Localizing WinForms Controls via Localizer Objects

• Oct 28, 2019
• 5 minutes to read

Each DevExpress component or library has a specific Localizer class that provides localized strings (see the table below). The Data Grid control, for example, has the GridLocalizer class.

Note

Important: Not all strings can be translated via Localizer classes. Some components contain form resources (e.g., the XtraReports Search dialog), which must be translated via satellite assemblies, so localization via resources is recommended.

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 you inherited from.

The following table lists Localizer classes and Resource String enumerations for DevExpress WinForms products.

Product	Localizer Class	Resource String Enumeration	Namespace
Chart Control	ChartLocalizer	ChartStringId	DevExpress.XtraCharts.Localization
Data Access Library	DataAccessUILocalizer	DataAccessUIStringId	DevExpress.DataAccess.UI.Localization
Data Grid	GridLocalizer	GridStringId	DevExpress.XtraGrid.Localization
Diagrams	DiagramControlLocalizer	DevExpress.Diagram.Core.Localization.DiagramControlStringId	DevExpress.Diagram.Core.Localization
Editors and Controls	Localizer	StringId	DevExpress.XtraEditors.Controls
Gauges	GaugesCoreLocalizer	GaugesCoreStringId	DevExpress.XtraGauges.Core.Localization
Layout and Data Layout Controls	LayoutLocalizer	LayoutStringId	DevExpress.XtraLayout.Localization
Navigation Bar	NavBarLocalizer	NavBarStringId	DevExpress.XtraNavBar
PDF Viewer	PdfCoreLocalizer / XtraPdfViewerLocalizer	PdfCoreStringId / XtraPdfViewerStringId	DevExpress.Pdf.Localization / DevExpress.XtraPdfViewer.Localization
Pivot Grid	PivotGridLocalizer	PivotGridStringId	DevExpress.XtraPivotGrid.Localization
Printing-Exporting	PreviewLocalizer	PreviewStringId	DevExpress.XtraPrinting.Localization
Reporting	ReportLocalizer	ReportStringId	DevExpress.XtraReports.Localization
Ribbon, Bars and Menu	BarLocalizer	BarString	DevExpress.XtraBars.Localization
Rich Text Editor	XtraRichEditLocalizer, RichEditExtensionsLocalizer / OfficeLocalizer	XtraRichEditStringId, RichEditExtensionsStringId / OfficeStringId	DevExpress.XtraRichEdit.Localization / DevExpress.Office.Localization
Scheduler	SchedulerLocalizer	SchedulerStringId	DevExpress.XtraScheduler.Localization
Snap	SnapLocalizer / SnapExtensionsLocalizer/ OfficeLocalizer	SnapStringId / SnapExtensionsStringId / OfficeStringId	DevExpress.Snap.Localization / DevExpress.Snap.Extensions.Localization / DevExpress.Office.Localization
Spell Checker	SpellCheckerLocalizer	SpellCheckerStringId	DevExpress.XtraSpellChecker.Localization
Spreadsheet	XtraSpreadsheetLocalizer, XtraSpreadsheetFunctionNameLocalizer, XtraSpreadsheetCellErrorNameLocalizer / OfficeLocalizer	XtraSpreadsheetStringId / XtraSpreadsheetFunctionNameStringId / XtraSpreadsheetCellErrorNameStringId / OfficeStringId	DevExpress.XtraSpreadsheet.Localization / DevExpress.Office.Localization
Tree List	TreeListLocalizer	TreeListStringId	DevExpress.XtraTreeList.Localization
Vertical Grid	VGridLocalizer	VGridStringId	DevExpress.XtraVerticalGrid.Localization
Data Filtering	FilterUIElementResXLocalizer	FilterUIElementLocalizerStringId	DevExpress.Ultils.Filtering.Internal
XtraDialog	DialogsLocalizer	DialogsStringId	DevExpress.Dialogs.Core.Localization

Example

The following example demonstrates how to localize certain built-in strings in the DevExpress Data Grid UI and Editors UI into German by creating custom localizers.

The localized grid interface (at runtime) is shown below.

First, create descendants of the GridLocalizer and Localizer classes to provide custom translations for a subset of localizable strings.

C#

using DevExpress.XtraEditors.Controls;
using DevExpress.XtraGrid.Localization;

public class GermanGridLocalizer : GridLocalizer {
    public override string Language { get { return "Deutsch"; } }
    public override string GetLocalizedString(GridStringId id) {
        string ret = "";
        switch (id) {
            // ... 
            case GridStringId.GridGroupPanelText: return "Ziehen Sie eine Spaltenüberschrift in diesen Bereich, um nach dieser zu gruppieren";
            case GridStringId.MenuColumnClearSorting: return "Sortierung entfernen";
            case GridStringId.MenuGroupPanelHide: return "Gruppierungsfeld ausblenden";
            case GridStringId.MenuColumnRemoveColumn: return "Spalte entfernen";
            case GridStringId.MenuColumnFilterEditor: return "Filter &bearbeiten";
            case GridStringId.MenuColumnFindFilterShow: return "Suche einblenden";
            case GridStringId.MenuColumnAutoFilterRowShow: return "Zeige Auto Filterzeile";
            case GridStringId.MenuColumnSortAscending: return "Aufsteigend sortieren";
            case GridStringId.MenuColumnSortDescending: return "Absteigend sortieren";
            case GridStringId.MenuColumnGroup: return "Gruppieren fur dieses Feld";
            case GridStringId.MenuColumnUnGroup: return "Gruppierung aufheben";
            case GridStringId.MenuColumnColumnCustomization: return "Laufzeit benutzerdefinierte Spalte";
            case GridStringId.MenuColumnBestFit: return "Optimale Breite";
            case GridStringId.MenuColumnFilter: return "Kann gruppieren";
            case GridStringId.MenuColumnClearFilter: return "Filter aufheben";
            case GridStringId.MenuColumnBestFitAllColumns: return "Optimale Breite (alle Spalten)";
            // ... 
            default:
                ret = base.GetLocalizedString(id);
                break;
        }
        return ret;
    }
}

public class GermanEditorsLocalizer : Localizer {
   public override string Language { get { return "Deutsch"; }}
   public override string GetLocalizedString(StringId id) {
      switch(id) {
         // ...
         case StringId.NavigatorTextStringFormat: return "Zeile {0} von {1}";
         case StringId.PictureEditMenuCut: return "Ausschneiden";
         case StringId.PictureEditMenuCopy: return "Kopieren";
         case StringId.PictureEditMenuPaste: return "Einfugen";
         case StringId.PictureEditMenuDelete: return "Loschen";
         case StringId.PictureEditMenuLoad: return "Laden";
         case StringId.PictureEditMenuSave: return "Speichern";
         // ...
      }
      return "";
   }
}

VB.NET

Imports DevExpress.XtraEditors.Controls
Imports DevExpress.XtraGrid.Localization

Public Class GermanGridLocalizer
    Inherits GridLocalizer
    Public Overrides ReadOnly Property Language() As String
        Get
            Return "Deutsch"
        End Get
    End Property
    Public Overrides Function GetLocalizedString(id As GridStringId) As String
        Dim ret As String = ""
        Select Case id
            ' ... 
            Case GridStringId.GridGroupPanelText
                Return "Ziehen Sie eine Spaltenüberschrift in diesen Bereich, um nach dieser zu gruppieren"
            Case GridStringId.MenuColumnClearSorting
                Return "Sortierung entfernen"
            Case GridStringId.MenuGroupPanelHide
                Return "Gruppierungsfeld ausblenden"
            Case GridStringId.MenuColumnRemoveColumn
                Return "Spalte entfernen"
            Case GridStringId.MenuColumnFilterEditor
                Return "Filter &bearbeiten"
            Case GridStringId.MenuColumnFindFilterShow
                Return "Suche einblenden"
            Case GridStringId.MenuColumnAutoFilterRowShow
                Return "Zeige Auto Filterzeile"
            Case GridStringId.MenuColumnSortAscending
                Return "Aufsteigend sortieren"
            Case GridStringId.MenuColumnSortDescending
                Return "Absteigend sortieren"
            Case GridStringId.MenuColumnGroup
                Return "Gruppieren fur dieses Feld"
            Case GridStringId.MenuColumnUnGroup
                Return "Gruppierung aufheben"
            Case GridStringId.MenuColumnColumnCustomization
                Return "Laufzeit benutzerdefinierte Spalte"
            Case GridStringId.MenuColumnBestFit
                Return "Optimale Breite"
            Case GridStringId.MenuColumnFilter
                Return "Kann gruppieren"
            Case GridStringId.MenuColumnClearFilter
                Return "Filter aufheben"
            Case GridStringId.MenuColumnBestFitAllColumns
                Return "Optimale Breite (alle Spalten)"
            Case Else
                ' ... 
                ret = MyBase.GetLocalizedString(id)
                Exit Select
        End Select
        Return ret
    End Function
End Class

Public Class GermanEditorsLocalizer
   Inherits Localizer
   Public Overrides ReadOnly Property Language() As String
      Get
         Return "Deutsch"
      End Get
   End Property

   Public Overrides Function GetLocalizedString(ByVal id As StringId) As String
      Select Case id
         ' ...
         Case StringId.NavigatorTextStringFormat : Return "Zeile {0} von {1}"
         Case StringId.PictureEditMenuCut : Return "Ausschneiden"
         Case StringId.PictureEditMenuCopy : Return "Kopieren"
         Case StringId.PictureEditMenuPaste : Return "Einfugen"
         Case StringId.PictureEditMenuDelete : Return "Loschen"
         Case StringId.PictureEditMenuLoad : Return "Laden"
         Case StringId.PictureEditMenuSave : Return "Speichern"
         ' ...
      End Select
      Return ""
   End Function
End Class

To use these Localizers, assign instances of GermanGridLocalizer and GermanEditorsLocalizer classes to their ancestor’s Active property.

C#

public Form1() {
    GridLocalizer.Active = new GermanGridLocalizer();
    Localizer.Active = new GermanEditorsLocalizer();
    InitializeComponent();
}

VB.NET

Public Sub Form1()
    GridLocalizer.Active = New GermanGridLocalizer()
    Localizer.Active = New GermanEditorsLocalizer()
    InitializeComponent()
End Sub