Language Translations

Learn how to deploy custom language translations to mobile devices.

What are Language Translations

A language translation allows you to adapt the text, displayed within the Mobile Data Anywhere app, to a different language. By default, the app is installed with an English translation which can be downloaded and used as a template to create a new translation.

Key Features

  • Can provide a custom default language file to be used for all devices.
  • Can configure devices to use specific language files, overriding the custom and system defaults.

Language localisation english 1
Language localisation spanish 1

Creating and Managing Language Translations

The language translations for devices can be managed from the Language Translations page in the web portal, which can be found in the Devices menu. Once you have prepared a custom language translation, this page can be used to upload the translation as a resource. The resource can then be configured to be used as a default translation for all devices in your account or can be linked to specific devices.

Language localisations manage list

The default language file can be downloaded from the Language Translations page or using the link below. To get started creating a new language translation, you will need to download the default language file as a template.

Download the Default Language File

Creating a Language Translation

After downloading the default language translation, rename the file to something relevant to the translation you wish to create, for example; 'SpanishTranslation.ini'. Please ensure that the *.ini file extension is retained. Open the file in a plain text editor of your choice. The default translation file will contain text such as the example snippet below:

...

; Point messages
[Point]
Required=The '%s' field is required, but you have not filled in a value.Continue anyway?
Required1=The '%s' field is required, but you have not filled in a value.
Required2=The '%s' field is required.  You must fill in a value before you can continue.
NumericValue=The '%s' field requires a valid numeric value.  The value you have entered is not valid and in range.Continue anyway?

...

The snippet above contains 3 types of lines which are explained below.

Comments

; Point messages

Comments should not changed. These are maintained by Mobile Data Anywhere and will be used to provide information about various sections in the file.

Section Headings

[Point]

Section Headings must not be changed. These are maintained by Mobile Data Anywhere and are used within the app. Any changes made to these will lead to the language translations being unavailable in the app.

Strings

Required=The '%s' field is required, but you have not filled in a value.Continue anyway?
Required1=The '%s' field is required, but you have not filled in a value.
Required2=The '%s' field is required.  You must fill in a value before you can continue.

Each string will need to be edited but only on the right side of the equation. The left side of the equation must remain intact otherwise the language translation will not be available in the app. Some strings may contain a dynamic reference such as %s, %i, %d which will need to remain intact. See below for an example of a Spanish translation for the above strings:

Required=Se requiere el campo '%s', pero no ha ingresado un valor.Continuar de cualquier modo?
Required1=Se requiere el campo '%s', pero no ha ingresado un valor.
Required2=Se requiere el campo '%s'. Usted debe ingresar un valor antes de continuar.

Configure a Default Translation

The system provides a default language translation written in English, however, this can be overridden by configuring a custom default language translation. This can be configured in the device settings page which can be found in the Devices menu. When configured, the custom default translation file will be deployed to each device when they connect to the Mobile Data Anywhere servers.


Note: If a device has been configured to use a specific language translation, that will be deployed instead of the custom default.


When a device connects to the server and a language translation file needs to be installed on the device, the app will provide the user with a prompt as seen below:

Language localisation install

Link a Translation to Devices

A language translation can be linked to specific devices which will take precedence over a custom default language. This can be useful if you have devices that are used in different countries or regions. This can be configured from the language translations page by editing a language translation and selecting which devices to link to. Alternatively, a device can be edited to select which language translation it should be linked to.


Note: If a device has been configured to use a specific language translation, that will be deployed instead of the custom default.