Localization in Windows Phone 8 Application

In this article, We will learn How to make an application which provides support multiple languages or for specific culture. In previous article, we saw:

• How to install Windows Phone 8 SDK
• Create your first Windows Phone 8 Application
• Page Navigation in Windows Phone 8 Application
• Application Bar in Windows Phone 8 Applications

What is Localization?

From the Wikipedia-

"Localization is a process of translating a product into different languages or adapting a product for a specific country or region."

Let's Begin:

Create a new Windows Phone application and select Windows Phone 8.0 as the target Windows Phone OS for this application and click on OK.

Windows Phone 8 Application Contains a folder named as Resources which contains Resource file(which is a xml file) with a special .resx extension. Windows Phone 8 Application template also contains a LocalizedStrings class which provides access to resources. An instance of this class is created in app.xaml with the key LocalizedStrings. Open AppResources.resx file and add some Name-Value string Pairs.

Now open the properties of the project

Under the Application tab, Go to Supported culture section and Tick the languages you want your application to support. I am Selecting Hindi and English U.S.(Selected by Default ).

When you select the new language(I selected Hindi), Visual Studio automatically adds a new AppResources file named as AppResources.hi-IN.resx accoording to selected Culture/Language. Double click on AppResources.hi-IN.resx file to open it.

Now replace the value(the translated text) according to language/culture. I have translated the value of Key PageName, DemoText according to Hindi language. Then save and build your application.

Databind the text property of TextBlock or other control to StaticResource with a key LocalizedStrings.

Source Code:

<Grid x:Name="LayoutRoot" Background="Transparent">         <Grid.RowDefinitions>             <RowDefinition Height="Auto"/>             <RowDefinition Height="*"/>         </Grid.RowDefinitions>         <StackPanel x:Name="TitlePanel" Grid.Row="0" Margin="12,17,0,28">             <TextBlock Text="Demo APPLICATION" Style="{StaticResource PhoneTextNormalStyle}" Margin="12,0"/>             <TextBlock Text="{Binding Source={StaticResource LocalizedStrings},Path=LocalizedResources.PageName}" Margin="9,-7,0,0" Style="{StaticResource PhoneTextTitle1Style}" Padding="0 10"/>         </StackPanel>         <Grid x:Name="ContentPanel" Grid.Row="1" Margin="12,0,12,0">             <StackPanel>                 <TextBlock Text="{Binding Source={StaticResource LocalizedStrings},Path=LocalizedResources.DemoText}" FontSize="32"></TextBlock>             </StackPanel>         </Grid> </Grid>

Build and Run the application.
Preview:

Now let's change the Language of our device to Hindi. Go to Settings ->  Langauge + region.

Change Phone Language to Hindi.

Click on restart Phone. After your phone restarts, Open your application and you see our application is now supported for Hindi Language/culture.

I hope you like this. Thanks.

[Download Source Code via Google Drive]