Getting localization right once and for all

Solar2D General Questions/Discussion
#1

I am in the process of releasing my new game “Feather” on the iOS App Store and I wanted to release it in various languages, first of which will be Spanish.

After reading these various posts across the web and this forum, I’m halfway there.

http://forums.coronalabs.com/topic/12191-language-localization-foreign-language-apps-build-settings/

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/12146750/where-cfbundlename-is-being-used

http://forums.coronalabs.com/topic/38972-does-corona-support-app-name-localization

http://lauratallardy.com/app-localization-made-easy/

In my app, I use this code to test for alternate languages:

\_G.language = system.getPreference( "ui", "language" ) if string.find( \_G.language, "es%-" ) ~= nil then \_G.language = "es" end if string.find( \_G.language, "en%-" ) ~= nil then \_G.language = "en" end -- failsafe language mode if \_G.language ~= "es" and \_G.language ~= "en" then \_G.language = "en" end

I had to add the string.find statements because iOS once returned  es-MX for Español (Mexíco), and I figured it could also return en-GB for Great Britain.

With _G.language  variable properly set, I am able use a statement like logo = display.newImageRect( “logo_” … _G.language … “.png” ) to access logo_en.png and logo_es.png for the localized graphic titles, for example.

Ok, so that’s settled.  Now, in my build.settings file, I’ve added the CFBundleLocalizations section:

settings = { plugins = { ... }, orientation = { ... }, iphone = { plist = { MinimumOSVersion = "7.0", UIPrerenderedIcon = true, UIStatusBarHidden = true, ... CFBundleLocalizations = { "es", "en", } }, }, ... }

And I created both es.lproj and en.lproj  root folders, both with InfoPlist.strings files.  The  InfoPlist.strings  file in the es.lproj folder contains:

CFBundleDisplayName = “Pluma”; CFBundleName = “Pluma”;

Now, when I compile and place on my iPhone, it says Feather under the app’s icon, not Pluma when I change the Language settings to Español or Español (Mexíco).  I’ve even tried creating another root folder called es-MX.lproj with the same file, but still the app remains as Feather.  What am I doing wrong?  :frowning:

#2

Has anyone got localization working on their app such that it shows up with a different word or phrase when the iOS device is placed in a different UI language?  If so, can you post your build.settings and your InfoPlist.strings file?  This is really frustrating.

#3

Very interested to learn about this as well. Good luck in your investigations. 

#4

Hey BeyondtheTech,

Glad to see my tutorial getting some use! :slight_smile:

I ran a basic test and was able to get localized titles Feather and Pluma for English and Spanish, the only difference I can see is I’ve been spelling out the names of the languages in build.settings (“English” instead of “en”.)

I wrapped up the test files, you can download them and grab the code from this link: http://lauratallardy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/localization_test.zip

Hope this helps!

Laura

#5

Very, very strange.  I looked at my code and files/folder setups and yes, the only thing that seemed different was the " en"  vs. " English" and even after I changed it, it still didn’t work.

I got desperate and deleted my en.lproj and es.lproj folders (and their appropriate  InfoPlist.strings files) and copied yours into my source folder, then recompiled.  It worked!

I swear, I looked at the names of the folders and the contents of the .strings files and they are identical.  That was an exercise in frustration, but thank you for resolving it!

#6

You’re welcome- glad it worked! Sometimes you just have to start from the ground up again, lol. darn gremlins!

One other thought, the info.plist file you pasted was this: 

CFBundleDisplayName = “Pluma”;

CFBundleName = “Pluma”;

Those “” quotations might be like the wrong kind, like from Word. like see the difference between 

CFBundleDisplayName = “Pluma”;

and 

CFBundleDisplayName = “Pluma”;

? That might have been throwing things off.

#7

Has anyone got localization working on their app such that it shows up with a different word or phrase when the iOS device is placed in a different UI language?  If so, can you post your build.settings and your InfoPlist.strings file?  This is really frustrating.

#8

Very interested to learn about this as well. Good luck in your investigations. 

#9

Hey BeyondtheTech,

Glad to see my tutorial getting some use! :slight_smile:

I ran a basic test and was able to get localized titles Feather and Pluma for English and Spanish, the only difference I can see is I’ve been spelling out the names of the languages in build.settings (“English” instead of “en”.)

I wrapped up the test files, you can download them and grab the code from this link: http://lauratallardy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/localization_test.zip

Hope this helps!

Laura

#10

Very, very strange.  I looked at my code and files/folder setups and yes, the only thing that seemed different was the " en"  vs. " English" and even after I changed it, it still didn’t work.

I got desperate and deleted my en.lproj and es.lproj folders (and their appropriate  InfoPlist.strings files) and copied yours into my source folder, then recompiled.  It worked!

I swear, I looked at the names of the folders and the contents of the .strings files and they are identical.  That was an exercise in frustration, but thank you for resolving it!

#11

You’re welcome- glad it worked! Sometimes you just have to start from the ground up again, lol. darn gremlins!

One other thought, the info.plist file you pasted was this: 

CFBundleDisplayName = “Pluma”;

CFBundleName = “Pluma”;

Those “” quotations might be like the wrong kind, like from Word. like see the difference between 

CFBundleDisplayName = “Pluma”;

and 

CFBundleDisplayName = “Pluma”;

? That might have been throwing things off.