--- loncom/interface/loncommon.pm	2009/02/03 19:36:19	1.741
+++ loncom/interface/loncommon.pm	2009/02/05 00:45:29	1.742
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network with CAPA
 # a pile of common routines
 #
-# $Id: loncommon.pm,v 1.741 2009/02/03 19:36:19 harmsja Exp $
+# $Id: loncommon.pm,v 1.742 2009/02/05 00:45:29 raeburn Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -3073,6 +3073,29 @@ sub languages {
     return $preferred_possibilities[0];
 }
 
+sub user_lang {
+    my ($touname,$toudom,$fromcid) = @_;
+    my @userlangs;
+    if (($fromcid ne '') && ($env{'course.'.$fromcid.'.languages'} ne '')) {
+        @userlangs=(@userlangs,split(/\s*(\,|\;|\:)\s*/,
+                    $env{'course.'.$fromcid.'.languages'}));
+    } else {
+        my %langhash = &getlangs($touname,$toudom);
+        if ($langhash{'languages'} ne '') {
+            @userlangs = split(/\s*(\,|\;|\:)\s*/,$langhash{'languages'});
+        } else {
+            my %domdefs = &Apache::lonnet::get_domain_defaults($toudom);
+            if ($domdefs{'lang_def'} ne '') {
+                @userlangs = ($domdefs{'lang_def'});
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    my @languages=&Apache::lonlocal::get_genlanguages(@userlangs);
+    my $user_lh = Apache::localize->get_handle(@languages);
+    return $user_lh;
+}
+
+
 ###############################################################
 ##               Student Answer Attempts                     ##
 ###############################################################