Easily localize an addon

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It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Localizing an addon. Reason: Same subject matter, should be on a single page. Please discuss this on the discussion page.

This page will provide some guidelines on how you can easily set up your addon to be localized.

Contents 1 Overall layout 2 Localization.enUS.lua 3 MyAddon.lua 4 Localization.deDE.lua 5 MyAddon.toc

Overall layout

This design separates localization files for each locale, like Localization.enUS.lua. Each file holds the localized strings for that locale. Inside the main addon files I reference the localization table as a local variable. Provided next will be examples.

Localization.enUS.lua

The main localization file which all the others will pull from. Code:

   local debug = false
   MyLocalization = setmetatable({
       ['String 1'] = 'String 1',
       ['String 2'] = 'String 2',
       ['More strings here'] = 'More string here',
   }, {__index = function(self, key)
       if debug then ChatFrame3:AddMessage('Please localize: '..tostring(key)) end
       rawset(self, key, key)
       return key
   end })

This code generates a localized table that can optionally inform you when there is a key is not localized.

MyAddon.lua

Code:

   local L = MyLocalization
   
   ChatFrame1:AddMessage(L['Welcome to WoW!']) -- this should provide an extra message if you have debug set to true.
   ChatFrame1:AddMessage(L['More strings here']) -- here it shouldn't provide any other messages

Localization.deDE.lua

Code:

   if GetLocale() ~= "deDE" then return end
   MyLocalization = setmetatable({
       ['String 1'] = 'Localized string 1',
   }, {__index = MyLocalization})

This localization will fall back onto the other localization.

MyAddon.toc

Code:

   MyLocalization.enUS.lua
   MyLocalization.deDE.lua
   MyAddon.lua

 

See also: HOWTO: Localize an Addon