Oracle Database - Globalization (Localization, NLS parameter)

Globalization support enables the storing, processing and retrieval of data in native languages.

The languages that can be stored in an Oracle database are encoded by Oracle Database-supported character sets.

Globalization support ensures that:

• database utilities,
• error messages,
• sort order,
• date,
• time,
• monetary,
• numeric,
• and calendar conventions

adjust to the native language and locale.

• Oracle Database - ORA_NLS

Applications can check the session, instance, and database NLS parameters by querying the following data dictionary views:

• NLS_SESSION_PARAMETERS shows the NLS parameters and their values for the session that is querying the view. It does not show information about the character set.
• NLS_INSTANCE_PARAMETERS shows the current NLS instance parameters that have been explicitly set and the values of the NLS instance parameters.
• NLS_DATABASE_PARAMETERS shows the values of the NLS parameters for the database. The values are stored in the database.

Applications can check the following NLS dynamic performance views:

• V$NLS_VALID_VALUES lists values for the following NLS parameters: NLS_LANGUAGE, NLS_SORT, NLS_TERRITORY, NLS_CHARACTERSET
• V$NLS_PARAMETERS shows current values of the following NLS parameters: NLS_CALENDAR, NLS_CHARACTERSET, NLS_CURRENCY, NLS_DATE_FORMAT, NLS_DATE_LANGUAGE, NLS_ISO_CURRENCY, NLS_LANGUAGE, NLS_NUMERIC_CHARACTERS, NLS_SORT, NLS_TERRITORY, NLS_NCHAR_CHARACTERSET, NLS_COMP, NLS_LENGTH_SEMANTICS, NLS_NCHAR_CONV_EXP, NLS_TIMESTAMP_FORMAT, NLS_TIMESTAMP_TZ_FORMAT, NLS_TIME_FORMAT, NLS_TIME_TZ_FORMAT

• NLS_LANG Client Settings and JDBC Drivers
• How to set a NLS session parameter at database level for all sessions
• Changing the Database Character Set - a short overview
• NLS_LANG Explained (How dows Client-Server Character Conversion Work?)
• The correct NLS_LANG in a Windows Environment
• The Priority of NLS Parameters Explained