Follow these steps:
1) Place all String fragments in a separate resource file.
Example: StringResources.xaml:
<ResourceDictionary xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:system="clr-namespace:System;assembly=mscorlib">
<!-- String resource that can be localized -->
<system:String x:Key="All_Vehicles">All Vehicles</system:String>
</ResourceDictionary>
2) Make copies for each language and add them (translated) to the merged dictionaries. Don't forget to add the country's ISO code to make things easier.
Example App.xaml:
<Application x:Class="WpfStringTables.App"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
StartupUri="Window1.xaml">
<Application.Resources>
<ResourceDictionary >
<ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
<ResourceDictionary Source="StringResources.de-DE.xaml" />
<ResourceDictionary Source="StringResources.nl-NL.xaml" />
<ResourceDictionary Source="StringResources.xaml" />
</ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
</ResourceDictionary>
</Application.Resources>
</Application>
The last resource file with strings will be used to replace text parts in code.
3a) Use the text parts from the String table:
Example Window1.xaml:
<Window x:Class="WpfStringTables.Window1"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
Title="Window1" Height="300" Width="300">
<Grid>
<Button Margin="51,82,108,129" Name="AllVehiclesButton"
Content="{StaticResource All_Vehicles}"/>
</Grid>
</Window>
3b) Load the resource from code (Only use this code if you don't want to set via XAML):
void PageLoad()
{
string str = FindResource("All_Vehicles").ToString();
}
4) Switch to new culture at start of application:
Codesnippet from App.xaml.cs:
public static void SelectCulture(string culture)
{
if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(culture))
return;
//Copy all MergedDictionarys into a auxiliar list.
var dictionaryList = Application.Current.Resources.MergedDictionaries.ToList();
//Search for the specified culture.
string requestedCulture = string.Format("StringResources.{0}.xaml", culture);
var resourceDictionary = dictionaryList.
FirstOrDefault(d => d.Source.OriginalString == requestedCulture);
if (resourceDictionary == null)
{
//If not found, select our default language.
requestedCulture = "StringResources.xaml";
resourceDictionary = dictionaryList.
FirstOrDefault(d => d.Source.OriginalString == requestedCulture);
}
//If we have the requested resource, remove it from the list and place at the end.
//Then this language will be our string table to use.
if (resourceDictionary != null)
{
Application.Current.Resources.MergedDictionaries.Remove(resourceDictionary);
Application.Current.Resources.MergedDictionaries.Add(resourceDictionary);
}
//Inform the threads of the new culture.
Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentCulture = new CultureInfo(culture);
Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentUICulture = new CultureInfo(culture);
}
