isabella232 / brlocalizable

Simple localization toolkit for UIKit.

BRLocalize

BRLocalize provides a way to store localized strings in a hierarchical JSON file and then have placeholder strings in NIB files automatically replaced by their localized value.

Here's an example JSON strings file, strings.json:

{
	"login" : {
		"title" : "Sign in"
	}
}

Now you can localize that just like any other file (i.e. move to a XX.lproj directory and include the localized varients of the JSON in your application.

Programmatic localization

You can localize stuff via code if you like. For example you might want to set a login view controller's title to login.title, like this:

- (void)viewDidLoad {
	[super viewDidLoad];
	[self localizeWithAppStrings:[NSBundle appStrings]];
}

- (void)localizeWithAppStrings:(NSDictionary *)strings {
	self.navigationItem.title = [strings stringForKeyPath:@"login.title"];
}

The appStrings method is provided as an extension on NSBundle, and stringForKeyPath: is provided as an extension on NSDictionary.

Automagical localization

BRLocalize provides some hooks into UI-related code to make the process of applying localized strings a bit easier for you. The hooks rely on the BRLocalizable protocol:

@protocol BRLocalizable <NSObject>

/**
Localize the receiver with a given dictionary of strings.

@param strings The strings data, typically loaded via the application's standard JSON strings file.
*/
- (void)localizeWithAppStrings:(NSDictionary *)strings;

@end

There are two main hooks provided:

1. awakeFromNib - any object that conforms to BRLocalizable will have localizeWithAppStrings: called when awakeFromNib is invoked.
2. willMoveToWindow: - any UIView class that conforms to BRLocalizable will have localizeWithAppStrings: called when willMoveToWindow: is invoked.

Building on those hooks, BRLocalize provides category-based implementations of the following classes so they conform to BRLocalizable:

1. UIBarButtonItem
2. UIButton
3. UILabel
4. UINavigationItem
5. UISegmentedControl
6. UITextField

All of these make use of a localizedStringWithAppStrings: method provided on NSString, which looks for strings in the form {some.key.path} and replaces that with a the value found at some.key.path in the JSON strings file.