iphone - Custom NSLocalizedString?

Question

Is it possible to use the NSLocalizedString infrastructure (based on localizable.strings) with a custom-defined "localization"?

The thing is, there are some languages that have different wordings for males and females. I want to ask the user's gender on first launch and then use the appropriate phrases. Of course, both are based on the same language. I can do it with my own code but I'd rather do it the easy way if possible.

Answer 1

Here is my Custom implementation that use NSLocalizedString that use comment as default value:

(NSLocalizedStringWithDefaultValue does not work properly with genstring, that's why I proposed this solution)

1 . In your pre compiled header (.pch file) , redefine the 'NSLocalizedString' macro:

// cutom NSLocalizedString that use macro comment as default value
#import "LocalizationHandlerUtil.h"

#undef NSLocalizedString
#define NSLocalizedString(key,_comment) [[LocalizationHandlerUtil singleton] localizedString:key  comment:_comment]

2. create a class to implement the localization handler

#import "LocalizationHandlerUtil.h"

@implementation LocalizationHandlerUtil

static LocalizationHandlerUtil * singleton = nil;

+ (LocalizationHandlerUtil *)singleton
{
    return singleton;
}

__attribute__((constructor))
static void staticInit_singleton()
{
    singleton = [[LocalizationHandlerUtil alloc] init];
}

- (NSString *)localizedString:(NSString *)key comment:(NSString *)comment
{
    // default localized string loading
    NSString * localizedString = [[NSBundle mainBundle] localizedStringForKey:key value:key table:nil];

    // if (value == key) and comment is not nil -> returns comment
    if([localizedString isEqualToString:key] && comment !=nil)
        return comment;

    return localizedString;
}

@end

3. Use it!

Make sure you add a Run script in your App Build Phases so you Localizable.strings file will be updated at each build, i.e., new localized string will be added in your Localized.strings file:

My build phase Script is a shell script:

Shell: /bin/sh
Shell script content: find . -name *.m | xargs genstrings -o MyProjectFolder

So when you add this new line in your code:

self.title = NSLocalizedString(@"view_settings_title", @"Settings");

Then perform a build, your ./Localizable.scripts file will contain this new line:

/* Settings */
"view_settings_title" = "view_settings_title";

And since key == value for 'view_settings_title', the custom LocalizedStringHandler will returns the comment, i.e. 'Settings"

Voilà :-)