dictionary - Classic ASP - Website localization -

i need add languages support existing classic asp website

the "best" solution found encapsulate every text in function, create database table store, every page, translations , use dictionary object retrieve right value.

example:

<div>welcome xy website</div> <button class="btn green">login</button> 

becomes

<div><%=tl("welcome xy website")%></div> <button class="btn" ><%=tl("login")%></button> 

then tl function should this

function tl(strinput)     dim strtargetlanguage, strpageurl,objdict,strtmp1,strtmp2     if strinput<>""         ' first check if customer has set language.. else uses browser language         if request.cookies("culture")=""              strtargetlanguage=lcase(left(request.servervariables("http_accept_language"),2))         else             strtargetlanguage=lcase(left(request.cookies("culture"),2))         end if         ' if user's language not supported....         if instr(stracceptedlanguages,strtargetlanguage)= 0                     strtargetlanguage="en"         end if          strpageurl=request.servervariables("url")          set objdict=server.createobject("scripting.dictionary")         objdict.add "strpageurl",strpageurl          'stored procedure load translation in required language , target page               cmd.commandtext="spdictionaryread"         cmd.commandtype=4         cmd.parameters("@languageid")=strtargetlanguage         cmd.parameters("@pageurl")=strpageurl         set rst=cmd.execute()          if not rst.eof             while not rst.eof                 objdict.add rst("txt"),rst(strtargetlanguage)                  rst.movenext()             wend         end if         rst.close          if objdict.exists(strinput)=true             tl=objdict.item(strinput)                    else                     ' custom function translate using google             tl=translate(strinput,"en",strtargetlanguage)              tl=replace(tl,"'","''")             strinput=replace(strinput,"'","''")             'add new sentence dictionary             cmd.commandtext="spdictionarywrite"             cmd.commandtype=4             cmd.parameters("@pageurl")=strpageurl             cmd.parameters("@txt")=strinput             cmd.parameters("@targetlanguage")= strtargetlanguage             cmd.parameters("@targettext")=tl             cmd.execute()              set objdict=nothing         end if               else         tl=""     end if end function 

the function not ready since @ present every time called access db , load translations of page , create dictionary: in situation better avoid dictionary , directly query db sentence required.

i need "only" find wise way store dictionary "somewhere" avoid rebuild it
choose? application, session, objvariable page, ???

googling little realize application not wise solution many reasons,

session: try keep session slim: never save object 30-50 keys if can avoid.... unless remove @ end of page (if worth)?

someone suggest load translations application "plain array" , build dictionary every time required, while loading sentences dictionary can test if current sentence target sentence , extract translation without using dictionary.. therefore neither wise solution

i read

lookup component microsoft

but couldn't find docs

perhaps can use .net components, hashtable?

since imagine translations common issue, expect there has better solution, , approach wrong:

can pls suggest better approach or hints?

a while ago inherited project developer , date in classic asp haven't found more efficient way of handling localisation.

the basic premise is

1. store key-value pairs in database, structure used keys table containing keys , "section" (which denotes particular grouping of keys). have our values table contains language specific localisations associated key fk (1:m) relationship.

   ╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║     keys table                                                   ║ ╠══════════════╦══════════════╦═════════════════╦══════════════════╣ ║ id (int, pk) ║ key (string) ║ section (string)║  editpanel (bit) ║ ╚══════════════╩══════════════╩═════════════════╩══════════════════╝  ╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║     values table                                                    ║ ╠══════════════╦═════════════════╦═════════════════╦══════════════════╣ ║ id (int, pk) ║ key_id (int, fk)║ lang (string)   ║  value (string)  ║ ╚══════════════╩═════════════════╩═════════════════╩══════════════════╝ 

2. build asp application create xml key-value pairs in database. application 2 pages

   1. iterates through supported languages , sections (defined in keys table) in nested loop, how decide on logical separation of cache files. within each iteration pass work page via winhttprequest object. page returns xml structure has built looking in database , pulling out key-value pairs related specific section being iterated.

   2. as mentioned page built called winhttprequest object after querying database specific section key-value pairs returns them in bespoke xml structure.

3. store file structure like

   \packs\ ┐         ├ \de\         ├ \es\         ├ \fr\         ... etc 

   that includes sub directory each language supported in database. directories need accessible web application identity (whether that's iusr or pre-configured account) @ least modify permission allow creation , modification of cached xml files.

   the bespoke xml files this

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> <language_pack>   <strings>     <string id="391" key="connect" editpanel="0" section="email">       <![cdata[connect]]>     </string>     <string id="9" key="uploadimage" editpanel="0" section="common">       <![cdata[upload photo]]>     </string>     <string id="12" key="notes" editpanel="0" section="common">       <![cdata[notes]]>     </string>   </strings>   <error_messages>     <error id="1" key="pleasebepatient">       <![cdata[\nthis action may take little time!\nplease patient.\n]]>     </error>   </error_messages>   <info>     <langcode>gb</langcode>     <langname>english</langname>     <strings>194</strings>     <time>0</time>   </info> </language_pack> 

   ^{xml file truncated keep things simple, actual files contain lot more values}

the main localisation powered #include file get's added each page needs support localisation (it becomes part of build process when working in localised web applications).

the #include call locale.asp similar describe in question. made of various functions of main ones include;

• init_langpack(langcode, admin, section) - handles initialisation of xml cache file. langcode string representation of language want load (collates directory names, de, es etc). admin determines whether in "admin mode" or not , behaves differently if are, setting page headers etc. , section xml file (which separate sections) want load xmldom object. should called before attempting access ml_string() loads xml.

• ml_string(id, showcontrol) - used asp pages want output localisation id key xml / keys table (why both?, explain in bit), while showcontrol boolean used decide when page displayed in "admin mode" can show localisation in editable field or not. might not want due how localisations placed in page (allowing handle them differently, display panel underneath etc).