Localization in ArcGIS Maps SDK for .NET ensures that your applications seamlessly adapt to your users’ language and regional preferences. The SDK's support spans across several languages, includes translated strings, date and number formatting, right-to-left (RTL) bidirectional content and customizable language settings for select API.
How does localization work with ArcGIS Maps SDK for .NET?
ArcGIS Maps SDK for .NET defaults to your device's current locale. To change the locale, you must change your device settings. If the locale is changed to one of the supported languages, you will see the effect in translated strings, data and number formation, bidirectional content, and localized directions. If your language is not supported, see locale fallback.
While the adaptation of your device's locale is automatic, there are various ways to customize locale settings.
Localization with basemap styles
Basemap styles are customizable with BasemapStyleParameters. You can manually change the language settings on basemap styles to customize label display. BasemapStyleParameters allow you to set a specific locale for the basemap or select a language strategy. A basemap style language strategy determines how to display localized labels. Strategies can show labels in the same language for different locales around the world or use mixed labels, with the local languages. The BasemapStyleLanguageStrategy enumeration offers four options to display localized languages on a basemap.
| Case | Effect |
|---|---|
| ApplicationLocale | Attempts to use the system locale language for basemap labels. |
| Default | Uses the default language setting for the Basemap. |
| Global | Uses the global language (English) for basemap labels. |
| Local | Uses local place names for basemap labels. |
To specify language preferences on your basemap, create BasemapStyleParameters that specify a BasemapStyleLanguageStrategy with a specific locale or strategy. Then initailize your basemap with the parameters.
Localization in routing
Routing services localize labels and directions according to the current device locale. You can, however, explicitly set the DirectionsLanguage property for ClosestFacilityParameters and RouteParameters to display the resulting directions in a specified language.
Localization in portal services
Portal services are a large part of ArcGIS. The portal can perform operations such as updating or adding feature items, which often include sending metadata, including locale information. Locale data can affect items like basemaps, styling, and symbology. Device locale is the default setting but specify a locale when creating your portal with ArcGISPortal.CreateAsync(). If the portal does not support the specified locale, the default portal settings are used.
Similarly, the OAuth login page can be localized during initialization with the constructor. If the given locale is not supported by the portal, the OAuth login page will be displayed in the language corresponding to locale set in the portal or organization settings.
Locale-aware API
Some API inherently support localization and cannot be customized. Localization includes displaying translating strings and error messages, formatting numbers and dates appropriately, and generating localized directions. The following API support localization using the current locale:
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Popup - All toolkit components, such as FeatureFormView
Supported languages
ArcGIS Maps SDK for .NET has translation support for the locales listed below. In addition to these languages, date and number formatting is supported for any sub-locales.
- Arabic (ar)
- Bosnian (bs)
- Bulgarian (bg)
- Catalan (ca)
- Czech (cs)
- Danish (da)
- German (de)
- Greek (el)
- Spanish (es)
- Estonian (et)
- Finnish (fi)
- French (fr)
- Hebrew (he)
- Croatian (hr)
- Hungarian (hu)
- Indonesian (id)
- Italian (it)
- Japanese (ja)
- Korean (ko)
- Lithuanian (lt)
- Latvian (lv)
- Norwegian Bokmål (nb-NO)
- Dutch (nl)
- Norwegian (no)
- Polish (pl)
- Portuguese (pt-BR, pt-PT)
- Romanian (ro)
- Russian (ru)
- Slovak (sk)
- Slovenian (sl)
- Serbian (sr)
- Swedish (sv)
- Thai (th)
- Turkish (tr)
- Ukrainian (uk-UA)
- Vietnamese (vi)
- Simplified Chinese (zh-CN, zh-Hans)
- Traditional Chinese (zh-HK, zh-TW)
Support for right-to-left (RTL)
ArcGIS Maps SDK for .NET provides bidirectional support for supported languages and locales, where applicable. Content and positions with leading and trailing options will be converted to right-to-left for appropriate locales.
Locale fallback
Sub-locales not listed above will get translation strings from their macrolanguages. For example, French Canadian ("fr-CA") will use French ("fr") translation strings, and Mexican Spanish ("es-MX") uses Spanish ("es") translation strings. If there is no supported macrolanguage, the translation strings will fall back to English. Date and number formatting will still use the more specific sub-locale.