Does not install in English [Resolved]

peter-scholl wrote on 3/30/2017, 9:42 AM

I purchased MEP 2017 three days ago and whatever I do, it won't install in English. It's always in German 😠

I've spent hours installing/uninstalling and changing Windows settings but the program insists on installing in German. I contacted support 3 days ago but all I have received so far is two automated mails telling me that my email will soon be answered by a Magix employee. I wonder how they define soon. Does it mean never? Is there any hope that I can install the program in English? Is this the way to do business? I must admit that I am most disappointed with this company. They could at least tell me they are investigating the problem.

My PC runs Windows 7, 64bit Ultimate English with 16GB RAM. Some of my many programs are installed in GB-English, others are installed in US-English, but there is not one single program installed in German. I am, however currently located in Switzerland. Does the install program check my internet address to evaluate the language? This would be a very bad idea since Switzerland has 3 (4) official languages. It obviously doesn't check Control Panel's "Region and Language" settings because mine is set to United Kingdom. It also obviously doesn't check the "Keyboards and Languages" settings because my language is set to "English". So why does the downloaded file "video_deluxe_2017_dlv_dlm.exe" always install in German? 😕

Whatever the cause, there's a serious bug in the install program. I suspect the programmer used a quick-and-dirty trick to (incorrectly) evaluate the language instead of spending a little more time to allow the user to select the language he wants. Most frustrating and very annoying. I wonder how long it will take until I can install the program in English?

Hopefully someone can help a very frustrated user. BTW, I have MEP 2015 and MEP 2016 and they are both in English.

Comments

peter-scholl wrote on 4/3/2017, 10:06 AM

At the end of the week Magix finally sent me very detailed instructions on how to select the language.

All you need to do is manually launch the download manager by appending the -force parameter.

For example: video_deluxe_2017_dlv_dlm.exe -force

You can do this from the DOS prompt or from the 'Run' dialog ('Windows Key + r"). Remember to also add the folder where the program is stored. For example: d:\downloads\video_deluxe_2017_dlv_dlm.exe -force

In the answer to my support ticket Magix claimed that their Download Manager automatically chooses the setup and program language according to your operating system language. This is total and utter BS!! I sent them a screen capture from both a Win7 and a Win10 computer which proves this is not true. Both installations are 100% in English, but the Magix download manager was in German.

IMO, they should always bring up the language selection list instead of using sloppy and untested code that may or may not work. If this was my first use of a Magix product I would not be impressed at all. Very, very poor programming.

browj2 wrote on 4/3/2017, 10:21 AM

Well done Peter! I will file this one away for future reference.

Somehow, the program must have detected Switzerland and went German, ignoring the OS language. Don't expect tech support to know all.

Actually, Magix should put back the option to change the language that used to be in the program.

Thanks for posting the result.

John

peter-scholl wrote on 4/3/2017, 11:16 AM

Yes, I really hope my post will save others the frustration I had. It's really disheartening when you purchase a new program and then can't install it in the language you bought it. Worst of all was the long silence from tech support. A short 'we are looking for a solution' would have at least been reassuring. Somehow I suspect German is the default language if the download manager can't evaluate the language. Otherwise, why didn't the program install in French or Italian? After all, Switzerland has 3 (4) official languages. And what about Canada or Belgium? They also have 2 languages.

An automatic language selection without an obvious possibility to override it really is very bad programming practice.

Kokkiem wrote on 9/15/2018, 9:50 AM

Have the same issue. Live in Belgium, but got the software in French, whereas I wanted it in English. Belgium has 3 languages btw: also German. So why did I get it in French and not in Flamish or German. Their language issue is going on for about 10 years now I guess, or longer. You would think that they would be clever enough to change that with all the time they got. But hé, then maybe they wouldn't get so many support questions and have to fire support employees (there are slow in anyway). I'm not exactly confident with the solution offered above, but will give it a try!

johnebaker wrote on 9/15/2018, 10:33 AM

@peter-scholl, @Kokkiem

I suspect that you downloaded from the Swiss or Belgian version of the Magix website ie magix.com/ch/ or magix.com/be/ in which case the language of the download version will be appropriate for the country detected.

However changing the country identifier to gb will to take you to the English UK website, you should then be able to download the English version.

I have tried the reverse from the UK, in that I can download the trial version of for example, Page and Layout Designer (did not want to mess up my MEP/VDL installation), from the Swiss website and get the following language selection when starting the install.

Whether the serial number you have is country specific I do not know.

HTH

John EB

Kokkiem wrote on 9/15/2018, 3:13 PM

Hé Jonhebaker, I received an email in English with a link to download. That' already odd on its own. Belgium has 3 official languages, so why in French? And I do not want it of any of the Belgian languages, but in English. So weird that you pay for a software and they decide in which language the software you have to use....I did purchase the back-up CD for about 15 EUR as well. Will try it with that. If there's no chose of languages I'm really done with Magix as I had this problem already more than 10 years with them. Do they not listen to customers? Are you from Magix or a client? Thanks!

johnebaker wrote on 9/15/2018, 3:16 PM

@Kokkiem

. . . . Are you from Magix or a client? . . . .

I am a user of the software and one of the moderators for the forum.

John EB

Kokkiem wrote on 9/15/2018, 4:48 PM

Right, Nice to meet you John. Then maybe you can help me with a good suggestion on how to get my just purchased Photo Manager Deluxe in English instead of French? Considering my previous message that I reacted/downloaded from an English written confirmation and instructions per email? Pls keep in mind that Belgium has 3 official languages... So why do I get the French one. I do not want the other two's either, I want the Englisch version....

"However changing the country identifier to gb will to take you to the English UK website, you should then be able to download the English version" How can I do that, John?

What about with my idea of reinstalling with the CD? Will there be an option for languages? Might that been a option?

Thank for you advice!!!

johnebaker wrote on 9/16/2018, 4:07 AM

@Kokkiem

See the first 2 paragraphs of my previous post - where I change the URL in the web browser.

. . . . reinstalling with the CD . . . .

You can try, if the option is there it will be available, you may have to select a custom install if given the option, before you confirm starting the actual install.

HTH

John EB

peter-scholl wrote on 9/16/2018, 8:07 AM

I know this may sound ridiculous, but what keyboard do you have defined as your default keyboard in Windows 'Region and Language' settings?

When installing Movie Edit Pro I have found the program will install in the language of my default keyboard!!! The guy who programmed the Magix setup routine must have had a few drinks too many. Absolutely crazy and totally illogical. Why doesn't Magix allow the user to set their own language when installing instead of trying to be so clever and do it automatically and get it so seriously wrong?

Come on Magix, stop p.....g of people and do this properly without fooling around trying to be clever.

johnebaker wrote on 9/16/2018, 8:16 AM

@peter-scholl

. . . . The guy who programmed the Magix setup routine must have had a few drinks too many. Absolutely crazy and totally illogical. . . . .

Not at all - many programs select the language from the Default languages and keyboard settings when there is no option to select languages, with very good reason ie key mapping.

The US keyboard layout is different from the UK, which is different from the German keyboard and so on.

My region and language settings are English, UK or German, DE whichever I choose to use.

John EB

peter-scholl wrote on 9/16/2018, 9:02 AM

But the keyboard layout has NOTHING to do with the program language.

I use a Swiss keyboard because it gives me both French and German accents and other such useful things like °(degrees). Many people I worked with can't speak German or French but use the Swiss keyboard. OK, they had to use the keyboard in the company, but they also used the same keyboard at home - most likely because that's how the notebooks are sold here. Any serious programmer should know the keyboard layout has nothing to do with the language(s) the user can read or understand.

If you live in Belgium or even Spain then you'll most likely have difficulty in finding a US keyboard, so your keyboard tells you nothing about what language you speak. I know, because this happened when I was on vacation in Spain and had to buy a notebook because mine failed the first day. The shop installed Windows in English for me. All programs ran in English, even though the keyboard was Spanish.

IMO, it's just plain dumb and naive to assume the keyboard reflects the language you speak.

wongck wrote on 9/16/2018, 5:57 PM

In Windows, the language setting is mostly for Windows OS itself. Some software will also respect this setting following the language settings. However, other software will have it's own language settings independent of the Windows OS setting.

So it depends on said software was developed. may be someone can throw some light on how MagiX does it.

wongck wrote on 9/16/2018, 6:01 PM

Keyboard of different language comes from the "additional language" settings of Windows OS, so it will include the font for that language, which that keyboard can type/output. This setting is independent of the Windows OS. as in my Explorer can be in English while my keyboard language is setup "German" using an US keyboard. It just mess things up if you do that ( character on key does not output correct characters like Z & Y). MS may have solved that in new Windows. IDK.