alguidelines.dev - Business Central Design Patterns – Localizability

Docs: CaptionML on System Pages

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

CaptionML should always be specified on a page field for a system table. By default, system tables do not have captions, so if you need to use them in the UI then captions need to be added.

Bad code

...
{ 2 ;2 ;Field ;
SourceExpr=Name }
...
OBJECT Table 2000000000 User
...
{ 2 ; ;Name ;Text50 }

Good code

...
{ 2 ;2 ;Field ;
CaptionML=ENU=Name;
SourceExpr=Name }
...
OBJECT Table 2000000000 User
...
{ 2 ; ;Name ;Text50 }

Docs: FIELDCAPTION and TABLECAPTION

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

For user messages, errors etc., use FIELDCAPTION not FIELDNAME and TABLECAPTION not TABLENAME.

Reason:

The correct translation will be automatically used.
If the caption/name changes, then there will be a single point of change needed.

Bad code

IF NOT CONFIRM(UpdateLocationQst,TRUE,FIELDNAME("Location Code"),...)

Good code

IF NOT CONFIRM(UpdateLocationQst,TRUE,FIELDCAPTION("Location Code"),...)

Docs: Global Text Constants

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Declare Text Constant as global variables.

Bad code

PROCEDURE GetRequirementText@6(...) : Text[50];
VAR
 RequirementOptionsTxt@1002 : TextConst 'ENU=Shipment,Receive,Pick,Put-Away';
BEGIN

Good code

VAR
 RequirementOptionsTxt@1002 : TextConst 'ENU=Shipment,Receive,Pick,Put-Away';
...
PROCEDURE GetRequirementText@6(...) : Text[50];
BEGIN

Docs: Use Text Constants

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Pass user messages using Text Constants. It makes translation easy.

Bad code

ImportAttachmentQst@1021 : TextConst 'ENU="Import attachment "';
...
IF CONFIRM(ImportAttachmentQst + Caption +'?',TRUE) THEN BEGIN

Good code

ImportAttachmentQst@1021 : TextConst 'ENU="Import attachment %1?"';
...
IF CONFIRM(STRSUBSTNO(ImportAttachmentQst, Caption),TRUE) THEN BEGIN

Bad code

...
 IF NOT
 CONFIRM(
 STRSUBSTNO(
 'Difference on Periodic entries: %1 on %2' +
 'Do you want to continue?',Balance,Date),
 TRUE)
 THEN
 ERROR('Program terminated by the user');

Good code

DiffOnPeriodEntiesQst@100 : TextConst 'ENU="Difference on Periodic entries: %1 on %2\\ Do you want to continue?"';
ProgramTerminatedErr@200 : TextConst 'ENU="Program terminated by the user"';
...
 IF NOT CONFIRM(STRSUBSTNO(DiffOnPeriodEntiesQst,Balance,Date),TRUE) THEN
 ERROR(ProgramTerminatedErr);

Docs: Using OptionCaptionML

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

The OptionCaptionML should be filled in for sourceexpression using option data types.

Bad code

{ 30 ;TextBox ;17850;0 ;150 ;423 ;Name=Selection;
SourceExpr=Selection;
DataSetFieldName=Selection }
...
Selection@1008 : 'Open,Closed,Open and Closed';
...

Good code

{ 30 ;TextBox ;17850;0 ;150 ;423 ;Name=Selection;
OptionCaptionML=ENU=Open,Closed,Open and Closed;
SourceExpr=Selection;
DataSetFieldName=Selection }
...
Selection@1008 : 'Open,Closed,Open and Closed';