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Internationalization Guide

# Using the BEA WebLogic Server Message Editor

The following sections describe how to use the Message Editor:

- About the Message Editor
- Starting the Message Editor
- Working with Catalogs
- Adding Messages to Catalogs
- Finding Messages
- Using the Message Viewer
- Editing an Existing Message
- Retiring and Unretiring Messages

# About the Message Editor

The Message Editor is a graphical interface tool that allows you to create, read, and write XML message catalogs. The Message Editor is installed when you install WebLogic Server. Optionally, you can also edit the XML catalogs directly in a text editor or any XML editing tool.

Note: WebLogic Server provides its own message catalogs, which contain messages relating to WebLogic Serversubsystems and functionality. You cannot edit these catalogs. For descriptions of WebLogic Server catalogs, see the Index of Messages by Message Range.

Note: The Message Editor does not support the editing of localized catalogs.

You use the Message Editor to perform the following tasks:

- Create XML message catalogs
- Create and edit messages
- View all the messages in one catalog
- View all the messages in several catalogs simultaneously
- Search for messages
- Validate the XML in catalog entries
- Retire and unretire messages

# Starting the Message Editor

Before you start the Message Editor, install and configure your WebLogic Server system and set your environment variables (setExamplesEnv.cmd). Make sure that your classpath is set correctly. For more information on these topics, see the Installation Guide.

Sample message catalog files are located in your SAMPLES_HOME/server/examples/i18n/msgcat/ directory.

You can use the sample message catalogs as templates to create your own messages. You simply modify the provided information, such as the package name and class name. Then translate the message text and save the catalog. For more information on this topic, see Writing Messages to the WebLogic Server Log in Using WebLogic Logging Services.

Note: The location of your samples/ directory path may vary, depending on where you chose to install WebLogic Server.

To start the Message Editor, type:

>     java weblogic.MsgEditor

>     or

>     java weblogic.i18ntools.gui.MessageEditor

To access basic command line help, type:

java weblogic.MsgEditor -help

The main WebLogic Message Editor window for Log Messages displays as shown in Figure 3-1.

Figure 3-1 WebLogic Message Editor for Log Messages

# Working with Catalogs

The following sections describe how to use the Message Editor to manage catalogs:

- Browsing to an Existing Catalog
- Creating a New Catalog

## Browsing to an Existing Catalog

To find an existing catalog from the main WebLogic Message Editor window, enter the full pathname in the Message Catalog field, or click Browse and navigate to the existing catalog from the Open dialog.

Figure 3-2 Navigating to a Catalog

The sample catalogs included with your WebLogic Server installation are in the SAMPLES_HOME/server/examples/i18n/msgcat/ directory.

Note: This directory path may vary, depending on where you installed WebLogic Server.

You can place your user-defined catalogs in any directory you designate.

Once you locate the Packages, Subsystem, Version, Base ID, and End ID (if any) for that catalog are displayed, and that catalog is the context catalog in which all other actions are performed. You are now ready to enter new messages into that catalog, edit existing messages, search for a message, or view all messages in the catalog.

If a log message catalog is selected in the Message catalog field, the WebLogic Message Editor window for Log Messages displays as shown in Figure 3-3.

Figure 3-3 WebLogic Message Editor for Log Messages

If a simple messages catalog is selected in the Message catalog field, the WebLogic Message Editor window for Simple Messages displays as shown in Figure 3-4.

Figure 3-4 WebLogic Message Editor for Simple Messages

## Creating a New Catalog

To create a new catalog, complete the following procedure:

1. From the main menu bar of the WebLogic Message Editor window, choose File > New Catalog.

The "Create new catalog" dialog displays as shown in Figure 3-5.

Figure 3-5 Create New Catalog

2. In the Message Catalog field, enter the full pathname and the name of the new catalog, which must include the `xml` extension. Or, click Browse and navigate to the appropriate catalog directory. (This would be the `msgcat` directory if you are using WebLogic Server example messages.)
3. Use the drop-down Catalog type list to indicate whether your catalog is to be a Log message catalog or a Simple text message catalog.

If you select a log message catalog, the Base ID and End ID fields are displayed. These fields indicate the range of ID numbers for messages in the catalog. If you select a simple text message catalog, these fields disappear.

4. Enter the name of the package where you want to place generated Logger classes in the I18n Package field. The default is `weblogic.i18n`. If you want to place your logger classes in another package with your application, specify the package name here.
5. Enter the name of the package where you want to place the catalog data in the L10n Package field. The default is `weblogic.l10n`. If you want to place your catalog data in another package with your application, specify the package name here.
6. Enter a name in the Subsystem field to indicate which part of the system will log the message. This name is logged with the message. For applications, the application name is normally entered in the Subsystem field.
7. In the Prefix field, enter a prefix to be prepended to the message ID when logged. The default server message prefix is BEA. You can enter any prefix for user messages. (BEA recommends that the prefix be less that 10 characters in length. Also, make sure you use standard java naming conventions.)
8. Click Create Catalog.

The "Create new catalog" dialog closes, and the catalog you just created is displayed as the context catalog in the main Message Editor window.

# Adding Messages to Catalogs

The following sections describe how to use the Message Editor to add messages to catalogs:

- Entering a New Log Message
- Entering a New Simple Text Message

## Entering a New Log Message

To enter a new message into a log catalog:

1. From the WebLogic Message Editor main dialog (Figure 3-6), enter the full pathname in the Message Catalog field or click Browse and navigate to the existing catalog.

Figure 3-6 Log Messages

2. Click Get next ID to generate the next unique numerical ID in the context catalog. This ID will appear in the Message ID field.
3. Enter any relevant comments about the message in the Comment field.
4. Enter the appropriate Method for your log message, including parentheses and any arguments. For example: logErrorSavingTimestamps(Exception ioExcep)
5. Set the Method Type for the log message. Your choices are logger and getter. The default method type is logger, which is used for messages that will be logged. The getter choice is for messages that are used for non-logging purposes, such as exceptions.
6. Choose a Severity from the list of possible levels.
7. Enter text for the Message body. Parameters are denoted by `{``n``}`. For example: "Exception occurred while loading _WL_TIMESTAMP FILE."
8. Enter text for the Message detail. Parameters are denoted by `{``n``}`. For example: "Exception occurred while loading _WL_TIMESTAMP FILE. Forcing recompilation: {0}."
9. Enter text for the Probable Cause. Parameters are denoted by `{``n``}`. For example: "There was an error reading this file."
10. Enter text for the Action. Parameters are denoted by `{``n``}`. For example: "No action required."
11. Toggle the Display stacktrace option on or off by clicking the checkmark box. Use this option to print a stacktrace along with the message when a Logger method takes an exception as one of its arguments.
12. Toggle the Retired message option on or off by clicking the checkmark box. Use this option to retire (hide) obsolete messages. Retired messages are deleted in the sense that they are not represented in the generated classes. However, the message data does remain in the .xml file.
13. Click Add.

The message is added and the entire catalog is immediately written to disk.

## Entering a New Simple Text Message

To enter a simple text message into a simple messages catalog:

1. From the WebLogic Message Editor main dialog, enter the full pathname in the Message Catalog field or click Browse and navigate to the existing catalog.

The WebLogic Message Editor for Simple Messages dialog displays as shown in Figure 3-7.

Figure 3-7 Simple Messages

2. Enter a unique alphanumeric Message ID.
3. Enter a Comment if required.
4. Enter the appropriate Method for your simple message, including parentheses and any arguments. For example: startingClusterService()
5. Enter the Message body text. For example: startingClusterService
6. Click Add.

The message is added and the entire catalog is immediately written to disk.

# Finding Messages

The following sections describe how to use the Message Editor to find messages:

- Finding a Log Message
- Finding a Simple Text Message

## Finding a Log Message

To find a log message:

1. Make sure that the context catalog is a log message catalog and the WebLogic Message Editor Log Messages main window is displayed as shown in Figure 3-3.
2. Choose Edit from the main menu bar.
3. Choose Search to display the "Search for Log Message" dialog as shown in Figure 3-8.

Figure 3-8 Search for Log Message

4. Enter the Message ID and the Method name.
5. Enter as much information as you need in the Message text search field to find the correct message. The search for text does a partial match in any of the text fields.
6. Click Find first or Find next.

The fields are strung together to find the message. If a matching message is found, it displays in the main Message Editor window as shown in Figure 3-1.

## Finding a Simple Text Message

To find a simple text message, complete the following procedure:

1. Make sure that the context catalog is a simple text message catalog and the WebLogic Message Editor Simple Messages main window is displayed as shown in Figure 3-4.
2. Choose Edit from the main menu bar.
3. Choose Search to display the "Search for Simple Message" dialog as shown in Figure 3-9.

Figure 3-9 Search for Simple Message

4. Enter the Message ID.
5. Enter as much information as you need in the Message text search field to find the correct message. The search for text does a partial match in any of the text fields.
6. Click Find first or Find next.

The fields are strung together to find the message. If a matching message is found, it displays in the main Message Editor window as shown in Figure 3-4.

# Using the Message Viewer

The WebLogic Message Editor contains a Message Viewer that allows you to view all messages in a catalog, view all messages in multiple catalogs, and choose any message to edit.

The following sections describe how to use the Message Viewer to view and choose messages to edit:

- Viewing All Messages in a Catalog
- Viewing All Messages in Several Catalogs
- Choosing a Message to Edit from the Message Viewer

## Viewing All Messages in a Catalog

To view all the messages in a catalog:

1. Open the WebLogic Message Editor. The main WebLogic Message Editor window displays with the catalog for the last message viewed as the current context catalog.
2. Choose View from the menu bar.
3. Select the All messages option. All the messages for the current context catalog display in a table in the Message Viewer window, as shown in Figure 3-10. The Message Viewer displays in a separate window from the Message Editor and the Message Editor remains open.

Figure 3-10 Message Viewer

## Viewing All Messages in Several Catalogs

If you view the messages from the current context catalog, and then change the context by clicking Browse on the WebLogic Message Editor main window to navigate to a new catalog, the old view of the old catalog remains on the screen while you view the new catalog in a second Message Viewer window. Repeating this step allows you to view messages for as many catalogs as you require (or can reasonably fit on your screen). Each catalog displays in a separate Message Viewer window. Refer to Browsing to an Existing Catalog for information about Browsing to a new catalog.

## Choosing a Message to Edit from the Message Viewer

After you use the Message Viewer to view a list of messages, you can click on any message displayed in any row of the Message Viewer. The catalog for the selected message becomes the context catalog and the message displays in the Message Editor main window.

Figure 3-11 Message Viewer and Message Editor for Message 909001

# Editing an Existing Message

To edit an existing message:

1. Find the message you want to edit, either by using the Search dialog as described in Finding a Log Message and Finding a Simple Text Message, or by clicking on a row in the message viewer as described in Choosing a Message to Edit from the Message Viewer.
2. Edit the fields you wish to change in the main Message Editor window.
3. Click Update.

The message is updated and the entire catalog is immediately written to disk.

# Retiring and Unretiring Messages

You can retire and unretire messages in the main Message Editor window. Retiring a message does not mean that the message is deleted from the master catalog. It simply means it is hidden from user view. This feature is useful for removing obsolete messages. If you need to bring a retired message back into view, you can unretire it.

To retire or unretire a message, complete the following procedure:

1. Find the message you want to retire or unretire, either by using the Search dialog as described in Finding a Log Message and Finding a Simple Text Message.
2. In the main Message Editor window, toggle the Retired message option on or off by clicking the checkmark box.
3. Click Update.