ACC2000: Sample Function to Determine Language Version

Microsoft Access ships in and can use several languages. This article shows you how to create a sample function that you can use to determine which language version of Access is installed, which language version the user interface is using, and which language version the Help file is using.

Access keeps track of language specific information by associating the files with a Local ID (LCID). This function uses the LanugageID property to return the LCID for different parts of Access. The LCID is passed to the LangID function to resolve the LCID into a friendly name for the language. Not all supported languages are handled in this function, but you can add aditional Case statements to handle additional languages.

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1. Create a new module and type the following in the Declarations section:

   Option Compare Database
   
   Public Declare Function GetLocaleInfo Lib "kernel32" Alias _
      "GetLocaleInfoA" (ByVal Locale As Long, ByVal LCType As Long, _
      ByVal lpLCData As String, ByVal cchData As Long) As Long
   
   Public Const LOCALE_SLANGUAGE = &H2
   					

2. On the Tools menu, click References. Make sure there is a reference to Microsoft Office 9.0 Object Library.
3. Type the following procedures:

   Function StLangOfLcid(lcid As Long) As String
   
       Dim st As String
       Dim cch As Long
       
       st = String(256, vbNullChar)
       cch = GetLocaleInfo(lcid, LOCALE_SLANGUAGE, st, Len(st))
       StLangOfLcid = Left(st, cch - 1)
       
   End Function
   					

   Sub FindLanguage()
   
      Debug.Print "The language that is installed is: " & _
         StLangOfLcid(LanguageSettings.LanguageID(msoLanguageIDInstall))
      Debug.Print "The language of the user interface is: " & _
         StLangOfLcid(LanguageSettings.LanguageID(msoLanguageIDUI))
      Debug.Print "The language of the help files is: " & _
         StLangOfLcid(LanguageSettings.LanguageID(msoLanguageIDHelp))
   
   End Sub
   					

4. Type the following line in the Immediate window, and then press ENTER:

   FindLanguage
   					

For more information about Locale identification numbers, click Microsoft Access Help on the Help menu, type LCID in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.