Windows 95 offers international language support to provide solutions to problems created when using software and exchanging documents among different locales and languages. Windows 95 offers this support at the operating system level for users, and at the API level for software developers. This section summarizes this built-in international language support for using Windows 95 on a worldwide basis, and the features that Windows 95 provides for enhancing existing or new applications for use in different parts of the world.
Easy-to-use multilanguage fonts and keyboard layouts.
With Windows 95, users can easily switch between all available languages and corresponding keyboard layouts configured on the system. This makes it easy for users to integrate information into a multilingual document. By using the Keyboard option in Control Panel, users can easily add and remove keyboard layouts and languages. By using the common Choose Font dialog box in applications created for Windows 95, they can choose character-set scripts (such as "Greek") supported by a particular font. For more information, see "Using Multilingual Fonts with Win32-Based Applications" and "Using Alternate Keyboards" later in this chapter.
Substitution for unavailable fonts when switching languages.
When switching between languages in a document, Windows 95 substitutes matching fonts for the new language if the original font is not available. Users can read and use the text for a similar character set, even if they don't have the font in which the information was originally created.
Preservation of language-specific attributes on the Clipboard.
Windows 95 provides additional services for application vendors to easily exchange information between internationally-aware applications, while preserving all language formatting characteristics.
Easy addition of multilanguage support for software developers.
Developers can use the Win32 NLS API for loading, selecting, and querying keyboard layouts and languages. NLS services ensure that information is handled properly for the given culture or locale by supporting formats for date, time, calendar, number, and currency, and for sorting, character typing, and character mapping. The correct national format for information such as date format or sorting sequence is supplied automatically, based on the settings specified in the Regional Settings option in Control Panel. Win32-based applications can use Windows 95 services to automatically switch between the proper fonts and keyboard layouts as users navigate through a multilingual document. For more information, see "Using Multiple Languages in Windows 95" later in this chapter.
Proper sorting and formatting rules for the current locale.
Different locales and cultures have different rules for interpreting information, such as algorithms for sorting or searching, and formats for time and dates. Software developers can use the Win32 NLS API to check and use the user's default locale settings or to use a specific locale setting, without using proprietary sorting methods or parsing WIN.INI or the Registry, and without locale-specific coding. This allows users to easily exchange information on a global basis, while preserving the integrity of the information. For example, the multilingual support in Windows 95 can be used in applications to account for these kinds of differences among language rules: