Notes on Adding Locales to Solaris 9

These notes addresses the following topics:

• Using the l10npkgadd script
• Locale naming conventions
• Solaris 9 distribution images
• BCP packages
• Impact of missing locale packages

Using the l10npkgadd script

Locales are added to Solaris packages by using the pkgadd command. To ease the process, you can use the l10npkgadd script, available at http://developers.sun.com/dev/gadc/techtips/l10npkgadd.csh

The l10npkgadd script will check and appropriately add the packages to your current system. The script will not install packages with a name that already exists on the system. The list of packages can be copied from the lists in the following sections and pasted to the command line of the script.

To use this script:

1. Copy the l10npkgadd.csh script to your system.
2. Make the script executable.
   (chmod 755 l10npkgadd.csh)
3. Change directory to the location where localization packages exist.
4. Become super-user.
5. Run the script with the package names.

Solaris 9 may come as a set of three separate CDs, a DVD, or a net-installable image. The l10npkgadd.csh will work with any of these. If you are installing from CD, and are unsure which CD a package resides on, run the script against all three CDs with all package names to ensure the proper installation of the packages.

Locale naming conventions

The Solaris locale naming follows this XPG convention:

• language[_territory][.codeset][@modifier]

• language is a two letter code from ISO 639 (http://www.w3.org/WAI/ER/IG/ert/iso639.htm) and
• territory is a two letter code from ISO 3166.
• codeset and modifier are arbitrary names.

Refer to the ISO 3166 Maintenance Agency web site for more information on ISO 3166:
http://www.din.de/gremien/nas/nabd/iso3166ma/

Solaris 9 distribution images

Solaris 9 is available as three separate CDs, a DVD, or a net-installable image.

As a set of CDs it consists of: Solaris Software 1 of 2, Solaris Software 2 of 2, and Languages CD.

1. The Solaris Software 1 of 2 CD contains most of the core/essential localization packages.
2. The Solaris Software 2 of 2 CD also contains some localization packages.
3. The Languages CD mainly contains translated messages and locale-specific utilities for nine full locales (French, German, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese).

As a DVD, all the content of the above three CDs can be found on a single DVD.

BCP packages

Starting from Solaris 8, there is no SPARC BCP (binary compatibility) package conflict between Japanese BCP packages and other locales' BCP packages. Thus, you can install all BCP packages in a single system without any problem.

Impact of missing packages

Depending on your CD/netimage medium, it is possible that one or more packages listed in a locale package list are not available on your medium. If this should occur usually it will not affect the essential enabling packages. There may only be a lose of certain translated messages which will not effect the overall locale-specific operations in your system.