Java Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 15-2. JILT programs
Tool
Function
I18N Verifi-
er
Tests program for international use and suggests improvements.
Message
Tool
Finds and allows you to edit hardcoded or inconsistent messages.
Translator
Translates messages in a resource bundle file into a given locale/language.
Resource
Tool
Merges multiple resource files into a new resource bundle. Can also find differences between
resource files
It's worth noting that the time it takes to learn these tools may overshadow their benefits on
small projects, but on large projects they will likely prove worthwhile.
Version 2 of the Translator ships with a Chinese dictionary, but you can provide your own
dictionaries as well.
The Java Internationalization and Localization Toolkit has reached end-of-life in terms of
support but can, as of this writing, still be downloaded for free from the
Java Archived soft-
Almost all IDEs now provide an externalization mechanism. Under Eclipse, for example, se-
lect a Java source file, then select Externalize Strings from the Source menu. Eclipse gener-
ates a Properties file and a class with static methods to retrieve the values of the
String
s and
replace the strings in your code with calls to those methods. Other IDEs provide similar
mechanisms.
Using a Particular Locale
Problem
You want to use a locale other than the default in a particular operation.
