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P: Allow users to change the UI language without having to purchase multiple licenses

Community Expert ,
Apr 21, 2011 Apr 21, 2011

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Users of localized versions might need to use the english version for several reasons: following one of the many english tutorials on the web, using some of the shortcuts that are not available in other languages, use some actions that have been written in english without making sure they would not break in other languages.

Some countries have multiple national languages, and companies might have employees speaking different languages using the same machine. Letting them select their language of choice would be a must!

The only legal way to do it now seems to purchase another version of the software en english, install it, then use the preferences entry to change the languages.

But paying a whole new license of Photoshop is quite expensive, especially if one knows that other software, also produced by Adobe, allow their users to change the langage of their interface for free: After Effects, Lightroom, Bridge are examples I know of.

After effects users can switch their localized version to english in order to use english-written expressions, or to follow the vast amount of tutorials in english: (it's even evangelized as a useful function!: http://blogs.adobe.com/toddkopriva/20... )

Lightroom follows the language of the Operating System, at least on Macintosh.

Bridge allows the change of its UI Language in its preferences.

Please empower your users!
Some multi-lingual users would then be able to evangelize in multiple languages, therefore helping and reaching more customers, and giving them more incentives to purchase (because they know they would get help...)

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correct answers 1 Correct answer

Adobe Employee , Jan 05, 2015 Jan 05, 2015
This is implemented in Creative Cloud.

Instructions for changing the language for Creative Cloud applications: http://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud...

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LEGEND ,
Apr 23, 2011 Apr 23, 2011

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Thanks Pierre,there are indeed useful and legitimate reasons and you've brought up a few I have not thought about. Hopefully Adobe will be able and willing to do this.

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LEGEND ,
Oct 28, 2011 Oct 28, 2011

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Totally agree!!!
I'm Brazilian (portuguese), working on a French company (french) and forced to use Photoshop in French.
All my life I worked with English versions.
Can you imagine how difficult is to adapt to this menus?!

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LEGEND ,
Oct 28, 2011 Oct 28, 2011

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The After Effects format is a great way, as PECourtejoie said.

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Community Expert ,
Nov 05, 2011 Nov 05, 2011

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Luckily the company I work for has been using the english versions for a long time; but if I have to communicate about Photoshop with people from local companies who do use the version in the regionally prevalent language that can get somewhat difficult.

So I concur with the request.
I can’t estimate the necessary programming effort but I expect a lot of users would benefit from it.

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Community Expert ,
Nov 16, 2011 Nov 16, 2011

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Christoph, if you do own multiple licences of Photoshop (in several languages), you can simply change the language from the preferences. There would be no new coding involved, besides removing the language-license ties...

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Community Expert ,
Nov 16, 2011 Nov 16, 2011

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Caebrasil, If you run into a word that you can't find in the French version, just enter it in the English help, run the search, then substitute the en_US by fr_FR, and the other way around... http://help.adobe.com/en_US/photoshop...

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Community Expert ,
Nov 16, 2011 Nov 16, 2011

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Thanks for the pointer.
But we have licenses for Photoshop in English, customers often use the non english version, though.

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LEGEND ,
Nov 16, 2011 Nov 16, 2011

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Thank you PECourtejoie!
It's a way, but still don't replace the facility of have an interface in another idiom, like english.

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Community Expert ,
Nov 16, 2011 Nov 16, 2011

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And of course, you can try with pt_BR 😉

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LEGEND ,
Nov 17, 2011 Nov 17, 2011

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Yes! :)
But I prefer English. Bad translation.

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 11, 2011 Dec 11, 2011

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I know this problem, as I also have multi-national co-workers. And for myself - I was used to working with the english version of PS, and then my company bought me a german version :-P

So I know this is a problem of many honest users who bought legal software and therefore deserve to have a solution from Adobe. Buying it multiple times just for language reasons is - in my opinion - a rip off. Even more as this also a very basic feature in many many other programs.

BUT there is some kind of solution - at least for turning it to english - it worked for me. You can find it here:
http://forums.adobe.com/message/3620959

---
by liit64
I was able to replace language into ENGLISH, by using this format
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS5\Locales\es_MX\Support Files
I replaced "tw10428.dat" into "tw10428.bak"
---

However - in my opinion switching between all languages is a must-have for the future.

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LEGEND ,
Dec 13, 2011 Dec 13, 2011

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Thank you, Miguel! Worked fine here, finally!

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LEGEND ,
Dec 14, 2011 Dec 14, 2011

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We have licenses for adobe CS design premium in our native language, Turkish. But it's hard to be use photoshop in Turkish because i used it in english for years. Can we edit the language file without voiding license?

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LEGEND ,
Dec 14, 2011 Dec 14, 2011

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Is that voiding license?

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LEGEND ,
Jan 12, 2012 Jan 12, 2012

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After searching for different solutions - and, yes, I do have an official Licence of the CS5 Master Collection - I found the only way that works on Mac OSX is by renaming the file "tw10428.dat".

On Mac OSX Snow Leopard it is placed here on a French installation :

/Applications/Adobe Photoshop CS5/Locales/fr_FR/Support Files

just rename it, and the program starts in English !

I wish Adobe would make the Preference "Language UI" dropbox useful. Why have it here if it's of no use... ?

Thanks Miguel Marn for posting 🙂

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Community Expert ,
Jan 12, 2012 Jan 12, 2012

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JP,
Yes, I don't know if it is totally legal to temper with the files...
The drop-down works, if you PURCHASE a license for each language that you want to use! Then, the drop-down becomes useful.
In Lightroom, Bridge and other Adobe software, you can freely change the UI language.
The worst is that often, users need to have different languages in order to help users from different part of the world.

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LEGEND ,
Feb 12, 2012 Feb 12, 2012

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Works like a charm! Thanks!!

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LEGEND ,
Feb 13, 2012 Feb 13, 2012

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is changing file name or its content legal? can you learn this?

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LEGEND ,
May 13, 2012 May 13, 2012

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Completely agree.. Just downloaded the whole suite and found out everything is native language..!

I just want it in english please!

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Community Beginner ,
May 13, 2012 May 13, 2012

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In the times of Commodore Amiga there was a feature integrated in the operating system called "Locales". The programs were coded with texts in English but there were Locale files containing all those texts in other languages. They were plain text files similar to XML files. Normally a program was shipped with several of this files but you could add more locales simply by downloading and copying the locale files to the locale folder of the program or you could even create your own locale file by editing some existing locale file since they were plain text files.
If a locale file was present for your default language, the program would run already localized in that language. If not, it would run in English.

Even multiple users of the same machine could have the same program installation localized to their chosen languages.

Well, if you take a look to a Photoshop installation you will see the program exe file is coded with English texts and the localized texts are all of them in another file. All that is necessary to hack the program into another language is replace this localized file so it would be very easy to implement some sort of Locales feature.

Of course the perfect thing would be Microsoft implementing the Locales in Windows (and Apple in MacOS, of course) so all programs would use this feature. This would also reduce costs in retail software since software companies would not need to create localized versions of their installation discs but only one international version containing several languages and adding more by downloads from their websites.

I think the so called modern Operating Systems still have much to learn from "ancient" Operating Systems like AmigaOS.

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Engaged ,
May 13, 2012 May 13, 2012

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Agree with Juan.

Kim: If all you want is English, no problem: Just download the English version.

There's only a problem if you want to switch between languages, or want to upgrade from one language to another. (the fact you can't is, IMO, frankly ridiculous)

Lightroom for instance is multi-language by default.

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LEGEND ,
May 13, 2012 May 13, 2012

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Using the Adobe Applicatio Manager. All though its set to english - the downloaded app is (in my case) Danish.

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Guest
Jun 11, 2012 Jun 11, 2012

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Hi,

I'm using the 30 day tryout while I wait for for my boss to upgrade. It installed in french, but I'd like to use it in english... I don't think there was an option in the installer!

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LEGEND ,
Jun 12, 2012 Jun 12, 2012

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Wow, Magic,it works (tw104281.dat)

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LEGEND ,
Jun 12, 2012 Jun 12, 2012

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wow, Magic (tw104281.dat) it works

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