Multiple Languages with the NQ HMI

Introduction

Text in NQ applications can support up to 9 different languages within an NQ-Designer project. This article describes the procedure for adding an additional language to an NQ project utilizing the Import Text Objects/Export Text Objects feature in NQ-Designer.

Overview

The NQ-Designer project needs to be configured for multiple language support. All items that display a language property, such as Bit Buttons or Word Lamps, have the ability to switch text language when the S0001 register is manipulated. Each added language has a number assigned to the left that is the reference for language switching during runtime (e.g. 1 = English, 2 = Dutch as shown). If the value in register S0001 is changed, certain text will be displayed in the specified language on the NQ HMI.

A simple method for changing the text for supporting objects is available with the Import Text Objects/Export Text Objects feature. The export function extracts text from an NQ project and creates a user-specified file with a CSV extension. Exporting the text objects as a CSV file allows fast editing in other software (such as Microsoft Excel). Importing text objects adds the new language text to supporting items.


 

Procedure
  1. Add the required language using the Selected Languages feature in NQ-Designer as shown below.

  1. Select Export Text Objects in the Project menu item and the following dialog box is shown. The Export Text Objects function extracts text from an NQ project and creates a user-specified file with a CSV extension. Exporting the text objects as a CSV file allows fast editing in other software (such as Microsoft Excel). 
     

 

Format: Choose the format of the language conversion. Format may be kept as “Unicode” by default; provided that, importing text should be in “Unicode” format only.

ASCII format is that language format, which employs a 7-bit coding scheme, supporting 128 (27) characters, which is quite satisfactory for both upper case and lower case letters of the English alphabet and similarly simple Roman alphabets, Arabic numerals, punctuation marks, a reasonable complement of special characters, and a modest number of control characters.

The Unicode format developed the original coding scheme to support multiple complex alphabets such as Chinese, Devanagri (Hindi), Japanese, and Korean. In the Japanese language, for example, even the abbreviated Kanji writing system contains well over 2,000 written ideographic characters; the Hirigana and Katakana alphabets add considerably to the complexity. As 7 and 8-bit coding schemes cannot accommodate such complex alphabets, computer manufacturers traditionally have taken proprietary approaches to this problem through the use of two linked 8-bit values. This “UNICODE” format supports 65,536 (216) characters, which accommodates the most complex alphabets. Unicode accommodates pre-existing standard coding schemes, using the same byte values for consistency. Unicode encodes all characters in byte sequences varying from one to five bytes.

Output Range: Select the whole project or selected screens that are require conversion.

File Name/Browse: Specify the file name and location to export the CSV file to. 

Click Export and a CSV file is created as specified.

  1. Open the exported CSV file in an appropriate spreadsheet software program and view the file in a comma separated format. Modify the new language entries as necessary and save the CSV file when completed.


 

  1.  Select Import Text Object in the Project menu of NQ-Designer. Select the modified CSV file with the new language entries from the previous step and click Import.
  1. To confirm, find an object in the project with text and change the Language property within the appearance selection. The text entered in the CSV file should now appear in the project and can be easily changed during run time by modifying the value in S0001 accordingly.

References

See the attached files for a project example and CSV files implementing the above procedure.

See the NQ-Series Getting Started Guide (Cat. No. V07) manual and the NQ-Designer help files for additional information.

This article was created using NQ-Designer v2.03.

This article is intended to supplement official Omron documentation. The provided example should be thoroughly tested before implementation and may or may not function in specific applications. The user assumes full responsibility of the configuration, integration, performance and application of the provided example. For detailed information on the use and general configuration of Omron products, refer to official Omron manuals or contact your local Omron support representative. 

 

Link:
http://www.myomron.com/index.php?action=kb&print=1314


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