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Localizing WPF Controls with Localizer Objects

  • 5 minutes to read

Each DevExpress component or library has a specific Localizer class (see the table below) that contains localized strings. For example, in the Data Grid control, this is the GridControlLocalizer class.

Note

Important: Not all strings can be translated via Localizer classes. Some components contain form resources (e.g., the XtraReports Search dialog), and the only way to translate them is to create satellite assemblies. Thus, localization via resources is the preferable solution.

Localization Process

Use custom localizers to provide translated strings for localization as follows:

  • Create a descendant of a corresponding Localizer class and override either the GetLocalizedString method (which returns strings for specific string resource identifiers) or PopulateStringTable method (which adds strings for specified resource identifiers).
  • To use this localizer, assign an instance of this class to the static Active property of the localizer class from which you inherited.

The following table lists Localizer classes and Resource String enumerations for DevExpress WPF products:

Product

Localizer Class

Resource String Enumeration

Namespace

Data Grid

GridControlLocalizer

GridControlStringId

DevExpress.Xpf.Grid

Property Grid

DevExpress.Xpf.PropertyGrid.PropertyGridControlLocalizer

DevExpress.Xpf.PropertyGrid.PropertyGridControlStringID

DevExpress.Xpf.PropertyGrid

Gantt Control

DevExpress.Xpf.Gantt.Localization.GanttControlLocalizer

DevExpress.Xpf.Gantt.Localization.GanttControlStringId

DevExpress.Xpf.Gantt.Localization

Dock and Layout Manager

DockingLocalizer

DevExpress.Xpf.Docking.Base.DockingStringId

DevExpress.Xpf.Docking.Base

Diagram Control

DiagramControlLocalizer

DevExpress.Diagram.Core.Localization.DiagramControlStringId

DevExpress.Xpf.Diagram

Bars / Ribbon

BarsLocalizer

DevExpress.Xpf.Bars.BarsStringId

DevExpress.Xpf.Bars

Charts Suite

ChartLocalizer

ChartStringId

DevExpress.Xpf.Charts.Localization

Pivot Grid

PivotGridLocalizer

PivotGridStringId

DevExpress.XtraPivotGrid.Localization

Scheduler

DevExpress.Xpf.Scheduling.Common.SchedulerLocalizer

DevExpress.Xpf.Scheduling.Common.SchedulerStringId

DevExpress.Xpf.Scheduling.Common

WPF Rich Text Editor

DevExpress.Xpf.RichEdit.Localization.XpfRichEditLocalizer

DevExpress.Xpf.RichEdit.RichEditControl.StringId

DevExpress.Xpf.RichEdit.Localization

DevExpress.Xpf.RichEdit

WPF Spreadsheet

DevExpress.Xpf.Spreadsheet.Localization.XpfSpreadsheetLocalizer

DevExpress.Xpf.Spreadsheet.SpreadsheetControlStringId

DevExpress.Xpf.Spreadsheet.Localization

DevExpress.Xpf.Spreadsheet

Gauge Controls

GaugeLocalizer

DevExpress.Xpf.Gauges.Localization.GaugeStringId

DevExpress.Xpf.Gauges.Localization

Printing-Exporting

PrintingLocalizer

PreviewLocalizer

PrintingStringId

PreviewStringId

DevExpress.Xpf.Printing

DevExpress.XtraPrinting.Localization

End-User Report Designer for WPF

ReportDesignerLocalizer

ReportDesignerStringId

DevExpress.Xpf.Reports.UserDesigner.Localization

Data Editors

EditorLocalizer

EditorStringId

DevExpress.Xpf.Editors

Navigation Bar

NavBarLocalizer

NavBarStringId

DevExpress.Xpf.NavBar

PDF Viewer for WPF

PdfViewerLocalizer

PdfViewerStringId

DevExpress.Xpf.PdfViewer

Spell Checker

SpellCheckerLocalizer

DevExpress.XtraSpellChecker.Localization.SpellCheckerStringId

DevExpress.XtraSpellChecker.Localization

Wizard Control

DevExpress.Xpf.Controls.WizardLocalizer

DevExpress.Xpf.Controls.WizardLocalizerStringId

DevExpress.Xpf.Controls

Hamburger Menu

DevExpress.Xpf.WindowsUI.HamburgerMenuLocalizer

DevExpress.Xpf.WindowsUI.HamburgerMenuStringId

DevExpress.Xpf.WindowsUI

Conditional Formatting

DevExpress.Xpf.Core.ConditionalFormatting.ConditionalFormattingLocalizer

DevExpress.Xpf.Core.ConditionalFormatting.ConditionalFormattingStringId

DevExpress.Xpf.Core.ConditionalFormatting

Examples

Find Localization Strings to Override

The following code sample demonstrates how to handle the XtraLocalizer.QueryLocalizedString event to display localization string ids instead of localized strings:

Find Localization Strings

public partial class MainWindow {
    public MainWindow() {
        InitializeComponent();
        DevExpress.Utils.Localization.XtraLocalizer.QueryLocalizedString += XtraLocalizer_QueryLocalizedString;
    }
    void XtraLocalizer_QueryLocalizedString(object sender, XtraLocalizer.QueryLocalizedStringEventArgs e) {
        e.Value = $"{e.StringIDType.Name}.{e.StringID}";
    }
}

Use GridControlLocalizer to Localize the Grid

This example uses the GridControlLocalizer to replace the following GridControl‘s strings:

  • Customize… → Customize Totals
  • Totals for ‘Column Name’ → Totals Editor
  • Items → Summary Items

WPF Data Grid - GridControlLocalizer

View Example: Use the GridControlLocalizer Class to Localize the Grid

public partial class MainWindow : Window {
    public MainWindow() {
        // ...
    }
    static MainWindow() {
        GridControlLocalizer.Active = new CustomDXGridLocalizer();
    }
}
public class CustomDXGridLocalizer : GridControlLocalizer {
    protected override void PopulateStringTable() {
        base.PopulateStringTable();
        // Changes the caption of the menu item used to invoke the Total Summary Editor.
        AddString(GridControlStringId.MenuFooterCustomize, "Customize Totals");

        // Changes the Total Summary Editor's default caption.
        AddString(GridControlStringId.TotalSummaryEditorFormCaption, "Totals Editor");

        // Changes the default caption of the tab page that lists total summary items.
        AddString(GridControlStringId.SummaryEditorFormItemsTabCaption, "Summary Items");
    }
}

Change Localization Strings and Keep the Resource Localization

If you wish to change localized strings obtained from Satellite Resource Assemblies, use *ResXLocalizer counterparts for localizer objects listed in the table above. For example, use the GridControlResXLocalizer object instead of GridControlLocalizer.

The following code sample demonstrates how to specify custom localized strings with the Japanese localization applied:

GridControlResXLocalizer - Example

public partial class MainWindow {
    public MainWindow() {
        // ...
    }
    static MainWindow() {
        GridControlResXLocalizer.Active = new CustomDXGridLocalizer();
    }
}
public class CustomDXGridLocalizer : GridControlResXLocalizer {
    protected override void PopulateStringTable() {
        base.PopulateStringTable();
        AddString(GridControlStringId.MenuFooterSum, "合計");
        AddString(GridControlStringId.MenuFooterMin, "最小値");
        AddString(GridControlStringId.MenuFooterMax, "最大値");
    }
}

Change GridControl Strings at Runtime

This example shows how to change the default string displayed in the Group Panel at runtime.

WPF Grid - Runtime Localization

View Example: Localize Individual Strings at Runtime

<dxg:GridControl x:Name="grid" AutoGenerateColumns="AddNew">
    <dxg:GridControl.View>
        <dxg:TableView x:Name="view" AutoWidth="True"/>
    </dxg:GridControl.View>
</dxg:GridControl>
<StackPanel Grid.Row="1" Orientation="Horizontal">
    <TextBox x:Name="textBox" Width="200" KeyDown="textBox_KeyDown" Margin="3,3,3,3"/>
    <Button Content="Apply" Click="button_Click" Margin="0,3,0,3"/>
</StackPanel>
void LocalizeGroupPanelText() {
    var NewText = textBox.Text;
    var localization = new GridRuntimeStringCollection();
    localization.Add(new RuntimeStringIdInfo(GridControlRuntimeStringId.GridGroupPanelText, NewText));
    view.RuntimeLocalizationStrings = localization;
}
void button_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e) {
    LocalizeGroupPanelText();
}

void textBox_KeyDown(object sender, System.Windows.Input.KeyEventArgs e) {
    if (e.Key == System.Windows.Input.Key.Enter) {
        LocalizeGroupPanelText();
    }
}