Accessing the Internationalization Features

You can use the following two methods separately or together to localize your programs. Both of these methods are fully described later in this section.

  • ALGOL provides language syntax that eases localization of your program. For example, picture clauses can be used to specify currency symbols.

  • The system provides a system library, CENTRALSUPPORT, that contains procedures for localizing a program. The procedures can be accessed through calls. When a call occurs, input parameters describe the type of information that is needed or the action that is to be performed. Output parameters are returned with the result of the procedure call. For example, a program can call the procedure CNV_FORMATTIME to format the time according to the language and convention specified in a program.

A program must designate that it uses internationalization features; otherwise, it will not access them. A program is not affected by the features described in this section unless a program specifically invokes them. Any programs that already exist and do not make use of internationalization features are not affected by the features.