System and method of presenting multilingual metadata

1. A computer-implemented system for representing multiple locales in metadata models, the system comprising:

a locale repository for storing locale information used to display multilingual metadata, the locale repository having:

locale references for representing locales; and

multiple values of locale sensitive properties in a metadata model for representing locale values of the properties, the multiple values integrated within metadata objects comprising the locale sensitive properties;

a display module for displaying the metadata model; and

a bulk translation module for translating a plurality of locale sensitive metadata property values in the local repository, the bulk translation module comprising:

an export translation table unit for creating a translation table, the translation table having:

rows representing multilingual properties; and

columns representing locales of the metadata model; and

an import translation table unit for updating the locale sensitive properties of the objects in the metadata model based upon the translation table.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the display module has:

a dialog unit for modifying settings of the display module; and

a properties viewer for displaying locale sensitive properties of the objects in the metadata model.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the dialog unit has:

a locales selector for designating one or more locales from the locale repository; and

an active locate selector for setting the active locale of the display module.

4. The system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the properties viewer has:

an active locale viewer unit for displaying in a language of an active locale the properties of the objects in the metadata model; and

a multiple locales unit for displaying in a language for each multiple locale the properties of the objects in the metadata model.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the multiple locales unit has a dynamic translation unit for allowing a user to manually edit a locale value in the locale repository.

6. A method of representing multiple locales in metadata models, the method comprising the steps of:

storing locale information used to display a multilingual metadata model, the locale information comprising multiple values of locale sensitive properties integrated within objects of the metadata model;

translating a locale sensitive property in the metadata model and

displaying the metadata model;

wherein the step of translating including the steps of:

creating a translation table, the translation table having:

rows representing multilingual properties; and

columns representing locales of the metadata model; and

updating the locale sensitive properties of objects in the metadata model based upon the translation table.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the step of displaying the metadata model includes the steps of:

modifying the locale setting of a display of the multilingual data; and

displaying locale sensitive properties of objects in the metadata model.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the step of modifying includes the steps of:

designating one or more locales from the stored locales; and

setting an active locale for the display of the metadata model.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the step of displaying properties includes the step of displaying in a language of an active locale the locale sensitive properties of the objects in the metadata model.

10. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the step of displaying properties includes the step of displaying in a language for each locale the locale sensitive properties of the objects in the metadata model.

11. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the step of updating includes the step of applying the translation table to the locale sensitive properties of objects in the metadata model.

12. A computer-readable medium having computer readable code stored thereupon for use in the execution in a computer of a method of representing multiple locales in metadata models, the method comprising steps of:

storing locale information used to display a multilingual metadata model, the locale information comprising multiple values of locale sensitive properties integrated within objects of the metadata model;

translating a locale sensitive property in the metadata model and

displaying the metadata model;

wherein the step of translating including the steps of:

creating a translation table. the translation table having:

rows representing multilingual properties; and

columns representing locales of the metadata model; and

updating the locale sensitive properties of objects in the metadata model based upon the translation table.

13. A storage medium readable by a computer encoding a computer program for execution by the computer to carry out a method for displaying and modifying a graph representation of a metadata model, the computer program comprising:

code means for storing locale information used to display multilingual metadata, the locale repository having:

locale references for representing locales; and

multiple values of locale sensitive properties in a metadata model for representing locale values of the properties, the multiple values integrated within metadata objects in the metadata model, said objects comprising the locale sensitive properties;

code means for translating a locale sensitive property in the metadata model; and

code means for displaying the metadata model;

wherein the code means for translating including:

code means for creating a translation table, the translation table having:

rows representing multilingual properties; and

columns representing locales of the metadata model; and

code means for updating the locale sensitive properties of objects in the metadata model based upon the translation table.