Proper way to change language at runtime

Question

What is the proper way to change Form language at runtime?

1. Setting all controls manually using recursion like this
2. Save language choice to file > Rest

Answer 1

I have found another way:

Move initialization form code in private methode like below

private void FormInitialize() {/*Your code here*/}

In form constructor use it like this

public Form1()
{
    InitializeComponent();
    FormInitialize();
}

And from Button, menuItem or other call methode like this

private void ChangeCultureToFrench_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentUICulture = new CultureInfo("fr");
    this.Controls.Clear();
    this.InitializeComponent();
    FormInitialize();
}

I hope this helps ;-)

Answer 2

In reference to your ColumnHeader .NET framework bug, I also discovered this bug recently and posted a question about it (to which I haven't received any responses). I was able to fix the problem by hardcoding the changes for the ColumnHeaders. For example:

resources.ApplyResources(_myHeader, "_myHeader", culture);

You basically just replace the call to .Name with a literal string of the name. I have tested this and it works. Unfortunately this means it won't fit as part of the code you use to change all of the controls. You will have to add a line for each ColumnHeader object you need to change. If you have a listview with a variable number of columns, that could get tricky. Another option is to create localized resource files. I assume you probably already have them for stuff like message box text and other strings. Then you can add an entry in your resource file like "columnHeader_myHeader" and set the appropriate language text for each language. Finally, you can manually change the text to your column headers by using:

_myHeader.Text = myResourceFileName.columnHeader_myHeader;

This will select the appropriate language based on the current thread culture. Hans was correct in that there doesn't seem to be a foolproof "proper" way to perform localization in .NET, though there are a variety of tools you can use. For something like a job application, even though it is probably already too late for this advice, my suggestion would be to learn as many different methods as you can for localization, learn the pros and cons, and then just pick a system and be able to argue why you believe it is the "proper" choice. They are probably more concerned with your logic and reasoning and demonstration of prior experience than they are with the actual method.

Answer 3

I've discovered this kind of approach a few minutes ago. Just quick and simple restart of the main form. Meybe it will help to someone. Event is created inside the form on my own, called when user selects the language from menu but after the selected culture's name is saved into the settings. Culture names are then loaded from that settings. Works exactly as I need and looks like proper solution.

static class Program
{
    private static bool doNotExit = true;
    private static FormMain fm;
    /// <summary>
    /// The main entry point for the application.
    /// </summary>
    [STAThread]
    static void Main()
    {


        Application.EnableVisualStyles();
        Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(false);

        while(doNotExit)
        {
            System.Threading.Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentCulture = new CultureInfo(Properties.Settings.Default.language);//
            System.Threading.Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentUICulture = new CultureInfo(Properties.Settings.Default.language);//

            doNotExit = false;
            fm = new FormMain();
            fm.lanugageChangedEvent += new EventHandler(main_LanugageChangedEvent);
            Application.Run(fm);
        }
    }



    static void main_LanugageChangedEvent(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {  
        doNotExit = true;
        fm.Close();   
    }
}

Answer 4

Hope this would help anyone, I found it best for me cause i needed to change buttons location according the lang (browse on the right or left of the search box and labels next to text fields).

1. save a public var on the main that will hold the lang.
2. created a class which handles the visual part
3. created xml files that will hold any language data and more (in my xml tag name=object name).
4. sent that class's constructor the form (to save and work with)
5. connect to that current xml file

From main form call whenever you want to initialView (part of the view class) and change lang (and more) anytime (just connect to the right xml file):

public void initialView()
{
    //Set rightToLeft values
    initialIndent(mainForm);

    //set visual text values
    initialTxt();
}

private void initialTxt()
{
    // Are there any more controls under mainObj (Form1)?
    Boolean endOfElemsUnderPnl = false;

    // The current Control im working on
    Object curObj = mainForm;

    do
    {
        // MenuStrip needs to be handled separately
        if (typeof(MenuStrip).ToString().Equals(curObj.GetType().ToString()))
        {
            foreach (ToolStripMenuItem miBase in ((MenuStrip)(curObj)).Items)
            {
                miBase.Text = mainForm.dbCon.getData(miBase.Name.ToString());
                foreach (ToolStripMenuItem miInnerNode in miBase.DropDownItems)
                {
                    miInnerNode.Text = mainForm.dbCon.getData(miInnerNode.Name.ToString());
                }
            }
        }

        // Any other Control i have on the form
        else
        {
            ((Control)(curObj)).Text = mainForm.dbCon.getData(((Control)(curObj)).Name.ToString());
        }

        curObj = mainForm.GetNextControl(((Control)(curObj)), true);

        // Are there any more controls under mainObj?
        if (null == curObj)
        {
            endOfElemsUnderPnl = true;
        }

    } while (!endOfElemsUnderPnl);
}

private void initialIndent(frmMyFileManager parent)
{
    if (parent.Language.Equals("Hebrew"))
    {
        parent.RightToLeft = RightToLeft.Yes;
    }
    else if (parent.Language.Equals("English"))
    {
        parent.RightToLeft = RightToLeft.No;
    }
    else
    {
        parent.RightToLeft = RightToLeft.No;
    }
}

And this is an example of how easy it is for my at runtime:

private void selectLanguageToolStripMenuItem_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    DialogResult res = MessageBox.Show(this, "click yes for english and no for hebrew", "Select language", MessageBoxButtons.YesNoCancel);

    if (DialogResult.Yes == res)
    {
        Language = "English";
    }
    else if (DialogResult.No == res)
    {
        Language = "Hebrew";
    }
    dbCon = new CDBConnector("****\\lang" + Language + ".xml");
    view.initialView();
}

Answer 5

I believe the solution shown in Hans Passant's comment might be the only (general) solution.

Personally, I use this base class for all forms that need to be localized:

public class LocalizedForm : Form
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Occurs when current UI culture is changed
    /// </summary>
    [Browsable(true)]
    [Description("Occurs when current UI culture is changed")]
    [EditorBrowsable(EditorBrowsableState.Advanced)]
    [Category("Property Changed")]
    public event EventHandler CultureChanged;

    protected CultureInfo culture;
    protected ComponentResourceManager resManager;

    /// <summary>
    /// Current culture of this form
    /// </summary>
    [Browsable(false)]
    [Description("Current culture of this form")]
    [EditorBrowsable(EditorBrowsableState.Never)]
    public CultureInfo Culture
    {
        get { return this.culture; }
        set
        {
            if (this.culture != value)
            {
                this.ApplyResources(this, value);

                this.culture = value;
                this.OnCultureChanged();
            }
        }
    }

    public LocalizedForm()
    {
        this.resManager = new ComponentResourceManager(this.GetType());
        this.culture = CultureInfo.CurrentUICulture;
    }

    private void ApplyResources(Control parent, CultureInfo culture)
    {
        this.resManager.ApplyResources(parent, parent.Name, culture);

        foreach (Control ctl in parent.Controls)
        {
            this.ApplyResources(ctl, culture);
        }
    }

    protected void OnCultureChanged()
    {
        var temp = this.CultureChanged;
        if (temp != null)
            temp(this, EventArgs.Empty);
    }
}

Then instead of directly changing Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentUICulture, I use this property in static manager class to change UI culture:

public static CultureInfo GlobalUICulture
{
    get { return Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentUICulture; }
    set
    {
        if (GlobalUICulture.Equals(value) == false)
        {
            foreach (var form in Application.OpenForms.OfType<LocalizedForm>())
            {
                form.Culture = value;
            }

            Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentUICulture = value;
        }
    }
}