What are languages in ARIS?

The term language is used in different contexts in ARIS, such as ARIS configuration languages or database languages. The subdivision is necessary because not all languages of the world are available for every context. The meaning of the term in each individual context is described below.

You use languages to define the representation of database and method content, and the appearance of the program interface. You manage languages for various purposes on the 'Administration' tab, for example, for tenants (configuration) and databases.

Configuration languages

Languages available on the Administration tab > Configuration > Conventions used to specify the names and descriptions of all items of the configuration for this tenant, such as font formats, templates, and filters.

Configuration administrators create the configuration languages of a tenant.

Database languages

Language generally available in ARIS. These languages are provided automatically when a new database is created. You manage database languages on the Administration tab.

Language-dependent attribute values are displayed in the editable white fields using the database language you selected when logging in. This language is automatically displayed in Attribute Editing regardless of the method and interface language. Text related to database items is managed using the Attributes tab or the Attributes window. You can specify attributes in multiple database languages at the same time. If you right-click a column title and select Select language, you can add more database languages. You can switch between these languages by logging in again in another language.

You can define an default language to display database content if attribute values are not specified in the database language that is currently used.

Default database language

The default language (alternative language) is the database language in which database content is displayed if attribute values are not specified in the database language used. Using this, for example, you prevent names from being displayed as (Untitled) if they have not been specified in the relevant database language. When you create a database, English (United States) is selected automatically.

Attribute languages

Database language used to specify attribute values.

Language-dependent attribute values are displayed in the editable white fields using the database language you selected when logging in. This language is automatically displayed in Attribute Editing regardless of the method and interface language. Text related to database items is managed using the Attributes tab or the Attributes window. You can specify attributes in multiple database languages at the same time. If you right-click a column title and select Select language, you can add more database languages. You can switch between these languages by logging in again in another language.

You can define an default language to display database content if attribute values are not specified in the database language that is currently used.

Method language

The method language is the language in which all ARIS Method names are displayed, regardless of the interface and database language. For example, if you have selected English (United States), method names, such as the names of attribute types, model types, connection types, and object types, etc., are displayed in English. In contrast, the attribute values you have specified are displayed in the selected database language.

You select the method language on the ARIS > Options > General options page. For the change of the method language to take effect you must restart the program.

The language-dependent attribute values are specified in the relevant database language in the editable white fields. The Attribute name column contains method terms in the selected method language English. The Attribute name column title is displayed in the selected interface language using the standard Java font for tables.

Interface language

Defines the language in which the user interface is displayed, regardless of the method and database language. The interface language corresponds to the language in which menus, menu items, window titles, dialog titles and contents, and the online help are displayed. You can select all languages that were activated during installation.

You select the interface language under ARIS > Options > General. To change it, you must restart the program. If you have purchased an additional language, run a language update. To do this, administrators run the installation program (Modify program) and select the additional languages to be installed.

Languages in evaluation scripts and macros

These are the languages in which you want to specify text strings. It is strongly recommended that you specify the entries on the properties page of the script in this language so that they can be displayed in the language. Name and Description are especially important. When running a script, text strings are always displayed in the selected interface language. You can also define another language in the script by using the getString method and specifying the language parameter (see ARIS > Help > ARIS Script).

For each script, string table tabs are displayed for each language. The text strings can be specified or used for translation. String tables are available in Script Editor if a script is edited (click String table String table to display string tables).

For each string table tab, a file is available that contains all text strings in the related language. These properties files can be used for translation. The files are available in script export files (arx archive). The file name consists of the script GUID, the language code, and the extension .properties (for example, 6ff15de0-eae1-11d8-12e0-9d2843560f51_en.properties).

To specify text in another language, open the script for editing. In the string table, right-click next to a tab title and select Add language or Add language (copy text). A tab is created for the selected language. If you selected Add language (copy text), the source-language text strings are copied. They need to be translated. If unreadable content appears in report output files in a language or incorrect line breaks show up in model graphics, a used font is missing. In this case, you must make the font available.

System languages

Language provided by the operating system.

Please select only the languages of the operating system that were installed as the ARIS interface language so that all content can be displayed.

See also

How are languages and fonts used in ARIS?