International Application Development (Windows Embedded CE 6.0)

  • Article

1/6/2010

Making software that accommodates differences in language, culture, and hardware is called internationalization. The goal of internationalization is to present users with a consistent look, feel, and functionality across different language editions of a product. Users expect localized software to support the same basic functionality that the original–language edition of the product does, and they expect it to have the same level of quality. They also expect different language editions to interact smoothly with one another.

Windows Embedded CE provides support for numerous character codes, as well as linguistic and cultural conventions through Unicode and national language support (NLS). Unicode is a universal character encoding system, while NLS carries information on date, time, calendar, number, and currency formats. NLS also provides sorting and character-type information for all the locales supported by the operating system (OS).

In addition to character and locale codes, the international support in Windows Embedded CE includes a handwriting recognition engine that is extremely useful when working with East Asian languages and the Multilingual User Interface (MUI), functionality that makes it possible for users to switch the language and locale of the user interface (UI).

Windows Embedded CE also supports a range of language-specific technologies. These technologies include several East Asian language Input Methods (IM) and Input Method Editors (IME) that are uniquely designed for specific languages. East Asian languages require IMEs in order to input characters from a keyboard or stylus tablet. Windows Embedded CE also provides support for Complex Scripts, as well as the locales that use Complex Scripts. Windows Embedded CE includes the Unicode Script Processor to handle and process Complex Scripts.**

In This Section

  • Window Layout and Mirroring
    Provides an overview of the mirroring concepts and describes how to mirror specific user interface elements.
  • Input Method Manager (IMM)
    Provides a comprehensive overview of IMM. IMM manages the communication between an Input Method Editor (IME) and an application.
  • Multilingual User Interface (MUI)
    Provides information about MUI support in Windows Embedded CE. MUI allows users to change the language of the user interface (UI). Shows how to use MUI to create a multilingual run–time image.
  • National Language Support (NLS)
    Provides information about NLS support in Windows Embedded CE. NLS enables to support the different locale–specific needs of users around the world.
  • Working with the Input Method Editor
    Provides an overview of the Input Method System and the IME user interface. Shows how to work with the Input Method Editor using the Input Method Manager (IMM) programming elements.
  • Fonts
    Provides a comprehensive overview of the fonts that are supported in Windows Embedded CE and shows how to customize fonts for an application.

  • Software-based Input Panel
    Provides a comprehensive overview of the Software-Based Input Panel (SIP) architecture in Windows Embedded CE. Explains how to program input methods and a Software-based Input Panel.

  • International OS Design Development
    Provides information for OEMs about the International features supported in Windows Embedded CE.

  • International Migration
    Provides information that is helpful when migrating from one version of Windows Embedded CE to another.
  • Locale-specific Support
    Provides information that is specific to each locale that is supported in Windows Embedded CE.
  • Unicode Script Processor for Complex Scripts
    Provides a comprehensive overview of the Uniscribe technology. This technology supports scripts that require special processing to show and edit because the characters are not laid out in a linear progression from left to right.

See Also

Other Resources

International