Report Set Name value as in the main Report form entry.
   • Enter a unique value in the locale field to identify the locale.
   • Copy the GUID from the Report Definition file entry that is associated with the main Report form entry.

Sharing ad hoc reports across locales

When you create and save an ad hoc report, the Locale field of the report form entry is set by the workflow in the following ways:

• If the locale of the computer you are using to create the report is set to English, the value in the Locale field is $NULL$.
• If the locale of the computer you are using to create the report is set to any language other than English, then the appropriate language code is set in the Locale field of the Report form entry, for example, fr for French.

Users can only see those Web reports for which the Locale field in the Report form entry matches the locale set on the user's computer. ($NULL$ is interpreted as English.) This means that to share an ad hoc report with a user in another locale, you must make a copy of the report for the other locale.

To make an ad hoc report available in another locale

The steps in this procedure do not cause the report headings and other metadata to be translated; the report definition remains in the original language. To create translated copies of ad hoc reports, you must create the report on a computer configured for the desired locale.

1. In the Report Console, open the original report for editing. For more information, see Defining-custom-AR-System-reports.
2. Click Save As, and give the report a different name, such as My Report-Spanish.
3. Open the Report form, and then locate and open the record for the copied report.
4. In the Locale field, enter the two-character or four-character abbreviation for the locale where you want to share the report, such as es for all Spanish locales or pt_BR for Brazilian Portuguese.
5. Save the entry.
   Users in the designated locale can now see the copy of the report that was configured for their locale. After you have set the locale for the copy of the report, the copy no longer appears in the list of reports in your Report Console.