Install Language Packs for SharePoint Server 2010
In this post I am going to walkthrough how we can install language packs on SharePoint Server 2010 to enable the multilingual support. There are excellent TechNet articles available with the details of planning, deployment etc, I will list out most of the links end of this post.
One new change is unlike MOSS 2007 / WSS 3.0 no need to install SharePoint Foundation 2010 language packs before installing the language packs for SharePoint Server 2010. If your environment is running with SharePoint Server 2010 then just download the appropriate language packs for SharePoint Server 2010 and install it.
Here is the link for getting SharePoint Server 2010 language packs, if you are using FAST for SharePoint 2010, Project Server 2010, Search Server 2010, and Office Web Apps 2010 no need to install any separate installable , just install the language pack after downloading it from the below link.
In my demo setup, I have downloaded 4 language packs, Hindi, Arabic, Japan and Spanish. In the download page you have to select the language and click “change” button and then find out the download button , it will be showing in the selected language J.
Once you select a language and click “Change” button the download page will be displayed in that particular language.
Click the button to download the setup file, Remember that all setup’s name is same “ServerLanguagePack.exe”, you have to either rename it or keep it in separate folders.
Alright now we can start the installation process.
I have 3 virtual machines, 2 SharePoint servers (1 WFE and 1 App server) and one server configured with Domain Controller and SQL Server.
We have to install the language packs in all SharePoint servers. Let us start with the application server.
Update - 07/11/2012 : If you look at the TechNet article "Deploying Language Packs (SharePoint Server 2010) : https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc262108.aspx#section4 " , it says that install Language Packs in Web Servers, which is not correct. We have to install the Language Packs in all servers including web & application servers, otherwise PSConfig will complain about it. Same topic for Project Server 2010 "Deploying Language Packs (Project Servers 2010) : https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff700192.aspx#section3" talks about the truth. Article for SharePoint Server 2010 will be updating soon.
Installation :-
1. Double click on the setup file and check the check box to accept license and terms. It will install the necessary files to the 14/template/Language ID folder.
2. Repeat the same steps for all other language packs, after each installation the wizard will show a check box with checked to run the Post Setup Configuration Wizard (PSConfig). You can either run it after each installation (all other SharePoint Servers) or run it only after installing all language packs. I have run it after installing all language packs.
3. If you try to run the PSConfig wizard without installing the language pack bits in other SharePoint servers then PS Configuration wizard will detect and it will not continue.
W We must need to install each language packs in all SharePoint Servers before running the PSConfig Wizard.
4. After the installation of language packs in all SharePoint servers check whether it is installed correctly or not in the 14/template/ folder and in the Control panel à Installed programs..
5. Installation is not yet completed; next step is update the SharePoint schema. Go ahead and run the PSConfig wizard in all SharePoint servers. In SharePoint Server 2010 / SharePoint Foundation 2010 we can run the PSConfig wizard in all SharePoint servers in the farm parallel. But don’t think that it will complete all steps in parallel. Each server will be looking for the completion of PSConfig wizard in other servers and till that time it will be in a locked state.
6. After running the PSConfig wizard setup, check the installation status.
Central Administration à Upgrade and Migration à Check product and patch installation status.
There you can see all updated language packs with the SharePoint version number.
Test Multilingual Functionality :
1. After installing the language packs settings.asp page will get 3 new links to configure multilingual features.
Browse to SharePoint web site à site actions à site settings à site administration à Language Settings
2. Check the checkbox for the languages you want users to be able to use to display their user interfaces.
Now users can change the display language for their personal use of the user interface.
3. After the above step we will get the new language selection menu in the welcome menu.
4. This changes the user interface for that user only, and does not affect how the site is displayed to other users. Also, any site content (as opposed to user interface elements) that was created in the site’s default language will still be displayed in the default language.
In the below screen shot, one user enabled Arabic language for his UI and other user is using English language.
5. If you want to modify the content with different language we can export the resource file of that particular site language and import it after modifying the resource file.
6. Click on Site Actions à Site Settings à Site Administration à Export Translations
Select the language which we need to export with the resource file. Here I am selecting the language as “Hindi”
Once we click the ok button it will download the .resx file. Open it in a resource editor. I have used Visual Studio 2010 to edit the file.
Since my default language (primary) for SharePoint is English, new contents created were in English. Eg: in my test case, I have changed the title of a custom list. Open the .resx file in the VS 2010 find out the list (You can find out the list GUID in the Name column and the English name in the value column)
I have used https://translation.babylon.com/ to convert the language.
7. After modifying the .resx file import it to the SharePoint website again. Remember that while uploading make sure to select the exact language.
Click on Site Actions à Site Settings à Site Administration à Export Translations
Now once you change the language to the modified one you can see the change.
Now you can implement variations as same as in MOSS 2007 , for more information : https://office.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint-server-help/create-a-variations-site-HA101790173.aspx
Deploy Language Packs: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc262108.aspx
Plan for multilingual user interfaces : https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff805087.aspx
Language offerings for SharePoint 2010 : https://blogs.msdn.com/b/sharepoint/archive/2010/05/13/language-offerings-for-sharepoint-2010-products.aspx
Language Packs for SharePoint Foundation 2010 :
A complete training about Variations : https://blogs.technet.com/b/stefan_gossner/archive/2011/11/14/sharepoint-variations-the-complete-guide-part-1-the-basics.aspx
Comments
Anonymous
September 14, 2010
No need to install the Japanese and Arabic language file (or MUI) for Server 2008 R2 first? -JimAnonymous
September 15, 2010
Languages for OS is not required most of the time , although I heard sometimes it has something to do with the time format. Yes, I understand that the TechNet article mentioned about it.Anonymous
September 20, 2010
Some complex character set language such as Chinese is required the windows os language packs to be installed. In order to support that character set within applications (such as the SharePoint Chinese Language Pack) we need the character set installed on the base OS. The OS lang pack includes things like fonts and script engines. Japanese no need, I think Arabic is required but I haven't tested in detail.Anonymous
October 25, 2011
Hi I have installed 4 language packs all the pre-install checks are ok, except: I don't have Import and Export translations in the Site Settings. Is this enabled by default or do I need to select "Override Translations"Anonymous
June 26, 2012
Hi Sowmyancs, Great article! Can you clarify whether language packs are required on the Applicaiton server? Technet article referring to only Web front end servers. technet.microsoft.com/.../cc262108.aspx Thank you!Anonymous
July 11, 2012
It has to be installed in all Servers , I have contacted the apropriate team to udpate it in the TechNet article that u have given. I will be updating it in my blog as well. Thanks for pointing it.