PS/nVision Run-Time Language Features

Path Search

As PS/nVision looks for a file (such as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, layout, or template), it steps through the directories listed in the appropriate paths. The paths are defined in different ways for the PeopleTools development environment and the Web. For the PeopleTools development environment, the paths are defined in PeopleSoft Configuration Manager. In the web, the paths are defined in the [nVision] section of the PeopleSoft Process Scheduler configuration file (psprcs.cfg).

Before looking in each directory, PS/nVision looks in a subdirectory named by the user’s language code. If the file is not there, or if the appropriate directory does not exist, PS/nVision looks in the directory named in the path. If the file is not there, PS/nVision moves to the next directory in the path and repeats the process.

For example, when searching for NVSUSER files for a user with France as the preferred language and the defined path for macros is PS_HOME\EXCEL, PS/nVision searches for PS_HOME\EXCEL\FRA directory first. If the files are not found, PS/nVision uses the files in the PS_HOME\EXCEL.

This feature supports users who need or prefer different layouts and for users of different languages. For example, it may be necessary to create an earnings report differently in Germany and France because differences in accounting rules or management requirements dictate different criteria and formatting. So, if a French user runs a PS/nVision report, PeopleTools first looks in the FRA directory under the PS/nVision directory that is defined for an installation. If the required report layout isn’t found in the FRA directory, PeopleTools uses the generic report layout in the base PS/nVision directory.

Request Language

The PS/nVision Report Request page includes a Language Template text box on the Advanced Options page. In the Foreign Language Translation field, enter an alternate language code to automatically generate a translated report. If you are applying a scope to the report request, enter a string containing one or more PS/nVision variables.

If you enter one or more variables in the Foreign Language Translation field, then the value of each variable is interpreted at runtime to get the language code for each report instance. This enables retrieval of the language code from a tree node or value table that is associated with the values in the scope.

The syntax of this variable is as follows:

%DES.[scopefield].{detailfield|.nodefield|detailfield.nodefield}%

Note that the field names required vary, depending on the type of scope you’re using. However, the periods between the values must always exist—except in the case of a trailing period. The scopefield parameter is optional. If you don’t specify one, PS/nVision uses the first scope field you defined. If you want to use a field other than the first one defined in the scope, then you must specify which one.

You can provide a detailfield, nodefield, or both. PS/nVision uses the appropriate field type based on your scope. Consequently, specifying one of each type enables you to change your scope definition without necessarily changing this variable. The detail and node table fields you specify should store PeopleSoft language codes and can be found on the same node or detail value table associated with the scopefield. Typically, the field name used is LANGUAGE_CD.

The following example shows a common implementation of this variable (note the inclusion of the extra period):

%DES..LANGUAGE_CD.LANGUAGE_CD%

If your scope consists of multiple scope fields (PRODUCT and BUSINESS_UNIT), your variable might look like this:

%DES.BUSINESS_UNIT.LANGUAGE_CD.LANGUAGE_CD%

If you don’t include a scopefield or detailfield value, it’s important that you still include the extra periods that follow those values. For example:

%DES...nodefield%
%DES.scopefield..nodefield%

However, if you don’t include a nodefield, then there’s no need to include the trailing period after the detailfield. For example:

%DES..detailfield%

Using a scopefield to drive the language of the PS/nVision report enables you to run a single report in multiple languages. Each time the contents of the scopefield change, PS/nVision resets the language of the report and reloads the strings and other language-sensitive objects in the new language. This enables you to create a PS/nVision report in multiple languages so that the report can be separated and delivered to multiple recipients, each of whom may have a different language preference.

Labels

When retrieving node or detail row and column labels, PS/nVision uses the appropriate alternate language record, if one has been defined through Application Designer, to get labels in the user’s language.

PS/nVision Variables

When retrieving a descriptive value for a PS/nVision variable, such as Business Unit Description, PS/nVision determines whether the table being queried has a related language record and if the field being retrieved is on that record. If so, and if the user does not use the base language, PS/nVision retrieves the value from the related language record or, if the row doesn’t exist on the related language record, from the base record.