Keep calm and stay easy with multiple language supported in your android application.
It's basic for android application to be supported multiple languages. Yeah! It's very easy because android has String Resource. Developer just had to prepare the text for different languages then android system will use itself. But frequently problem is "On-time Language Changing". Because the String Resource was designed to be depending on current device language. but if we want to change the language by click some button. It will be difficult to handle it. This problem will solved because I have created a new library to handle application language. It called "Localization Activity" library.
Demo
Watch a short demo video from YouTube or try it at Google Play
Download
Maven
<dependency>
<groupId>com.akexorcist</groupId>
<artifactId>localizationactivity</artifactId>
<version>1.1.2</version>
</dependency>
Gradle
compile 'com.akexorcist:localizationactivity:1.1.2'
(Optional) You can exclude com.android.support:appcompat-v7, if your project doens't use AppCompat v7 and declare this library with delegate way.
Feature
- On-time language changing supported.
- Auto setup when activity was created.
- Current language config will saved to SharedPreference automatically.
- Very easy to use it.
LocalizationActivity extends from AppCompatActivity
LocalizationActivity is extend from AppCompatActivity class. So you still can use all method from AppCompatActivity class.
Don't like AppCompat v7? Try delegate way
(By @AleksanderMielczarek)
import android.os.Bundle; import com.akexorcist.localizationactivity.LocalizationDelegate; import java.util.Locale; public class CustomLocalizationActivity extends Activity implements OnLocaleChangedListener { private LocalizationDelegate localizationDelegate = new LocalizationDelegate(this); @Override public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) { localizationDelegate.addOnLocaleChengedListener(this); localizationDelegate.onCreate(savedInstanceState); super.onCreate(savedInstanceState); } @Override public void onResume() { super.onResume(); localizationDelegate.onResume(); } public final void setLanguage(String language) { localizationDelegate.setLanguage(language); } public final void setLanguage(Locale locale) { localizationDelegate.setLanguage(locale); } public final void setDefaultLanguage(String language) { localizationDelegate.setDefaultLanguage(language); } public final void setDefaultLanguage(Locale locale) { localizationDelegate.setDefaultLanguage(locale); } public final String getLanguage() { return localizationDelegate.getLanguage(); } public final Locale getLocale() { return localizationDelegate.getLocale(); } // Just override method locale change event @Override public void onBeforeLocaleChanged() { } @Override public void onAfterLocaleChanged() { } }
Usage
This is an example.
import android.os.Bundle; import android.view.View; import com.akexorcist.localizationactivity.LocalizationActivity; public class MainActivity extends LocalizationActivity implements View.OnClickListener { @Override public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) { super.onCreate(savedInstanceState); setContentView(R.layout.activity_simple); findViewById(R.id.btn_th).setOnClickListener(this); findViewById(R.id.btn_en).setOnClickListener(this); } @Override public void onClick(View v) { int id = v.getId(); if (id == R.id.btn_en) { setLanguage("en"); } else if (id == R.id.btn_th) { setLanguage("th"); } } }
In the example above, when user click on a button. It will change to English or Thai language. That's It! Localization Activity Library example.
It's very easy, right? You barely have to do anything.
Then just build up some String Resouce for English and Thai language.
Complete! Now your application can support multiple language.
Public method on LocalizationActivity
I wanted it to be easy to use and does not have to do much coding. So it have only 3 public methods.
void setLanguage(String language) String getLanguage() void setDefaultLanguage(String language)
setLanguage Set the language that you needs to change. The string value given will be use for setup Locale class later.
Example
setLanguage("th") // Language : Thailand setLanguage("th_TH) // Language : Thailand, Country : Thai setLanguage("en") // Language : English setLanguage("en_GB") // Language : English, Country : Great Britain setLanguage("en_US") // Language : English, Country : United States setLanguage(Locale.KOREA.toString()) // Language : Korean, Country : Korea setLanguage(Locale.KOREAN.toString()) // Language : Korean setLanguage(Locale.CANADA_FRENCH.toString()) // Language : French, Country : Canada
So you must determine the correct language for Locale class.
getLanguage Get current language. (Return to string locale)
setDefaultLanguage Set default language if there is no language configuration. Provided that this method must called only once at first activity in your application and called before super.onCreate
@Override public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) { setDefaultLanguage(Locale.JAPAN.toString()); super.onCreate(savedInstanceState); setContentView(R.layout.activity_main); ... }
and 2 optional override methods.
void onBeforeLocaleChanged() void onAfterLocaleChanged()
This override method will be called then activity language was changed. If you need to know when language has change, just override these methods.
Usually change the language code has a problem with activity that already created.
If latest activity can change the language. It does not apply to previous activity.
But no problem for this library when application getback to previous activity. If you extend that activity to LocalizationActivity. It will changed immediately.
When language was changed. An activity wil recreated. So if you have any data object. It should be handle by save/restore instance state for complelely works. (It simple way to supported portrait/landscape orientation)
Therefore you have to override onSaveInstance and onRestoreInstance in to your code, and handle it.
import android.os.Bundle; import android.view.View; public class MainActivity extends LocalizationActivity implements View.OnClickListener { @Override public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) { super.onCreate(savedInstanceState); setContentView(R.layout.activity_main); // TODO Initial view and widget here if (savedInstanceState == null) { // TODO Activity first created } else { // TODO Activity recreated from screen orientation or change language } } @Override protected void onSaveInstanceState(Bundle outState) { super.onSaveInstanceState(outState); // TODO Save instance here } @Override protected void onRestoreInstanceState(Bundle savedInstanceState) { // TODO Restore instance here super.onRestoreInstanceState(savedInstanceState); } }
It's affect on fragment as well.
Fragment language configuration is depending with activity. If activity language was changed and recreated. It will apply to fragment as well. So you have to handle to Instance State on fragment like an activity.
About Save/Restore Instance State. Read more on The Real Best Practices to Save/Restore Activity's and Fragment's state.
Documentation
English Version : http://www.akexorcist.com/2015/07/localization-activity-best-way-to-handle-language-en.html
Thai Version : http://www.akexorcist.com/2015/07/localization-activity-best-way-to-handle-language.html
Special Thanks
@first087 @AleksanderMielczarek
Licence
Copyright 2015 Akexorcist
Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not use this work except in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License in the LICENSE file, or at:
http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under the License.