📋

Description

This error indicates that SAP S/4HANA is unable to read the language directory specified in its configuration. It typically occurs when the system attempts to load language-dependent resources, preventing the proper display of text or system functionality related to language settings.

💬

Error Message

ERR_TEXT_COMMON_LANGUAGE_DIR_COULD_NOT_BE_READ

🔍

Known Causes

4 known causes

⚠️

Incorrect Directory Path

The path specified in the SAP S/4HANA configuration for the language directory is either incorrect, misspelled, or points to a non-existent location on the file system.

⚠️

Insufficient Permissions

The operating system user account under which SAP S/4HANA is running lacks the necessary read permissions for the specified language directory or its contents.

⚠️

Missing or Corrupted Directory

The physical language directory or critical language files within it are either missing from the server or have become corrupted, rendering them unreadable by SAP.

⚠️

Network Drive Issue

If the language directory is located on a network share, there might be a network connectivity problem, or the share is not correctly mounted or accessible by the SAP server.

🛠️

Solutions

4 solutions available

1. Verify and Restart SAP System Services easy

Ensures essential SAP services responsible for language handling are running correctly.

1

Access the SAP system's operating system. This can be done via SSH for Linux/Unix or Remote Desktop for Windows.

2

Check the status of the SAP instance services. For example, on Linux/Unix, you might use the SAP Control command.

sudo /usr/sap/<SAPSID>/<INSTANCE>/exe/sapcontrol -nr <INSTANCE_NUMBER> -function GetProcessList

3

If any SAP services related to the dispatcher or gateway are not running, restart them. Use the SAP Control command for this.

sudo /usr/sap/<SAPSID>/<INSTANCE>/exe/sapcontrol -nr <INSTANCE_NUMBER> -function StartService
sudo /usr/sap/<SAPSID>/<INSTANCE>/exe/sapcontrol -nr <INSTANCE_NUMBER> -function Start

4

On Windows, use the SAP MMC (Microsoft Management Console) to check and restart services.

5

After restarting services, try to log in to SAP S/4HANA again to see if the error is resolved.

2. Check SAP Kernel and Support Package Consistency medium

Ensures the SAP kernel and applied support packages are consistent and properly installed, which can impact language directory access.

1

Log in to the SAP S/4HANA system using SAP GUI with administrative privileges (e.g., SAP* user or a user with SAP_ALL profile).

2

Navigate to transaction 'SPAM' (SAP Package Maintenance) or 'SAINT' (SAP Add-On Installation Tool).

3

Check the status of the SAP kernel and the latest applied support packages. Ensure there are no errors or inconsistencies reported.

4

If inconsistencies are found, you may need to re-import or re-apply the relevant support packages. Refer to SAP Notes for specific instructions on handling package inconsistencies.

5

After any package updates or corrections, restart the SAP system for changes to take effect.

3. Review SAP Notes for Language-Related Issues medium

Identifies and applies SAP Notes that address known issues with language directory access in S/4HANA.

1

Access the SAP Support Portal (support.sap.com).

2

Search for SAP Notes using keywords such as 'Error 5166', 'language directory', 'ERR_TEXT_COMMON_LANGUAGE_DIR_COULD_NOT_BE_READ', and your specific S/4HANA version.

3

Carefully review the search results for relevant SAP Notes. Pay attention to the 'Symptom' and 'Solution' sections.

4

If a relevant SAP Note is found, follow the instructions provided in the note precisely. This might involve applying a correction or performing specific configuration steps.

5

After applying any SAP Note corrections, restart the SAP system if required by the note's instructions.

4. Verify Operating System File Permissions medium

Ensures that the SAP system has the necessary read permissions for language-related files and directories on the operating system level.

1

Identify the directory on the operating system where SAP stores language data. This is typically within the SAP instance's profile directory, often related to `data` or `lang` subdirectories. Consult your SAP installation documentation if unsure.

2

Log in to the SAP application server's operating system (e.g., via SSH for Linux/Unix).

3

Check the ownership and permissions of the relevant language directories and files. The SAP user (e.g., `<sapadm>`) should have read and execute permissions.

4

Use the `ls -l` command to view permissions and ownership. Example for a Linux directory:

ls -l /usr/sap/<SAPSID>/<INSTANCE>/data/

5

If permissions are incorrect, use `chmod` and `chown` commands to set the correct permissions. For example, to grant read and execute permissions to the owner and group:

sudo chown -R <sapadm>:<sapsid> /usr/sap/<SAPSID>/<INSTANCE>/data/
sudo chmod -R u+rx,g+rx /usr/sap/<SAPSID>/<INSTANCE>/data/

6

After adjusting permissions, restart the SAP system to ensure changes are fully applied.

🔗

Related Errors

5 related errors

SAP S/4HANA Error 5166: Language Directory Access