asp.net MVC: localization

Question

Hi, I have my target language in Session["lang"], which is either "en" or "it". I have added this to the Site.master:

<script runat="server">
  void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e) {
    string lang = Session["lang"].ToString();
    System.Threading.Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentCulture = System.Globalization.CultureInfo.CreateSpecificCulture(lang);
    System.Threading.Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentUICulture = System.Globalization.CultureInfo.CreateSpecificCulture(lang);
  }
</script>

Then I'd like to invoke a resource string like this:

<asp:Label ID="Label1" runat="server" Text="<%$ Resources:Global, test %>"></asp:Label>

I have two files in the App_GlobalResources, named Global.resx and Global.en.resx.

The problems is that no matter what is in the lang variable, I always get the results from the main Global.resx, and I never get the english version from Global.en.resx

I am doing this wrong entirely??

I tried putting the System.Threading... part in the Application_PreRequestHandlerExecute method in Global.asax.cs but the result was the same.

Thanks

PS: I am asking about a way to make this work in a simple way. If I was to use the complicate way, I'd go with this: http://helios.ca/2009/05/27/aspnet-mvc-and-localization/

Answer 1

I bet this one is a duplicate.
Anyway - all you need is here (assuming that you are using webforms viewengine (might work with others too, haven't investigated)).

Oh well... here goes my 'summary':

Helpers are just a part. You need to do some modifications with your default view engine too . On createview/createpartialview it should return localizationwebformview which adds a path key to viewdata which is used by htmlhelper to find resourceexpressionsfields and pass them to localizationhelpers class which retrieves desired value.

Little bonus=>

This might be handy if you don't want to recreate resource folders for view subfolders
(in case you modify viewengine.view/partialviewlocationformats):

 private static string ReformatVirtualPath(string virtualPath)
        {
            //This allows NOT to duplicate App_localResources directory
            // ~/Views/Shared/Partial/Some/BulltihS/_View.ascx
            // turns into =>
            // ~/Views/Shared/_View.ascx
            var start = @"(~(/?\w*/?){2})";
            var end = @"(\w*.as(c|p)x)";

            start = Regex.Match(virtualPath, start).Value;
            end = Regex.Match(virtualPath, end).Value;

            return start + end;
        }

usage:

 internal static ResourceExpressionFields GetResourceFields
            (string expression, string virtualPath)
        {
            virtualPath = ReformatVirtualPath(virtualPath);

            var context = new ExpressionBuilderContext(virtualPath);
            var builder = new ResourceExpressionBuilder();
            return (ResourceExpressionFields)
                   builder.ParseExpression(expression, typeof(string), context);
        }

EDIT:
but it might be a good idea to avoid App_GlobalResources and App_LocalResources as K. Scott Allen suggests (check Konstantinos answer).

Answer 2

i had the same dilema(how to implement localization) in my asp.net mvc app.

I followed the instructions posted here and it works like a charm.

So i created a folder named Localization under Content and then i create Resources resx files for each language i want to translate. Keep in mind that there is a convention for the resx file names. ie

Resources.resx is the default fall back for everything.

Resources.en-GB.resx is for english GB

Resources.en-US.resx is for english US

etc.

Just make sure you follow the instructions posted in the link to embed and make the Resources available in all places in your app (views, controllers etc)

Edit:

I want to add that i ommited this line from web.config since i wanted to manually set the local from my app.

<globalization uiCulture="auto" culture="auto"/>

Instead i have created the following class:

    public class SmartController : Controller
{
    public SmartController()
    {
        System.Threading.Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentCulture = CultureInfo.GetCultureInfo("en-US");
        System.Threading.Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentUICulture = CultureInfo.GetCultureInfo("en-US");
    }
}

All controllers inherit from this class.

Since this is an administrative set of the locale i have to set it from my apps settings. You could read it from Cookies and set it, or otherwise. This is imo the simplest solution for localization that i have encountered so far.

Once implemented you can refer to any string you add by the following simple line of code, no extra code needed.

<%= Resources.Strings.TranslatedTerm %>