Sample for globalization and localization in WPF

• Download demo.zip - 22.7 KB
• Download GlobalizationTestDlg.zip - 13.5 KB

1. Introduction

Please get the overview of globalization and localization in WPF from the following link:

ms-help://MS.MSSDK.1033/MS.NETFX30SDK.1033/wpf_conceptual/html/56e5a5c8-6c96-4d19-b8e1-a5be1dc564af.htm

Please get another sample code from the following link. There are three different ways of localizing a WPF .EXE application in the sample code. And the third approach is our need, by which the localization work can be carried on after the project building.

http://www.codeproject.com/WPF/WPFUsingLocbaml.asp

The following tools are necessary for the tutorial (Refer to Table 1-3 in Appendix).

• LocBaml.exe
• resgen.exe
• al.exe

And you can also get a sample code to localize XAML resource and its steps from the link:

ms-help://MS.MSSDK.1033/MS.NETFX30SDK.1033/wpf_conceptual/html/5001227e-9326-48a4-9dcd-ba1b89ee6653.htm#Some_Tips_for_Using_LocBaml.

2. Localization

2.1 Create sample project

Steps:

1. Create a project in WPF.

2. Create some elements in XAML.

3. Add event to button "ShowMsg"

1

2.2 Create neutral version

The neutral version of application should be created so that our localization work can be carried on after application is built.

Steps:

• Dispose the resource in code behind

  1. Create a resource file in resx format to save the string in code behind.

  

  2. Open GlobalizationTestDlgResource.resx and add string

  

  3. Create a copy of GlobalizationTestDlgResource.resx and rename it as neutral (en-US) resource file.

  

• Dispose resource in XAML

1. Modified the project file and AssemblyInfo.cs

Add <UICulture>en-US</UICulture> in GlobalizationTestDlg.csproj as neutral culture of project.

Uncomment the following code if it exists, otherwise add it.

[assembly: NeutralResourcesLanguage("en-US", UltimateResourceFallbackLocation.Satellite)]

2. Use SDK cmd shell to generate id for each element in XAML.

Msbuild /t:updateuid GlobalizationTestDlg.csproj //generate id

Msbuild /t:checkuid GlobalizationTestDlg.csproj //check id

After the operation, a "Uid" is added to each element. Like this:

<Grid x:Uid="Grid_1">

3. Build the project, a neutral satellite dll containing the string to be localized is generated.

Now it is ok to localize this project to Chinese version. And the resources to be localized contain:

• Display name of element in XAML
• Information to be displayed by button in Code behind.

2.3 Localization

Steps:

• Localize the resource in Code behind:

1. Create resource file for Chinese version in resx.

Create a copy according to GlobalizationTestDlgResource.en-US.resx:

And update the string value:

2. Generate the file in resources format by using SDK cmd.

Resgen GlobalizationTestDlgResource.zh-cn.resx (Command line, file name is an example)

And then a file "GlobalizationTestDlgResource.zh-cn.resources" is generated. And then rename it according to the neutral resources file in folder obj\Debug.

Neutral resources file:GlobalizationTestDlg.resource.GlobalizationTestDlgResource.en-US.resources

The final file contain the localized resource in code behind:

GlobalizationTestDlg.resource.GlobalizationTestDlgResource.zh-cn.resources

• Localize the resource in XAML

  1. Parse en-US\GlobalizationTestDlg.resources.dll and generate a CSV file containing the resource to be localized by using LocBaml.

  Locbaml /parse

  2. Localized the resource in the CSV file generated by the above step. Please refer to Table 1-1 of Appendix to get the specification for each column in CSV file.

  3. Generate the file in resources format according to the file "GlobalizationTestDlg.g.en-US.resources" in folder "obj/Debug" by using LocBaml.

LocBaml /generate:GlobalizationTestDlg.g.en-US.resources /tran:GlobalizationTestDlg.resource.CSV /cul:zh-cn /out:.

• The final file contains the localized resource in XAML:

GlobalizationTestDlg.g.zh-CN.resources

• Link the two resources files by using SDK cmd.

al /template:"GlobalizationTestDlg.exe" /embed:GlobalizationTestDlg.g.zh-CN.resources /embed:GlobalizationTestDlg.resource.GlobalizationTestDlgResource.zh-cn.resources /culture:zh-cn /out:.\zh-cn\GlobalizationTestDlg.resources.dll

After the steps, a Chinese satellite dll is generated.

The .NET framework automatically chooses which satellite resources assembly to load based on the application's Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentUICulture. This defaults to the culture of your Windows OS. So if you are using Chinese Windows, the zh-cn\ GlobalizationTestDlg.resources.dll loads, if you are using English Windows, the en-US\ GlobalizationTestDlg.resources.dll loads.

3. Appendix

Table1-1 Columns generated by LocBaml

Column	Description
Baml Name	Identifies the BAML stream; the value will be of the form AssemblyManifestStreamName:SubStream Name.
Resource Key	Identifies the localizable resource; the value will be of the form Uid:Element Type.$Property.
Localization Category	An entry from the LocalizationCategory enumeration, indicating what kind of content this is.
Readable	Indicates whether the resource is visible for translation.
Modifiable	Indicates whether this value can be modified during translation.
Comments	Localization comments.
Value	The value of this resource.

Table1-2 File type specification

File type	Specification
.resx	XML-based resource format
.resources	Can be embedded in a runtime binary executable or compiled into satellite assemblies

Table1-3 Tool specification

Tool	Specification
LocBaml	The LocBaml tool is not a production-ready application. It is presented as a sample that uses some of the localization APIs and illustrates how you might write a localization tool.
Resgen Resource File Generator	The Resource File Generator converts .txt files and .resx (XML-based resource format) files to common language runtime binary .resources files that can be embedded in a runtime binary executable or compiled into satellite assemblies
Al Assembly Linker	The Assembly Linker generates a file with an assembly manifest from one or more files that are either modules or resource files.

Some Tips for Using LocBaml

1. All dependent assemblies that define custom controls must be copied into the local directory of LocBaml or installed into the GAC. This is necessary because the localization API must have access to the dependent assemblies when it reads the binary XAML (BAML).

2. If the main assembly is signed, the generated resource dll must also be signed in order for it to be loaded.

3. The version of the localized resource dll needs to be synchronized with the main assembly.

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Alternative approach with "production-ready" tools jbe8224 10:29 11 May '09   Great article about localization in WPF. Unfortunately, Microsoft hasn't published a "production-ready" version of LocBAML until now. Therefore, I had to move to an alternative approach for localizing WPF applications. It's quite easy to use the old ResX files without the need for any special tool. You only need Visual Studio. Best Practices: Localize a WPF application with ResX files http://compositeextensions.codeplex.com/Thread/View.aspx?ThreadId=52910 _ Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 5.00/5 (1 vote) Re: Alternative approach with "production-ready" tools abdurahman ibn hattab 19:25 24 Oct '09   Thanks for that tip. It seems that "selfish WPF way" is too complicated to handle in the real world. Old and well-designed .resx stuff is much better and friendlier. I highly recommend to switch to .resx approach, it would allow to do all the job not leaving Visual Studio IDE and without necessity for any third-party tools. Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Best Localization Plug-in for Visual Studio. Alexander Nesterenko 22:31 17 Dec '08   Move strings from code to resx and translate their automatically. Try RGreatEx[^] free. --- Best regards, Alexander Nesterenko Safe Develop Team www.safedevelop.com Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 1.00/5 (1 vote) Can you explain the second part of the diagram Member 3999449 5:46 9 Oct '08   ie. how you are creating .resource file from a .csv file? Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink nice article, but this one can work with .resx files SeriousM 16:26 10 May '08   WPF Localize Extension[^] With this one, you can work easier than your solution. btw: nice article Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink You're ZipFile doesn't work Zipgun 3:20 1 Mar '08   I would like to try the sample but the zip file is not valid... Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 5.00/5 (1 vote) Re: You're ZipFile doesn't work jonathan.cho 21:50 10 Aug '08   Project file is vs 2005 version. You can open solution file! and upgrade 2008 project file. Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink

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