SetupDesignGuide.pdf - Firmware Encoding Index

Setup Design Guide
DRAFT
3.1.3 String Definitions
One of the primary aspects of a user interface is the list of strings associated with it. When an EFI
driver which exports setup information is compiled, the strings are located in a Unicode file. This file
uses the #strdef command to signify the beginning of a string definition. On that same line is an
ISO 639-2 language code, a programmatic name of the string, and lastly the string itself.
#strdef ENG STR_TITLE "My English setup engine"
#strdef ENG STR_PAGE1 "My First Setup Page"
#strdef ENG STR_PAGE2 "My Second Setup Page"
#strdef ENG STR_PAGE3 "My Third Setup Page"
3.1.3.1 Multiple Language Support
The EFI Setup Infrastructure supports multiple languages in the string definitions. The #strlang
command defines what string to associate with the ISO 639-2 language code. Each string is treated as a
token, so it can be noticed that the programmatic name for each string has a corresponding string in
each language. For instance, the STR_TITLE shows up in the English, Spanish, and French set of
strings.
When writing VFR, no concern really needs to be given to which language to use or reference since the
EFI Configuration Driver will determine which language’s string token will be used. For more on this
see section 2.3.
#strlang ENG "English"
#strlang FRA "Français"
#strlang GER "Deutsche"
#strdef ENG STR_TITLE "My English setup engine"
#strdef ENG STR_PAGE1 "My First Setup Page"
#strdef ENG STR_PAGE2 "My Second Setup Page"
#strdef ENG STR_PAGE3 "My Third Setup Page"
#strdef FRA STR_TITLE "Mon moteur de setup Français"
#strdef FRA STR_PAGE1 "Ma Première Page D'Installation"
#strdef FRA STR_PAGE2 "Ma Deuxième Page D'Installation"
#strdef FRA STR_PAGE3 "Ma Troisième Page D'Installation"
#strdef GER STR_TITLE "Meine Deutsche aufstellung maschine"
#strdef GER STR_PAGE1 "Meine Erste InstallationsSeite"
#strdef GER STR_PAGE2 "Meine Zweite InstallationsSeite"
#strdef GER STR_PAGE3 "Meine Dritte InstallationsSeite"
3.1.4 IFR Header Files
The VFR compiler takes all the previously mentioned input files and converts them into a form that is
usable by the EFI setup compatible driver. Since it is highly likely this driver will use a ‘C’ compiler to
be built, the form of the VFR output files are in ‘C’ type header files. The header files should not ever
need to be manipulated, but there are often comments associated with the byte encodings in the header
files. The byte encoding of the header file is generally organized in the order of IFR followed by String
Tokens and then Font data. A portion of a header file might look as follows:
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