Import-LocalizedData

Import-LocalizedData [-BindingVariable] <string> [[-UICulture] <string>] [-BaseDirectory <string>] [-FileName <string>] [-SupportedCommand <string[]>] [<CommonParameters>]

C:\PS>import-localizeddata -bindingVariable messages

This command imports text strings into the $messages variable. It uses all of the default values for the cmdlet parameters.

If the command is included in the Archives.ps1 script in the C:\test directory, and the value of the $PsUICulture automatic variable is zh-CN, Import-LocalizedData imports the Archives.psd1 file in the C:\test\zh-CN directory.

C:\PS>import-localizeddata -bindingVariable msgTbl -uiculture ar-SA -filename Simple -baseDirectory C:\Data\Localized

This command imports text strings into the $msgTbl  variable of a script. 

It uses the UICulture parameter to direct the cmdlet to import data from the Simple.psd1 file in the ar-SA subdirectory of C:\Data\Localized.

C:\PS># In C:\Test\en-US\test.psd1:

ConvertFrom-StringData @'
 # English strings
Msg1 = "The Name parameter is missing from the command."
Msg2 = "This command requires the credentials of a member of the Administrators group on the computer."
Msg3 = "Use $_ to represent the object that is being processed."
'@

# In C:\Test\Test.ps1

import-localizeddata -bindingvariable messages
write-host $messages.msg2

# In Windows PowerShell

C:\PS> .\test.ps1
This command requires the credentials of a member of the Administrators group on the computer.


Description
-----------
This example shows how to use localized data in a simple script.

The first part of the example shows the contents of the Test.psd1 file. It contains a ConvertFrom-StringData command that converts a series of named text strings into a hash table. The test.psd1 file is located in the en-US subdirectory of the C:\Test directory that contains the script.

The second part of the example shows the contents of the Test.ps1 script. It contains an Import-LocalizedData command that imports the data from the matching .psd1 file into the $Messages variable and a Write-Host command that writes one of the messages in the $Messages variable to the host program.

The last part of the example runs the script. The output shows that it displays the correct user message in the UI language set for the current user of the operating system.

C:\PS># In TestScript.ps1

$UserMessages = DATA {
    ConvertFrom-StringData @'
    # English strings
        Msg1 = "Enter a name."
        Msg2 = "Enter your employee ID."
        Msg3 = "Enter your building number."
'@ }

Import-LocalizedData -bindingVariable UserMessages

$UserMessages.Msg1
...


Description
-----------
This example shows how to use Import-LocalizedData to replace default text strings defined in the DATA section of a script.

In this example, the DATA section of the TestScript.ps1 script contains a ConvertFrom-StringData command that converts the contents of the DATA section to a hash table and stores in the value of the $UserMessages variable. 

The script also includes an Import-LocalizedData command, which imports a hash table of translated text strings from the TestScript.psd1 file in the subdirectory specified by the value of the $PsUICulture variable. If the command finds the .psd1 file, it saves the translated strings from the file in the value of the same $UserMessages variable, overwriting the hash table saved by the DATA section logic.

The third command displays the first message in the $UserMessages variable.

If the Import-LocalizedData command finds a .psd1 file for the $PsUICulture language, the value of the $UserMessages variable contains the translated text strings. If the command fails for any reason, the command displays the default text strings defined in the DATA section of the script.

C:\PS># In Day1.ps1
Import-LocalizedData -bindingVariable Day
Day.MessageDate

# In Day2.ps1
Import-LocalizedData -bindingVariable Day -errorAction:silentlycontinue
Day.MessageDate

C:\PS> .\Day1.ps1

Import-LocalizedData : Cannot find PowerShell data file 'Day1.psd1' in directory 'C:\ps-test\fr-BE\' or any parent culture directories.
At C:\ps-test\Day1.ps1:17 char:21
+ Import-LocalizedData <<<<  Day
Today is Tuesday


C:\PS> .\Day2.ps1

Today is Tuesday


Description
-----------
This example shows how to suppress the error messages that appear when Import-LocalizedData cannot find the directories that match the user's UI culture or cannot find a .psd1 file for the script in those directories.

You can use the ErrorAction common parameter with a value of "SilentlyContinue" to suppress the error message. This is especially useful when you have provided user messages in a default or "fallback" language, and no error message is needed.

This example compares two scripts, Day1.ps1 and Day2.ps1, that include an Import-LocalizedData command. The scripts are identical, except that Day2 uses the ErrorAction common parameter with a value of SilentlyContinue.

The sample output shows the results of running both scripts when the UI culture is set to fr-BE and there are no matching files or directories for that UI culture. Day1.ps1 displays an error message and English output. Day2.ps1 just displays the English output.