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![Format Strings
[NSString localizedStringWithFormat:
NSLocalizedString(@“%@ is %d meters tall”, @“Name and
height (in meters) of a mountain”), mountain.name,
mountain.height];
<source>%@ is %d meters tall</source>
<target>%1$@ is %2$d meters tall</target>
<note>Name and height (in meters) of a mountain</note>](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/cocoaheadsinternationalizationandlocalization-150827152450-lva1-app6892/75/Avoiding-Pitfalls-with-Internationalization-Localization-9-2048.jpg)
Uploaded byLogan Gauthier
Avoiding Pitfalls with Internationalization & Localization
This document discusses tips for internationalizing and localizing apps. It covers topics like internationalization vs localization, localizing text, dates, numbers, images, and directionality. It recommends using Apple's localization APIs and formats rather than hardcoding values. General tips include localizing accessibility labels, using localized sorting, and considering cultural differences in images and directionality.
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Avoiding Pitfalls with Internationalization & Localization
- 1. Avoiding Pitfalls with Internationalization& Localization Nashville CocoaHeads - August 26th, 2015
- 2. What We’ll Cover •Internationalization vs Localization • Content Types • Text • Dates • Numbers • Images • Directionality • Xcode Tips & Tricks
- 3. Why do it? •The App Store is available in over 150 countries. • 69% of app revenue comes from outside the U.S. • Some users may speak English, but it may not be their primary language.
- 4. Internationalization vs Localization • Localization isthe process of translating your app into multiple languages. • Internationalization is the process of making your app able to adapt to different languages, regions, and cultures.
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- 6. Strings Tables • Translatedtext is stored in strings tables. • Localizable.strings • Key value pairs • XLIFF format
- 7. XLIFF <file original="InternationalizationExample/Localizable.strings" source-language="en"datatype="plaintext" target-language="es"> <header> <tool tool-id="com.apple.dt.xcode" tool-name="Xcode" tool-version="6.4" build-num="6E35b"/> </header> <body> <trans-unit id="Invalid Password"> <source>Invalid Password</source> <target>Contraseña invalida</target> <note>Title of the alert that is displayed when the user enters an invalid password.</note> </trans-unit> <trans-unit id="Please enter a password."> <source>Please enter a password.</source> <target>Por favor, introduzca una contraseña .</target> <note>Instructions displayed when the user enters an invalid password.</note> </trans-unit> </body> </file> XML Localisation Interchange File Format
- 8. NSLocalizedString • Parameters: • Key- The key to use in the strings table. • Comment - Provides context for translators. <trans-unit id="Invalid Password"> <source>Invalid Password</source> <target>Contraseña invalida</target> <note>Title of the alert that is displayed when the user enters an invalid password.</note> </trans-unit> NSLocalizedString(“Invalid Password”, comment: “Title of the alert that is displayed when the user enters an invalid password.”)
- 9. Format Strings [NSString localizedStringWithFormat: NSLocalizedString(@“%@is %d meters tall”, @“Name and height (in meters) of a mountain”), mountain.name, mountain.height]; <source>%@ is %d meters tall</source> <target>%1$@ is %2$d meters tall</target> <note>Name and height (in meters) of a mountain</note>
- 10. NSLocalizedString and DRY •Don’t copy and paste NSLocalizedString macros/ functions everywhere if they are textually and semantically the same. • Instead of creating a constant for the key, create a constant for the localized string. Otherwise, it won’t be included in the XLIFF file when exported.
- 11. This string won’tget exported: struct Constants { struct Localization { static let OkButtonTitle = "Ok" } } let okButtonTitle = NSLocalizedString(Constants.Localization.OkButtonTitle, comment: "Title of button to dismiss an alert") This string will get exported and you only write the comment once: struct Constants { struct Localization { static let OkButtonTitle = NSLocalizedString("Ok", comment: "Title of button to dismiss an alert") } } let okButtonTitle = Constants.Localization.OkButtonTitle
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- 13. NSDateFormatter • Avoid formatstrings for user-visible dates • Use Apple’s format styles
- 14. US English Aug26, 2015 UK English Aug 26, 2015 Chinese 8⽉月 26, 2015 let df = NSDateFormatter() df.dateFormat = “MMM d, y” US English Aug 26, 2015 UK English 26 Aug 2015 Chinese 2015年8⽉月26⽇日 let df = NSDateFormatter() df.dateStyle = .MediumStyle
- 15. Apple’s default stylesdon’t fit your need? let df = NSDateFormatter() df.setLocalizedDateFormatFromTemplate("MMM d")
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- 17. NSNumberFormatter • Just likeNSDateFormatter, it is locale-sensitive • NSNumberFormatter: • +localizedStringFromNumber:numberStyle: • NSString: • +localizedStringWithFormat: US English 1,234.56 France 1 234,56 Arabic ١٬٢٣٤٫٥٦
- 18. Currency When using thecurrency style, the currency symbol will change as well. No currency conversion is performed. ($5 != £5)
- 19. Other Units • NSMassFormatter •NSEnergyFormatter • And many more… US English 44.092 pounds Italian 20 chilogrammi let weight = 20.0 // Store weight in metric units let massFormatter = NSMassFormatter() massFormatter.unitStyle = .Long let formatted = massFormatter.stringFromKilograms(weight)
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- 21. Tips • Avoid usingimages with text in them. • Avoid image based puns. (🐝 Clever) • Consider regional differences. A red octagon symbolizes “stop” in the US, but in Japan, stop signs are triangular.
- 22. Accessing Localized Resources (iOS9) Don’t access the directories manually: let lang = NSLocale.preferredLanguages().firstObject! let lprojPath = lang.stringByAppendingPathExtension("lproj") let filePath = NSBundle.mainBundle().pathForResource("stopSign", ofType: "png", inDirectory: lprojPath) NSBundle.mainBundle().imageForResource("stopSign") NSBundle.mainBundle().pathForSoundResource("greeting") NSBundle.mainBundle().URLForResource("help", withExtension: "pdf") Use the NSBundle methods:
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- 24. Directionality • Some languagessuch as Arabic or Hebrew are read from right to left. • AutoLayout leading and trailing constraints cause views to automatically flip. • To prevent flipping your UI, use right and left attributes on your constraints instead of leading and trailing.
- 25. What not toflip • Video controls and timeline indicators • Images, unless they communicate a sense of direction, such as arrows • Clocks • Music notes and sheet music • Graphs (x– and y–axes always appear in the same orientation)
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- 27. Accessibility Don’t forget tolocalize accessibility labels!
- 28. Sorting • Use the“localizedStandardCompare:” selector for sort descriptors used on user-facing strings. This will sort according to the language rules of the current locale. compare: A, Ä, B, C, a, ä, b, c localizedCaseInsensitiveCompare: A, a, b, B, c, C, ä, Ä localizedStandardCompare: a, A, b, B, c, C, ä, Ä
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