Abstract: A computer system is described that is capable of transmitting and displaying files containing variable locale selectors, that is, language, territory and coded character set identifiers. The system contains a code that is transmitted as part of the files, and includes information defining the language and the territory, which are alphanumeric variables normally encoded in binary format, and the coded character set, which is normally encoded as a numeric decimal format. The discrete values of known combinations of these codes are listed, preferably in a lookup table, and each known set of coded values is given a unique hexadecimal value. The hexadecimal value is retained with the subject file and used by a user interface adapter to display the information in the file according to the desired set of locale selectors.