JFormDesigner provides easy-to-use and powerful localization/internationalization support:
The locales combo box in the toolbar allows you to select the locale
used in the Design, Structure and Properties views. If you
in-place-edit a localized
string in the Design view
, you change it in the current locale. A
small globe
in front of property values in the Properties view
indicates that the string is localized (stored in a
properties file).
When creating a new form, you can specify that JFormDesigner should
put all strings into a resource bundle (.properties file). In the New
Form dialog select the Store strings in resource bundle
check box, specify a resource bundle name and a prefix for generated
keys. If Auto-externalize strings is selected, then
JFormDesigner
automatically puts all new strings into the properties file
(auto-externalize). E.g. when you add a JLabel
to the
form and change
the "text" and "toolTipText" properties, both strings will be put into
the properties file.
To localize existing forms use Externalize Strings.
To edit localization settings and resource bundle strings, select Form
> Localize from the main menu or click the Localize
button () in the toolbar. Here you can create or delete locales and
edit strings.
The light gray color used to draw the string "Name:" in the table
column "German" indicates that the string is inherited from a parent
locale.
The Resource bundle name field is used to locate the properties files within the Source Folders of the current Project. Use the Browse button to choose a resource bundle (.properties file).
In the Prefix for generated keys field you can specify a prefix for generated resource bundle keys. The format for generated keys is "<prefix>.<componentName>.<propertyName>". You can change the separator ('.') in the Localization preferences.
If the Auto-externalize strings check box is selected, then
JFormDesigner
automatically puts all new strings into the properties file. E.g. when
you add a JLabel
to the
form and change
the "text" and "toolTipText" properties, both strings will be put into
the properties file. You can exclude
properties from externalization in the Localization preferences.
To create a new locale, either select Form > New Locale
from the main menu, New Locale ()
from the toobar or click the New Locale button in the Localize
dialog. Select a language and an optional country. You can copy strings
from an existing locale into the new locale, but JFormDesigner
fully supports inheritance in the same way as specified by
java.util.ResourceBundle
. E.g. if a message is not in
locale "de_AT"
then it will be loaded from locale "de".
To delete an existing locale, either select Form > Delete
Locale from the main menu, Delete Locale ()
from the toobar or click the Delete Locale button in the Localize
dialog. Select the locale to delete.
Externalizing allows you to move strings from a .jfd file to a .properties file. If you want localize existing forms, start here.
Select Form > Externalize Strings from the main menu or Externalize
Strings () from the toolbar,
specify the resource bundle name, the prefix for generated keys and
select/deselect the strings to externalize. You can exclude
properties from externalization in the Localization preferences.
You can also externalize and internalize properties in the Properties view.
Internalizing allows you to move strings from a .properties file to a .jfd file.
Select Form > Internalize Strings from the main menu or Internalize
Strings () from the toolbar,
specify the locale to internalize from and
select/deselect the strings to internalize. If you internalize all
strings, JFormDesigner asks you whether you want to disable
localization for the form.
The globe button () in the Properties
view, which is only available for
localized forms and string properties, allows you to choose existing
strings from the resource bundle of the form.
In the Choose Key dialog you can search for keys and/or values. Then select a key in the table and press OK to use its value in the form.