Going Global: Internationalization with Java

1. Going Global:Internationalization with Java Sue Davis Rochester Java Users Group November 15, 2000

2. Agenda • Introduction • Definition of Internationalization • Why internationalize? • Highlight some aspects of internationalization • Java internationalization classes • Simple Demonstration • Closing thoughts • Q&A

3. Introduction • My background in internationalization • Scope of internationalization • Software • Documentation/On-line Help • Testing • Training • Legal considerations • Marketing

4. Introduction • Internationalization is the process of designing and developing products enabled for simultaneous shipment (Sim Ship) to both domestic and world markets.

5. Localization Globalization Locale Diacritic Folding Decomposed character Pre-composed character MBCS DBCS Unicode UTF-8 I18N G11N L10N NLS IME Glyph Terms and Abbreviations

6. Why Internationalization Is Important • North America represents only 1/3 of the world economy • Europe, Latin America, Japan and Asia Pacific represent more than 1/2 • Subtle differences even in other English speaking counties • Localization is expensive • Maintain one set of source, ship one binary for multiple locales

7. Motivated self interest • Try “Internationalization or i18n” on major job search engine • Internationalization positions at other major corporations • Sun: Internationalization Architect • Apple: Internationalization Technology Evangelist • Compaq: I18N/L10N Development Manager • Kodak: Product Internationalization Manager • The Web has made it easier than ever to reach the global market. Expect this to be skill that is in demand.

8. What does it mean to Internationalize • Externalize text, icons, sound. • Design for expansion of translated text • Use of culturally neutral graphics whenever possible • Automatically format of dates and numbers as appropriate to the locale • Consistent use of terminology, correct grammar, avoid slang • Managing various character encoding schemes • And more...

9. English is very compact language If target markets include Asian countries, allow additional vertical spacing. Negatives if the UI has to be redesigned to be usable after translation: Longer time to market Higher localization costs Higher maintenance costs Localization of Training, Help, & User documentation becomes more complicated Design for expansion of translated text

10. English length (in characters) Additional growth for localized strings* 1 to 4 100% 5 to 10 80% 11 to 20 60% 21 to 30 40% 31 to 50 20% 51+ 10% * From MSDN, VB Concepts, Designing an International Aware User Interface

11. Use culturally/linguistically neutral graphics • Don’t use a Christmas Tree and Champagne glass as a “holiday” icon • Keep text off graphics • Don’t use homonyms as a basis for icons

12. Use culturally/linguistically neutral graphicsContinued... Are any of these neutral?

13. Let’s talk about Java! • What are some of the important Java classes for internationalization? • Locale • ResourceBundle, specifically ListResourceBundle • NumberFormat • DateFormat • Collator • CollationKey • RuleBasedCollator • BreakIterator

14. The Locale class • A Locale is defined as a combination of language, country and variant • Two character ISO codes for both language and country. • Language codes are all lower case (ISO 639) • Country codes are upper case (ISO 3166) • Variants are “ad hoc” - most frequently used to specify Euro currency

15. Externalize text, icons, sound • Resources reside in a resource file that is separate from the application. • Java - Resource Bundle • Don’t combine phrases to make sentences • Makes the executable language independent • Isolates resources for translation and localization • Can enable a new locale by just installing the appropriate Resource Bundle. (in theory)

16. What is a ResourceBundle? • A ResourceBundle (java.util.ResourceBundle) is an abstract class with two concrete subclasses: • PropertyResourceBundle (limited use, not recommended) • ListResourceBundle • Consists of minimally a “base” class extending PropertyResourceBundle • Locale specific resources are added by creating additional classes with language and country extentions

17. Using PropertyResourceBundle Create the baseline ResourceBundle class DemoResource extends PropertyResouceBundle { public Object[][] getContents() {return contents; } static final Object[][] contents = { // Localize right hand object {"SampleKey", "translatable text"}, // helpful hint {"HelloWorldKey", "Hello World"}, {"MenuFileKey", "File"}, {"MenuFileExitKey", "Exit"}, {"MenuHelpKey", "Help"}, {"MenuHelpAboutKey", "About"}, }; }

18. Begin Localizing your ResourceBundles Create a language specific ResourceBundle class DemoResource_fr extends PropertyResouceBundle { public Object[][] getContents() {return contents; } static final Object[][] contents = { // Localize right hand object {"HelloWorldKey", "Bonjour Monde"}, {"MenuFileKey", "Fichier"}, {"MenuFileExitKey", "Quittent"}, {"MenuHelpKey", "Aide"}, {"MenuHelpAboutKey", "Au sujet de"}, }; }

19. Localize ResourceBundles for language & country Create a locale specific ResourceBundle class DemoResource_fr_FR extends PropertyResouceBundle { public Object[][] getContents() {return contents; } static final Object[][] contents = { // Localize right hand object {"HelloWorldKey", "Bonjour Monde for France"}, }; }

20. Cascading Resource Bundles Why you don’t need to redefine every key in DemoResource_fr_FR • ResourceBundles cascade from most specific locale information down to the base, in this case, DemoResource • So if your Locale is Locale.FRANCE (or Locale(“fr”, “FR”) ) the code will search the ResourceBundle classes for the key in the following order: • DemoResource_fr_FR • DemoResource_FR • DemoResource • An exception is thrown if the key is not found in ANY of these classes

21. Lets look at some code • Using ResourceBundles in Packages • Package name MUST be the same as the bundle’s base name • The ResourceBundle class must be FULLY qualified • Do not need to import the package

22. Formatting Text Messages Sometimes there’s no way around it. You HAVE to have variables integrated into the message. Remember sentence structures vary between languages, so you need to give your translator a way to move things around without breaking the code

23. Java to the rescue The class MessageFormat allows you to number the placeholders for your variables: In your ResourceBundle … {“key”, “my formatted {1} message is very {2}”} // helpful hints to the translator go here In your code… myObj.value = MessageFormat.format( rb.getString(“key”), new Object( varible1, variable2) ) );

24. Automatic formatting of dates and numbers as appropriate to the locale Date formats vary from country to country, even among English speaking counties. Long Date examples: US: Thursday, August 19, 1999 UK: 19 August 1999 DE: Donnerstag, 19.August 1999 FR: jeudi 19 aôut 1999

25. Automatic formatting continued... Date formats vary from country to country, even among English speaking counties. Short Date examples: US: 8/19/99 UK: 19/08/99 DE: 19.08.99 FR: 19/08/99

26. Automatic formatting of numbers and currency Numeric examples: Currency US: 1,234,567.89 $1,234.45 UK: 1,234,567.89 £1,234.45 DE: 1.234.567,89 1.234,45 DM FR: 1 234 567,89 1 234,45 F Java 1.1.6 and later support the Euro €

27. Automatic Formatting in Java • Available classes • DateFormat • NumberFormat • DecimalFormat • SimpleDateFormat • Date • good for storing elapsed time since Jan 1, 1970 GMT • API assumes the Gregorian Calendar • Calendar • TimeZone • JDK supports only the Gregorian calendar

28. Dealing with characters and strings • Assuming Unicode • Character traits • Comparisons and conversions • Sorting • Text boundaries

29. Characters traits • idDefined() • isDigit() • isLetter() • isSpace()/isSpaceChar()/isWhiteSpace() • isLetterOrDigit() • isUpperCase()/isLowerCase()/isTitleCase() • getType() • getNumericValue()

30. Comparisons and conversions • Comparing pre-composed characters with decomposed characters • String conversions (e.g. toUpperCase()) not always “round trip”

31. Sorting • Do not use String.compareTo() for natural language text. • Use Collator to compare locale sensitive strings • Use CollationKey to sort long lists • RuleBasedCollator • Character folding (ignore diacritics résumé vs. resume)

32. Tools to help you go global... • Internationalizing source code • One Realm • Uniscape • Java • Machine Translation/Machine Assisted Translation • Consulting • Internationalization - small but growing • Localization - Lots • Training - Minimal, usually in conjunction with a product purchase or consulting contract

33. Use terms consistentlyUse correct grammar, avoid slang • Facilitates the use of Machine Assisted Translation translation tools • Helps minimize questions from translators • Impacts Developers, Documentation, QA

34. Closing Thoughts • EJAL: English is Just Another Language • Anything is fair game for localization, including corporate names and logos. • Internationalization is NOT a feature. • Internationalization IS a design issue • Internationalization shortens and simplifies the localization process. • Rapid deployment, improved time to market • Lower maintenance time & costs • Frees development resources for new product development

35. Not Discussed Using third party software Sorting Text boundary conditions Accelerator keys Color Software Architecture Configuration Management Issues Legal requirements Bi-directional languages Different calendars (Hebrew, Japanese Imperial, Buddhist, Islamic…)

36. Recommended Reading • JavaWorld, Internationalize Your Software, Geoff Friesen part 1, part 2, and part 3 • Internationalization: Localization with Resource bundles, John O'Conner • Global Design Homepage, Richard Ishida • Scripting Clinic: Using Script to Internationalize Web Site Functions • Localization and the XML/DHTML Menus • Developing Global Applications in Java, Richard Gillam • Developing International Software for Windows 95 and Windows NT, Nadine Kano, Available electronically on MSDN • MSDN, Windows Interface Guidelines for Software Design

37. Questions???