Q315616: HOW TO: Detect a Client Language in an ASP Page in IIS
Article: Q315616
Product(s): Internet Information Server
Version(s): 3.0,4.0,5.0
Operating System(s):
Keyword(s): kbAudDeveloper kbHOWTOmaster
Last Modified: 24-FEB-2002
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The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Internet Information Server versions 3.0, 4.0, 5.0
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IN THIS TASK
------------
- SUMMARY
- Requirements
- Detect the Client Language in an ASP Page
- Test the Sample
- REFERENCES
SUMMARY
=======
This step-by-step article describes how to use Active Server Pages (ASP) to test
the value of HTTP_ACCEPT_LANGUAGE and return a greeting in an appropriate
language.
ASP pages generate dynamic content at the Web server and return the content to
the Web browser. An ASP page can return different content, depending on the type
of browser that made the request. Similarly, an ASP page can return different
content that is based on the natural language that is selected in the browser.
You can use ASP to detect the default natural language that is selected at the
browser. This information is held in an HTTP header variable named
HTTP_ACCEPT_LANGUAGE. For example, the value "es-mx,fr,de-ch,en-us" means that
the browser accepts the following languages, in order of preference:
- Spanish (Mexico)
- French (France)
- German (Switzerland)
- English (United States)
Requirements
------------
The following items describe the recommended hardware, software, network
infrastructure, skills and knowledge, and service packs that you need:
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 or later
- Basic knowledge of ASP
Detect the Client Language in an ASP Page
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1. Open a text editor such as Notepad.
2. Paste the following code in the file:
<%@ LANGUAGE="VBSCRIPT" %>
<% Option Explicit %>
<%
Dim userLocale
userLocale = request.servervariables("HTTP_ACCEPT_LANGUAGE")
The <% delimiter marks the start of Visual Basic Scripting Edition (VBScript)
code. The code retrieves the HTTP_ACCEPT_LANGUAGE variable from the HTTP
header.
3. Add the following code to display the HTTP_ACCEPT_LANGUAGE variable in the
browser for diagnostic purposes:
Response.Write "Language string: <B>" & userLocale & "</B><BR><BR>"
4. Add the following code to split the HTTP_ACCEPT_LANGUAGE variable into an
array of substrings. Each substring holds one language choice, such as es-mx:
Dim languages
languages = Split(userLocale, ",", -1)
5. Add the following code to test the language choices and return a greeting in
German, French, Spanish, or English:
Dim language
For Each language in languages
If InStr(language, "de") <> 0 Then ' Any kind of German?
Response.Write "Guten Tag" ' Return German greeting
Response.End
ElseIf InStr(language, "fr") <> 0 Then ' Any kind of French?
Response.Write "Bonjour" ' Return French greeting
Response.End
ElseIf InStr(language, "es") <> 0 Then ' Any kind of Spanish?
Response.Write "Hola" ' Return Spanish greeting
Response.End
ElseIf Instr(language,"en-us") <> 0 Then 'US English?
Response.Write "Hello"
Response.End
End If
Next
6. Add a delimiter to terminate the VBScript in the ASP page, as follows:
%>
7. Save the file as Sayhello.asp in the default Web folder on your computer
(this is usually C:\Inetpub\Wwwroot).
Test the Sample
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1. Start Internet Explorer.
2. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
3. In the Internet Options dialog box, click the General tab and then click
Languages.
4. In the Language Preference dialog box, view the languages that your browser
already accepts.
5. Click Add. Select another language from the list, such as Spanish, French, or
German, and then click OK.
6. In the Language Preference dialog box, select the language that you just
added. Click Move Up several times to move the language to the top of the
list. This makes this language the preferred language for your browser. Click
OK to accept these language preferences.
7. In the Address field in Internet Explorer, type "localhost/SayHello.asp"
(without the quotation marks).
8. Verify that the ASP page returns a greeting in your preferred language. Also
observe the value of the HTTP_ACCEPT_LANGUAGE variable, which is displayed at
the start of the page.
9. Select a different language preference in Internet Explorer and press F5 to
run the ASP page again. Verify that the ASP page returns an appropriate
greeting.
REFERENCES
==========
For more information about localization issues with scripting, see the following
Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Web site:
It's All Greek to Me
http://msdn.microsoft.com/workshop/languages/clinic/scripting080999.asp
Additional query words:
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Keywords : kbAudDeveloper kbHOWTOmaster
Technology : kbiisSearch kbiis500 kbiis400 kbiis300
Version : :3.0,4.0,5.0
Issue type : kbhowto
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