jawtheshark's Journal: OpenOffice (2.4 Debian/Lenny) does it its own way again...

From:

Locale data is defined in an XML file. It is translated into a C++ source file during the build process, which is compiled and linked together with other compiled locale data files into shared libraries. The contents of the XML file, their elements, and how they are to be defined are described in i18npool/source/localedata/data/locale.dtd. The latest revision available for a specific CVS branch of that file provides up-to-date information about the definitions, as well as additional information.

Holy, fucking, Maloney!

Did I read that right? They:

1. Use their own little system instead of using the operating system. Oh, sure, they most certainly ask the operating system what locale is defined, but if it isn't included with OpenOffice.org you're not going to be supported! (Like for example en_DK which is by default included in Linux distros.
2. They compile it into the binary? WTF!?!
3. They use XML files for that.... Why not simply use the XML files as-is. That way I'd be at least able to add one if I need one.

All in all: OpenOffice.org isn't ever going to work with my en_LU locale. That said, there is an "easy" fix. Open OpenOffice, goto go Tools->Options, then Language->Language Settings and change "Locale Setting" to "French (Luxembourg)". Of course, this isn't enough to convince OpenOffice.org to switch to metric.... Noooooo.... You can do that manually too. Goto OpenOffice.org Writer->General and change Measurement Unit to millimetres or centimetres. Now immediately click OK, because if you don't you'll think you have to change it in other places. Luckily enough, OpenOffice.org will update all other units in other sections. Phew, only two settings to change.

I would rather be able to set this globally instead of for every single user once, but I'm not going to recompile OpenOffice.org.

Oh, and Tet, I know you're going to chime in again.... Use AbiWord/Gnumeric.... I do on the Asus EEE and I like it. I'm really curious if that one will work with my fancy new locale ;-)

Update: make that three options.
Also change the "Default Language"/Western option to "Luxembourg/French". If it's still Default, it will be en_US and if you do Insert->Fields->Date, the date (for today) will show up as 03/20/2009 instead of 20/03/2009. So it seems that the formatting of text documents is linked to the language of the document. That would explain their own "flavour of locales". OpenOffice.org Calc seems to be a happy puppy with not having such a feature. Go figure....

Never?

[peacefinder]

I suppose you could submit a patch to include en_LU in OOo...?

But even so, ugh.

Re:

[jawtheshark]

Well, I don't think they'll accept it. I know from my many researches about the topic, that an en_LU wouldn't ever been accepted by the maintainers of glibc. I read that in an en_FI discussion... "en_DK" is kept for historical reasons or so.

As far as I understand the only accepted official locales are the official languages of the country (would be de, fr and lb) and the country code. Since English is not an official Language of Luxembourg (or Finland), it cannot be accepted. Fiddle around with your en

Re:

[peacefinder]

Niiiice.

Re:

[jawtheshark]

Yeah... At least with Windows you have a nice little graphical interface to tweak the locale of your choice. Interesting though: on Linux, you take the locale you want and change the language. On Windows, you take the language you want and change the formatting. ;-)

I did like the fact that I could get under Linux what I wanted, even if OpenOffice doesn't play nice.