Is it possible to change the language of an app programmatically while still using Android resources?
If not, is it possible to request a resource in an specific lan
According to this article. You will need to download LocaleHelper.java referenced in that article.
MyApplication
class that will extends Application
attachBaseContext()
to update language.Register this class in manifest.
public class MyApplication extends Application {
@Override
protected void attachBaseContext(Context base) {
super.attachBaseContext(LocaleHelper.onAttach(base, "en"));
}
}
<application
android:name="com.package.MyApplication"
.../>
Create BaseActivity
and override onAttach()
to update language. Needed for Android 6+
public class BaseActivity extends Activity {
@Override
protected void attachBaseContext(Context base) {
super.attachBaseContext(LocaleHelper.onAttach(base));
}
}
Make all activities on your app extends from BaseActivity
.
public class LocaleHelper {
private static final String SELECTED_LANGUAGE = "Locale.Helper.Selected.Language";
public static Context onAttach(Context context) {
String lang = getPersistedData(context, Locale.getDefault().getLanguage());
return setLocale(context, lang);
}
public static Context onAttach(Context context, String defaultLanguage) {
String lang = getPersistedData(context, defaultLanguage);
return setLocale(context, lang);
}
public static String getLanguage(Context context) {
return getPersistedData(context, Locale.getDefault().getLanguage());
}
public static Context setLocale(Context context, String language) {
persist(context, language);
if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.N) {
return updateResources(context, language);
}
return updateResourcesLegacy(context, language);
}
private static String getPersistedData(Context context, String defaultLanguage) {
SharedPreferences preferences = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(context);
return preferences.getString(SELECTED_LANGUAGE, defaultLanguage);
}
private static void persist(Context context, String language) {
SharedPreferences preferences = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(context);
SharedPreferences.Editor editor = preferences.edit();
editor.putString(SELECTED_LANGUAGE, language);
editor.apply();
}
@TargetApi(Build.VERSION_CODES.N)
private static Context updateResources(Context context, String language) {
Locale locale = new Locale(language);
Locale.setDefault(locale);
Configuration configuration = context.getResources().getConfiguration();
configuration.setLocale(locale);
configuration.setLayoutDirection(locale);
return context.createConfigurationContext(configuration);
}
@SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
private static Context updateResourcesLegacy(Context context, String language) {
Locale locale = new Locale(language);
Locale.setDefault(locale);
Resources resources = context.getResources();
Configuration configuration = resources.getConfiguration();
configuration.locale = locale;
if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.JELLY_BEAN_MR1) {
configuration.setLayoutDirection(locale);
}
resources.updateConfiguration(configuration, resources.getDisplayMetrics());
return context;
}
}
Change Language Programatically in Android
Old answer
This include RTL/LTR support:
public static void changeLocale(Context context, Locale locale) {
Configuration conf = context.getResources().getConfiguration();
conf.locale = locale;
Locale.setDefault(locale);
if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.JELLY_BEAN_MR1) {
conf.setLayoutDirection(conf.locale);
}
context.getResources().updateConfiguration(conf, context.getResources().getDisplayMetrics());
}
Add LocaleHelper class
public class LocaleHelper{
private static final String SELECTED_LANGUAGE = "Locale.Helper.Selected.Language";
public static Context onAttach(Context context) {
String lang = getPersistedData(context, Locale.getDefault().getLanguage());
return setLocale(context, lang);
}
public static Context onAttach(Context context, String defaultLanguage) {
String lang = getPersistedData(context, defaultLanguage);
return setLocale(context, lang);
}
public static String getLanguage(Context context) {
return getPersistedData(context, Locale.getDefault().getLanguage());
}
public static Context setLocale(Context context, String language) {
persist(context, language);
if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.N) {
return updateResources(context, language);
}
return updateResourcesLegacy(context, language);
}
private static String getPersistedData(Context context, String defaultLanguage) {
SharedPreferences preferences = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(context);
return preferences.getString(SELECTED_LANGUAGE, defaultLanguage);
}
private static void persist(Context context, String language) {
SharedPreferences preferences = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(context);
SharedPreferences.Editor editor = preferences.edit();
editor.putString(SELECTED_LANGUAGE, language);
editor.apply();
}
@TargetApi(Build.VERSION_CODES.N)
private static Context updateResources(Context context, String language) {
Locale locale = new Locale(language);
Locale.setDefault(locale);
Configuration configuration = context.getResources().getConfiguration();
configuration.setLocale(locale);
configuration.setLayoutDirection(locale);
return context.createConfigurationContext(configuration);
}
@SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
private static Context updateResourcesLegacy(Context context, String language) {
Locale locale = new Locale(language);
Locale.setDefault(locale);
Resources resources = context.getResources();
Configuration configuration = resources.getConfiguration();
configuration.locale = locale;
if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.JELLY_BEAN_MR1) {
configuration.setLayoutDirection(locale);
}
resources.updateConfiguration(configuration, resources.getDisplayMetrics());
return context;
}
}
In Activity or Fragment
Context context = LocaleHelper.setLocale(this, App.getSharedPre().getLanguage());
Resource resources = context.getResources();
Now SetText on every text
TextView tv = findViewById(R.id.tv);
tv.setText(resources.getString(R.string.tv));
I was facing the same issue. On GitHub I found the Android-LocalizationActivity library.
This library makes it very simple to change the language of your app at runtime, as you can see in the code sample below. A sample project including the sample code below and more information can be found at the github page.
The LocalizationActivity extends AppCompatActivity, so you can also use it when you are using Fragments.
public class MainActivity extends LocalizationActivity implements View.OnClickListener {
@Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.activity_simple);
findViewById(R.id.btn_th).setOnClickListener(this);
findViewById(R.id.btn_en).setOnClickListener(this);
}
@Override
public void onClick(View v) {
int id = v.getId();
if (id == R.id.btn_en) {
setLanguage("en");
} else if (id == R.id.btn_th) {
setLanguage("th");
}
}
}
At first create multi string.xml for different languages; then use this block of code in onCreate()
method:
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
String languageToLoad = "fr"; // change your language here
Locale locale = new Locale(languageToLoad);
Locale.setDefault(locale);
Configuration config = new Configuration();
config.locale = locale;
getBaseContext().getResources().updateConfiguration(config,
getBaseContext().getResources().getDisplayMetrics());
this.setContentView(R.layout.main);
Alex Volovoy answer only works for me if it's in onCreate method of the activity.
The answer that works in all the methods is in another thread
Change language programmatically in Android
Here is the adaptation of the code
Resources standardResources = getBaseContext().getResources();
AssetManager assets = standardResources.getAssets();
DisplayMetrics metrics = standardResources.getDisplayMetrics();
Configuration config = new Configuration(standardResources.getConfiguration());
config.locale = new Locale(languageToLoad);
Resources defaultResources = new Resources(assets, metrics, config);
Hope that it helps.