MODULE 7: LOCALIZATION INFORMATION

Module Overview
This module provides information about how to localize Point of Sale (POS) by
changing the POS labels and strings.

Objectives

Explain the requirements that are used to change POS labels and
strings.

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Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 For Retail in Brick and Mortar Stores Development and Customization

POS Localization
Localization is the process of adapting software to meet country-specific laws or
regulations. Microsoft localizes Microsoft Dynamics AX to include features and
functionality designed to address specific tax, accounting or financial reporting
requirements for various countries.

Languages
Translation is the process of adapting software or documentation to meet
language requirements for a particular country. For any given language, Microsoft
may translate some, all or none of the user interface (UI) and documentation for
Microsoft Dynamics AX.
To set up POS in specific language, go the respective Retail Channel and change
the retail channel language. We can change the language in AX Retail by
navigating to Retail->Common->Retail channels->Retail stores->Language

FIGURE 7.1: SET UP POS IN SPECIFIC LANGUAGE

A very common requirement to localize the POS in Dynamics AX for Retail is to
change the wording of the strings and labels in the product. In this lesson we will
learn how to do that.

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Module 7: Localization Information

POS Labels and Strings
Nearly every string that is used in the product resides in the
POSResources.resources.dll file in the POS folder. The English (en-us) version of
this file is in the root folder, and then we have one for all of the localized
translations: fi\POSResources.resources.dll, fr\POSResources.resources.dll, etc.
When the POS application needs a string, it checks in the following places in the
order listed:

The dbo.RetailLanguageText table in the POS database

The POSResources.resources.dll file for the language currently being

used

When a string is found, it gets cached for the remainder of the POS instance
lifetime. As a developer, this means that you cannot manipulate the strings at
runtime any changes that are made to the table do not get reflected until the
next time the app is started.

Change/Add POS Labels and strings

To change the text of an existing label or string, we need to populate three
columns in the RETAILLANGAUGETEXT table: LANGUAGEID, TEXTID, and TEXT
(the remaining columns are deprecated and are no longer used in the product).
LANGUAGEID and TEXT are the language Id in AX and the actual text to be
displayed in POS. But to get the TEXTID we can follow the below step:
Modify the POS shortcut and append a -tr as a command-line argument, POS
will run in a special developer mode where each string and label is prepended
with the TEXTID. This will allow you to find exactly which strings and labels match
up with which ID.

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Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2 For Retail in Brick and Mortar Stores Development and Customization

FIGURE 7.2: RETAIL POS PROPERTIES

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Module 7: Localization Information

FIGURE 7.3: OPERATOR ID

Find the ID of the string that you want to change and then add the new text to
the RetailLanguageText table with ID you of the string you want to change.
Since there is no form for adding strings to the RetailLanguageText table, we will
populate the values directly in the AOT. Open a new developer workspace and
navigate to Data Dictionary > Tables > RetailLanguageText. Right-click and select
Open. Create a new records by populating the languageID, Text and textID fields:

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FIGURE 7.4: EMPLOYEE ID

Also use the RETAILLANGUAGETEXT table for any strings that you create from
scratch. The Blank Operation sample plug-in uses 50700 as a starting number; that
number through 50700-50999 are currently un-used. We can use the number
between these series for our custom strings. Please make sure that TextID is not
conflicting with strings from other developers or possibly by future versions of the
product.
Once youve added your strings to the table, you can use this method to grab
strings from the table.
myString = ApplicationLocalizer.Language.Translate(28);

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Module 7: Localization Information

Module Review
Module Review and Takeaways

Understand how to change POS Strings and labels

Test Your Knowledge

Test your knowledge with the following questions.
1.

What is the command parameter used to launch POS in special mode which
displays the label ids?

2.

In which table the POS custom strings and labels are stored?

3.

Which library stores all the POS labels and string resources?

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Test Your Knowledge Solutions

MODEL ANSWER:

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1.

-tr

2.

RETAILLANGUAGETEXT table

3.

POSResources.resources.dll

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