Localization Support in Microsoft.NET Framework François Liger Program Manager Microsoft Corporation

Key Terms (as used in this talk)  Globalization (a.k.a. Internationalization) Core application handles international data  Character encodings  Date and time, numeric, currency formats  …  Market adaptation Additional functionality for a given market  Localization = translation Localizable = ready for translation Resources  Application elements (error messages, UI) to be translated in localized versions

.NET Framework Namespace System System.DataSystem.Xml System.Web Globalization Diagnostics Configuration Collections Resources Reflection Net IO Threading Text ServiceProcess Security Design ADO SQLTypes SQL XPath XSLT Runtime InteropServices Remoting Serialization ConfigurationSessionState CachingSecurity Services Description Discovery Protocols UI HtmlControls WebControls System.Drawing Imaging Drawing2D Text Printing System.WinForms DesignComponentModel

System.Resources namespace  ResourceManager Provides access to culture-correct resources at runtime.  ResourceWriter Writes resources to an output stream or file  ResourceReader Reads resources name-value pairs from resources files and streams  ResourceSet Stores all resources localized for a particular culture

System.Globalization.CultureInfo  Provider of cultural preferences  Two roles CurrentCulture  Date and number formatting  String comparison and casing CurrentUICulture  Resource selection for user interface Can be controlled on a per thread basis  RFC 1766 derived hierarchy  CultureInfo.CreateSpecificCulture Optional mapping from neutral to specific

CultureInfo  Neutral culture Based on language Resource only No formatting CurrentUICulture only  Specific culture Based on language & region Resource & Formatting specifics CurrentCulture & CurrentUICulture

Resource Model .NET Framework uses a new resource model ResX file format Resources files Satellite Resources DLLs  Naming conventions  Resource Fallback

ResX Files  Simple, (almost) human-readable XML format  Can include arbitrary objects  Created with.NET Framework SDK  Can also be created with Visual Studio See other talk on this topic

Resource generation process .resx file XML-based file Describes resources .resources file binary compiled file  Satellite.resources.dll: Embedded.resources file(s).resx file.resources file.resources.dll file

Naming convention  Naming pattern conventions.resources files: ..resources Satellite assemblies .resources.dll  Directory locations for satellites: A subdirectory per culture either neutral or specific cultures can be used Myproject.dll  \fr\myproject.resources.dll(neutral)  \de-DE\myproject.resources.dll(specific)

Resource Fallback

Loading Resources  Creating a Resource Manager The RM constructor indicates the file from which resources are to be loaded. Several alternatives  Load from a loose.resources file  Load from this assembly  Load from another assembly  Load from a custom resource format if you write your own resource manager (e.g. a database) See.NET SDK, Samples and Tutorials, ASP.NET QuickStarts, and How Do I … samples

Loading Resources, continued Resource manager can be used to load both strings and objects:  RM.GetString (“mystring”, new CultureInfo(“en-NZ”) )  RM.GetString (“mystring”)  RM.GetObject(“Button1.Cursor”) Loads requested resources based on Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentUICulture Fallback hierarchy derived from RFC 1766

Localization Process  Start with a.txt or a.resx file.txt files(string data only).resx files(string data and arbitrary objects) XML tools can be used with.resx files External localization tools vendor support  Lionbridge,  WinRes Resize WindowsForms forms WinRes does not require access to source Visual Studio IDE: integrates this capability  ResGen: Compile data to.resources binary files

Localization Process  AL (or compiler): add.resources into assembly. (AL is an SDK linker) al /t:lib /culture:en-NZ /embed:strings.en- NZ.resources /out:myapp.resources.dll  Optional: use SN for strong-naming  VS IDE : add translated.resx file into project

ASP.NET And Localization  ASP.NET has a flexible resource model There is not one single way to organize localizable resources Applications vary; developers can choose. The following section shows a few alternatives..NET Framework SDK has additional samples  ASP.NET QuickStarts, localization section, working with resources files.

ASP.NET Localization Options A: Resources included in source (like ASP)  Copy of each page per language  Specify culture in page directive or web.config  Advantages: Good for static content Rapid initial development  Disadvantages: High maintenance costs Not suitable for dynamic content Localizers and developers are working on the same source file. Potential for conflicting updates  Not recommended

ASP.NET Localization Options B: Resources separated from source  Use Resource Manager to load resources Resources could be in Loose.resources files Satellites below each main assembly A separate (parallel) main assembly with satellites below it One.resources file or satellite per language Slightly different ResourceManager constructors for each case

ASP.NET Localization Options B: Resources separate from source, continued:  Advantages: Can deploy additional languages incrementally, without redeploying core code Lower maintenance costs, as there is one central app, not many parallel versions.  Disadvantages: More files Loose.resources can have locking issue.  No locking issue for satellites or parallel main assembly with satellites.  Shadow-copying done for exes and dlls (main assemblies and satellites).  Samples: ASP.NET Quickstarts, Localization section

ASP.NET Localization Options C: Satellite Resource DLLs  Advantages: Can deploy additional languages incrementally, without redeploying core code Lower maintenance costs, as there is one central app, not many parallel versions. Shadow-copying done for exes and dlls (main assemblies and satellites).  Disadvantages: More files Added initial application development complexity

Demo  Localizing a WebForm application

Summary .NET Framework provides built-in support for localization and globalization  ASP.NET builds on Framework support for international app development More options for specifying encoding Can separate code from resources Can utilize.NET Frameworks classes Developers can develop/host multi-cultural apps on a single server  Visual Studio makes it easier to build localized apps See Achim Ruopp’s talk

Additional References .NET Framework SDK Tutorial: Resources and localization (includes tools) .NET Framework SDK Samples ASP.NET Quickstart Localization section WinForms QuickstartLocalization sample How Do I … samples: Resources Globalization .NET Framework SDK Tools: ResGen, WinRes, AL, SN

Additional References  Documentation.NET Framework SDK:  Developing World-Ready Applications Visual Studio :  Visual Studio.NET\Visual Basic and VisualC#\Globalizing and Localizing\Walkthroughs  General info on.NET Framework:

Questions ?