This document discusses localization and accessibility in iOS apps. Localization allows apps to support multiple languages by extracting strings from code into language-specific files. Accessibility makes apps usable for those with disabilities through features like labels, hints and traits. Xcode provides tools to help developers implement localization with strings files and storyboards, as well as test and deploy their localized apps.

2. LOCALIZATION AND
ACCESSIBILITY

3. AGENDA
Localizing Strings
Localizing Storyboards
Testing Localization
Locales
Accessibility

4. LOCALIZING STRINGS

5. LOCALIZING STRINGS
Requires developer to use specific API to
retrieve strings in code
Additionally need .strings file with translation for
each language

6. ADDING LOCALIZED STRINGS TO
YOUR PROJECT - 1
Generate a localized strings file using the
following command:
find . -name *.swift | xargs genstrings -o .
Searches for all occurrences of NSLocalizedString
and extracts keys and comments into a separate file

7. ADDING LOCALIZED STRINGS TO
YOUR PROJECT - 2
Add the Localizable.strings file to your project:

8. ADDING LOCALIZED STRINGS TO
YOUR PROJECT - 3
Add a new language to your project:

9. ADDING LOCALIZED STRINGS TO
YOUR PROJECT - 4
Add a new localization to your Localizable.strings file:

10. LOCALIZING STRINGS IN CODE
// Shortest version of NSLocalizedString; comment is used to inform translator
// about the role of this string
mainLabel.text = NSLocalizedString("com.makeschool.helloString", comment: "The string that greets
the user")
// Longest version of NSLocalizedString; You can choose which strings file from which
// bundle you want to use. You can also provide a default translation value in case
// the key cannot be found in the table
mainLabel.text = NSLocalizedString("com.makeschool.helloString", tableName: "Other", bundle:
NSBundle.mainBundle(), value: "Hello World", comment: "The string that greets the user")

11. LOCALIZING STORYBOARDS

12. LOCALIZING STORYBOARDS

13. TESTING LOCALIZATION

14. TESTING LOCALIZATION

15. TESTING LOCALIZATION

16. TESTING LOCALIZATION

17. LOCALES

18. LOCALES
Besides the language, the region we live in
influences localization
Examples: Date formatting, currency symbols,
time zones

19. LOCALES
dateLabel.text = NSDateFormatter.localizedStringFromDate(NSDate(),
dateStyle: .MediumStyle, timeStyle: .MediumStyle)
23.10.2015, 08:35:31 Oct 23, 2015, 8:26:12 AM
German Locale (de-DE) US Locale (en-US)

20. ACCESSIBILITY

21. ACCESSIBILITY
Very important when building custom views!
They are not accessible by default:
self.isAccessibilityElement = true
Can enhance standard view components by
providing hints, labels, traits and values

22. ACCESSIBILITY
accessibilityLabel short description of the
control, e.g. “Save” for button, “Rating” for label
accessibilityHint helps the user to understand
results of an action. E.g. “Saves the Document”, “Clears
the text”

23. ACCESSIBILITY
accessibilityTraits collection of constants that
describe the type of control and/or how it should be
treated, e.g: UIAccessibilityTraitImage,
UIAccessibilityTraitNotEnabled, etc.
accessibilityValue Used to describe the value of
a none-label UI component. E.g. “50%” for a progress
bar. “9 out of 10” for a rating view.

24. ACCESSIBILITY
Accessibility parameters can be defined in
Interface Builder and in code!

25. SUMMARY

26. SUMMARY
Localization and Accessibility are important to
make your app available to a broader audience
Xcode / iOS provide tooling that allow you to
implement localization and accessibility with very
little effort

27. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

28. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Apple: Internationalization and Localization Guide
Apple: Formatting Data Using the Locale Setting
AltConf Talk: Localization on iOS
Apple: Accessibility Programming Guide for iOS
UIAccessibility Class Reference