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Android Tutorial, Language Localization

If you are just arriving at this page; and you are not familiar with creating Android Apps,we suggest you begin with our tutorials introduction: About Our Tutorials. From there follow along with each tutorial lesson.

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This is the App - Languages Local
It has language support for English(default app language), and French, Spanish, Japanese.
You can localize your app for languages around the world.

This App Photo:English Language as Default App Language
App will display English text from res/values/strings.xml file
I also added the translated versions of each language on this page, which is good if you wanted to use this as a screenshot for promoting your app's included languages.

French Language as Default App Language
App will display translated French text from res/values-fr/strings.xml file


Spanish Language as Default App Language
App will display translated Spanish text from res/values-es/strings.xml file

When To Use Language Localization

App localization is ideal to make your app more marketable around the world.

If you only use English as the App Language; you could be missing out on potential downloads and sales.

Although many countries use English as their first or second language; there are countries that do not, and these are the countries where you can localize your app(s).

Downloads vs Monetize

If your objective is to get as many downloads as you can for your app, then localization is probably a great idea for a new app. If making money from your new app is moreso important; then you should research your markets first; before taking the time or spending money for a translation service for a particular country language.

The reason being, that all markets are not created equal; meaning some markets tend to have great download numbers; however, their purchasing numbers(buying your app, buying in-app purchases) may not be as good.

Having said that; if you make your App a Free App with in-app purchases, include some advertising like AdMob, or InMobi, and do your own Language translating, then it's a win-win for you as far as distributing your App to the different language markets around the world.

Create Your Values Folders and Strings Files

For this app we have added support for 4 languages including English.
You need to add a strings.xml file for each additional language you want to support, and put the strings file into a values folder with the language/country 2 letter code - like this; values-fr, meaning for french language.
You will need to create the values folder for each language you want to include and also the strings file for each language.

When a user from a 'supported language' uses your app on their android device; the android system knows to display that language to the user because you've added your translated text to the res/values-(2letterLanguageCountrycode)/strings.xml for any additional languages.

And, in our app tutorial, for learning purpose; we added the 4 languages to our app's first page, also translated.
To do this, we added all the language strings.xml to our app's default strings page at res/values/strings.xml . This page is English only as it is the app's default text.

You don't have to add your translated text to the intro page of your app; but for marketing purposes, especially on markets like Google and Amazon Appstore, you can do a screenshot of this and add it as one of your promo pages for potential users to see; letting them know your app supports languages other than English.

Additional Reading at Android Developer website:
Localization Guide for Android Apps
Android Localization Tips
Google Translation Service

Creating - Naming Your App Using AIDE

When creating your app,(from left menu) choose:
Create New Project;
Then, choose
New Android App(gradle, android Java/xml)
or
Hello World App Java/xml
if your using the original version of AIDE

You can name your app whatever you like; if your using the name as shown in our example code use;

Languages Local for the App Name and,
for the package name(next line) use:
com.aac.languageappexample

Once your app is created, your main.xml, and MainActivity.java, are opened in the AIDE editor. You can toggle-select either at top of AIDE.

The Coded Pages

Code for the app - Languages Local

For this app you will use these coded pages:

1 layout file, main.xml; located at res/layout/main.xml, already created, just replace the code on this page with the code from our Example Code section and save the page.

1 java class page; MainActivity.java; located at app/src/java/MainActivity.java, already created; we don't need to add or edit code on this page so leave it as it is.

4 strings files are required for this App:

strings.xml. The strings.xml at res/values/strings.xml is the app's default strings; and has already been created for you when you created your template java/xml android app. This string contains all text in English in the App or whatever language you have selected as the default language for your android device(tablet).
For this tutorial app; we will assume the default selected language is English.

Because we are adding language support for 3 additional countries other than English; we will need to add a strings.xml file for each language we want to add; like shown here.

res/values-es/strings.xml - for Spanish language,

res/values-fr/strings.xml - for French language,

res/values-ja/strings.xml - for Japanese language,


For each language you want to support; you need to create a New 'values' folder for it with the languages country code added to the values folder(values-es,values-fr,values-ja); and then paste the default strings.xml code into each new values folder strings.xml file and save the file. The code for each strings.xml page will be exactly the same; only the text will be different.

Next, we have to do the translation for each of the languages. Replace the English text with the translated text for each country's language. For our app tutorial, you can simply copy paste the code for each strings.xml file from our Example Code section, then save each page.


1 manifest file, AndroidManifest.xml (already created). Just replace the code on the page with the code from the Example Code section, and save the file.

FYI:

Translating Text
Translating text for different languages in your app -
You can do this using a free translation service like Bings or Googles. If your app has a lot of text to translate then you may want to have it translated by a native speaker of the language your translating.

In the Google Play Console (where you can distribute your Newly Made Android App for a $25 fee, they have a built-in paid translation service). There are many online free and paid translation services you can also use.
For translating the text in this tutorial app, I used the Bing free translator for the French and Spanish text; and for the Japanese translations, I used the English to Japanese Free translation service, at this website, tangorin.com

Adding a ScrollView
When creating your layout, you can add a ScrollView element to the layout. What this does is allow your text to scroll beyond the physical parameter of the display.
ScrollView added to the Layout code

Although you may install your newly created app on a tablet, and no scrolling is required to view the text or entire page; on a smaller screen size device this may not be the case.
So, by adding a ScrollView, you know that users of your app on tablet size and smaller sized screen will be able to view all the views information.
To add the scrollview element, just add it as the first element in your layout; and then close the scrollview element tag at the end of your layout.

EXAMPLE CODE - Code For This Tutorial

JUST copy the code for this tutorial App Name is 'Languages Local - located at AppProjects/LanguagesLocal in AIDE, open the AIDE app, then open App Projects, THEN select the 'Languages Local', app from your files hierachy(left menu);
then click on any file from the app, like strings.xml Make sure at top of page, the app name 'Languages Local' is there next to AppProjects like so: AppProjects/LanguagesLocal, then you know you have the proper App.

Once a file is in the editor, you can edit, save it, then RUN your APP, Install, and Open your app.


Make sure you SAVED EACH PAGE,(or choose automatic saving in AIDE settings) before you RUN your code. SAVE, RUN, INSTALL, OPEN, your App. Once it has been installed on your tablet, you can open it Simply by Clicking on the Android little green App Icon,with the wording 'Languages Local' on your tablet. It will be with your other installed apps.

If you make further changes to this App, you need to SAVE, RUN, UPDATE, INSTALL, OPEN the app again.

Example Code App - Languages Local :
Use Mouse To Copy Paste the Code
strings.xml (res/values/strings.xml) <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <resources> <string name="app_name">Languages Local</string> <string name="intro">This is an Android App\n With Language Localization\n </string> <string name ="languages">Translated Into\n FRENCH\n JAPANESE\n ENGLISH\n SPANISH\n </string> <string name="frenchlanguage">Langues Locales \n Avec ces langues\n FRANCAIS\n JAPONAIS\n ENGLAIS\n ESPAGNOL\n </string> <string name="japaneselanguage">Genji Chiikiteki\n Motte Korera Sekaigengo\n FUTSUGO\n NIHONGO\n EIGO\n SEIGO\n </string> <string name ="spanishlanguage">Traducido a\n FRANCES\n JAPONES\n INGLES\n ESPANOL\n </string> </resources> _____________________________________ strings.xml (res/values-fr/strings.xml) <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <resources> <string name="app_name">Langues Locales </string> <string name="intro">C\'est une App du Android</string> <string name ="languages">Avec ces langues\n\n FRANCAIS\n JAPONAIS\n ENGLAIS\n ESPAGNOL </string> </resources> _____________________________________ strings.xml (res/values-ja/strings.xml) <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <resources> <string name="app_name">Genji Chiikiteki </string> <string name="intro">Kore desu Andoroido </string> <string name ="languages">Motte Korera Sekaigengo\n\n FUTSUGO\n NIHONGO\n EIGO\n SEIGO\n </string> </resources> _____________________________________ strings.xml (res/values-es/strings.xml) <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <resources> <string name="app_name">Localizar Aplicacion</string> <string name="intro">Esta es una aplicacion Android\n </string> <string name ="languages">Traducido a\n FRANCES\n JAPONES\n INGLES\n ESPANOL\n </string> </resources> _____________________________________ main.xml <ScrollView xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:orientation="vertical" android:fillViewport="false"> <LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="match_parent" android:orientation="vertical" android:background="#494949" android:gravity="top"> <TextView android:text="@string/intro" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:layout_marginLeft="25dp" android:typeface="serif" android:textColor="#f0e68c" android:textSize="24dp"/> <TextView android:text="@string/languages" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:layout_marginTop="25dp" android:layout_marginLeft="25dp" android:gravity="left" android:textColor="#ffffff" android:textSize="21dp" /> <TextView android:text="@string/frenchlanguage" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:layout_marginTop="25dp" android:layout_marginLeft="25dp" android:gravity="left" android:textColor="#ffffff" android:textSize="21dp" /> <TextView android:text="@string/japaneselanguage" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:layout_marginTop="25dp" android:layout_marginLeft="25dp" android:gravity="left" android:textColor="#ffffff" android:textSize="21dp"/> <TextView android:text="@string/spanishlanguage" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:layout_marginTop="25dp" android:layout_marginLeft="25dp" android:gravity="left" android:textColor="#ffffff" android:textSize="21dp"/> </LinearLayout> </ScrollView> _____________________________________ AndroidManifest.xml <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" package="com.aac.languageappexample" > <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="16" android:targetSdkVersion="28" /> <application android:allowBackup="true" android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher" android:label="@string/app_name" android:resizeableActivity = "true"> <activity android:name=".MainActivity" android:label="@string/app_name" > <intent-filter> <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" /> <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" /> </intent-filter> </activity> </application> </manifest>

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