Language files and script sample

Hi all,

I am not sure if I have to provide the language files saved with the correct codepage (as seems to be the ones from C:\Program Files\NSIS\Contrib\Modern UI\Language files) or is it ok if I provide just an UTF-8 file.

In order to test this I tried to use the C:\Program Files\NSIS\Contrib\Modern UI\Language files\Arabic.nsh as this one is supposed to be saved in the correct form.

So steps I did:

- Create a very simple installer

...

!insertmacro MUI_LANGUAGE "English"

!insertmacro MUI_LANGUAGE "Arabic"

!include "Arabic.nsh"

...

Function .onInit

  !insertmacro MUI_LANGDLL_DISPLAY



    StrCpy $msg "${MUI_TEXT_LICENSE_TITLE}"

    MessageBox MB_ICONEXCLAMATION|MB_OK "$msg"

FunctionEnd

- and as I couldn't use the Arabic.nsh as it's by default provided, I opened it with VC++ editor, deleted all the lines except:

  !define MUI_TEXT_LICENSE_TITLE "إتفاقية‏ الترخيص"

and then just save it.

Problem is, when I run the installer I am not able to see the right chars. All I see are "monkeys". Please see the attached files: momo.nsi and Arabic.nsh.

Questions:
1) Can you pls tell me what am I doing wrong above?
2) Can smbd pls give me an arabic.nsh with just one correct define?
3) Once I have the above I'll keep trying, with and without UTF-8, but still I can ask: can I provide the language files saved in UTF-8 format? or do I have to provide the file in the correct codepage? (pls note that I'm not familiar with codepage and languages)

Thx,
Viv

I will attach to this reply the Arabic.nsh file for the sample I wrote in the above entry.

Thx,
Viv

Seems I am really lost. I tried the sample written in my first entry, and not only my custom string looks fishy, but also the NSIS default dialogs look weird.

I have the right languages installed (Arabic) so I really don't understand what's the issue.

Please see in the attached file:
- the script I was playing with
- that I have the right language installed
- how the NSIS built-in dialog in Arabic looks on my system (I have Win 2000 English installed).

Can someone pls tell me what am I doing wrong?

Thx,
Viv

OK, after trying everything around I finally got the point so I will post the answers to my own questions:

1) In order to see NSIS Arabic dialogs it's needed to set the corect codepage (on Win 2000: Settings -> Control Panel -> Regional Options -> Set Default -> choose an Arabic). Once this is set I can see correct both: my dialog and the NSIS dialogs.

2) My second post contains a correct Arabic.nsh with only one define.

3) No, using utf-8 language files won't work. The language files _have_ to be saved with the correct codepage. iconv is a tool that can be used for this.

If the above is not OK pls correct me.

Thx,
Viv

You're correct. By the way, there's a valid Arabic NSH file in Contrib\Modern UI\Languge files\Arabic.nsh.

Thx kichik for the answer, but as I wrote above that Arabic.nsh file couldn't just be added to a project as contains more than just some defines, this is why out of that file I was trying to create a small version with only one define.

Viv

One more question related to the language subject: is there a way to prevent the user to choose a language for the installer that is not supported by the current codepage? I mean let's say I have in my installer the following languages: english, german, arabic, so when a user starts the installer he can select any of these 3 languages regardless of it's codepage. So if the user has an english system and he chooses arabic he will see just "monkeys". Can I somehow make so that in the language-dialog-selection are shown only the languages that fit the codepage of the user? (in the sample above to show english and german and not also arabic)

Thx,
Viv

You can call GetACP using the System plug-in and compare the result to that of the languages. You can then push to LangDLL just the supported languages.

Wouldn't it be a decent requirement for some feature version of NSIS this to be somehow done by default? I mean doesn't make any sense on an english codepage to even let the user choose arabic. He'll just complain afterwards 🙂

Viv