How to get language (locale) currently Android app displays?

Question

How to get know language (locale) currently Android app uses to display texts to user?

I know I can use Locale.getDefault() to get default OS locale. Bu

Answer 1

You can use the code below. For example, the functions presented below may be placed inside the class extended the Application class.

public class MyApplication extends Application {
    ...
    public static String APP_LANG;
    private Context ctx = getBaseContext();
    private Resources res = ctx.getResources();
    public SharedPreferences settingPrefs;
    ...

    public void restoreAppLanguage(){
    /**
    *Use this method to store the app language with other preferences.
    *This makes it possible to use the language set before, at any time, whenever 
    *the app will started.
    */
        settingPrefs = getSharedPreferences("ConfigData", MODE_PRIVATE);
        String lang = settingPrefs.getString("AppLanguage", "");
        if(!settingPrefs.getAll().isEmpty() && lang.length() == 2){
            Locale myLocale;
            myLocale = new Locale(lang);
            Locale.setDefault(myLocale);
            Configuration config = new Configuration();
            config.locale = myLocale;
            res.updateConfiguration( config, res.getDisplayMetrics() );
        }
    }

    public void storeAppLanguage(int lang) {
    /**
    *Store app language on demand
    */
        settingPrefs = getSharedPreferences("ConfigData", MODE_PRIVATE);
        Editor ed = settingPrefs.edit();

        Locale myLocale;
        myLocale = new Locale(lang);
        Locale.setDefault(myLocale);
        Configuration config = new Configuration();
        config.locale = myLocale;
        res.updateConfiguration( config, res.getDisplayMetrics() );
        ed.putString("AppLanguage", lang);

        ed.commit();
    }

    public void setAppLanguage(String lang){
    /**
    *Use this method together with getAppLanguage() to set and then restore
    *language, whereever you need, for example, the specifically localized
    *resources.
    */
        Locale myLocale;
        myLocale = new Locale(lang);
        Locale.setDefault(myLocale);
        Configuration config = new Configuration();
        config.locale = myLocale;
        res.updateConfiguration( config, res.getDisplayMetrics() );
    }

    public void getAppLanguage(){
    /**
    *Use this method to obtain the current app language name
    */
        settingPrefs = getSharedPreferences("ConfigData",MODE_PRIVATE);
        String lang = settingPrefs.getString("AppLanguage", "");
        if(!settingPrefs.getAll().isEmpty() && lang.length() == 2){
            APP_LANG = lang;
        }
        else APP_LANG = Locale.getDefault().getLanguage();
    }
}

And then wherever in the main code we can write:

public class MainActivity extends ActionBarActivity {
    ...
    MyApplication app;
    ... 
    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        ...
        app = (MyApplication)getApplicationContext();
        ...
        if(settingPrefs.getAll().isEmpty()){
            //Create language preference if it is not
            app.storeAppLanguage(Locale.getDefault().getLanguage());
        }

        //Restore previously used language
        app.restoreAppLanguage();
        ...
    }
    ...
    void SomethingToDo(){
        String lang = "en"; //"fr", "de", "es", "it", "ru" etc.
        ...
        app.getAppLanguage();
        app.setAppLanguage(lang);
        ...
        //do anything
        ...
        app.setAppLanguage(app.APP_LANG);
    }
    ...
}

In your case, you, shortly, may use getAppLanguage() and then check the public variable APP_LANG to obtain what language is currently used.