The Vista software system is in use in many different countries around the world and incorporates a sophisticated technology which allows the application language to reflect the global locale and the preference of individual users while maintaining the consistent look, feel and functionality of the software.

There are three key concepts associated with this:

• Base language
• User language
• Alternate language

Base Language

This is the primary language for the particular Vista site. This is configured for when the software is installed and dictates the standard language for all Vista screen displays and reports.

User Language

In many locations the preferred language may vary from person to person. Vista accommodates individual user preferences by enabling the selection of a language for each user, which overrides the Base Language at the workstation they are logged onto.

By way of example, a cinema in Taiwan will use Traditional Chinese as the Base Language but some POS operators who are keen to improve their English, may be authorised to operate the system in International English. Their preference for English as their User Language can be configured in Cinema Manager maintenance (and readily altered at any time).

When this user logs on, the initial logon display will present in Traditional Chinese (the system’s Base Language), but when the user is authenticated, the system will employ International English (this operator’s User Language) on the terminal they have logged onto.

Alternate Language

Base and User Languages control the text on screen – titles, buttons, messages etc. The on-screen information that comes directly from the Vista database (for instance film titles, or soft drink names) cannot be so readily translated, as these items are continually changing as part of normal cinema operation.

To assist with this, Vista provides the concept of an Alternate Language for certain key items, for example: Films and Concessions. Their Cinema Manager maintenance forms have an Alternate Language tab which provides for alternate language to be recorded for the most used fields. This is illustrated in the example for Films.

Alternate Language is intended for use at POS terminals, it is available for individual operators at any time from the Alternate Language button (as described in the POS User Guide) or it can be used by default through system setting configuration.

If system setting BaseDataLanguage is Alternate, all customer displays will use the Alternate Language. The default value is Standard.

If system setting DataLanguageDefault'is Alternate, all POS terminal (operator) displays will use the Alternate Language. The default value is Primary.

See also:

• Alternate languages
• Film Languages