previous | next

Set up localisation resources

First, some files have to be made available to domain computers and users.

Create a directory tree

Create the following directory structure in e:\ on the Domain Controler. Directory names are based on standard ISO notation (discussed here) and on Microsoft's under-the-bonnet version numbering. (For our purposes, XP is 5.1, Vista is 6.0, 7 — to keep the driver compatibility peace — is 6.1 and so 8, logically, is 6.2... What do you mean, 'what?'?)

• teanga
  • internetExplorer
    • 9
    • 10
  • office
    • 2003
      • cy‑GB
      • ga‑IE
    • 2007
      • cy‑GB
      • ga‑IE
    • 2010
    • 2013
  • windows
    • 5.1
      • cy‑GB
      • ga‑IE
    • 6.0
    • 6.1
      • amd64
      • x86
    • 6.2
      • amd64
      • x86
  • xml

Here's the same directory tree seen in an Explorer screenshot:

And this simple PowerShell script will do the job for you:

#==============================================
# Create a localisation resource directory tree
#==============================================
$tiomantan = "e:"
$preamhTeanga = $tiomantan + "\teanga"
$preamhIE = $preamhTeanga + "\internetExplorer"
$preamhOffice = $preamhTeanga + "\office"
$preamhWindows = $preamhTeanga + "\windows"
$Eagar1 = (`
$preamhTeanga,`
$preamhIE,`
"$($preamhIE)\9",`
"$($preamhIE)\10",`
$preamhOffice,`
"$($preamhOffice)\2003",`
"$($preamhOffice)\2003\cy-GB",`
"$($preamhOffice)\2003\ga-IE",`
"$($preamhOffice)\2007",`
"$($preamhOffice)\2007\cy-GB",`
"$($preamhOffice)\2007\ga-IE",`
"$($preamhOffice)\2010",`
"$($preamhOffice)\2013",`
$preamhWindows,`
"$($preamhWindows)\5.1",`
"$($preamhWindows)\5.1\cy-GB",`
"$($preamhWindows)\5.1\ga-IE",`
"$($preamhWindows)\6.0",`
"$($preamhWindows)\6.1",`
"$($preamhWindows)\6.1\amd64",`
"$($preamhWindows)\6.1\x86",`
"$($preamhWindows)\6.2",`
"$($preamhWindows)\6.2\amd64",`
"$($preamhWindows)\6.2\x86",`
"$($preamhTeanga)\xml"`
)
ForEach ($Comhadlann in $Eagar1 ) {
	New-Item -Path $Comhadlann -ItemType directory
}
		

The localisation installers will be stored in this tree. The more recent of these are well-named and so they don't need much segregation. The file names of some of the older ones only give you a vague clue about what they do though (like LIPSetup.msi) and some are even identical (both the Irish and the Welsh Office 2003 ones are called 'LIP.EXE') so the tree has appropriate branches for them to perch in.

Create some shares

Make the whole tree available over the network by sharing the directory e:\teanga. Make this share a hidden one (\\smuilc\teanga$). Make it readable to the group Domain Computers only, and writable to no one.

Create a separate share to make the subdirectory e:\teanga\xml available over the network. Make this share a hidden one (\\smuilc\xml$) also. Make it readable to the group Domain Users only, and writable to no one.

Why set these share permissions?

Best practice: only make resources available to user or machine accounts that need them, and only with the lowest level of privilege required.

Most of the contents of \\smuilc\teanga$ only need to be available to workstations' LocalSystem accounts. If users want copies of the installers leave them go to Microsoft's Download Centre and get them there. Nothing in this share needs to be writable, either by LocalSystem or anything else.

On the other hand, at least some of the contents of \\smuilc\xml$ need to be available to users' domain accounts. That doesn't mean the users themselves have any business with them though. This share only needs to be readable to domain user accounts; it must not be writable, by them or by anything else.

Why hide the shares?

Why not? These shares are exclusively for the use of the sysadmin. No one else has any business in the world poking around in either one so why parade them? Users should not know things that humans should not know. Anyway, hiding them removes some needless clutter for users who do have legitimate reasons to be traversing the network in Explorer.

Download the localisation packages

Following the links given on this page, download the requisite installer files and save them in the appropriate places in the directory tree.

Create a startup XML file

We'll be using an XML file later on to set the default system user interface language. Create this filee now in the xml directory:

domhanda.xml

Add the following markup to this file:

<gs:GlobalizationServices xmlns:gs="urn:longhornGlobalizationUnattend">
<!--User List-->
<gs:UserList>
<gs:User UserID="Current" CopySettingsToDefaultUserAcct="true" CopySettingsToSystemAcct="true" />
</gs:UserList>
<!--Display Language-->
<gs:MUILanguagePreferences>
<gs:MUILanguage Value="ga-IE" />
</gs:MUILanguagePreferences>
</gs:GlobalizationServices>
		

All fairly straightforward. The MUILanguage element is what actually sets the user interface language, which in this example is Irish (ga‑IE). The primary working language of the organisation or institution that uses the network would always be specified here.

The CopySettingsToDefaultUserAcct and CopySettingsToSystemAcct elements set the default user interface language for new users and the system-level user interface language to whatever value you specify for the MUILanguage element. This requires root privileges.

This localisation installation method only ever references domhanda.xml when localisation packages are installed on the workstations.

previous | next