Handling Multiple Languages

Microsoft® Outlook™ Web Access handles the rendering of different languages in the following way:

• Scripts for all languages are installed under the same virtual root (typically //<server>/exchange), in a separate directory for each language. See the illustration in Directory Structure, which shows directories for German (Ger) and Japanese (Jpn) as well as USA-English (usa). Additional language packs can be obtained to support other languages.
• An Internet Server API (ISAPI) filter, ExchFilt.dll, is installed. This filter examines all incoming URLs. If a URL is for one of the applications defined in \\HKLU\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeWeb\Applications (Microsoft® Exchange Server is defined by default, but any application can be added to this list), the filter will:
  1. Examine the AcceptLanguage header from the browser. (The AcceptLanguage is the language stated to be preferred by a given browser.)
  2. Look up the header using the table laid out in \\HKLU\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeWeb\AcceptLanguages.
  3. Insert the directory name into the URL after the application name.

For example, if you have a browser that prefers USA-English, //MyServer/Exchange/logon.asp becomes //MyServer/Exchange/USA/logon.asp.

This process enables a Web browser being used with Microsoft Exchange Active Server components to run the set of scripts most suitable for a particular user's language. In the case where a particular language is not installed, the default will be the language of the Microsoft Exchange Server computer.

Note that code page and locale are also defined in these registry settings and can be used to refine support for specific sublanguages.