what determines the WorkItemLanguage attribute?

Florin Wach florin.wach at gmx.net
Mon Nov 14 08:16:47 EST 2011 

addendum:
Yes, this /is/ a common problem in translangual systems.  :-)

-------- Original-Nachricht --------
> Datum: Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:10:17 +0100
> Von: "Florin Wach" <florin.wach at gmx.net>
> An: "SAP Workflow Users\' Group" <sap-wug at mit.edu>
> Betreff: Re: RE: what determines the WorkItemLanguage attribute?

> Hallo Paul,
> 
> 
> How and when the worflow's language is determined:
> 
> It depends on how the workflow instance is going to be created, wether by
> an event trigger (using the standard routines/functions such as
> 
> A) SAP_WAPI_CREATE_EVENT, SWE_EVENT_CREATE, cl_swf_event, ...
> 
>   or by a direct instantiation, such as
> 
> B) SAP_WAPI_START_WORKFLOW, ...
> 
> 
> The overall rule is, that the workflow language is taken from the current
> logon language, whoever is initiating the business process. This means for
> the creation via an event, the language on event creation is leading, and
> on a direct instantiation, the current user's language is used. In both
> cases it can be broken down to the system field SY-LANGU.
> 
> For A) - Class CL_SWF_EVT_EVENT.Constructor()
> 
> This class is the basis for all workflow event creations and is memorizing
> the future workflow's language in object field me->m_standard_elements
> already within the constructor, which is later on picked up by the method
> .raise() that is actually creating and processing the event.
> 
> For B) - Function module SWW_WI_CREATE_VIA_EVENT_IBF()
> 
> Is reading from the standard workflow container element _EVT_LANGUAGE. If
> that is not found, sy-langu is used. Please refer to function module
> SWW_WI_CREATE_VIA_EVENT_INTERN.
> 
> 
> Usually the sy-langu field is not modified within a program that raises an
> event. However, this can happen with the ABAP statement  SET LANGUAGE 
> which again could be used during the output management of Forms to use text
> elements in a different target language (e.g. the one of the Customer and not
> the one of the user, who's creating a sales order). Also the Extended
> Notification's class that creates the body text of the eMail is switching the
> system language to the Workflow's language to deliver the text always in
> that leading language.
> 
> 
> Conclusion
> 
> So it can be said that logon language setting in the Logical
> RFC-Destination WORKFLOW_LOCAL_XXX, where the WF-Batch is usually logging in to consume
> workflow events and creates instances has no real consequences, unless the
> field _EVT_LANGUAGE was intentionally deleted or set to SPACE, where the
> RFC logon language would be a matter. In this case, only EN or DE is usually
> possible for RFC connections.
> 
> Secondly all the jobs or reports that create events are using the
> language, which is defined in the Job's step. This is usually the logon language of
> the administrator who was initially planning the first job (or who was
> executing the generic basic customizing for workflow). In this case, the
> system's default logon language doesn't play a direct role here, but it was used
> to set the default for all the jobs.
> So Jocelyn is probably quite right here, in pointing out that this is
> probably running under FR.
> 
> However, the deadline notifications which are created by the RSWWDHEX job
> and create some of the SAP Office Mails, use the Workflow language to set
> the target eMail language of the body.
> 
> 
> What can be done to change the behaviour on the Workflow default language?
> 
> As Jocely said, the workitem display can be switched to the logon language
> of the user, who's accessing them in the inbox. This will have some
> drawbacks in performance.
> 
> One can also think of switching the workflow language, the container
> element _EVT_LANGUAGE within a (new) check function module, where you could
> overwrite FR with EN.
> 
> You could also enhance the constructor of the swv_event class to set a
> different default language here.
> 
> The more complicated way is to redetermine the target language for process
> steps such as deadline notifications or workflow general notifications to
> use the recipient's standard logon language instead of the workflow's
> language.
> 
> It is not "really" possible to change the Workflow's leading language,
> once it was created, as all depending workitems use the propagated language
> attribute and a change (e.g. when talking about a simple container operation
> changing that standard field) is not simply written back to the workflow's
> administrative data.
> 
> 
> With the very best wishes,
>    Florin
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -------- Original-Nachricht --------
> > Datum: Fri, 11 Nov 2011 03:05:16 +0100
> > Von: "Dart, Jocelyn" <jocelyn.dart at sap.com>
> > An: "SAP Workflow Users\' Group" <sap-wug at mit.edu>
> > Betreff: RE: what determines the WorkItemLanguage attribute?
> 
> > Hi Paul, 
> > I'm sure Florin is the best person to guide you on this one... 
> > But BTW suggest you check the SAP Notes on this one as well as I've
> > noticed a number about work item language in passing. 
> > 
> > There is a workflow inbox setting in SBWP (personal workflow settings)
> to
> > "Display work items in logon language"  - there are some performance
> issues
> > to be aware of around this though so make sure you read the relevant SAP
> > help. 
> > 
> > If it's being raised as part of deadlines - you might want to check the
> > user id that created/executes the deadline batch job SWWDHEX as well.
> Just a
> > thought. 
> > Rgds,
> > Jocelyn 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: sap-wug-bounces at mit.edu [mailto:sap-wug-bounces at mit.edu] On Behalf
> > Of Paul.Bakker at osr.treasury.qld.gov.au
> > Sent: Friday, 11 November 2011 8:50 AM
> > To: SAP Workflow Users' Group
> > Subject: Re: what determines the WorkItemLanguage attribute?
> > 
> > 
> > Thanks for that Florin.. I suppose the next question is: where does the
> > triggering event get the 'FR' language from?
> > 
> > In this case, the event is raised by WF-BATCH, after a deadline has
> passed
> > in a workflow. I checked WF-BATCH in SUO1D, and it has no default
> > language.
> > So I'm guessing it is using some underlying, system-wide default
> language?
> > The actual SAP instance is in France, so this is quite possible.
> > 
> > Is this a common problem, in multilingual systems...?.
> > 
> > ta
> > Paul B
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > From:	"Florin Wach" <florin.wach at gmx.net>
> > To:	"SAP Workflow Users' Group" <sap-wug at mit.edu>
> > Date:	09/11/2011 05:02 PM
> > Subject:	Re: what determines the WorkItemLanguage attribute?
> > Sent by:	sap-wug-bounces at mit.edu
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Hi Paul,
> > 
> > yes, it comes from the event, and the reports for email notifications
> are
> > using this toplevel language id to determine the target language for the
> > eMail.
> > When using the extended notifications, you can enhance the logic within
> > the
> > ABAP classes to send eMails in the language of the recipient, not the
> > workflow.
> > 
> > Florin
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > -------- Original-Nachricht --------
> > > Datum: Tue, 8 Nov 2011 15:37:12 +1000
> > > Von: Paul.Bakker at osr.treasury.qld.gov.au
> > > An: SAP-WUG at mit.edu
> > > Betreff: what determines the WorkItemLanguage attribute?
> > 
> > >
> > > Wuggers,
> > >
> > > I am working on a multi-language system.
> > > Sometimes, users who log on in English are getting workitems (and
> > related
> > > emails) in French.
> > >
> > > I checked one, and this workflow instance's 'WorkItemLanguage'
> attribute
> > > is
> > > set to 'FR'.
> > > The event that triggered the workflow instance was created by
> WF-BATCH,
> > > who
> > > has no default language set.
> > > There are hundreds of instances of this workflow (triggered by various
> > > users), but only a few with the language 'FR'.
> > >
> > > My question:
> > >   Does anyone know what determines the 'WorkItemLanguage' attribute of
> > a
> > > top-level workflow instance? Is it passed from the triggering event?
> > >
> > > thanks pour votre help
> > > Paul B
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
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