Implementing Localization In Xamarin.Forms

Today, I am going to create localization in a Xamarin.Forms app. Whenever I create a Xamarin.Forms app, I want to change the current language and that time, I get stuck in the app. After doing some research, I have got a solution to the problem. So, in this blog, I am going to implement the localization in the Xamarin.forms app.

Implementation

First, we have to create a project with a name LocalizationDemo.

Open VS2017 >> select file >> Create Project >> give the project name and then set the path and hit Enter.

Implemented Localization In A Xamarin.Forms App

Now, a window appears. Here, you have to select a blank template. Then, choose a platform like Android or iOS and a code-sharing strategy like .NET Standard. Then, hit Enter.

In PCL Project, we can create a folder with the name Localization.

Now, in the Localization folder, we can create a Class with a name CultureChangedMessage and LocalizedResources.

CultureChangedMessage.cs

public class CultureChangedMessage
{
public CultureInfo NewCultureInfo { get; private set; }
public CultureChangedMessage(string lngName)
: this(new CultureInfo(lngName))
{ }
public CultureChangedMessage(CultureInfo newCultureInfo)
{
NewCultureInfo = newCultureInfo;
}
}

CultureInfo

The CultureInfo class holds culture-specific information, such as the associated language, sublanguage, country/region, calendar, and cultural conventions.

LocalizedResources.cs

public class LocalizedResources : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
const string DEFAULT_LANGUAGE = "en";
readonly ResourceManager ResourceManager;
CultureInfo CurrentCultureInfo;
public string this[string key]
{
get
{
return ResourceManager.GetString(key, CurrentCultureInfo);
}
}
public LocalizedResources(Type resource, string language = null)
: this(resource, new CultureInfo(language ?? DEFAULT_LANGUAGE))
{ }
public LocalizedResources(Type resource, CultureInfo cultureInfo)
{
CurrentCultureInfo = cultureInfo;
ResourceManager = new ResourceManager(resource);
MessagingCenter.Subscribe<object, CultureChangedMessage>(this,
string.Empty, OnCultureChanged);
}
private void OnCultureChanged(object s, CultureChangedMessage ccm)
{
CurrentCultureInfo = ccm.NewCultureInfo;
PropertyChanged?.Invoke(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs("Item"));
}
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
}

ResourceManager:provides convenient access to culture-specific resources at run time.

Now, we can create a Resources folder and in this folder, we can add .resx

LocalizationDemoResources.fr.resx for (fr = French)

Add String Name and Value
PickLng = Choisir votre langue
Settings = Paramètres
Welcome = Bienvenue! Bonjour!

LocalizationDemoResources.nl.resx for (nl = Dutch)

Add String Name and Value
PickLng = Selecteer uw taal:
Settings = Instellingen
Welcome = Welkom! Hallo!

LocalizationDemoResources.resx for (English)

Add String Name and Value
PickLng = Choose your language:
Settings = Settings
Welcome = Welcome! Hello!

Now, we can set the default Language in App.cs

public static string CurrentLanguage = "EN";

Now, create a ViewModels folder and add the ViewModel Classes - MainPageViewModel, SettingsViewModel, ViewModelBase.

ViewModelBase.cs

public class ViewModelBase : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
public LocalizedResources Resources
{
get;
private set;
}
public ViewModelBase()
{
Resources = new LocalizedResources(typeof(LocalizationDemoResources), App.CurrentLanguage);
}
public void OnPropertyChanged([CallerMemberName]string property = null)
{
PropertyChanged?.Invoke(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(property));
}
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
}

MainPageViewModel.cs

public class MainPageViewModel : ViewModelBase
{ }
SettingsViewModel.cs
public List Languages { get; set; } = new List()
{
"EN",
"NL",
"FR"
};
private string _SelectedLanguage;
public string SelectedLanguage
{
get { return _SelectedLanguage; }
set
{
_SelectedLanguage = value;
SetLanguage();
}
}
public SettingsViewModel()
{
_SelectedLanguage = App.CurrentLanguage;
}
private void SetLanguage()
{
App.CurrentLanguage = SelectedLanguage;
MessagingCenter.Send<object, CultureChangedMessage>(this,
string.Empty, new CultureChangedMessage(SelectedLanguage));
}

Now, change the MainPage design and bind it with MainPageViewModel.cs.

The last step is adding the SettingsPage and setting a design that binds with SettingsViewModel.cs.

Hopefully, this article was useful.