For more information about the functions that provide access to the current locale formats, see the documentation included in the Win32 SDK.
Different countries often use substantially different formats for dates, time, money, measurements, and telephone numbers. This collection of language-related user preferences are referred to as a locale. Designing your software to accommodate international audiences requires supporting these different formats.
Windows provides a standard means for inquiring what the default format is and also allows the user to change those properties. Your software can allow the user to change formats, but restrict these changes to your application or document type, rather than affecting the system defaults. Table 14.1 lists the most common format categories.
Note
For more information about the functions that provide access to the current locale formats, see the documentation included in the Win32 SDK.
Table 14.1 Formats for International Software
|
Category |
Format considerations |
|
Time |
Separator and cycle (12-hour vs. 24-hour), leading zero |
|
Physical quantity |
Metric vs. English measurement system |
|
Currency |
Symbol and format (for example, trailing vs. preceding symbol) |
|
Separators |
List, decimal, and thousandths separator |
|
Telephone numbers |
Separators for area codes and exchanges |
|
Calendar |
Calendar used and starting day of the week |
|
Addresses |
Order and postal code format |
|
Paper sizes |
U.S. vs. European paper and envelope sizes |