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#133: How can I read native text of current locale?

Sometimes in application we want to show a text with description of current used locale.
For example, "english", "russian", "ukrainian", "chinese" etc

For this task you can use VerLanguageName function from Windows API:

var
  ID: LangID;
  LanguageName: array[0..255] of Char;
begin
  {read current system locale}
  ID := GetSystemDefaultLangID;

  {convert an ID into text}
  VerLanguageName(ID, LanguageName, SizeOf(LanguageName));

  ShowMessage(LanguageName);
end;

Of course, you can expand this code and to translate a locale as parameter

For example, if ID is $419, you'll receive a "russian". For $$0A - the "Spanish (Traditional Sort)", for $0C0C - the "French (Canadian)", for $407 - "German (Standard)" etc

Especially it is usefully when you'll retrieve an information from file (see GetFileVersionInfo/VerQueryValue functions or my freeware TSMVersionInfo component) or in some install tools.

Important

if ID is incorrect, you'll receive an "Language Neutral" as result
text in result will be translated in the current language. I mean that text will be not in English if you have localized version of MS Windows

Published: November 28, 2001

See also

	SMDBGrid
	Protected Storage Viewer
	ExcelFile Viewer
	SMExport suite
	dBase Viewer
	SMImport suite
	Paradox Viewer
	Viewer for TNEF-files (winmail.dat)
	Paradox to MS Access converter
	Clarion to Text converter

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