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Import-LocalizedData

  • Reference
Module:
Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility

Imports language-specific data into scripts and functions based on the UI culture that's selected for the operating system.

Syntax

Import-LocalizedData
      [[-BindingVariable] <String>]
      [[-UICulture] <String>]
      [-BaseDirectory <String>]
      [-FileName <String>]
      [-SupportedCommand <String[]>]
      [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The Import-LocalizedData cmdlet dynamically retrieves strings from a subdirectory whose name matches the UI language set for the current user of the operating system. It's designed to enable scripts to display user messages in the UI language selected by the current user.

Import-LocalizedData imports data from .psd1 files in language-specific subdirectories of the script directory and saves them in a local variable that's specified in the command. The cmdlet selects the subdirectory and file based on the value of the $PSUICulture automatic variable. When you use the local variable in the script to display a user message, the message appears in the user's UI language.

You can use the parameters of Import-LocalizedData to specify an alternate UI culture, path, and filename, to add supported commands, and to suppress the error message that appears if the .psd1 files aren't found.

The Import-LocalizedData cmdlet supports the script internationalization initiative that was introduced in Windows PowerShell 2.0. This initiative aims to better serve users worldwide by making it easy for scripts to display user messages in the UI language of the current user. For more information about this and about the format of the .psd1 files, see about_Script_Internationalization.

Examples

Example 1: Import text strings

This example imports text strings into the $Messages variable. It uses the default values of all other cmdlet parameters.

Import-LocalizedData -BindingVariable "Messages"

If the command is included in the Archives.ps1 script in the C:\Test directory, and the value of the $PsUICulture automatic variable is zh-CN, Import-LocalizedData imports the Archives.psd1 file in the C:\test\zh-CN directory into the $Messages variable.

Example 2: Import localized data strings

This example is run at the command line not in a script. It gets localized data strings from the Test.psd1 file and displays them at the command line. Because the command isn't used in a script, the FileName parameter is required. The command uses the UICulture parameter to specify the en-US culture.

Import-LocalizedData -FileName "Test.psd1" -UICulture "en-US"

Name           Value
----           -----
Msg3           "Use $_ to represent the object that's being processed."
Msg2           "This command requires the credentials of a member of the Administrators group on the...
Msg1           "The Name parameter is missing from the command."

Import-LocalizedData returns a hashtable that contains the localized data strings.

Example 3: Import UI culture strings

Import-LocalizedData -BindingVariable "MsgTbl" -UICulture "ar-SA" -FileName "Simple" -BaseDirectory "C:\Data\Localized"

This command imports text strings into the $MsgTbl variable of a script.

It uses the UICulture parameter to direct the cmdlet to import data from the Simple.psd1 file in the ar-SA subdirectory of C:\Data\Localized.

Example 4: Import localized data into a script

This example shows how to use localized data in a simple script.

PS C:\> # In C:\Test\en-US\Test.psd1:

ConvertFrom-StringData @'

# English strings

Msg1 = "The Name parameter is missing from the command."
Msg2 = "This command requires the credentials of a member of the Administrators group on the computer."
Msg3 = "Use $_ to represent the object that's being processed."
'@

# In C:\Test\Test.ps1

Import-LocalizedData -BindingVariable "Messages"
Write-Host $Messages.Msg2

# In Windows PowerShell

PS C:\> .\Test.ps1

This command requires the credentials of a member of the Administrators group on the computer.

The first part of the example shows the contents of the Test.psd1 file. It contains a ConvertFrom-StringData command that converts a series of named text strings into a hashtable. The Test.psd1 file is located in the en-US subdirectory of the C:\Test directory that contains the script.

The second part of the example shows the contents of the Test.ps1 script. It contains an Import-LocalizedData command that imports the data from the matching .psd1 file into the $Messages variable and a Write-Host command that writes one of the messages in the $Messages variable to the host program.

The last part of the example runs the script. The output shows that it displays the correct user message in the UI language set for the current user of the operating system.

Example 5: Replace default text strings in a script

This example shows how to use Import-LocalizedData to replace default text strings defined in the DATA section of a script.

PS C:\> # In TestScript.ps1
$UserMessages = DATA

{    ConvertFrom-StringData @'

    # English strings

        Msg1 = "Enter a name."
        Msg2 = "Enter your employee ID."
        Msg3 = "Enter your building number."
'@
}

Import-LocalizedData -BindingVariable "UserMessages"
$UserMessages.Msg1...

In this example, the DATA section of the TestScript.ps1 script contains a ConvertFrom-StringData command that converts the contents of the DATA section to a hashtable and stores in the value of the $UserMessages variable.

The script also includes an Import-LocalizedData command, which imports a hashtable of translated text strings from the TestScript.psd1 file in the subdirectory specified by the value of the $PsUICulture variable. If the command finds the .psd1 file, it saves the translated strings from the file in the value of the same $UserMessages variable, overwriting the hashtable saved by the DATA section logic.

The third command displays the first message in the $UserMessages variable.

If the Import-LocalizedData command finds a .psd1 file for the $PsUICulture language, the value of the $UserMessages variable contains the translated text strings. If the command fails for any reason, the command displays the default text strings defined in the DATA section of the script.

Example 6: Suppress error messages if the UI culture isn't found

This example shows how to suppress the error messages that appear when Import-LocalizedData can't find the directories that match the user's UI culture or can't find a .psd1 file for the script in those directories.

PS C:\> # In Day1.ps1

Import-LocalizedData -BindingVariable "Day"

# In Day2.ps1

Import-LocalizedData -BindingVariable "Day" -ErrorAction:SilentlyContinue

PS C:\> .\Day1.ps1
Import-LocalizedData : Can't find PowerShell data file 'Day1.psd1' in directory 'C:\ps-test\fr-BE\'
or any parent culture directories.
At C:\ps-test\Day1.ps1:17 char:21+ Import-LocalizedData <<<<  Day
Today is Tuesday

PS C:\> .\Day2.ps1
Today is Tuesday

You can use the ErrorAction common parameter with a value of SilentlyContinue to suppress the error message. This is especially useful when you have provided user messages in a default or fallback language, and no error message is needed.

This example compares two scripts, Day1.ps1 and Day2.ps1, that include an Import-LocalizedData command. The scripts are identical, except that Day2 uses the ErrorAction common parameter with a value of SilentlyContinue.

The sample output shows the results of running both scripts when the UI culture is set to fr-BE and there are no matching files or directories for that UI culture. Day1.ps1 displays an error message and English output. Day2.ps1 just displays the English output.

Parameters

-BaseDirectory

Specifies the base directory where the .psd1 files are located. The default is the directory where the script is located. Import-LocalizedData searches for the .psd1 file for the script in a language-specific subdirectory of the base directory.

Type:String
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-BindingVariable

Specifies the variable into which the text strings are imported. Enter a variable name without a dollar sign ($).

In Windows PowerShell 2.0, this parameter is required. In Windows PowerShell 3.0, this parameter is optional. If you omit this parameter, Import-LocalizedData returns a hashtable of the text strings. The hashtable is passed down the pipeline or displayed at the command line.

When using Import-LocalizedData to replace default text strings specified in the DATA section of a script, assign the DATA section to a variable and enter the name of the DATA section variable in the value of the BindingVariable parameter. Then, when Import-LocalizedData saves the imported content in the BindingVariable, the imported data will replace the default text strings. If you aren't specifying default text strings, you can select any variable name.

Type:String
Aliases:Variable
Position:0
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-FileName

Specifies the name of the data file (.psd1) to be imported. Enter a filename. You can specify a filename that doesn't include its .psd1 filename extension, or you can specify the filename including the .psd1 filename extension. Data files should be saved as Unicode or UTF-8.

The FileName parameter is required when Import-LocalizedData isn't used in a script. Otherwise, the parameter is optional and the default value is the base name of the script. You can use this parameter to direct Import-LocalizedData to search for a different .psd1 file.

For example, if the FileName is omitted and the script name is FindFiles.ps1, Import-LocalizedData searches for the FindFiles.psd1 data file.

Type:String
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-SupportedCommand

Specifies cmdlets and functions that generate only data.

Use this parameter to include cmdlets and functions that you have written or tested. For more information, see about_Script_Internationalization.

Type:String[]
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-UICulture

Specifies an alternate UI culture. The default is the value of the $PsUICulture automatic variable. Enter a UI culture in <language>-<region> format, such as en-US, de-DE, or ar-SA.

The value of the UICulture parameter determines the language-specific subdirectory (within the base directory) from which Import-LocalizedData gets the .psd1 file for the script.

The cmdlet searches for a subdirectory with the same name as the value of the UICulture parameter or the $PsUICulture automatic variable, such as de-DE or ar-SA. If it can't find the directory, or the directory doesn't contain a .psd1 file for the script, it searches for a subdirectory with the name of the language code, such as de or ar. If it can't find the subdirectory or .psd1 file, the command fails and the data is displayed in the default language specified in the script.

Type:String
Position:1
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

Inputs

None

You can't pipe objects to this cmdlet.

Outputs

Hashtable

This cmdlet saves the hashtable in the variable specified by the value of the BindingVariable parameter.

Notes

  • Before using Import-LocalizedData, localize your user messages. Format the messages for each locale (UI culture) in a hashtable of key-value pairs, and save the hashtable in a file with the same name as the script and a .psd1 filename extension. Create a directory under the script directory for each supported UI culture, and then save the .psd1 file for each UI culture in the directory with the UI culture name.

    For example, localize your user messages for the de-DE locale and format them in a hashtable. Save the hashtable in a <ScriptName>.psd1 file. Then create a de-DE subdirectory under the script directory, and save the German <ScriptName>.psd1 file in the de-DE subdirectory. Repeat this method for each locale that you support.

  • Import-LocalizedData performs a structured search for the localized user messages for a script.

    Import-LocalizedData begins the search in the directory where the script file is located (or the value of the BaseDirectory parameter). It then searches within the base directory for a subdirectory with the same name as the value of the $PsUICulture variable (or the value of the UICulture parameter), such as de-DE or ar-SA. Then, it searches in that subdirectory for a .psd1 file with the same name as the script (or the value of the FileName parameter).

    If Import-LocalizedData can't find a subdirectory with the name of the UI culture, or the subdirectory doesn't contain a .psd1 file for the script, it searches for a .psd1 file for the script in a subdirectory with the name of the language code, such as de or ar. If it can't find the subdirectory or .psd1 file, the command fails, the data is displayed in the default language in the script, and an error message is displayed explaining that the data could not be imported. To suppress the message and fail gracefully, use the ErrorAction common parameter with a value of SilentlyContinue.

    If Import-LocalizedData finds the subdirectory and the .psd1 file, it imports the hashtable of user messages into the value of the BindingVariable parameter in the command. Then, when you display a message from the hashtable in the variable, the localized message is displayed.

    For more information, see about_Script_Internationalization.