Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!snorkelwacker!paperboy!meissner From: meissner@osf.org (Michael Meissner) Newsgroups: comp.lang.c Subject: Re: Internationalisation, setlocale() Message-ID: Date: 7 May 90 15:03:49 GMT References: <11071@cbmvax.commodore.com> <14535@frog.UUCP> Sender: news@OSF.ORG Organization: Open Software Foundation Lines: 38 In-reply-to: barr@frog.UUCP's message of 5 May 90 00:48:00 GMT In article <14535@frog.UUCP> barr@frog.UUCP (Chris Barr) writes: | In article <11071@cbmvax.commodore.com>, valentin@cbmvax.commodore.com (Valentin Pepelea) writes: | | > The ANSI C function setlocale() allows the programmer to set the locale to | > be used in localised functions. As examples we are given | > | > /usr/lib/locale/german/LC_MESSAGES/ contains message catalogues | > /LC_COLLATE collation (sorting) information | > /LC_TIME time & date information | > /LC_NUMERIC number format infomation | > /LC_MONETARY monetary symbol & format info | > | > But this is rather confusing. While messages and collation information varies | > according to language, time format and monetary information is country specific. | > So how are locale directories supposed to be organised? | | Name directories for BOTH country and language. | Files which are the same for different 'locales' might be linked, e.g. messages | in switz_french & canada_french. | e.g.: | /usr/lib/locale/switz_german/ | /usr/lib/locale/switz_french/ | /usr/lib/locale/canada_french/ | /usr/lib/locale/canada_english/ Nothing in the locale stuff mandates that a locale be a country, place, or what have you (though that's how it mostly will be used). For example, you could have a locale that is used for sorting things in American Library Order (case insignificant, Mc and Mac at the beginning of words are considered the same, insignificant words like 'the' not counting in collation), etc. -- Michael Meissner email: meissner@osf.org phone: 617-621-8861 Open Software Foundation, 11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA Catproof is an oxymoron, Childproof is nearly so