When you install SU you get the option to choose additional language packs.
After the installation you cannot choose one of those languages manually.
One reason could be:
The mother language of a user is not english and he likes to take part in this forum. Than it would be helpful to switch to the english interface, because than he could use the correct names of functions and commands.
Another usecase:
The user is working at a model together with a partner, who speaks another language than himself. It would be very helpful to be able to switch the language.
Please think about adding an option to change the language manually. Thanks.
At least on Windows you can force a language on a per session basis by adding a lang parameter to the command, e.g. append “–lang en” in the Target of the desktop shortcut. I have shortcuts for starting SketchUp in English, Swedish and German.
However it would be nice with a more persistent setting, e.g. in the SketchUp Preferences window, and also use this setting when starting SketchUp by double clicking a file.
Especially now that the installer allows multiple languages it is extra weird not to have such an option exposed in SketchUp itself.
I hope this too! We are kind of half way there with the installer. All we need is a setting saved somewhere telling SketchUp what language to use, and the UI for changing it.
I don’t mind if it requires a restart to get the menus in the new language.
Actually on Mac, one can switch between English and French (or any other) by changing the Language & Region preferred language (just drag it to top of list) in the System Preferences pane. Does need to relaunch SU (not the Mac)
Problem is we can install only ONE other language at install. We need many so to make translating extensions easier, by a lot !
I made 2 more installs of SU, Italian & Spanish, copied their .lproj and strings files over to my main SU. Now I can launch SU in any of the 4 languages.
Once I also made english to one of the Windows 10 language options, it worked for me too.
However a later version…
“C:\Program Files\SketchUp\SketchUp 2021\SketchUp.exe” /lang en-US
I am Dutch, live in Germany and l work in Dutch and English… I just get German, because I downloaded the German version without knowing I couldn’t change it. This is such a shame, this feature of changing the language doesn’t exist! Please try to work on this!
Dezmo gave you the right solution, but for your interest, all of the different language downloads for Mac SketchUp 2021 are identical, they all include all of the languages. They are repeated like that on the downloads page because older versions of SketchUp were language specific. What language you get is controlled by macOS.
I don’t like this philosophy.
I mean generally. Not only about SU. Unfortunately, nowadays it is spreading this trend to other software’s too…
I do not usually like, if someone else decide on what language I install or use a software, based on a "randomly determined magic algorithm"
E.g: because the operating system language, or system administration language, or the last logged in user has used another language. Or because regional settings. Or because I’m currently in other country…
What would make my life easier, to get a menu in a specific program : Chose language!
I know the window installer of SU can do it during installation!
But I had to describe my "world-changing " complaints!
The downside of including all languages on Mac is the file size. I tested it, and if SketchUp only had one language it would save about 400 MB of space. The good thing about how the language is chosen is that it is very easy for me to do testing in other languages. On Windows I optionally add the extra languages to test, which I have to add to Windows as well as to SketchUp, and I then have to change region and language settings in the system. Plus logging out and in again, and having to use Windows 10 and SketchUp in that other language. I don’t look forward to doing language testing in Windows.
I don’t disagree about the idea of SketchUp and other applications taking control of the display language, but as many of the menu items are system controlled ones, it could get complicated.
Ups, I didn’t know that.
This may makes the life easier for the programmers, but hard for the user who wants to use the program in other language than the OS. Like me.
Just to add, you can overrule the language setting per app, as well, but it (also) has to be set in the OS system Preferences, not in SketchUp itself.
This only takes a restart of SketchUp and not a total reboot of the system.
Thanks Team and Demo,
Still doesn’t work, it stays on German… Did EVERYTHING incl rebooting updating and diff languages… German is the word I guess
Managed to get it to English, dutch still a no go… But since it’s changes to English my other problem was also solved… The extension Manager now loads, which it Didn’t in German!
Thing to notice maybe
But I had to describe my "world-changing " complaints! 