System Language is an extension to Applescript that allows a scripter to determine in his script what language is being used by the system on which the script is running. A numerical language code, or the name of the language in plain text is returned based on how System language is called by the scripter. One possible use of System Language might be to allow scripts to automatically detect and adjust to running on systems in different languages.

System Language does not use the standard scripting addition mechanism. Instead, System Language is packaged as a scriptable faceless background application. While System Language is running, it is not displayed in the Application Switcher menu, and does not have a user interface. This type of packaging offers many benefits over the traditional scripting addition packaging:

• Since System Language is not a standard scripting addition, it does not share the global namespace with all other scripting additions. To send commands to System Language, commands must be enclosed in a tell block. Therefore scripters do not have to worry about terminology name conflicts with other scripting additions.
  
  
• Since System Language is, in essence, an application, it can be loaded and unloaded at-will. To unload System Language, you simply send it a quit event. In comparison, to unload standard scripting additions you must remove them from the Scripting Additions folder and restart the computer.
  
  
• System Language lives in its own memory space rather than taking up space in the application heap of the application that called it. While the memory needed by System Language is very minimal at around 19K, the more memory left for other applications to do their jobs, the better.
  
  
• System Language runs in its own application space. Therefore, in the highly unlikely event that System Language crashes, other applications should not be affected. In comparison, if a scripting addition crashes, the application that called the scripting addition crashes as well.

Packaging

System Language is provided in two different formats: Application, and Extension. Each of these have different behaviors (outlined below), but only differ slightly at the file level. The way the two files differ at the file level is that the Application file has a file type of "APPL", while the Extension file has a file type of "appe". While this difference may appear to be subtle, the resulting differences in behavior are not subtle. Based on your individual needs, you should use the format that suits you best.

Application
The Application format (file type "APPL") behaves as a normal application, in that you can double-click the file to launch it. However, you cannot place it into the Extensions folder to have it automatically start up when the system starts up, and shut down when the system shuts down. Note that since System Language is a faceless background application, it has no menus. Therefore you must send it an Applescript "quit" command in order to quit it.

Extension
The Extension format (file type "appe") cannot be double-clicked to launch it, and appears to be a system extension. When placed into the Extensions folder, it automatically starts up when the computer starts up, and shuts down when the computer shuts down. Note that since System Language is a faceless background application, it has no menus. Therefore you must send it an Applescript "quit" command in order to quit it.

Installation

Installation is different depending on the format being installed:

Application
To install the System Language application, drag it to any place on your hard drive. The first time you call the System Language application in a script, Applescript may ask you to locate the application file.

Extension
To install the System Language extension, place the extension into the Extensions folder of the System Folder on the active startup disk. When placed in the Extensions folder, System Language loads automatically when the Mac OS starts up, and closes when the Mac OS shuts down or restarts.

Using System Language

To view the dictionary, drag System Language over a script editor. The System Language dictionary looks like this:

System Language : Returns the language code for the current system script.
(See Apple Universal Headers - Script.h for a listing of codes.)
System Language
[name boolean] -- Return the language textual name, rather than the numerical code.
Result : integer -- an integer representing the current system script language code.

Commands intended for System Language processing must be enclosed in a tell block like so:

tell application "System Language"
return the System Language with name
quit
end tell

The "with name" clause instructs System Language to return a textual name rather than a numerical language code.