Transferring strings and messages

A string is any static text that appears as a prompt, static text value, window display name, and so on. A message is created using the Messages window in Dexterity and referenced using the getmsg() function.

The Transfer Strings and Messages utility is used to transfer all strings and messages in a dictionary to a separate dictionary so they can be updated for international versions of an application. After they’ve been updated, the strings and messages are transferred back into the application dictionary using this same utility.

The resource IDs of the strings and messages, not the string or message content, are used to determine whether a string or message exists in the destination dictionary. Also, string and message resources aren’t renumbered when they’re transferred using the Transfer Strings and Messages utility. For these reasons, we recommend that you use this utility only to transfer strings and messages from an application dictionary to a separate dictionary for updating using the Strings resource, and then back into the original application dictionary. If you want to transfer strings or messages from one dictionary to another for other purposes, use the Transfer Resources utility.

To begin a transfer, select a source and a destination dictionary, then choose Strings and Messages from the Transfer menu to display the Transfer Strings and Messages window, shown in the following illustration.

  1. Select resources to transfer.

Specify whether you want to transfer strings, messages or both by making the appropriate selection from the Transfer Resources list.

  1. Select a transfer type.

Use the Transfer Type list to specify whether only new strings or messages will be added to the destination dictionary, or whether existing strings or messages will be replaced and new ones added. If you select Add Only, only those strings and messages without corresponding strings and messages (those with the same resource IDs) in the destination dictionary will be transferred. If you select Replace and Add, any string or message in the destination dictionary that has the same resource ID as one being transferred will be replaced, and any new strings or messages will be added.

  1. Transfer the selected resources.

Click Transfer to transfer the strings, messages or both from the source dictionary to the destination dictionary. The Report File Name dialog box will appear. Enter the name and location for the Transfer Strings and Messages Status Report file, then click OK to continue the transfer process, or click Cancel to return to the Transfer Strings and Messages window.

  1. Use the status report to verify the transfer.

Once the transfer is complete, the status report will be printed to a text file. The report lists everything that was transferred and whether it was simply added to the destination dictionary or replaced an existing string or message.


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