Information Builders NLS API

The National Language Support (NLS) API is Information Builders proprietary facility for supporting international computing. Its primary function is the transcoding of data, on a character-by-character basis, between the code page of the server component and the code page of the client component. The NLS API is built into WebFOCUS and most other Information Builders products.

The graphic character representation standards (including code page numbers, layouts, and binary values for specific written symbols) that are used by Information Builders comply with IBM’s Character Data Representation Architecture (CDRA).

In addition to the primary function of transcoding, the NLS API has the following features:

• Sorting. Creates rules for a sort order in a language.
• Monocasing. Also called case conversion, monocasing is the conversion of a letter from its lowercase to uppercase form (or vice versa). For example, in standard French, all accented vowels lose their accents in the transition from lowercase to uppercase. Therefore, é, è, ê and e, all have the same uppercase character E.

The NLS API provides standard sorting and monocasing tables for supported code pages. To customize these tables for your enterprise, see your Information Builders representative.

Information Builders products have other localization features in addition to the NLS API. These features include the following:

• Decimal notation. Countries differ in how they punctuate numbers. In the United States, numbers contain a decimal point and use a comma as a thousands separator. In other countries, a dot (period) or a blank is used as a thousands separator. Information Builders products have a SET command that enables you to select the correct decimal notation for the selected language. For more information, see Punctuating Large Numbers.
• Date and time capabilities. Since there are numerous date and time formats used throughout the world, the NLS API enables you to select date and time formats for the selected language. For example, the United States uses the 12-hour clock as a standard, while most of Europe uses the 24-hour clock. Similarly, the United States uses the date format MM/DD/YY while Britain uses DD/MM/YY.

For the syntax of available date and time formats, see the Describing an Individual Field chapter in the Describing Data With WebFOCUS Language manual.