# Dual language commcare application **URL:** \ **Category:** Users\ **Created:** [May 16, 2011, 2:53pm UTC](https://forum.dimagi.com/t/dual-language-commcare-application/476 "2011-05-16T14:53:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Payne](https://dimagi.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@Jonathan\_Payne](https://forum.dimagi.com/u/Jonathan_Payne)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 2:53pm UTC](https://forum.dimagi.com/t/dual-language-commcare-application/476/1 "2011-05-16T14:53:41Z")
Hi all, we are developing an application in which users will regularly switch back and forth between 2 languages. I'll refer to "app language" as the language of the main menu, login screen, etc. and "form language" for the language when you actually open up an xform. My questions: - How do you change the application language on the phone when you are logged in as a standard user (as opposed to admin)? - In CC HQ 1.0, how do you set defaults for both the application language and the phone language? - Is it possible for a user to change the application language and have this language be used as the new default language for any forms that are opened? It is quite annoying for a user to have to change the language in the application and in each form they open. Thanks, Jon ---
**Author:** ![Clayton\_Sims](https://dimagi.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.dimagi.com/clayton_sims/32/496_2.png) [@Clayton\_Sims](https://forum.dimagi.com/u/Clayton_Sims)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 4:05pm UTC](https://forum.dimagi.com/t/dual-language-commcare-application/476/2 "2011-05-16T16:05:57Z")
Jon, Answers inline > Hi all, we are developing an application in which users will regularly > switch back and forth between 2 languages. I'll refer to "app language" as > the language of the main menu, login screen, etc. and "form language" for > the language when you actually open up an xform. My questions: > > - How do you change the application language on the phone when you are > logged in as a standard user (as opposed to admin)? This currently isn't possible. No one's use case up to this point has included the need to switch languages on the phone menus. We can work on that if it's needed for an upcoming app. Do you want the language to be configurable per user (IE: the app is in multiple languages because there are users who need a different language) or does it need to be configurable such that individual users will use multiple languages? And why, in the latter case, is that the expected use mode? > - In CC HQ 1.0, how do you set defaults for both the application language > and the phone language? The default application language for your application is the first one in the list of languages on the application settings screen. For the forms the answer is relevant to the next question > - Is it possible for a user to change the application language and have > this language be used as the new default language for any forms that are > opened? It is quite annoying for a user to have to change the language in > the application and in each form they open. This actually already works. If the application current language code ("en", "sw", etc) is included in the language set for the form, that language will be used as the default. Is there an app you're testing on where that isn't working? > **···** > > On Mon, May 16, 2011 at 10:53 AM, Jonathan Payne wrote: ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Payne](https://dimagi.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@Jonathan\_Payne](https://forum.dimagi.com/u/Jonathan_Payne)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://forum.dimagi.com/t/dual-language-commcare-application/476/3 "2011-05-16T20:18:37Z")
Thanks Clayton. My answers are inline too... > Jon, > > Answers inline > > > Hi all, we are developing an application in which users will regularly > > switch back and forth between 2 languages. I'll refer to "app language" as > > the language of the main menu, login screen, etc. and "form language" for > > the language when you actually open up an xform. My questions: > > > > - How do you change the application language on the phone when you are > > logged in as a standard user (as opposed to admin)? > > This currently isn't possible. No one's use case up to this point has > included the need to switch languages on the phone menus. We can work on > that if it's needed for an upcoming app. Do you want the language to be > configurable per user (IE: the app is in multiple languages because there > are users who need a different language) or does it need to be configurable > such that individual users will use multiple languages? And why, in the > latter case, is that the expected use mode? This is for our CRS Malawi project, and many users know both Chichewa and English. The language used may be up to the preference of both the health worker and the client. We will look into whether we want the ability to change the application language as part of the standard user options. > > - In CC HQ 1.0, how do you set defaults for both the application language > > and the phone language? > > The default application language for your application is the first one in > the list of languages on the application settings screen. For the forms the > answer is relevant to the next question ok > > - Is it possible for a user to change the application language and have > > this language be used as the new default language for any forms that are > > opened? It is quite annoying for a user to have to change the language in > > the application and in each form they open. > > This actually already works. If the application current language code > ("en", "sw", etc) is included in the language set for the form, that > language will be used as the default. Is there an app you're testing on > where that isn't working? will verify. > **···** > > On Mon, May 16, 2011 at 12:05 PM, Clayton Sims wrote: \> On Mon, May 16, 2011 at 10:53 AM, Jonathan Payne wrote: ---
**Author:** ![Clayton\_Sims](https://dimagi.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.dimagi.com/clayton_sims/32/496_2.png) [@Clayton\_Sims](https://forum.dimagi.com/u/Clayton_Sims)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 8:31pm UTC](https://forum.dimagi.com/t/dual-language-commcare-application/476/4 "2011-05-16T20:31:14Z")
Jon, Ok, let me know what the users say. One other thing that we'll likely need to update: Currently, the error messages that come up (when a question is out of range, etc), can't be internationalized. It seems like that's a change we'll need to make in order to have this level of internationalization. Should we make a TO for that? -Clayton > **···** > > On Mon, May 16, 2011 at 4:18 PM, Jonathan Payne wrote: > > > Thanks Clayton. My answers are inline too... > > > > On Mon, May 16, 2011 at 12:05 PM, Clayton Sims [csims@dimagi.com](mailto:csims@dimagi.com) wrote: > > > > > Jon, > > > > > > Answers inline > > > > > > On Mon, May 16, 2011 at 10:53 AM, Jonathan Payne [paynejd@gmail.com](mailto:paynejd@gmail.com)wrote: > > > > > > > Hi all, we are developing an application in which users will regularly > > > > switch back and forth between 2 languages. I'll refer to "app language" as > > > > the language of the main menu, login screen, etc. and "form language" for > > > > the language when you actually open up an xform. My questions: > > > > > > > > - How do you change the application language on the phone when you are > > > > logged in as a standard user (as opposed to admin)? > > > > > > This currently isn't possible. No one's use case up to this point has > > > included the need to switch languages on the phone menus. We can work on > > > that if it's needed for an upcoming app. Do you want the language to be > > > configurable per user (IE: the app is in multiple languages because there > > > are users who need a different language) or does it need to be configurable > > > such that individual users will use multiple languages? And why, in the > > > latter case, is that the expected use mode? > > > > This is for our CRS Malawi project, and many users know both Chichewa and > > English. The language used may be up to the preference of both the health > > worker and the client. We will look into whether we want the ability to > > change the application language as part of the standard user options. > > > > > > - In CC HQ 1.0, how do you set defaults for both the application language > > > > and the phone language? > > > > > > The default application language for your application is the first one in > > > the list of languages on the application settings screen. For the forms the > > > answer is relevant to the next question > > > > ok > > > > > > - Is it possible for a user to change the application language and have > > > > this language be used as the new default language for any forms that are > > > > opened? It is quite annoying for a user to have to change the language in > > > > the application and in each form they open. > > > > > > This actually already works. If the application current language code > > > ("en", "sw", etc) is included in the language set for the form, that > > > language will be used as the default. Is there an app you're testing on > > > where that isn't working? > > > > will verify.