Abstract: A multi-field text string data structure is employed to encapsulating identification, meaning, and pronunciation information for a text string. A first field contains the Unicode characters for the text string in a language in which the text string is entered, which may be latin characters, characters which sound-map to latin characters, or one or more ideographs. A second field contains either the same characters or an intermediate representation of the text string, such as syllabary characters for a phonetic spelling of the characters within the first field. A third field contains either the same characters as the first field or a latin character phonetic spelling of the characters in the first field. The first field thus contains the text string in the language in which the text string was entered, while the second and third field contains information about the meaning and pronunciation of the text string.

Abstract: A user control is provided to selectively display and/or edit the contents of any field within a multi-field text string object having separate fields each containing a different representation of a text string (e.g., Kanji symbols, syllabary characters phonetically spelling the Kanji symbols, and latin characters phonetically spelling the Kanji symbols). The various fields thus encapsulate identification, meaning, and pronunciation information for a single text string. A controller interface between the user control and the multi-field text string object allows methods within the user control to be performed on the multi-field text string object. Contents of the currently selected display field for the multi-string text string object are displayed, together with a selection control. The selection control may be actuated to display an ordered list of the contents of all fields within the multi-field text string object, and the current display field altered by selecting a field from the displayed list.

Abstract: Language, locale, and display change system messages are defined which contain language or locale codes for changing a display language in a user interface. An operating system language or locale property may be altered, or merely the language and/or locale property of a user interface for a specific application or dialog. When received, all subscribers registered as listeners for such language, locale, and display change system messages are notified. The system message may originate from a control dialog or from another application, and may be passed from one application to another or to dialogs associated with the receiving application. User interface dialogs or applications notified of the system message may reload the contents of displays, updating the user interface display to contain the contents of menu labels, help text, or dialog messages in the new human language or display text formatted in accordance with the new cultural convention.

Abstract: A three-field text string class is employed for data entered in a language which does not employ the latin alphabet or latin character set, but does employ a character set which may be readily sound-mapped to the latin character set. The entered text is stored in a first field of the text string class, while an automatically transliterated representation of the data entered is stored in a second field. The transliteration is generated utilizing a character-mapping resource file table specific to the language in which the text was entered and the language employing the latin character set. The contents of the second field thus provide a recognizable representation of the text string to users unfamiliar with the character set of the language in which the text was entered. The second field's contents also provide a pronunciation key for the entered text string for nonspeakers.

Abstract: During composition of an ideograph which is entered into a text string in a data processing system by phonetic spelling on a typically data processing system keyboard, the keystrokes entered by the user are automatically captured and stored in a second field of a multi-field data packet into which the text string is being entered. The captured keystrokes thus provide a phonetic representation of the text string for users unfamiliar with the character set of the text string language. Intermediate representations, such as hiragana or katakana representations of a Japanese Kanji character, may also be automatically captured and stored in a third field within the multi-field data packet for other purposes. By switching the field displayed for the multi-field data packet containing the text string, a user may utilize the alternative representations to determine the correct meaning and pronunciation for the text string.

Abstract: An interface to a multi-field text string object is provided to intercept display requests from a control utilizing a single field text string to the multi-field text string object. The interface passes contents of a current display field within the multi-field text string object to the legacy control in response to intercepted requests. The interface also intercepts change requests, such as Java setText( ) methods, from the legacy control to edit the contents of the multi-field text string object. The intercepted change requests are redirected by the interface to a specialized change control, which implements methods for changing the contents of any field within the multi-field text string object. The specialized change control performs the change requested by the legacy display control on a current display field of the multi-field text string objects.

Abstract: To facilitate dynamic language switching in a data processing system, software is implemented with user interface text—menu and button labels, dialog messages, help text, etc.—and other language-specific components segregated from underlying functionality. Thus, for example, label and other text-based parameters for Java AWT methods are taken from storage objects separate from the constructor invoking the corresponding Java AWT method. Since Java is dynamically linked at runtime, one or more language-specific files containing all user interface text for an application may be dynamically selected during initialization of the application. The language-specific file selection may be based on the current setting of a language property for the host data processing system. If a language change request is received, the user interface may be reloaded with text supplied from a different language-specific file pursuant to the language change request.

Abstract: A multi-field text string contains display characters in a first field and sort characters in a second field. For ideographic languages such as Japanese, the display characters may be Kanji symbols for the text string while the sort characters are phonetic syllabary representations of the Kanji symbols. A plurality of such multi-field text strings may then be sorted by the contents of the second field rather than the contents of the first. Despite both the multiple pronunciations or meanings associated with the same Kanji symbols in Japanese and the unsorted ordering of Kanji symbols within the Unicode character set for Japanese, a culturally correct sort order is achieved for the multi-field text strings. Additionally, the contents of the second field may be altered to artificially promote a specific item within the sort order, while displaying the sorted text strings utilizing the contents of the first field.

Abstract: A rotate user control is provided to selectively change the current display item within a group of display items. Each actuation of the rotate control changes the current display item from one item to a next item within an internally nonrepeating, ordered sequence loop of all candidate display items. Each display item within the group is therefore displayed in turn, and a user may quickly review all available display items for a desired display item. An indicator provides a visual cue to the user of which display item is currently selected for display. With small groups of display items, such as a multi-field text string object having separate fields each containing a different representation of a text string, the rotate control provides faster switching between views than conventional display change controls such as drop-down boxes. The rotate control also provides a fixed view of the newly selected display field, unlike flyover pop-up box displays.

Abstract: Language, locale, and display change system messages are defined which contain language or locale codes for changing a display language in a user interface. An operating system language or locale property may be altered, or merely the language and/or locale property of a user interface for a specific application or dialog. When received, all subscribers registered as listeners for such language, locale, and display change system messages are notified. The system message may originate from a control dialog or from another application, and may be passed from one application to another or to dialogs associated with the receiving application. User interface dialogs or applications notified of the system message may reload the contents of displays, updating the user interface display to contain the contents of menu labels, help text, or dialog messages in the new human language or display text formatted in accordance with the new cultural convention.

Abstract: Separate language and locale properties are implemented within a data processing system. The language property only controls selection of the human language employed for user interface text and, preferably, the sort order for text-based items displayed in the user interface. The locale property controls all other cultural support, number format, date format, currency and currency format, time format, etc. This split allows a particular language to be selected without utilizing a particular set of cultural conventions associated with a region in which the selected language is dominant. Instead, the cultural conventions may be selected for an entirely different region.

Abstract: User interface text is implemented in identifiable software components separate from functional components containing human-language independent functionality for a software program. The software product may then be distributed and loaded into a user's system with only a basic set of human language translations for the user interface text. Different or additional human language translations may be provided to the user by downloading from an enterprise server associated with the system on which the software program is being executed, or from an Internet server operating for the software source. The additional human language translations may be downloaded, preferably automatically and invisibly to the user, to the user's system as necessary or requested. The human language translation process thus gains the “float” period normally associated with physical software distribution, speeding delivery times.

Abstract: A scheduling method operative in association with a display device of a data processing system connected in a distributed computing environment having nodes located across geographically-dispersed boundaries. The method begins by defining a set of holiday objects corresponding to a set of holidays specific to a given locale. The calendar, together with at least one holiday defined by at least one of the set of holiday objects, are then selectively displayed. A management task (e.g., a software load distribution) is then initiated to take place during a given holiday in the locale to minimize disruption to the computer enterprise.

Abstract: A display method operative within a display device of a data processing system connected in a distributed computing environment having nodes located across geographically-dispersed boundaries. The method begins by defining a set of holiday objects corresponding to a set of holidays specific to a given locale. The calendar, together with at least one holiday defined by at least one of the set of holiday objects, are then selectively displayed if the data processing system is operative within the given locale. Preferably, a given holiday object is defined according to an object-oriented class construct to facilitate implementation of the inventive holiday display calendar using local object-oriented resources.

Abstract: A display method operative within a display device of a data processing system connected in a distributed computing environment having nodes located across geographically-dispersed boundaries. The method begins by defining a plurality of sets of holiday objects each corresponding to a set of holidays specific to a given locale. A graphical representation of a calendar, together with a set of holiday objects, are then displayed. If the user enters a new locale, the method dynamically switches between sets of holiday objects according to the new locale entered. The new set of holiday objects preferably are displayed on the same calendar yet in a different manner from the first set to enable a user to compare the holidays of two different locales.

Abstract: A display method operative within a display device of a data processing system connected in a distributed computing environment having nodes located across geographically-dispersed boundaries. The method begins by defining a plurality of sets of holiday objects each corresponding to a set of holidays specific to a given locale. A graphical representation of a calendar, together with a set of holiday objects, are then displayed. If the user enters a new locale, the method dynamically switches between sets of holiday objects according to the new locale entered. The new set of holiday objects may be displayed on the same calendar, or on a new calendar.