Language packs vs. dotNet language versions

[Bert Hyman]

Looking at the dotNet download area on the MS Web site, I see that I can
download Framework redistributables in many different languages, but
that there are also "language packs" available in the same set of
languages.

Is there any difference between a complete foreign-language Framework
installation and a US-English Framework plus that language's language
pack?

 

[Felix Wang]

Hello Bert,

Thanks for posting. I assume that you are talking about .Net Framework 1.1.

..Net Framework 1.1 is in fact language independent. The differences between
the different languages of the redistributable packages are the
installation user interfaces. The installation user interfaces have been
localized. (As far as Windows 2003's .Net Framework 1.1 is concerned, the
hotfixes are language dependent.)

The language packs, on the other hand, provide translated error messages
and so on.

I hope the information is useful to you.

Regards,

Felix Wang
Microsoft Online Partner Support
Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
This posting is provided "as is" with no warranties and confers no rights.

 

[Bert Hyman]

(e-mail address removed) (Felix Wang) wrote in

Thanks for posting. I assume that you are talking about .Net
Framework 1.1.
Yes.


Net Framework 1.1 is in fact language independent.
Great.

The differences between the different languages of the
redistributable packages are the installation user interfaces.
The installation user interfaces have been localized. (As far as
Windows 2003's .Net Framework 1.1 is concerned, the hotfixes are
language dependent.)

The language packs, on the other hand, provide translated error
messages and so on.

I hope the information is useful to you.

Yes, thanks. You've told me just what I needed to know.

 

[Etienne Boucher]

I use the French version of Windows XP Home Edition and the default
installation of the framework (currently the 2.0 beta 1, but also under 1.1)
has always given me errors in French without installing language packs.
Unless the framework installers go fetch the appropriate language pack
automaticaly.

Etienne Boucher

 

[Felix Wang]

Hi,

As far as I know, there should be no localized resource in French .Net
Framework 1.1 Redistributable Package. If you go to "Add/Remove Programs"
under your control panel, do you see the language pack installed?

The localized messages installed by the language pack include the
"Additional Information" for the exceptions. For example, if we run the
following code:

object o = null;
o.ToString();

We will get the message "Object reference not set to an instance of an
object." in English.

If we have language pack installed and set the
"System.Threading.Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentUICulture" accordingly, we
should be able to get a localized version of the message.

Regards,

Felix Wang
Microsoft Online Partner Support
Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
This posting is provided "as is" with no warranties and confers no rights.