Localization

Feature overview

Localization is supported in HelpDesk from version 1.3.4. For already installed instances, upgrade 1.3.4 affects only widgets’ localization as per the list below. For newly created instances, you will be able to:

• select HelpDesk language during installation

• customize most of the strings in HelpDesk interface

• set display language for a widget placed outside of your SharePoint environment

• customize any string in widget interface both for internal and external widgets

Available languages:

• Chinese

• Czech

• Dutch

• English

• French

• German

• Italian

• Norwegian

• Polish

• Portuguese (Brazil)

• Spanish

• Swedish

If you want to add support for a new language, please send a request to support@plumsail.com.

Localization logic

There are four different types of strings in HelpDesk environment:

• static content in .aspx pages

• SharePoint artefacts (list and field titles)

• dynamic content generated by JavaScript

• other content like email templates in triggers and Scheduler tasks

Static strings in .aspx pages are set during HelpDesk installation and not customizable. They also don’t depend on user language settings.

Translation of SharePoint artefacts to all supported languages becomes available during installation. After enabling Multiple Language User Interface (MUI) on your HelpDesk site, SharePoint will display list titles and field names depending on user language settings. For example, you installed HelpDesk to an English site with German as an additional interface language. Then, the current user preferences define in which one to display the artefacts. If HelpDesk doesn’t support the preferred language, the user will see SharePoint artefacts in the default language selected during installation.

Most of the strings in the HelpDesk user interface are generated dynamically by JavaScript and can be customized. Each supported language has its own localization file both in an interface folder and in a widget one. These strings also support MUI and follow the same logic as the SharePoint artefacts.

Email templates are configured during the installation process and can be customized. MUI is not available for them.

Selecting HelpDesk language

When you are installing HelpDesk to a new team site, you can select the main language from a dropdown containing all supported languages. HelpDesk language can’t be changed after installation.

How to change a string in the interface

To change a string in HelpDesk interface, you need to open a folder located by URL <HelpDeskUrl>/HD/modern_localization/modern_ui. There are files with localization strings for each supported language.

For example, let us change a button title for English locale. To do this, you will need to modify a file en-US.js. We advise you to create a backup copy of this file before any changes.

Open the file and click Open in Text Editor.

You will see a JSON, containing all strings that can be customized. They are stored in format "SectionName_StringName": "String value". We will edit the value of a string TicketComents_CommentButtonAddReply and change it to a simple Reply.

Save the file after editing and check if everything is fine. You may need to reload page twice to see your changes.

Widget localization

The widgets located inside the SharePoint environment follow usual localization logic. For each external one, it is necessary to set a language. So now, you can put English and German widgets to respective versions of your site. Also, HelpDesk allows translating to any custom language.

To set a language for the external widget, you need to open its configuration form and select a locale in the accordant dropdown. Each one is available in a folder located by URL <HelpDeskUrl>/HD/modern_localization/widget so you can customize them in the same way as the HelpDesk interface.

To set a custom language, create a copy of the file en-US.js in the mentioned folder and rename it to another locale, for example, bg-BG.js. Then, translate all strings in it and save the file.