My system installation of Windows XP is in English.
I just ran a test on the Language functions provided within VLC.
It appears that all Western European Languages are supported.
However, all Eastern European as well as Chinese and Japanese are not supported as all the menus on my system are blank.
This suggests that all support for languages is derived from the fonts installed on your Windows system in order to have complete language support and not to have blank menus.
I know for a fact that all the languages I tried are supported by VLC as I have had numerous discussions with people using this feature. Most of the time VLC installs in the AUTO state and selects the language based on the setup of your system. Only in rare cases does the user want a different language for VLC than what is normal for the system.
Language selection can be manually set in Preferences, Interface, General. Near the bottom of the General page there is a Language Pull Down where your Language may be selected then press Save and close the player. But be aware that if you chose a Language that the fonts are not installed on your Windows system, VLC's Menus will be blank.
This also may be changed in your Control Panel, under Regional and Language Options. Once changed here the missing fonts should be made available within VLC.
OK! Assuming that you have checked and the language directory is actually where it is supposed to be and contains the language files:
1.Start VLC and go to Preferences, Interface, General and set the Language to Auto then press save and close the player. Now start VLC from the VLC directory with the command vlc --language fr
When VLC opens go to Preferences, Interface, General and Languages should say French. If it does not you have not typed the command correctly or the fonts directory is missing.
2. Assuming that Languages said French. The only thing left is the Windows setup. So this is what I am going to suggest.
a. In your Control Panel, Regional and Language Options then change the default to the English Language with English Keyboard settings. You may need to reboot to have it take effect. Then Open VLC again from the command line type vlc --language fr when it opens VLC should be in French. If it is not check immediately in Preferences that the Language says French. If it does not you have typed the command incorrectly.
b. If VLC is not displaying the French language and Preferences said French go to the Nightly Builds and download the version I am using (01/15/06) pick the 9.5 meg file as it is the install version. Unintall the old version by using the add/remove programs in your Control Panel and install the newer version. Then try this procedure again.
c. If VLC is displaying the French language after a. above go back to your Control Panel's Regional and Language Options and set it for the French Language with French keyboard settings. You may need too reboot to have it take effect. Now open VLC the language should be in French. Preferences Languages can say Auto or be hard set to French.
d. Assuming the player still is in French and you want a Russian keyboard. You will need to go back to your Control Panel's Regional and language Options and set the Russian Language and Keyboard settings. Please note this is not a typo. I really do want you to set the Russian language. I hope you know Russian. Once again you will need to reboot for the settings to take effect. Open VLC and be sure that it is still in French.
e. You should now be able to set up the Regional and language Options the way you want and VLC should remain in French.
The problem is most probably the Windows System is not natively compatible with Eastern European and Western European systems. I am using what I have always considered a bug in Windows to solve the problem.