Localize: a framework writed in swift to localize your projects easier improves i18n, including storyboards and strings

by iOS Example

Localize







Localize is a framework written in swift to help you localize and pluralize your projects. It supports both storyboards and strings.

Features

  • [x] Storyboard with IBInspectable
  • [x] Pluralize and localize your keys
  • [x] Keep the File.strings files your app already uses
  • [x] Support Apple strings and JSON Files
  • [x] Change your app language without changing device language
  • [x] Localize your Storyboards without extra files or/and ids

Requirements

  • iOS 9.0+
  • Xcode 8.0+
  • Swift 3.0+

Installation

CocoaPods

CocoaPods is a dependency manager for Cocoa projects. You can install it with the following command:

gem install cocoapods

CocoaPods 1.1.0+ is required to build Localize 1.+.

To integrate Localize into your Xcode project using CocoaPods, specify it in your Podfile:

source 'https://github.com/CocoaPods/Specs.git'
platform :ios, '9.0'
use_frameworks!

target '<Your Target Name>' do
    pod 'Localize' , '~> 2.3.0'
end

# If you are using Swift 4.x
# target '<Your Target Name>' do
#    pod 'Localize' , '~> 2.1.0'
# end

Then, run the following command:

pod install

Carthage

Carthage is a decentralized dependency manager that builds your dependencies and provides you with binary frameworks.

You can install Carthage with Homebrew using the following command:

brew update
brew install carthage

To integrate Localize into your Xcode project using Carthage, specify it in your Cartfile:

github "andresilvagomez/Localize"

Run carthage update to build the framework and drag the built Localize.framework into your Xcode project.

Swift Package Manager

The Swift Package Manager is a tool for automating the distribution of Swift code and is integrated into the swift compiler.

Once you have your Swift package set up, adding Localize as a dependency is as easy as adding it to the dependencies value of your Package.swift.

dependencies: [
    .Package(url: "https://github.com/andresilvagomez/Localize.git")
]

Usage

Add .localize() for any String if you want localize.

You don't need import anything in your code, Localize uses extensions to localize your Strings.


textLabel.text = "hello.world".localize()
// Or
textLabel.text = "hello.world".localized

You can decide if you want use JSON or Apple Strings, we support both, if you decide to use JSON please follow these instructions.

Create JSON file

Please create a JSON file in your code with this rule:

{your file name}-{your lang code}.json

For example

  • lang-en.json
  • lang-es.json
  • lang-fr.json

Example JSON File

{
    "hello" : {
        "world" : "Hello world!",
        "name" : "Hello %!"
    },
    "values" : "Hello % we are %, see you soon",
    "username" : "My username is :username",
    "navigation.title" : ""
}

Create String file

If you decide use Apple strings, please follow Apple Localization Guide to create strings file.

String file example


"hello.world" = "Hello world!";

"name" = "Hello %";

"values" = "Hello everyone my name is % and I'm %, see you soon";

"username" = "My username is :username";

"level.one.two.three" = "This is a multilevel key";

"the.same.lavel" = "This is a localized in the same level";

"enlish" = "This key only exist in english file.";

Whatever way you choose to, use that methods.

Localize strings


print( "hello.world".localize() )

// Hello world!

// Also you can use

print( "hello.world".localized )

Localize strings, replacing text

Localize use % identifier to replace the text


print( "hello.name".localize(value: "everyone") )

// Hello everyone!

Localize strings, replacing many texts

Localize use % identifier to replace the text


print( "values".localize(values: "everyone", "Software Developer") )

// Hello everyone we are Software Developer, see you soon

Localize strings, replacing dictionary values

Localize use :yourid to search your id in JSON File


print( "username".localize(dictionary: ["username": "Localize"]) )

// My username is Localize

Localize strings, using other files

If you decide use different files use methods with tableName in the end of each method, for example.


print( "hello.world".localize(tableName: "Other") )

print( "hello.name".localize(value: "everyone", tableName: "Errors") )

print( "values".localize(values: "everyone", "Software Developer", tableName: "YourFileName") )

print( "username".localize(dictionary: ["username": "Localize"], tableName: "YourFileName") )

We are amazing with storyboards

You don't need to import anything in your code, Localize uses extensions to localize your UIView components

To prevent auto localization for some controls you created in storyboard can set Auto Localize to Off

  • lang-en.json
{
    "navigation" : {
        "title" : "Localize"
    },
    "app" : {
        "label" : "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. Nulla consequat massa quis enim. Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate eget, arcu. In enim justo, rhoncus ut, imperdiet a, venenatis vitae, justo. Nullam dictum felis eu pede mollis pretium.",
        "textfield" : "Write some here."
    }
}

You can use extensions for

  • UIBarButtonItem
  • UIButton
  • UILabel
  • UINavigationItem
  • UISearchBar
  • UISegmentedControl
  • UITabBarItem
  • UITextField
  • UITextView

Updating language

When you change a language, automatically all views update your content to new language


Localize.update(language: "fr")

To make this work with strings, you need to implement a notification


override func viewDidLoad() {
    super.viewDidLoad()
    NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(localize), name: NSNotification.Name(localizeChangeNotification), object: nil)
}

public func localize() {
    yourLabel.text = "app.names".localize(values: "mark", "henrry", "peater")
    otherLabel.text = "app.username".localize(value: "Your username")
}

Implementing internal acction to change a language


@IBAction func updateLanguage(_ sender: Any) {
    let actionSheet = UIAlertController(title: nil, message: "app.update.language".localize(), preferredStyle: UIAlertControllerStyle.actionSheet)
    for language in Localize.availableLanguages {
        let displayName = Localize.displayNameForLanguage(language)
        let languageAction = UIAlertAction(title: displayName, style: .default, handler: {
            (alert: UIAlertAction!) -> Void in
            Localize.update(language: language)
            })
        actionSheet.addAction(languageAction)
    }
    let cancelAction = UIAlertAction(title: "Cancel", style: UIAlertActionStyle.cancel, handler: {
        (alert: UIAlertAction) -> Void in
        })
    actionSheet.addAction(cancelAction)
    self.present(actionSheet, animated: true, completion: nil)
}

Config

This not is necesary, only if you need different results.

// AppDelegate.swift

import Localize

func application(_ application: UIApplication, didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplicationLaunchOptionsKey: Any]?) -> Bool {

    let localize = Localize.shared
    // Set your localize provider.
    localize.update(provider: .json)
    // Set your file name
    localize.update(fileName: "lang")
    // Set your default language.
    localize.update(defaultLanguage: "fr")
    // If you want change a user language, different to default in phone use thimethod.
    localize.update(language: "en")
    // If you want remove storaged language use
    localize.resetLanguage()
    // The used language
    print(localize.currentLanguage)
    // List of available language
    print(localize.availableLanguages)

    // Or you can use static methods for all
    Localize.update(fileName: "lang")
    Localize.update(defaultLanguage: "fr")
    Localize.update(language: "en-DE")

    return true
}

Pluralize

print( "people".pluralize(value: 0) )
// there are no people

print( "people".pluralize(value: 1) )
// only one person

print( "people".pluralize(value: 2) )
// two people

print( "people".pluralize(value: 27) )
// many people

print( "people".pluralize(value: 103) )
// hundreds of people

print( "people".pluralize(value: 1010) )
// thousand of people

print( "people".pluralize(value: 1000000) )
// millions of people

how you need compose your file.

// Json file

{
    "people": {
        "zero": "there are no people",
        "one": "only one person",
        "two": "two people",
        "many": "many people",
        "hundreds": "hundreds of people",
        "thousand": "thousand of people",
        "millions": "millions of people",
        "other": "not defined people"
    }
}

# string file

"people.zero" = "there are no people";
"people.one" = "only one person";
"people.two" = "two people";
"people.many" = "many people";
"people.hundreds" = "hundreds of people";
"people.thousand" = "thousand of people";
"people.millions" = "millions of people";
"people.other" = "not defined people";

but also you can show your value

print( "people".pluralize(value: 1) )
/// 1 Person

in your file

// JSON
{
    "people": {
        "one": "% Person",
        ...
    }
}

// Strings
"people.one" = "% Person";

Notes for your AppStore release

To make all languages you have localized your app for visible on the AppStore, you must add a language in the project's settings.

  1. For that, click on your project name in the left side bar.
  2. Then, choose project, instead of a target.
  3. At the bottom, under Localizations, press the + button & select a language you want to add
  4. On prompt, uncheck all files Xcode wants to add localization for, but keep a single one, that you won't actually localize, such as your launch screen for instance.
    • if you need to localize all your files, I suggest adding a placeholder storyboard file that you'll then add to localization
  5. Done! (You don't actually have to localize the placehodler file.) The AppStore will now show the new language in localizations for your app.

Credits

Andres Silva Gomez

Special thanks to Benjamin Erhart

License

Localize is released under the MIT license. See LICENSE for details.

GitHub

https://github.com/andresilvagomez/Localize