Multi-language support database design

Question

Hi,

      I have an Quotating Application in Visual Studio 2010 and Database in SQL Server 2008. Now I want to give multi language support for that project. I thought I have to change the master table schemas to support for multilanguage. What are the changes needed in database to support multilanguage. The client wants to increase the languages when they require. Please suggest me the optimal design of database to support multi language.

I gone through the below discussion

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/transactsql/thread/0d559276-c669-46f0-b36a-e28fd8fb1bb7

Thanks

Dathy

Answer 1

The columns where you store text in multi-languages  you have to design as NVACHAR(n).That's all.

http://www.sqlservercentral.com/Forums/Topic805461-373-1.aspx#bm806494

http://www.sqlteam.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=167140

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Best Regards,Uri Dimant SQL Server MVP,http://sqlblog.com/blogs/uri_dimant/

Blog : MS SQL Development and Optimization

Blog : Large scale of database and cleansing

Answer 2

Hi Uri,

      Thanks for your reply. I already have an idea that we have to use NVACHAR(n) for Unicode but I want the database design for multi language support. I gone through your links but those methods are already I saw in below link.

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/transactsql/thread/0d559276-c669-46f0-b36a-e28fd8fb1bb7

Any other optimum solutions.

Thanks,

Dathy

Answer 3

Hello Dathy,

I support Uri's suggestion of using UNICODE columns (such as NVARCHAR) for multi-language support.

Is there a particular problem you're having with Unicode? Unless all the languages are latin-based (or any group that can fall within the same collation), I don't see any other way to achieve what you require.

Except, of course, create a separate table / column per each language, each in a different collation.

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Eitan Blumin; SQL Server Consultant - Madeira SQL Server Services; http://www.madeira.co.il/author/eitan/

Answer 4

And if this involves full text search as well, please follow the links found in the following discussion.

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/sqlsearch/thread/62ee2698-1f55-4b56-a92d-4671ce2981fa/

RLF